Category: takes place during a holiday

Review: Vera Kelly is the smart and witty spy you have always wanted, with sincerity and a droll sensibility. She is the epitome of cool, and the book’s setting does the character justice. Bouncing from flashbacks of 1950s Maryland to Vera’s current mission in Buenos Aires during the 1960s, the style and noir feel of the book is ever-present and drives the story forward with patience and intrigue.

The real question of the book is given to the reader in the title, who is Vera Kelly? Why is she a spy? As the novel unfolds, layer upon layer of history and trauma are brought forward, exposing a person who is looking for the answer too. What is known about Vera is her intense intelligence and constant drive to do her work as well as possible for the CIA. Blending into the background, networking with students, using her sharp language and wiretapping excellence- there seems to be no stopping her. However, when a coup and a betrayal disrupt her world, her survival skills are put to the test.

Beyond exploring the fascinating central character, Knecht is able to paint a bright and sensational version of Argentina, steeped with political and social tensions. While the book sometimes gets trapped in the past, it never loses sight of Vera and its mission to understand her. This book is the first in the Vera Kelly series by Knecth, the second installment, Vera Kelly is Not a Mystery, has just been released, you can check it out here. Enjoy the trip and relish the voice of this 21st century spy.

Find it on Live-brary: e-book or audiobook

Submitted by: Noel