A London séance sets a lady spy on a deadly mission across Europe in this post-WWI Era mystery by the Daphne Award-winning author of This Side of Murder. Verity Kent can sympathize with those eager to make contact with lost loved ones. After all, she once believed herself a war widow. But now that she’s discovered Sidney is very much alive, Verity is having enough trouble connecting with her … connecting with her estranged husband, never mind the dead. Still, at a friend’s behest, Verity attends a séance with a medium claiming to channel sensitive information from a surprising source: a woman Verity once worked with in the Secret Service.
Refusing to believe her former colleague is dead—let alone divulging secrets—Verity is determined to uncover the source of the medium’s top-secret revelation. But her investigation is thwarted when the spiritualist is murdered. As once-trusted Secret Service agents turn their backs on her, Verity heads to war-torn Belgium, with Sidney by her side. But as they draw ever closer to danger, Verity wonders if she’s about to learn the true meaning of till death do us part.
“Huber combines intricate puzzles with affecting human drama.”—Publishers Weekly
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Anna Lee Huber’s latest Verity Kent mystery “Treacherous Is the Night” is a dark and wondrous tale. It has a little bit of everything – mysterious clues, secret rooms, strangers you can’t trust, lovers you can’t love. Not to mention breadcrumbs. Verity is every bit as tenacious and loyal as she was in her first book “This Side of Murder,” maybe more so. The deeper I read into the book, the harder it was to put down. So I didn’t. Verity puts her life and her future on hold till she works through this mystery, and it was work, fiery work. Of course Sidney is there with her. Although I wanted to kick him every time he walked out. It does have a happy solution, but leaves it very open-ended, plenty of room for sequels. (Please please please) I would love to say more, a lot more, but that would be spoilers. You gotta read it for yourself. Ok, I will say two more things, maybe 3:
Max. Earl of Ryde. He deserves much more than bookends. (I’m not even going to mention Alec.)
My favorite line in the entire book: “Because for the first time since his return from the grave, there was nothing between us but the sweat of our own skin.” (Nice Anna!)
One thing that I personally would like would be a small map showing the towns mentioned, and devastated, during this war and the telling of this story.
I received this book free as an ARC reviewer in exchange for a true and honest review. And so it has been.
Treacherous Is the Night by Anna Lee Huber is the second book in the series A Verity Kent Mystery. This book and series are set In 1919 just after World War I in England and Europe. I love the well researched historical details of life and the effects of this war on the people that lived during this time. The author has written realistic historical fiction with romance, spys, thrills, suspense and mystery. I have enjoyed every book written by this author and recommend them all no matter the time period. My thanks to the author, the publisher and netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book.
WWI may be officially over, but some people are continuing to cause trouble. Verity and Sidney must race across Europe to find and stop a madman determined to change the way the war ended. A delightful follow up to the first book in this exciting series.
This is the second book in the Verity Kent series and I found it an absolutely wonderful book. The characters are so alive, with all the foibles and strengths human beings have. Verity is a strong female protagonist but I felt her husband was a great match for her. The interactions between the two were amazingly well crafted and realistic for that time. The narrative gives just enough description of the scenery, architecture, dress and terminology that you feel you are transported back to the aftermath of WW1. The main storyline is about the search for Verity’s friend. It flows nicely with a building of danger, intrigue, and suspense until the great climax. There are also several side stories that gives the book as sense of depth. I found the time period fascinating, the characters charismatic and the story engaging. It is a great read.
Treacherous in the Night is the second Verity Kent Mystery in Anna Lee Hubers series. I love historical novels, especially WWI and WWII books. These were fun to read and the character building, and characters’ dilemmas were excellent and kept me reading. And wanting more. The descriptions of war torn Belgium and France were disturbing and real. The first book is This Side of Murder.
This is the second book of the Verity Kent Mystery Saga. Being a post WWI book deals with the aftermath of The Great War and gives tribute to the silent fighters, those who worked in intelligence services for the allies. Most novels that I have come across about WWI emphasized much on the carnage of the trenches and the psychological effects. This book addresses those topics in a more subtle way without resting importance to the horrors lived by those who were lucky enough to survive, and how they either come to terms with what they lived and go on with their lives, or succumb into hatred, depression and despair.
This book is about honor and forgiveness, loyalty and friendship while exploring the human side of a conflict. Verity and Sidney learn about their lives during their time apart and how those years shape them. They must forgive, reconcile and love the person they have become and accept their relationship in this new terms.
Here are some quotes from the book:
“…you will not be forced to sacrifice your honor in the quest for what is right.”
“What I want is for you to stop assuming that absolute forgiveness happens overnight. It’s a process.”
“Too quick a reconciliation would have seemed false.”
“I was not so narrow-minded as to not recognize that many of the enemy were good men caught up in the same cog of war that had entrapped us all.”
Highly recommend this book!
I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Many Thanks Kensington Books, Anna Lee Huber and Netgalley for the opportunity.
Treacherous In The Night is the second book in the Verity Kent Mystery series.
I find this historical mystery to be a very enjoyable, well researched and written series. Ms. Huber gives the reader an interesting look at post-WWI Europe.
The story begins a few months after the conclusion of This Side Of Murder. Verity and Sidney are still walking on egg-shells around each other. Verity hasn’t completely forgiven Sidney for letting her believe he was dead for 15 months. She wants to make their marriage work, but at the same knows that Sidney is also carrying the scars of war.
Verity reluctantly agrees to attend a seance with Daphne Merrick, a friend, and former co-worker at the War Office. Verity feels that these seances are a sham, but as it proceeds, she is singled out by Madame Zozza who has a message from Emilie. Emilie had been a member of La Dame Blanche, an intelligent-gathering network and had served as a courier for Verity during the war.
First, Verity does not believe that Emilie is dead since she never knew Verity’ s real name and if she did there was a breach of security somewhere in the War Office. Verity meets with some of her former colleagues at the War Office and with Max Westfield, the Earl of Ryde. The War Office isn’t willing to help very much, so Verity and Sydney set off for Flanders to begin a search for what happened to or where she might be.
I’m looking forward to the next book in the series to see what adventures Verity and Sydney are off on.
I enjoyed this second in series but maybe not quite as much as the first. This one resolved the love triangle from the first one (a “dead” husband and a new interest) and had Verity back home in London after her first adventure at Umbersea Island. While this one provided some in-depth looks at WW1/Secret Service and a locale change to Belgium, it was not quite as interesting as meeting Verity and solving the subsequent mystery of the first.
However, let me just say that I adore Huber’s writing. She’s on my auto-buy list for historical mysteries. She’s one of my favorites for her exhaustive research, her character development and her original plot lines.
Thanks to #NetGalley and #Kensington for the ARC. The opinions are strictly my own.
Ms. Huber has penned another fabulous mystery in this series. She has demonstrated great skill as she writes in a new setting that is roughly 90 years later than her popular Lady Darby series. Many authors are not able to adapt from one setting to another as successfully as she.
With lyrical prose that appeals to the senses, Ms. Huber adeptly draws her readers into the setting of post-war Europe that is filled with danger and intrigue. The shadow of the Great War continues to haunt Verity and Sidney as they travel to Belgium to uncover secrets that threaten the lives of many who worked undercover for the British Secret Service and the Allies. After believing that Sidney was dead for 15 months, Verity finds that the years of the war have changed both of them. As they work together, Verity and Sidney find that the secrets they reveal not only have the power to uncover a murderer, the secrets of Verity’s role in the war have the power to either destroy or strengthen their fragile relationship as well. Huber gives us a heroine that is compelling with her courage, strength and independence. But she is also fragile and endearing in her insecurities.
This exquisite story will appeal to fans of historical fiction and mysteries alike, providing a lyrical tale filled with danger, intrigue, endearing characters and a little bit of romance to satisfy the reader’s heart. I look forward to reading more of Verity’s exploits in the future.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher. I was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.
What a great second entry in this series! It is hard to comprehend that both world wars separated husbands and wives for years. Imagine getting married days before your husband goes off to war and seeing him for a few days at a time once or twice a year until the war’s end. This is Verity Kent’s reality until she receives word of her husband Sidney’s death. And then her husband comes back from the dead 15 months later. She resents his keeping her in the dark despite his reasons. They have both been changed by the war and losses. Neither is entirely open with the other about the years they were apart. This story begins as they’ve been back together for four weeks. A wartime mystery from Verity’s Secret Service work has cropped up, threatening lives and her tenuous marriage. She is compelled to find and warn a woman from her past, even knowing it may damage her shaky marriage beyond repair. The historical details of this time, 1919, are well researched and heartbreaking.
I really like this series! I felt like I learned a lot about post-war Belgium and espionage. Verity and Sidney are a great match! The story was intriguing and full of action. Such a well-written series!
or both Verity and Sidney the shadow of the War continues to haunt them on a regular basis. Now Verity the as they travel to Belgium to uncover secrets that threaten the lives of many who worked undercover for the British Secret Service and the Allies.
Sidney knows that their marriage is strained, they have a lot of rebuilding to do. Ver & Sid are both willing to do that. They respect & admire each other. Though they are working furiously & honestly on trying to rebuild their love for one another. They have to solve a mystery, save an undercover
Verity is invited to attend a spiritualist in London. She was only going to convince her sister that it’s all a fraud to con people’s out of $$. When the spiritualist makes a few strange remarks to verity, which she disbelievers, but which is followed by the gruesome murder of the spiritualist, Verity knows that she has to be careful and that she must try to reach out to Emilie her contact in Belgium in order to know that she is safe and well.
Verity & Sidney uncover a deadly scheme for revenge as they search for Emilie – an informant who worked undercover for the Allies during Verity travels is now threated to be discovered & killed if Verity doesn’t go back to Belgium & find Emilie before the enemies do. Past & current mission are in danger. If the jacket with the list that Verity provided to Emilie gets into the wrong hands. All undercover agents discovered working for the British Secret service & their Allies will be k.
On top of the comments the spiritual warn Verity.
When she arrives, she is surprised to see Max who is there for his eccentric Aunt. Max was Sidney’s superior from his unit & didn’t know that Sidney was underground because his life was in danger from a mole in their unit. Due to that little death hitch Max & Ver felt the attraction for one another. Sidney knows that attraction still exists & he does feel jealous of their relationship. However, he knows that Verity is committed like he is to their strained marriage.
Sidney and Verity are a formidable couple when they work together. They know what needs to be done for their country, due to war & missions they have had to cover thru the war.
Because of that fact, is why they are determined to rebuilding their fragile marriage. It’s going to take time. The story is written quite accurately when a couple is trying to rebuild their lives, emotions & nightmares from their wartime days. They don’t leap straight back into life before the war but instead face many obstacles, struggles as they attempt to readjust to post war trauma, & married life.
They are working on communicating with each other about their deepest darkest pain. Along with getting some alone time in the post war era. For both Sid & Ver it’s hard not to remember the ugliness, pain & survival of the war. Trying to go out with friends, dancing & putting on a smile can take its toll. They have changed perspective on their dreams, goals due to incidents that have affected them deeply. They don’t have luxuries of their wedding day s & romance.
Nonetheless, the love, respect & admiration for one another is real. They are determined to work & build their marriage as a whole. Though from the story they work better together when they are under pressure. These spontaneous revenge plots, threats to undercover allies from their past Ver past assignment help them to communicate their emotions. Why because they know they cannot take life for granted. These mysteries help them to have their love blossom from the way the their characters are now. . Topped off with a gripping mystery, this will not disappoint.”
The Kent’s are gradual peeling away the various layers of self-protection that Verity and Sidney have erected around their emotions and the exploration and development of their relationship . They’re different people now, they’ve experienced hardship, danger and the horrors of war in different ways, and they’re cagy and reluctant to reveal the extent of their sorrow, anger, doubt and broken-ness to one another. Verity is keeping a particularly guilty secret (which has been alluded to before) and is also unsure of how her husband will react when he learns the true extent of her work as an agent for the secret service. Which secretly Sidney already figured out she was a spy. he is just waiting for her to admit it. Will he ever be able to accept that she’s no longer the starry-eyed young woman he married?
They story is told thru Verity’s eyes. Though Ms. Huber does write to the readers as to what Sidney’s feelings by his reactions expressed through dialogue, facial expression & body language. Which Verity observes & tries to open up her own emotions from her life in the war. Not to mention the pain she went thru when she thought Sidney was dead.
Since each one of them are taking baby steps to understand one another. Sid is coming to understand, appreciate and admire the determined, independent woman Verity has become, while he was away. He regrets that he ever gave his wife any agony. Which is why he is gradually- reawakening trust as he allows himself to reveal more of his own fears and insecurities just as Verity reveals hers. Their internal struggles feel very real, and their rapprochement is gradual and not always easy, but it’s superbly done and I became fully invested in their relationship and was rooting for them long before the end.
Agree with another readers thought:
Ms. Huber’s eye for historical detail is excellent, and she makes some shrewd social observations with a light touch, about the about the glamorization of war, the treatment of its veterans and how the women who had taken men’s roles during it were suddenly expected to go back into their ‘womanly’ boxes and act as if they’d never had that taste of independence and freedom.
Treacherous is the Night is entertaining, well-researched and well-written, and I enjoyed it very much. I was as caught up in the exploration of the Kents’ troubled marriage as I was intrigued by the mystery plot, and would definitely encourage fans of well-
This is a fabulous read. It takes place just after WW1. Verity Kent and her husband Sidney are trying to remake their marriage after years apart during the war. The author does a brilliant job of showing how the war has affected each of them, and the difficulties of reestablishing their relationship. They travel to war-torn Europe to solve a mystery related to Verity’s past as an agent. The description of the devastation is masterful and incredibly moving. All in all, an excellent story.
My Rating: 4.5*
Seance…Secrets…Treachery…
Another intriguing post-World War I mystery by the ever talented Anna Lee Huber and book 2 in the Verity Kent mystery series. I strongly recommend you read book 1, ‘This Side of Murder’, as the mystery and story behind her dead husband, Sidney, is revealed in that book.
I eagerly anticipated reading ‘Treacherous is the Night’, as I wanted to, not only be back in the life of Verity Kent, but I wanted to know if Ms. Huber could bring me round to liking Sidney Kent! I must say she succeeded. It wasn’t an immediate action that did it but the gradual unfolding of the story.
“My chest tightened with the knowledge that if we were ever to repair this rift between us, then one of us had to take that first step. And yet, I didn’t want it to be me.” (quote from the book)
Both Verity and Sidney have secrets they are afraid to reveal let alone face. Each are not the same person they were when they married before the war. Each are damaged in their own way by the conflict and their part in it. Now someone wants Verity dead and will stop at nothing to get it done. However, Verity is no longer part of the Secret Service, she has to use her contacts to help find her former fellow spy before she too is killed. She has to reveal her past to Sidney.
This is as much an emotional journey for Verity and Sidney as it is for the historical impact that affected those during and after the Great War.
“For all that they shared in our grief, the older generations couldn’t understand what it was like to have one’s youth ripped apart by the war…To watch our friends, brothers, fiances, and husbands march off to battle, and return shadows of their former selves – broken in body and mind. Or worse, never to return at all. Leaving gaping holes in our lives where our loved ones should have been.” (quote from the book)
Ms. Huber has done her research and has conveyed the magnitude of loss and the resilience of those left behind to pick up the pieces. I did find it slow in the build up, but I still highly recommend this thought-provoking series.
Great WWI read.
Page turner!
The characters were believable and the storyline plausible. It was a good read.
Well written and a good period piece.
This one in a series – all are excellent!
Great character development, paints a realistic picture of post WW I England and Belgium. It’s a love story within a larger, great narrative, includinghow brilliantwomen who contributed to the war effort in game changing ways were dusmissed and unappreciatedfor the efforts so men could have their jobs. Not your typical romance novel. I’m eager to read more of the series and all book by this aythor!