Review: Murder Most Fair

Murder Most Fair by Anna Lee Huber
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

November 1919 and Verity Kent's Great-Aunt Ilse arrives at Verity's home in Kent with her new maid Frau Bauer in tow. Soon stories of strange men accosting Frau Bauer and fears of what Lord Ardmore might do if he found out that Verity's German aunt had come to the UK lead Verity and Sidney to decide it would be best if they all decamp to Verity's parents' home in Yorkshire two weeks earlier than planned. Verity hasn't been home since her brother's death and she has a fraught relationship with her mother, so this is a big sacrifice on her part.

Then Isle's maid is found dead and secrets are revealed. Was she murdered by the mysterious stranger she was seen arguing with? Was it Verity's younger sister Grace's new beau who apparently has a 'Blighty wound' which invalided him our of the war? Is it a villager convinced she was a German spy? And what is Aunt Ilse hiding?

Although this is yet another well-crafted mystery for Verity and Sidney, the focus of this book is very much on relationships. We learn a lot> more about Verity's relationships with the rest of her family, and how each of them has been affected by the war and the death of her brother Rob. In fact, I would happily have read this with no murder at all just because it advanced everything else so much, all those tantalising glimpses into Verity's marriage and her older brother's disapproval are all brought to the surface and it is very satisfying. Also, a personal thanks that the book does not start with Verity and Sidney estranged as seemed to happen with several of the other books.

Overall, a great instalment in one of my favourite series and I can't wait for the next one.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

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