“Perfect for lovers of wartime novels that combine history, mystery, and romance.” —Kirkus Reviews

Weaving intrigue, rural village life, and little-known historical facts about the role of carrier pigeons in WWII, Stephanie Graves continues the adventures of Olive Bright, a young pigeoneer who, along with her racing birds, has been conscripted to aid the fight against the Nazis. It’s not the daring role she’d envisioned for herself, but balancing a pretend romance with the real murder mysteries in her quiet little English village is more complicated than she imagined…

Returning to Pipley following her FANY (First Aid Nursing Yeomanry) training, Olive is eager to step up her involvement in the war effort. Her pigeons are being conscripted to aid the Belgian resistance, and it’s up to Olive to choose the best birds for the mission. To protect the secrecy of their work, she must also continue the ruse of being romantically involved with her superior, Captain Jameson Aldridge, a task made more challenging by the fact that she really does have feelings for the gruff Irish intelligence officer.
 
But perhaps the greatest challenge of all comes when an instructor at Station XVII, the top-secret training school housed at Brickendonbury Manor, is found dead in Balls Wood by a troop of Girl Guides. The police quickly rule Lieutenant Jeremy Beckett’s death an accident, but based on clues she finds at the scene, Olive begins to suspect he might have been a spy. Involving the reluctant Jamie, she is determined to solve the murder and possibly stop a threat to their intelligence efforts which could put the Belgians—not to mention her pigeons—in grave danger.

Young pigeoneer Olive Bright has been conscripted, with her racing birds, to aid the fight against the Nazis. It's not the daring role she'd envisioned for herself, but her quiet little English village is not nearly as sheltered as she imagined... Returning to Pipley following her FANY (First Aid Nursing Yeomanry) training, Olive is eager to step up her involvement in the war effort. Her pigeons are being conscripted to aid the Belgian resistance, and it's up to Olive to choose the best birds for the mission. To protect the secrecy of their work, she must also continue the ruse of being romantically involved with her superior, Captain Jameson Aldridge, a task made more challenging by the fact that she really does have feelings for the gruff Irish intelligence officer. But perhaps the greatest challenge of all comes when an instructor at Station XVII, the top-secret training school housed at Brickendonbury Manor, is found dead in Balls Wood by a troop of Girl Guides. The police quickly rule Lieutenant Jeremy Beckett's death an accident, but based on clues she finds at the scene, Olive begins to suspect he might have been a spy. Involving the reluctant Jamie, she is determined to solve the murder and possibly stop a threat to their intelligence efforts which could put the Belgians--not to mention her pigeons--in grave danger.

Praise for A Valiant Deceit

“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

“Perfect for lovers of wartime novels that combine history, mystery, and romance.”
—Kirkus Reviews
 
“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

“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, author of Danger on the Atlantic

"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. I enjoyed every minute, and I can’t wait to see what Olive, Jamie, and the heroic pigeons get up to next!"
—Ashley Weaver, author of the Amory Ames Mysteries and the Electra McDonnell series


Advance Praise for Olive Bright, Pigeoneer

“[An] enjoyable series launch . . . Graves smoothly integrates the little-known story of the wartime pigeon service into the intriguing plot. Readers will look forward to seeing more of smart, energetic, and witty Olive.”
—Publishers Weekly

“Readers will flock to engaging young Olive Bright and her racing pigeons, who send secret messages for British Intelligence—as well as solve a village murder. Inspired by little-known (and true!) facts of World War II, Graves brings us a fresh, quirky, and charming new heroine.”
—Susan Elia MacNeal, New York Times bestselling author of the Edgar-nominated Maggie Hope series
 
“A delightful classic village mystery studded with little-known World War II facts: a promising series debut.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“An entertaining debut in a series that promises lots of wartime intrigue deftly intertwined with cozy village murder shenanigans.”
—Criminal Element