Comment

Jan 09, 2020
Victor and Vespasia are still navigating their newlywed status when they are invited to a Christmas house party. She would just as soon stay home, but he wants to go. No, not wants, but maybe needs. He isn't telling her everything. They are in a group they don't know very well, she is the oldest person in attendance, and the hostess is hostile toward Vespasia. Victor gets the papers from Iris, is shot at outside in the middle of the night, Iris is injured and in a coma, and most of the house party attendees do not really know his former position, since Special Branch operates in secret. Vespasia supports him in her own way, making sure the injured woman is watched 24 hours a day until she wakes up. And he hides the papers and keeps his secrets. It is, for him, about a 20-year-old case where a woman like Iris died, and he is reliving his failure. It really only happens at Christmas. There is no other Christmas features in the story. And the house party is small enough that it is pretty easy to determine who the man was who injured Iris and shot at Victor. And the reason has to do with 20 years ago. If you like Perry's books, you will want to read this one. But it is not as Christmassy as her others.