This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Genres: Historical Romance, Romantic Suspense
Published by Kensington
Released on October 29, 2019
Pages: 304
Format: eARC
Source: NetGalley
The Delight
Post-WWI, flappers, gin rickeys, jazz clubs, and a party atmosphere covers over dark deeds and silent suffering in the quiet hours. None more than Verity and Sydney Kent understand as they pick up the pieces to their lives and try to make their way far from the trenches for him and espionage work for her in a marriage teetering on the brink. Just when Verity wonders what they can do with themselves now, they are confronted by two separate friends’ pleas for help with murder. I love diving right back into Verity Kent’s world.
Review
Penny for Your Secrets is the third of the Verity Kent historical romantic suspense series set just after the WWI Armistice. The romance and character threads make it necessary to read in order though I suppose in a pinch one might grab one out of order.
Verity and Sydney have been through a lot when she thought him dead and he allowed it so he could pursue traitors in his army unit and then she rushed into reckless behavior and also secret service work. They are discovering that they want to keep their marriage, but also that they didn’t know each other as well as they thought and have to get used to the different people they really are. Verity is not society wife and keeper of the home fires and Sydney isn’t the carefree charmer. Solving murders and lingering secret intrigues post-war suits them better.
In this latest story, Verity’s loyalty to friendship is pitted against the stark facts of a spouse being murdered and infidelity running ramped meanwhile a secret service pal calls on her to investigate the suspicious death of her sister who used to be a mail sensor during the war and might have seen something in a letter she shouldn’t have. Verity is frustrated by both cases as they prove to not be straightforward and someone doesn’t want either mystery to be solved. Meanwhile, she watches Sydney struggle more and more with the pain of survivor’s guilt and something more carried over from his time at war. He’s shutting her out and she doesn’t know what to do about. So they soldier on and do what they’re good at together.
I love how the author can blend historical setting, meticulous attention to the era even down to how people would have acted and thought with a strong twisting suspense, and a romance relationship that is not simple or easy after being scarred by war and circumstances. Sydney and Verity both grew up old school, but in the war Verity came into her own as something different just like Sydney was battered and changed by the war. One can really see how it would be like being married to a stranger and deciding if you like let alone respect and love that stranger.
The mysteries were good. There are always layers with this author’s mysteries and this story was no exception. I enjoyed following along on the path of intrigue and danger. This book ended in a way that tells me there will be more to come from a certain quarter even though Verity and Sydney figured out the truth and who killed and why. I’m looking forward to seeing them clash with this villain again.
Those who enjoy a tough-fought romance mingled with a strong mystery and authentic historical setting should give this series a go.
I rec’d this book through Net Galley to read in exchange for an honest review.
Challenges Met
New Release #146
FraterfestRAT #1
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I just went and downloaded the first book in the series. I like that there’s a romance, even though it seems like a struggle right now, as well as a mystery. The time period is interesting to me as well. Wonderful review, Sophia Rose! 🙂
Oooooh, that first book. It had an Agatha Christie vibe to me. Hope you end up liking it.
I haven’t read it but glad to hear you liked it. Thanks for the great review.
You betcha, Mary. I do love the historical mysteries. 🙂
Oh I always love books like that!
Yes, it had a great backdrop with the Roaring Twenties and Post-War feel. 🙂
This series is new to me
I am liking the sound of it, thanks for sharing.
Glad to put you onto it, Nadene!
I love the time period and the mystery sounds good Sophia!
Oh, same here, and it was fun to see them really get into the jazz and flapper scene in this one. 🙂
Oh I love the sound of this! Excellent review!
Oh cool! Glad to introduce you, Anne. 🙂
Sounds good as I like that flapper period.
The first two books focused things elsewhere, but I love the Flapper Period, too, so it was fun to see it emphasized in this third book. 🙂