How much do you love discovering a new historical mystery series? I was lucky enough to receive A Grave Deception as an advanced reader copy (ARC), although it came out in December 2025 and I read it in March 2026. Better late than never, and now I have a new series to enjoy!
Read on for my full review.
The Summary
Antiques expert Kate Hamilton dives into the past to solve a 14th century mystery with disturbing similarities to a modern-day murder in the sixth installment of the Kate Hamilton mystery series.
Kate Hamilton and her husband, Detective Inspector Tom Mallory, have settled into married life in Long Barston. When archaeologists excavating the ruins of a nearby plague village discover the miraculously preserved body of a 14th century woman, Kate and her colleague, Ivor Tweedy, are asked to appraise the grave goods, including a valuable pearl. When tests reveal the woman was pregnant and murdered, the owner of the estate on which the body was found, an amateur historian, asks Kate to identify her and, if possible, her killer. Surprised, Kate agrees to try.
Meanwhile, tensions within the archaeological team erupt when the body of the lead archaeologist turns up at the dig site with fake pearls in his mouth and stomach. Then a third body is found in the excavations. Meanwhile, Kate’s husband Tom is tracking the movements of a killer of his own.
With the help of 700-year-old documents and the unpublished research of a deceased historian, Kate must piece together the past before the grave count reaches four.
My Review
Although A Grave Deception is actually the 6th book in the Kate Hamilton Mysteries series, it was great as a standalone read.
I thought this was a really unique historical mystery in that the body that’s uncovered is from the 14th century. That’s one heck of an old mystery to solve! And it happens with a parallel murder mystery (or maybe even two…you’ll have to read it to find out), so it was fun and…well, very mysterious.
The main character, Kate, was one I came to love. She’s intuitive, driven, and smart, and I could follow her thought patterns as she contemplated the case. I also liked that her relationship with her husband, Tom, just feels so real. Berry made it so straightforward, the way they come into and out of each other’s orbits from day to day with their busy lives. It’s un-fussy, real, and not dramatic, so you can focus on the mystery.
Although I guessed some elements of the mystery(ies), some weren’t as easy to figure out. I really liked the way everything came together and resolved in the end, but it doesn’t feel like some perfect bow is tied around the story. I’m a big fan of this type of mystery—dramatic at times but not overdone, nicely paced, and easy enough to follow but not simplistic.
I also really liked how some 14th century jewelry played a part in the mystery. It added a fun, mysterious element to the story that I particularly enjoyed.
Overall I thought A Grave Deception was great! In fact, after finishing it, I went ahead and requested the first book in the series from my library. Looking forward to enjoying more Kate Hamilton!
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More About Me
- Review: A Grave Deception by Connie Berry - April 4, 2026
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