Blurb from publisher:
On her first mission for MI6, the daring young photographer at the heart of this thrilling new mystery series by bestselling author Anne Perry travels to Mussolini’s Italy to rescue the lover who betrayed her.
Britain’s secret intelligence service, MI6, has lost contact with its informant in northern Italy, just as important information about the future plans of Austria and Nazi Germany is coming to light. And young Elena Standish, to her surprise, is the only person who can recognize MI6’s man—because he is her former lover. Aiden Strother betrayed her six years before, throwing shame on her entire family. Now, with so much to prove, Elena heads to Trieste to track down Aiden and find out what happened to his handler, who has mysteriously cut off contact with Britain.
As Elena gets word of a secret group working to put Austria in the hands of Germany, her older sister, Margot, is in Berlin to watch a childhood friend get married—to a member of the Gestapo. Margot and Elena’s grandfather, the former head of MI6, is none too happy about the sisters’ travels at this tumultuous time, especially when a violent event at home reminds him that even Britain is growing dangerous. As his own investigation collides with his granddaughter’s, what’s at stake on the continent becomes increasingly frightening—and personal.
Against the backdrop of a rapidly changing Europe, New York Times bestselling author Anne Perry crafts a novel full of suspense, political intrigue, and the struggle between love and loyalty to country.
My Review:
This book is like watching your favorite Masterpiece Theatre episode on PBS. It’s as if John le Carré wrote a season of Downton Abbey a little after the show stopped being televised. It’s the 1930’s and Europe is on the brink of war. We find out that the Earl of Grantham used to work for MI6 and so did Mr. Carson. They think they kept it a secret from the women in their lives, but actually, they always knew/suspected, and now that the older men are retired, Mary and Edith help the MI6, with Edith becoming a full-fledged agent.
All the drama and flair you expect from Masterpiece is in A Question of Betrayal. So are cunning smart women, fantastic backdrops of Europe, and descriptions of fabulous parties and dresses. However, it is all mixed with the thrilling danger and grit of an espionage story. The main character, photographer Elena Standish, really comes into her own in this book. So does her older sister Margot. (Incidentally, just like Mary and Edith, they have an English father and an American mother.) The characters are complex and deep. The setting and history are expertly researched, and the plot and action are thrilling. After reading, you will want to spend a lot more time with all of the characters in this series.
I snagged an early copy of this book from Netgalley. The publication date is September 8th, 2020.