A Pretty Deceit (A Verity Kent Mystery Book 4)

Verity Kent is back in Anna Lee Huber’s A Pretty Deceit and peacetime seems to have brought very little in the way of rest for her. Her husband, thought dead for a year, is now back, and she is trying to settle into a normal, espionage free life. She is asked by her father to check in on her aunt who is considering selling her estate. She soon learns that her aunt has been less than truthful about the state of things when she discovers forged artworks and missing valuables. Even worse, a body turns up on the estate as well. There is a definite connection between the murder and the neighboring airfield and Verity must discover it before she becomes the next victim.

This book is not successful as a stand-alone novel and should be read with the others in the series. There are too many character relationships that the reader misses out on otherwise and the recurring villain theme makes little sense without the knowledge gained by reading books one through three. Speaking of relationships, I found the charisma between Verity and her former lover much more interesting than that of her and her husband. I have read other Huber books and enjoy her work; however, I will not be picking up another Verity Kent novel.