Barbara’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Verity Kent #4
Publication Date: 9/29/20
Number of Pages: 304

This might be the best book in the series so far. All of them have had great mysteries and all of them have furthered the investigation into the overarching villain – but this one shows further character growth that I really appreciated. For me, it has been a slow go to warm up to Sidney – read the first book in the series, This Side of Murder, to learn why. Speaking of that, you can read this as a stand-alone book and you’ll definitely appreciate the single mystery contained within it, but to gain a good understanding of the overarching mystery as well as the character’s relationships with each other, you really ought to read the series in order.

Verity and Sidney are preparing to leave for Falmouth to further their investigation into Ardmore whenever Verity received a call from her parents asking her to travel to her aunt Ernestine’s estate, Littlemote, in northeastern Wiltshire. There were some issues that needed handling at the estate. Many soldiers from the nearby airfield were billeted at Littlemote during the war and caused a lot of damage to the structure. Along with that, several small items have disappeared and a number of the more valuable paintings have now been identified as forgeries.

When Verity arrives, she learns that not only are items missing and paintings forgeries, there is a maid missing. Verity quickly comes to a solution on the paintings, but the body of one of the employees turns up in a wooded area. Oh! My! Sounds like a job for the local constabulary.

As Verity, Sidney, and company zip around the countryside investigating Ardmore and the mishaps at Littlemote, we have more bodies, more danger, car chases, you name it. Solving this one won’t be easy and it certainly won’t be safe for Verity or her friends. Things are really beginning to heat up with Ardmore. Oh! Heart Palpitations!

I thoroughly enjoyed the read – the writing is excellent, the pacing is exciting, and the plot is interesting and keeps you wondering until the last moment. I am also coming to like Sidney much better – especially with the way that he allows Verity to take the lead on investigations and he’s even accepting of her friendships with the males in the group – even though it gives him a bit of a pang, he shows his trust and faith in her. So, I’m thawing toward him.

I hope you will enjoy the read as much as I did.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.