Review: The Bachelor Spy - A Freddie and Grace Mystery #5

This is it! The last book in the Freddie and Grace Mysteries, ending an era of whimsical sleuthing from a sweet married couple.

The Bachelor Spy by Pepper Basham brings us back a little closer to home after several adventures abroad. Even so, Grace doesn't escape the mysteries that land at her doorstep.

Many thanks to Barbour Books and NetGalley for providing a complimentary copy of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Content to be aware of: mentions of clairvoyance and ghosts

Book Synopsis

Spies Infiltrate Havensbooke Hall. . .and Another Mystery Adventure Begins

Stephen Blake's life goal is to protect people, especially those closest to him, but war in 1914 England doesn’t follow any rules. When Blake is informed that a noted German spy may have taken up residence at Havensbrooke Hall―his cousin Lord Astley’s estate, which is being used as a convalescent war hospital―he’s sent there to uncover the plot.

Lady Grace Astley has become a force to be reckoned with while Frederick is out on the war front. With Havensbrooke as a hospital, she’s shocked by the devastation the war is bringing home; but ever hopeful, she is determined to help these weary soldiers find some relief. However, not everything is as it seems inside Havensbrooke. Precious items soon start disappearing. . .and not just the kind that are worth a lot of money.

Through a case of mistaken identity, a comedy of errors, a kidnapping, and a race for time within the crumbling subterranean passageways beneath Havensbrooke, can Blake and Gracie work together to root out the criminals, thieves, and spies before time runs out?

Source: Amazon

Book Thoughts

It’s bittersweet that this is the last we will see of Freddie and Grace Percy, but what a way to go out! To say that this book packs a wallop is an understatement as a myriad of storylines converge on one another, each of which must be teased out and solved. Getting to see Stephen Blake as a spy is an utter delight, especially as he finds himself embroiled in a series of undertakings that seemingly have no rhyme or reason. As always, Lady Astley and her sweet adopted daughter, Zahra, steal the show with their imaginations and resourcefulness.

I love that the theme of trusting in God is evident throughout the series, and even more so in this thrilling conclusion. It's clear that the main characters exhibit gratitude and surrender as part of their walks with God, while taking action to protect their loved ones. The Bachelor Spy takes everything up a notch, introducing us to even more loveable characters. If you enjoy literary sleuths in all of their glory, combining wit, wisdom, and death-defying abilities, this is a book that welcomes you into the folds of a most adventurous found family.

Book Summary

• Format of book: 📱
• Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Recommendation: 👍

Book Quotes

Yes, he’d been learning his value in Christ for a while, his wife the primary inducement, but how easy it was to fall back into patterns of doubt. Of fear. No wonder this life of faith was referenced as a battle so often in scripture—as real and difficult as the war-torn battlefields of France. Except it took place in his own heart, across the terrain of his own life. Daily. A clash of truth against lies. Of light against darkness. Of hope against despair. And in this conflict, God had been slowly teaching him how to advance. One day. One prayer at a time. He’d never been so grateful for the strength beyond his own, for the one who was in the trenches of this struggle with him.