Review
The Fourteenth Deadly Mystery
In July 1943 with her husband assigned to North Africa Olivia Redmond and their son Stevie are living in the Coswolds with her good friend Esther. That is until she gets a call from British spymaster Sir Malcolm. Livvy is to report to Trent Park House just outside of London. The house has been turned into a Prisoner of War Camp for German generals, completely bugged with German speakers listening in the basement. Livvy is to teach sketching classes to the generals in the hopes of getting them relaxed and talking. The first surprise is seeing Oberst, now General, Bernhard as a prisoner. The second is the discovery of one of the POWs killed and stuffed in her art cabinet. Livvy soon finds herself dealing with stolen jewels, a plot against England, and another assault. Will she be able to convince the Germans she's merely an art teacher as she tries to solve the secrets of Trent Park House and a murder? Or will she be the next to be silenced?
In a house that's bugged with guards all around there's plenty of room for assault and murder, but who's behind it? In my mind no one could be trusted, and I was definitely right about one person in particular. Add hidden jewels and different factions between the generals and their batmen and you get one heck of a great mystery. I love how Livvy stands up to Sir Malcolm, at least as much as she's able, yet manages to to her undercover work with ease. The mystery was complex, characters real, and wartime details fascinating.
As a fan of the Deadly series since it began I can't tell you how thrilled I was to see a book featuring my favorite secondary character-Oberst Wilhelm Bernhard. We haven't really seen him since the war began and I was honestly worried about him. Readers learn that he rose to the rank of general, but is now a prisoner of war. I was relieved to find him still alive! And still anti Nazi!
With attention to detail, fascinating characters, and an intriguing mystery DEADLY RUSE is a captivating World War II novel that will keep you engaged from start to finish. I'm already looking forward to the next installment.
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Deadly Ruse: A World War II Mystery (Deadly Series) by Kate Parker
About Deadly Ruse
Deadly Ruse: A World War II Mystery (Deadly Series)
Historical Cozy Mystery 14th in Series
Setting - England
Publisher: JDP Press
Publication Date: June 23, 2026
Number of Pages ~300
As the war's outcome shifts, deception is an art--and survival depends on who's painting the picture. When British spy Olivia Redmond is summoned again by her elusive spymaster, she's expecting danger--not an invitation to teach drawing to captured German generals at Trent Park House. But beneath the genteel cover of sketches and civility lies a deadly ruse: the lavish POW mansion is wired for sound, every whispered secret a weapon in Britain's intelligence war. Among the prisoners is Oberst Bernhard, a conflicted German officer from Livvy's past. When murder, stolen jewels, and a suspected plot among the prisoners ignite within Trent Park, Livvy must decide whom she can trust--and how far she'll go to expose a truth wrapped in loyalty and lies. From the candlelit salons of wartime espionage to the shadows of betrayal, Deadly Ruse is a gripping historical mystery where every stroke of trust could be fatal.
About Kate Parker
Kate Parker has long wanted to build a time travel machine. However, after several false starts, she gave up and created time travel by going back in time inside her books. Since she’s fond of murder mysteries, it is probably best that all of her travel is inside books or police from various ages would be hunting her. When not recreating old time buildings and fashions, she can be found with a modern computer and modern air conditioning in North Carolina with her daughter and a 115 lb. puppy who could just crash through any time barrier.
Author Links Website – Facebook
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