Anne Perry is well-known for
her historical mysteries and the annual Christmas mystery she has written
since 2004, but A Darker Reality was
my introduction to the author. Now I know why Perry has so many dedicated fans.
The Elena Standish series (one
of several by Perry) takes place in pre World War II Europe. Elena is a photographer from England in her late twenties but she
is a lot more she appears. Her father is a career diplomat and his father once
headed MI6. Let’s just say this apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
Elena travels to America with
her parents for the 60th wedding anniversary party of her American
mother’s parents in Washington, D.C. Her grandfather, Wyatt Baylor, is a very
powerful financier who has just been appointed an adviser to President Franklin
Roosevelt, who is also attending the party. When one of the guests is found dead
after being run over by his car, Wyatt is arrested. He claims he is being
framed by his enemies and Elena and her father set out to find the truth. The
book also touches on the feelings of many Americans at that time – isolationism
and racial purity. The splitting of the atom also has a role to play.
Anne Perry is a master at
building the suspense throughout the book until the surprise ending. Although
it is not necessary to read the books in order, readers will find this title
refers quite often to the events of numbers 1 and 2. I have already checked
them out!
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