Death in Focus: An Elena Standish Novel

Anne Perry

Sept 2019 · Elena Standish Book 1 · Sold by Ballantine Books

About this eBook

In the start of an all-new mystery series set in pre–World War II Europe, an intrepid young photographer carries her dead lover’s final, world-shattering message into the heart of Berlin as Hitler ascends to power.

“Thrilling . . . reminiscent of works by Eric Ambler and Graham Greene.”—The Wall Street Journal

On vacation from London on the beautiful Italian coast, twenty-eight-year-old Elena Standish and her older sister, Margot, have finally been able to move on from the lasting trauma of the Great War, in which the newly married Margot lost her husband and the sisters their beloved brother. Touring with her camera in hand, Elena has found new inspiration in the striking Italian landscape, and she’s met an equally striking man named Ian. When Ian has to leave unexpectedly, Elena—usually the more practical of the sisters—finds she’s not ready to part from him, and the two share a spontaneous train trip home to England. But a shocking sequence of events disrupts their itinerary, forcing Elena to personally deliver a message to Berlin on Ian’s behalf, one that could change the fate of Europe.

Back home, Elena’s diplomat father and her secretive grandfather—once head of MI6, unbeknownst to his family—are involved in their own international machinations. Worried when Elena still hasn’t returned from Italy, her grandfather starts to connect the dots between her change in plans and an incident in Berlin, where Adolf Hitler and the Third Reich are on the rise. It seems the message Elena delivered has forced her into a dangerous predicament, and her grandfather’s old contacts from MI6 may be the only people who can get her out alive—if Elena can tell the difference between her allies and her enemies.

New York Times bestselling author Anne Perry merges family secrets with suspense on the world stage, as darkness bubbles under the surface of a Europe on the brink of change. In these complicated times, Elena emerges as a strong new heroine who learns quickly that when nothing is certain, she can rely only on herself.

Praise for Death in Focus
 
“Masterful! It’s exceedingly rare for an author to have the talent to blend classic elements of a thriller with compelling family dynamics and geopolitical intrigue, but Anne Perry pulls it off like the consummate pro that she is. And, on top of all that, Death in Focus is written in her unique literary voice. I guarantee you’ll love Elena Standish. Brava!” —Jeffery Deaver, author of The Never Game

Ratings and reviews

I received a free electronic ARC copy of this British suspense novel from Netgalley, Anne Perry, and Random House - Ballantine. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read this novel of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. Anne Perry brings us another excellent suspense series! Death in Focus is the first in a series featuring Elena Standish, hopeful photographer, set in the pre-WWII year 1933 in England, Germany and a bit of France and Italy. Elena is the focus of our story and we see her often through the eyes of her grandfather, Lucas. She is the youngest child of Charles and Katherine Standish, granddaughter of Lucas and Josephine Standish. The Great War was very hard on the Standish family. Margot, the eldest of the grandchildren of Lucas and Josephine lost her new husband during the closing battles of WWI. She is the adventurous of the Standish sisters, a bit forward and independent. Then was son Mike, killed in action the same day as Margot's husband. Grandparents Lucas and Josephine did their part in the conflict -Josephine decoding messages, and Lucas with the then totally secret MI6, Military Intelligence. Their involvement was, of course, clandestine so the family was not aware of their sacrifices and because Lucas stayed with MI6 and eventually ran it, Charles had only a vague idea of his father's post-war employment with the government. Charles works in the diplomatic corp and wife Katherine, an American, plays the diplomats other-half very well. Then we have Elena. Elena is the more sedate, grounded daughter of the Standish clan. Or so most of them thought... This is an excellent tale. As always, Anne Perry puts us in those shoes, on that train, wearing that red dress. We feel the hunger, the fear, the frustration. This is a book that is hard to put down. Anne Perry is an author to binge on. One or two books are never enough to satisfy. I need to read them all...

About the author

Anne Perry was the bestselling author of two acclaimed series set in Victorian England: the William Monk novels and the Charlotte and Thomas Pitt novels. She was also the author of a series featuring Charlotte and Thomas Pitt's son, Daniel, as well as the Elena Standish series; a series of five World War I novels; twenty-one holiday novels; and a historical novel, The Sheen on the Silk, set in the Byzantine Empire. Anne Perry died in 2023.