A Valiant Deceit
Available February 2022
An Olive Bright Mystery
Freshly back from FANY training, Olive is settling into her job at Brickendonbury Manor (Station XVII). While continuing her work as pigeoneer, she’s thrilled to have been assigned, with Captain Jameson Aldridge, to liaise with agents being dropped into Belgium. Olive happens to be on the scene when the body of an instructor at Station XVII is found in the nearby wood, and while the police are quick to deem it an accident, the clues have her convinced that the man has been murdered. With Jamie’s permission, she begins an investigation of her own.
When a tube of lipstick is discovered in Jamie’s locked office, and an important clue goes missing, Olive is very much afraid one of her fellow FANY is the killer and sets herself to ferret out the truth. Meanwhile, she suspects the messages coming back from the Belgian agents indicate they may have been compromised. As she tries to unravel the myriad clues and resolve the various suspicions plaguing her thoughts, the new occupant of Peregrine Hall, a downed pilot recovering from extensive burns, offers critical insights. But when the clues will take her no further, Olive is forced to rely on intuition and sets a dangerous trap for the killer.
“Perfect for lovers of wartime novels that combine history, mystery, and romance.”
“Graves’s sequel to Olive Bright, Pigeoneer combines well-developed characters with the fascinating role of carrier pigeons in World War II, historical fact, and mystery.”
— Library Journal STARRED REVIEW
“Graves’s focus on a fascinating bit of WWII history makes this stand out among lighter wartime mysteries.”
— Publishers Weekly
“To put Olive’s age and place in the home front’s war effort in context, she, like Queen Elizabeth II, is a member of Great Britain’s fast-disappearing Greatest Generation. Their bravery and constancy are worth remembering and honoring.”
— Criminal Element
“A VALIANT DECEIT is a delicious mix of English village mystery and wartime espionage. The feisty Olive Bright and her racing pigeons offer a unique and refreshing take on Britain during the second world war, and Graves’s clever plotting plus the appealing cast of characters will delight readers—this is a don’t miss series.”
— Erica Ruth Neubauer, Agatha Award winning author of the Jane Wunderly Mystery series
“The irrepressible Olive Bright is at it again in this clever, charming, and witty series addition. An ingenious plot, fascinating historical insights, and an element of romance make this book a pure delight.”
— Ashley Weaver, author of the Amory Ames Mysteries and the Electra McDonnell series
“Snappy dialogue, excellent wartime detail, a Christie-esque English village, and a delightful grumpy-sunshine fake romance [make this] just the kind of traditional mystery to warm up your winter months!”
— S.C.Perkins, Agatha Award nominated author of the Ancestry Detective series
