I was excited to receive an advance copy of this book from the publisher. I’ve long been a fan of the author and have thoroughly enjoyed nearly all of her work. That said, I’ve found myself struggling a bit with the last two installments in this series. While I admire the ambition behind the Ireland storyline and the historical depth, the narrative felt more like a detailed history lesson at times than a novel. The abundance of dates, names, and historical context, while clearly well-researched, occasionally pulled me out of the story, and I found myself tempted to skim through those sections.

In addition, this book leaned more toward "telling" rather than "showing," with long stretches lacking dialogue. That shift in style made it harder for me to stay engaged. Unlike previous books in the series, which each had a distinct plot arc alongside the ongoing battle against Lord Ardmore, this installment focused almost entirely on that central conflict—without resolving it, ending instead on a cliffhanger.

I’ll still read the next book, because I care about the characters and want to see how everything unfolds. But I do hope the upcoming installment brings some closure and recaptures the tone and pacing that made the earlier books so compelling.

Set in 1920 Dublin, Verity Kent and her husband Sidney continue their resolve to find missing the phosgene and thwart the traitor Lord Admore. Along the way, they work to apprehend a jewel thief against the tumultuous Irish setting.

While a slow start and after a book that wasn't my favorite in the series, I found the tension rising ever so gradually until I was racing to find out what was going to happen to my girl Verity. I loved how she wrestled with her actions and worked through the conflicting emotions she had about the IRA and British government. Sidney is such a rock (and her admitted weakness), and I loved seeing them continue building their relationship. The author continues to do a fantastic job placing me as a reader squarely in this time, including details on what the newspaper headlines were, popular alcoholic drinks, and what Verity would wear at different times. The post WWI time period isn't one I read a lot about, and the author helps bring this to life in a fantastic way.

I continue to recommend the first book in the series as the best place to start. If the Irish setting is of particular interest, I recommend starting with the book just before this one for this Dublin based story arch.

4.25 / 5 stars

I had a hard time getting into this one. There were parts of chapters that read more like nonfiction -- and I say that as someone who has a pretty good grasp on Irish history. That said, it definitely picked up towards the end and the cliffhanger made crave the next book!

What a cliffhanger! Verity and Sydney are some of my favorite characters in historical fiction right now. I love the complexity of their relationship.

"Violence, reprisal, and intrigue abound in post-World War I Ireland as the bloody conflict between the Irish Republican Army and the British authorities continues to escalate. But former Secret Service agent Verity Kent must deal with a more immediate concern - the possession of poisonous gas by a ruthless adversary...

August 1920, Dublin, Ireland: A fraught task keeps Verity and her husband Sidney in the country after their initial clandestine mission has been completed: the traitor Lord Ardmore is scheming to employ the deadly phosgene gas he's stolen for some terrifying purpose, and the couple will need both the Crown forces and the rebels' help to thwart him.

As they pursue their quarry, they are drawn into a case involving a series of cunning and brazen jewel thefts. Many believe it is the work of the Irish rebels, seeking to fund their revolution, but when Verity and Sidney are also approached by Michael Collins and the IRA to unmask the thief, they suspect he may instead be an opportunist using the political unrest as a cover for his crimes.

As the thief continues to pull ever more risky jobs - including targeting Verity and their friends - the couple receive new intelligence that the gas they seek may be intended for a crowded event, one that the entire world will be attuned to. They must stop Lord Ardmore at all costs - or the consequences will be devastating..."

I mean, civil unrest is ripe for a thief... and a JEWEL thief at that!

This book picked up where the last one left off, continuing the ongoing story arch with Verity and crew. As with the previous book, there is a lot of intertwining of historical events to provide rich context. The first half of the book was a little slow from my perspective, but it really picked up on the second half and a bit of a cliffhanger ending. Looking forward to continuing to follow the story with the next edition.

Thank you to the publisher and author for the ARC.

A masterful new installment in the Verity Kent series—elegantly written, relentlessly suspenseful, and capped with a tantalizing finale that sets up the next mystery perfectly.

This is the eighth installment of the Verity Kent series, and I definitely recommend reading the series in order before you begin this book. As always in Huber's novels, the characters are developed with great care and the settings are realized in full detail. This is the second book in a row set in Dublin, and I can easily picture the action on the streets and bridges. The historical detail does bog down a bit, though it's needed to explain the motivations of the various factions, and ultimately to explain the conflicted sympathies of Verity herself. Like the citizens of Ireland and their British countrymen, she and her husband Sydney are in a no-win situation as they pursue a stolen shipment of poison gas. No matter what else occurs, the gas must not be allowed to be used against anyone.

I have to say that this book was not my cup of tea. It’s steeped in history and part of a series of, of which I’ve not read previously. It features amateur sleuths in 1920’s Ireland. I’m sure others love this book/author. I was given a complimentary copy of this book and the opinions are my own.

I have to be honest, it was tough for me to get back into this book because it was so heavy on history and less about the characters. It wasn't until the jewel theft was introduced that I felt like I wasn't slogging through backstory and historical facts. The theft started things moving, and then I was back in and ready for the action. I realize that the historical aspects helped to set the scene of the times, but it would completely take me out of what was going on to try to make sense of it (or skim over it). I always appreciate how supportive Verity and Sydney are of each other in their marriage and he never seems to hold her back from doing things because she's a woman. I found, though, that I enjoyed the parts where they met up with Xavier as my favorites, because that is such an interesting dynamic. The cliffhanger ending has me ready for the next book, but a long wait lies ahead.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced reader copy.

Set in the backdrop of tumultuous time in Irish history, Verity finds herself with yet another mystery to solve while also racing to thwart Lord Admore's nefarious plotting.

Since each book in the series builds on the larger conspiracy of Lord Ardmore's plans and Verity's espionage escapades, I'd recommend reading previous books in the series to get a better understanding of the various chess pieces on the board.

This book placed more focus on the characters of Verity & Sydney, Alec Xavier and Willoughby - and I'm here for it! We see a more human side to them as the book deals with the tensions that each character holds within themselves in relation to the difficult times of the Irish fight for independence.

The pacing of the book, the building of the political strain, the empathy for the local fight and the juxtaposition of the British fighting the Germans in WWII vs being 'occupiers' in Ireland was meaningfully dealt within the story.

Yet another riveting addition to the series that I thoroughly enjoy!

Another riveting entry in the Verity Kane series, this continues the intrigue in 1920s Ireland. still not on the trail of the missing phosgene, Verity can't help but compare the streets of Ireland with the troops of British soldiers to occupied France and Belgium of her war experience. Enlightening on the evolution of the Irish home rule as well as engaging with multiple twists!

Holy cliffhanger bat girl! I've loved Verity from the beginning, and this book follows her and Sidney while still in Ireland during the riots. A lot of the history I didn't know, and it really showed the human side of the conflict. Verity and her husband are still as adorable as ever. Verity is still as headstrong as ever. With mounting danger, they expose double agents, find their loyalty questioned, and oh investigate a bunch of jewelry thefts while they're at it.

It’s very intriguing to read about after fact of WWI in a different country than usual. The story takes place in Ireland in the 20’s. There is such conflict between Ireland and England and Verity is in the most of it. Very enjoyable story.

As an Irish American whose relatives left Ireland during the period in which this book is set, I was nervous about this phase of the Verity Kent series, which I have enjoyed immensely over the last several years. My fears were allayed quickly in that book, as Anna Lee Huber treated the British and the IRA fairly. Verity and Sidney themselves were conflicted over their allegiance as they saw the brutality of British occupation in Ireland. In the second book, the couple is dealing with two investigations. Officially, they are looking for a jewel thief. Unofficially, the search for some poison gas canisters that went missing at the end of the war (WW2) continues.

The research involved in writing this book must have been herculean. The setting and atmosphere saturate the page. Anyone unfamiliar with the history of Ireland could feel overwhelmed by all this information, but I appreciated all the detail and learned quite a bit myself!

This book ends on quite the cliffhanger, but there's one development at the end that ushers in a new phase of this series. We get a tiny bit of the first chapter from the next book to ponder during the wait for the next installment.

This book had a daunting amount of history, both from the previous books and the era itself. So I have to admit it took a while for me to get into the story, after being weighed down by backstory. But once the action got going, oh man! I simultaneously felt that Verity and Sidney were chasing their own tails in circles, and that they were the only heroes who could expose the nefarious plot. It was exciting and exhausting! Thanks to Kensington for the ARC.

A Moment’s Shadow by Anna Lee Huber is the latest in the long running Verity Kent historical mystery series. Verity and her husband Sydney are now in Ireland trying to solve a mystery that is a long running arc through several books in the series. The book is long at over 350 pages and does seem a little slow in the beginning, but once it gets going it really has a lot going on. By the second half of the book, it was hard to put it down! The amount of research that went into this book must be enormous. There are so many details about Ireland, the IRA, Sinn Fein and the British government in the 1920’s. It was interesting reading, but almost overwhelming. I do think that Huber did give a very good feel for what it must have been like to be in Ireland in that very scary time period and a good feel for how hard it was for people living in Ireland then. If you have read this series, you will love this book and probably be upset by the end. I can’t wait for the next book. What a cliffhanger! If you haven’t read the rest of the series, read them first. They are all great! This is a great series and Anna Lee Huber is a wonderful author!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this book. All opinions are my own.

In A MOMENT’S SHADOW, written by Anna Lee Huber, Verity and her husband, Sidney, are in Post World War I Dublin. They are trying to find phosgene that had been stolen during the war and to expose Lord Ardmore as a traitor. Verity and Sidney are sent to Dublin to locate C, the chief of SIS (Secret Intelligence Service and Verity’s former superior who has been reported missing by his handler).

I have to admit that getting to know characters introduced in the early chapters is a difficult enterprise at times. I find the effort is worth it as I read on. Once the story involves a jewel theft, I am more engaged in reading the book. There are times I want more of the Verity and Sidney story, but the conclusion is most satisfying. Thank you, Kensington Publishing and NetGalley, for the chance to read and review an advance reader copy of A MOMENT’S SHADOW.

Anna Lee Huber delivers another excellent Verity Kent mystery. Well researched and vivid setting, solid plot full of surprises.
It was great to catch up with the characters and i loved the plot
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Verity Kent and her husband are still in Ireland, still looking for the stole gas, and the political situation is getting dire. Verity finds herself in a tricky situation as a British subject who sympathizes with the Irish cause.
While the ongoing mystery of locating the gas before Ardmore can use it continuing, there is also a thief on the loose that Verity is asked to help catch.
The explanation of the situation in Ireland gets to be bit more serious than what I want out of a cozy mystery series book at times and the cliff hanger ending is not what I expected. The beginning of the novel dragged but the action picked up in the second half.