Vera Kelly is not a Mystery by Rosalie Knecht

Don't you like this colorful and secretive cover? VERA KELLY IS NOT A MYSTERY by Rosalie Knecht is a great choice if you are looking to escape in time (it is set in 1967/1968) or place (to the New York City area and the Caribbean). Knecht, author of Relief Map and Who is Vera Kelly? returns with a second mystery featuring Vera, a former CIA operative. This time, Vera loses her girlfriend, Jane, and her job so, a bit despondent, she turns to work as a private investigator. The case which intrigues her involves a hunt for a young boy from the Dominican Republic whose missing parents threatened the dictatorial regime. The story is told largely through a noir-ish internal monologue from Vera: “I walked up to her unsure what to say. There was a great deal, but there was also very little.” Vera’s voice and her reflections on the 1960’s – in terms of both international relations and obstacles for women – are bitingly insightful. Paired with potential kidnapping, car chases, and dangerous deceptions, the result is a literary mystery to savor. I am already looking forward to the next in this underappreciated series.