A review by sophiarose1816
The Cold Light of Day by Anna Lee Huber

adventurous challenging emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

 

The latest from Anna Lee Huber was highly anticipated and a bold surprise all in one.  The Verity Kent series featuring a former British spy and her war hero husband has been tripping the light fantastic since book one, but with The Cold Light of Day, Anna Lee Huber has raised her own bar to greater heights. 

 

The seventh in this strongly connected post-WWI era historical mystery series, The Cold Light of Day, has Verity and Sidney in Dublin, Ireland during an outbreak of violence as the promised Home Rule doesn’t transpire and many Irish are not minded to settle for Home Rule and want it all even if it means bloody civil war.  Verity is determined to find her friend whose latest assignment was to infiltrate the IRA and has been missing for six weeks.  Sidney insists on partnering her though they both struggle with this particular rescue since her friend was once a lover when she thought Sidney was dead. 

 

Anna Lee Huber did her homework and post-WWI era Ireland and its powder keg of politics and religion was painted so well that I felt I was right there on the roiling, dangerous streets of Dublin and getting the complicated situations from all sides of the equation in person.  Verity and Sidney have never faced such a challenge and that’s saying something because Verity worked behind enemy lines in occupied territory and Sidney was out in the front lines for the fighting. 

 

As in previous books, Verity and Sidney are presented with more than one case.  This time around, they are trying to track down the deadly phosgene gas that their arch enemy stole from the army, investigate a young woman’s brutal assault and suicide, and track down Verity’s former spy compatriot who disappeared.  This was a taunt and emotional book from start to finish.  There were good twists, superb nail-biting suspense and a fab climax. 

 

All in all a winner and left me in that state of desperate need for the next installment.  I couldn’t put this one down after it reached a third of the way.  Sooner rather than later, get this series onto the top of your TBR pile, historical mystery fans!