Book excerpt: A WWI widow investigates murder—and her late husband’s secrets—in “this engrossing series launch” by the Daphne Award-winning author (Publishers Weekly). England, 1919. Verity Kent’s grief over the loss of her husband pierces anew when she receives a cryptic letter suggesting her beloved Sidney may have committed treason before his untimely death. Determined to dull her pain with revelry, Verity’s first impulse is to dismiss the claim. But the mystery sender knows too much—including the fact that during the war, Verity worked for the Secret Service, something not even Sidney knew. Lured to Umbersea Island to attend the engagement party of one of Sidney’s fellow officers, Verity discovers dark secrets among the veterans—along with a murder meant to conceal them. Relying on little more than a coded letter, a dashing stranger, and her own sharp instincts, Verity pursues a deadly trail that leads her to a shocking truth. . . “My favorite new mystery series!”– Alyssa Maxwell, USA Today bestselling author “Sure to please fans of classic whodunits and lovers of historical fiction alike.”–Jessie Crockett, author of Whispers Beyond the Veil