Recent Reads - The Highland Heist

The Highland Heist by Pepper Basham - Frederick and Grace have had several exciting adventures on their honeymoon trip to Egypt and Italy, but before returning to England, Frederick surprises Grace with a visit to her family home in America. But the home has been sold and upon their arrival at her sister's house, there is another shock ― Lillias's husband has just been stabbed and she is the prime suspect and the household is in turmoil. Frederick and Grace try to take charge of the situation and find the real murderer. This is complicated by untrustworthy household staff, a phony police officer, and Lillias's uncooperative attitude.

Amidst all this drama, a solicitor arrives to inform the sisters that their late mother left them an inheritance in Scotland, and they need to claim it together. He has been delayed in finding them, and now time is of the essence if they are to claim the property before it is sold. Lillias grasps at this hope of salvaging her finances, but her name must be cleared before they can depart, so Frederick and Grace race to find out who killed Tony and keep themselves alive. It seems that someone wants to keep them from ever reaching Scotland and finding the original copy of the will!

When Lillias recklessly leaves for Scotland by herself, the pressure is really on Frederick and Grace to get there as quickly as possible not only to find the will but to rescue Lillias from the villain they realize is following her. More surprises await them all as they confront a ruthless killer and hunt for a will in a castle rumored to be haunted.

Coincidences and danger seem to follow Grace everywhere she goes, but her sense of adventure and love of books keeps her optimistic and high-spirited. As a character, she has matured over the series, but still seems very young, showing a childlike quality that borders on naivete at times, but her cheerful boldness and determination make her a very appealing and likeable character. She and Frederick are still in the early days of their marriage and both often reflect on the good fortune of their relationship and the devotion is accompanied by some starry-eyed newlywed behavior as well.

The adventures, coincidences, and character quirks are just exaggerated enough to provide drama and humor, although stretching credulity a bit. Grace's love of story and penchant for viewing everything through the lens of books she has read brings a lighthearted quality to the suspenseful situations, and one can't help but cheer for the fairytale happy endings along with her.

From the publisher:

Grace Storms a Scottish Castle to Save her Sister

Lord Astley surprises his wife with a trip to America to see her family before they end their honeymoon adventures. But just as they arrive, they find Grace's sister, Lillias, is the prime suspect in her husband's murder. To add to the confusion a solicitor arrives to tell the sisters they are needed in Scotland immediately to claim their mother's inheritance.

The clock is ticking to clear Lillias of suspicion, but someone is determined to keep the sisters from reaching the Scottish Highlands. When Lillias disappears, Freddie and Grace race to Scotland, sure the answers will be found in a long-forgotten castle.

With a ghost from Frederick's past leaving threatening clues along the way, the mysterious Mr. Kane waiting in the wings to grab the inheritance for himself, and an apparition haunting the infamous castle, Lord and Lady Astley must capture the castle, save Lillias, and not die in the process.

The Highland Heist is a Freddie and Grace Mystery, sequel to The Mistletoe Countess, The Cairo Curse, and The Juliet Code.

 

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley and was under no obligation to post a review.

#TheHighlandHeist #NetGalley

By the same author: The Juliet Code, The Cairo Curse, The Heart of the Mountains, Hope Between the Pages; The Red Ribbon; My Heart Belongs in the Blue Ridge: Laurel's Dream

This is a book featuring a character with red hair (#2) for The 52 Book Club's 2025 Reading Challenge.

#the52bookclub #the52bookclub2025

This post will be linked at the current BookWorms Monthly link-up hosted by At Home A Lot, and at  the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge 2025 hosted by The Intrepid Reader and Baker.

#histficreadingchallenge

©2008-2025 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. This post was written by a human.  http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

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Recent Reads - A Fatal Illusion

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A Fatal Illusion by Anna Lee Huber - Every time it seems life is about to settle down for a bit, Kiera and Sebastian Gage find themselves involved in another investigation. They respond to a message that Lord Gage, Sebastian's father, was attacked while traveling to Scotland, and when they see how unusual the attack was, they decide to investigate. After all, Lord Gage's young footman was killed, and Lord Gage himself is seriously injured. Sebastian and Kiera follow up on reports that there is a band of robbers that styles themselves after Robin Hood, but no one in the village wants to give information.

Their suspicions continue to rise, even while their infant daughter provides a tenuous bridge to an improved relationship with the cantankerous Lord Gage. Lord Gage continues to withhold information, and is short-tempered and harsh with Sebastian. He refuses to acknowledge Henry as his son, and he is frosty towards Kiera, but even Lord Gage has a soft spot for his baby granddaughter, it seems. The attempts at relationship-mending provide an interesting background to the challenges faced by Sebastian and Kiera as they try to fit the pieces of information together, and decide what is related to the stagecoach attack and who may have been involved in a crime. Then there's the question of motive for the attack, and there are plenty of puzzles to work on in this story!

New parents Lady Kiera Darby and Sebastian Gage look forward to introducing Sebastian's father to his granddaughter, but instead find themselves investigating an attempt on his life . . .

Yorkshire, England. August 1832. Relations between Sebastian Gage and his father have never been easy, especially since the discovery that Lord Gage has been concealing the existence of an illegitimate son. But when Lord Gage is nearly fatally attacked on a journey to Scotland, Sebastian and Kiera race to his side. Given the tumult over the recent passage of the Reform Bill and the Anatomy Act, in which Lord Gage played a part, Sebastian wonders if the attack could be politically motivated.

But something suspicious is afoot in the sleepy village where Lord Gage is being cared for. The townspeople treat Sebastian and Kiera with hostility when it becomes clear they intend to investiaget, and rumors of mysterious disappearances and highway robberies plague the area. Lord Gage's survival is far from assure, and Sebastian and Kiera must scramble to make the pieces fit before a second attempt at murder is more succesful than the first.

By the same author: The Anatomist's Wife, Mortal Arts; A Grave Matter, A Study in Death, A Pressing Engagement, This Side of Murder, As Death Draws Near, A Brush With Shadows, Treacherous Is The Night, An Artless Demise, Secrets in the Mist, Penny for Your Secrets, A Stroke of Malice, A Pretty Deceit, A Wicked Conceit, A Perilous Perspective

This is a book awith a palindrome on the cover (#37) for The 52 Book Club's 2024 Reading Challenge.

#the52bookclub #the52bookclub2024

©2008-2024 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

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Recent Reads - A Perilous Perspective

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A Perilous Perspective by Anna Lee Huber - This installment in the series opens with Kiera and Gage relaxing with friends and family at a great-uncle's estate as they all prepare for a wedding. Kiera's friend Charlotte and her cousin Rye are soon to be wed in a private ceremony, and all seems to be going perfectly, despite some minor tensions between guests and servants. Then Kiera takes the opportunity to view their host's extensive art collection and is dismayed to realize that one of his most priceless paintings is actually a forgery. When she and Gage bring this to the attention of the Marquess of Barbreck, he reacts with rage and inexplicably blames the lady of a neighboring estate.

Kiera is asked to examine the rest of the collection and try to trace what happened to the originals and when the switches were made. Several other paintings turn out to be forgeries as well, and tensions run high with the accusations Barbreck has made against the Campbell ladies.Then things take an even more sinister turn when a maid from the Campbell estate is found dead―apparently poisoned―in Barbreck's gallery. Now Kiera and Gage are charged with solving a murder as well, and catching a very clever and ruthless killer before he or she strikes again.

This story has it all―interpersonal tensions between friends and family, an intriguing art mystery, new details about Kiera's family, a suspenseful murder mystery with an unknown villain, and bits of romance at all ages and stages of life. The danger Kiera and the others face, not having any real clues to the killer's identity, is complicated when they can't initially identify what kind of poison was used. It's hard to read clues when one has little idea what to start looking for! The revelation of the killer's identity is an unexpected twist to the plot, but this time I suspected that character quite early. And this is one time when the killer's motive wasn't as convincing as I would have liked. 

From the publisher:

Argyll, Scotland. July 1832. After a trying few months in Edinburgh, Kiera and her husband and investigative partner, Sebastian Gage, are eager to escape to the Highlands with their three-month-old child. Kiera is overjoyed for her cousin Rye and her detractor-turned-friend Charlotte who are being wed in a private ceremony at the estate of Rye's great-uncle, the Marquess of Barbreck, in what seems to be the perfect wedding party.

But when Kiera is invited to peruse Barbreck's extensive art collection, she is disturbed to discover that one of his most priceless paintings seems to be a forgery. The marquess's furious reaction when she dares to mention it leaves her shaken and the entire house shocked. For it turns out that this is not the first time the word forgery has been uttered in connection with the Barbreck household.

Matters turn more ominous when a maid from a neighboring estate is found murdered where the forged painting hangs. Is her death conneccted to the forgeries, perhaps a grisly warning of what awaits those who dare to probe deeper? With unknown entities aligned against them, Kiera and Gage are forced to confront the fact that they may have underestimated their opponent. For they are swifly made to realize that Charlotte's and Rye's fututre happiness is not the only issue at stake, and this stealthy game of cat and mouse could prove to have deadly consequences.

By the same author: The Anatomist's Wife, Mortal Arts; A Grave Matter, A Study in Death, A Pressing Engagement, This Side of Murder, As Death Draws Near, A Brush With Shadows, Treacherous Is The Night, An Artless Demise, Secrets in the Mist, Penny for Your Secrets, A Stroke of Malice, A Pretty Deceit, A Wicked Conceit

This is a book featuring the whole family for the Summer Reading Challenge.

This is a book with an alliterative title (#23) for The 52 Book Club's 2023 Reading Challenge

#the52bookclub #the52bookclub2023

©2008-2023 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

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Recent Reads - A Wicked Conceit

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A Wicked Conceit by Anna Lee Huber - Kiera and Gage are trying to enjoy some reprieve from solving mysteries as they await the birth of their first child. But a scandalous novel and a play based on it have taken Edinburgh by storm, and unfortunately the subject matter leads to gossip and speculation about Kiera herself. Despite their efforts to ignore the tittle-tattle and let it run its course, they are compelled to try to find the mysterious author when Bonnie Brock Kincaid steps in. The novel is about Bonnie Brock, spreading rumors and half-truths about his criminal enterprises and his true parentage, and hinting that he is actually the father of Kiera's child.

Bonnie Brock comes to the Gages and demands that they find the author or he will, and he leaves the threat of what he will do hanging. In an effort to stop a rumored sequel from being published, the Gages visit the publisher and follow several leads. Things take a turn when the publisher is found murdered in his office, and the Gages are among the suspects.

Against a backdrop of family drama between Kiera and her sister Alana, and revealed family secrets, Kiera and Gage are in a race against time to find the author and figure out his motivation before Bonnie Brock can take his own revenge. When a breakthrough in the case finally comes, it may be too late, as Kiera and Gage are unprepared for the final attack, and Kiera is dangerously close to her delivery date.

By the same author: The Anatomist's Wife, Mortal Arts; A Grave Matter, A Study in Death, A Pressing Engagement, This Side of Murder, As Death Draws Near, A Brush With Shadows, Treacherous Is The Night, An Artless Demise, Secrets in the Mist, Penny for Your Secrets, A Stroke of Malice, A Pretty Deceit

This book features a wealthy character (#25) for The 52 Book Club's 2022 Reading Challenge

#the52bookclub2022

©2008-2022 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Friday Fun - The Friday 56 and First Lines for December 9, 2022

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"Whoever he is, his body needs to be transported back to the castle," Gage stated, seemingly oblivious to the undercurrents swimming between me and Lord Edward.

~from page 56 of A Stroke of Malice by Anna Lee Huber

January 1832. After enjoying a delightful few weeks with her family, expectant mother Kiera and Sebastian Gage have been invited to the Duchess of Bowmont's Twelfth Night party in Traquair, Scotland. Though she normally avoids such fashionable, rambunctious events, Kiera is ready to join in the festive merrymaking. But upon their arrival at the opulent estate, it becomes obvious that all is not merry in their hostess's home. The family appears to be under a great strain, and someone seems determined to cause mayhem among the guests with a series of forged notes.

Matters swiftly turn from irksome to downright deadly when the partygoers stumble upon a decomposing body in the castle's crypt. The corpse is thought to be the duchess's son-in-law, who had purportedly traveled to Paris more than a month earlier. It is evident that the man met with foul play, and Kiera and Gage soon realize that a ruthless murderer walks among them - and may well be a member of the duchess's own family. And when the investigation takes a treacherous turn, Kiera discovers just how deep the killer is willing to dig to keep their secrets from ever seeing the light of day.

 

The Friday 56 is hosted at Freda's Voice

*Grab a book, any book.

*Turn to Page 56 or 56% on your e-reader.

*Find a snippet, short and sweet.

*Post it, and share in the Linky.

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If there had been any doubts I was visiting a ducal estate, the trumpeting buglers would have clarified the matter. Not that there was truly any confusion. Not when I was staying in a grand 284-room Gothic castle surrounded by nothing but miles of steep snowy hills and ice-choked burns, save the occasional sheep.

~From the beginning of A Stroke of Malice by Anna Lee Huber

Book Beginnings on Fridays is hosted by Rose City Reader.

*It's Book Beginnings on Fridays! Time to gather with our fellow book lovers and share the opening sentence (or so) of the books we are reading this week. Or share from a book that is on your mind right now -- whatever catches your fancy.

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First Line Fridays is hosted at Reading is My SuperPower

*Share the first line or two of the book closest to you, then visit other FLF participants.

*Please keep posts family friendly or clean reads.

*Link back to Reading is My SuperPower within your post or grab a button.

 ©2008-2022 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

 

Recent Reads - A Pressing Engagement

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A Pressing Engagement by Anna Lee Huber - This novella originally came out after the fourth book in the Lady Darby series, and is a prequel to the fifth novel, As Death Draws Near. In it, Kiera (Lady Darby) is more stressed than delighted by the elaborate arrangements for her upcoming wedding to Sebastian Gage. Her sister Alana had envisioned a grand social affair, but Kiera objects to an event on such a scale and insists on an earlier wedding with much less fanfare. Alana is still coordinating all the plans, and Kiera feels the need for a distraction in order to keep her sanity!

A new project provides the distraction, when a cousin gives Kiera a last minute wedding gift - a gold torc that Kiera and Gage believe is the one they had been asked to locate during a previous investigation. To satisfy their curiosity, they trace the torc's history and try to make sure it winds up where its owner had intended. Their old nemesis Bonnie Brock also makes an appearance, asking them for a favor, and this provides another distraction.

As these little investigations come to a close, Kiera and Gage do make it to their wedding on time, and it's clear that while they are happily married, their investigative partnership will continue. This is a short and engaging read that invites fans to 'attend' the wedding and get some additional insights into the characters. 

(Check out the Lady Darby Read-Along group on Facebook if you're interested.)

By the same author: The Anatomist's Wife, Mortal Arts; A Grave Matter, A Study in Death, A Pressing Engagement  (from my first reading in 2016), This Side of Murder, As Death Draws Near, A Brush With Shadows. Treacherous Is The Night, An Artless Demise, Secrets in the Mist, Penny for Your Secrets, A Stroke of Malice, A Pretty Deceit

©2008-2021 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Recent Reads - A Study in Death

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A Study in Death by Anna Lee Huber - Lady Kiera Darby is back to painting portraits, but she has concerns that her latest subject is suffering at the hands of her husband. When Kiera arrives for a sitting, she finds Lady Drummond violently ill, unable to speak, and in only a few moments she is dead. The physician is quick to say it was an apoplexy, even though Kiera raises questions because of the unusual manner of death. Kiera is sure Lady Drummond was poisoned, and takes her concerns to her fiance and investigative partner, Sebastian Gage. With his support, Kiera begins looking for the source of the poison.

Kiera and Gage face challenges in discreetly looking for a murderer simply because they start out working on their own. Lord Drummond is uncooperative, and Gage's father opposes their efforts. They turn to Bonnie Brock for help, which puts them in his debt and in danger. Yet they know they must be closing in on the killer when there are attempts on Kiera's life.

During the entire time, Kiera is distracted by the plans being made for her upcoming wedding. She allows her sister Alana to make all the plans since it's something she's able to do during her risky pregnancy. Kiera is further distracted and worried by her fears for Alana's health and the seemingly precarious state of Alana and Philip's marriage. Kiera and Gage must work through their own relationship issues during all of this as well, as Gage is still reluctant to open up to Kiera about his past, and Lord Gage makes his disapproval of their engagement obvious.

(Check out the Lady Darby Read-Along group on Facebook if you're interested.)

By the same author: The Anatomist's Wife, Mortal Arts; A Grave Matter, A Study in Death  (from my first reading in 2015), A Pressing Engagement, This Side of Murder, As Death Draws Near, A Brush With Shadows. Treacherous Is The Night, An Artless Demise, Secrets in the Mist, Penny for Your Secrets, A Stroke of Malice, A Pretty Deceit

©2008-2021 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Recent Reads - A Grave Matter

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A Grave Matter by Anna Lee Huber - Kiera has returned to her family home near the Borders and is cautiously entering into some social functions. She and her brother Trevor are in attendance at a Hogmanay Ball when the news arrives that an elderly caretaker has been murdered and a grave disturbed at the nearby abbey. The grave robbers have removed only the body - which would have been only bones at that point - but none of the valuables that had been in the grave. Very unusual indeed, and without any obvious clues to lead to the murderers, it is decided to call in Sebastian Gage to lead an investigation. Kiera is both excited and anxious about facing Gage again, as their relationship is at an awkward stage.

It turns out there have been a couple of other similar grave robberies, with a ransom demanded for the return of the bones, so Kiera and Gage start following the leads they have. Figuring out if there's any motive other than the money, and what it is that connects the victims proves very tricky, and they come to some odd twists and some dead ends before they're sure they're on the right track. As the investigation continues, Kiera also picks up her paintbrush again, and tries to make sense of her feelings for Gage. And tries to discern his feelings for her. Their exchanges are often awkward in their emotional charge, and they both make many stumbles in their growing romance.

The interactions between Kiera and Gage, and sometimes between Kiera and her brother, drive this particular installment more than the mystery, in my opinion. There is a murder to be solved, but it's one that was coincidental to the grave robberies, so it doesn't carry the tension. The resolution of the case was not completely satisfying to me, but with a clear lead-in to the fourth novel in the series, there's the sense that an unanswered question may well be addressed in that book.

(Check out the Lady Darby Read-Along group on Facebook if you're interested.)

By the same author: The Anatomist's Wife, Mortal Arts; A Grave Matter (from my first reading in 2014), A Study in Death, A Pressing Engagement, This Side of Murder, As Death Draws Near, A Brush With Shadows. Treacherous Is The Night, An Artless Demise, Secrets in the Mist, Penny for Your Secrets, A Stroke of Malice, A Pretty Deceit

©2008-2021 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Recent Reads - Mortal Arts

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Mortal Arts by Anna Lee Huber - In this second book in the Lady Darby series, Kiera is traveling to Edinburgh with her sister's family. On the way, her brother-in-law Philip receives a message requesting them to stop for a night or two with Michael Dalmay, an old family friend to Kiera's family. A problem has arisen regarding Michael's upcoming marriage to Philip's cousin. Michael refuses to take the title of Lord Dalmay, which belongs to his older brother William. Kiera believes that William, who had once been her drawing master, has been missing and presumed dead for almost ten years. 

The evening's dinner party turns awkward when it is revealed that William is not dead but has been in an insane asylum. Even worse is the fact that his own father consigned him there, and all indications are that he was terribly mistreated. Several months previous, Michael had finally located William and brought him home, but has kept this quiet because of his unpredictable moods and despair.

Sebastian Gage is in attendance at Dalmay House as well, which initially puzzles Kiera. But she is grateful for his help when William Dalmay is suspected of the murder of a missing girl from the village. Gage and Kiera join forces to find the girl and what happened to her. Intertwined with that mystery are the questions about what happened to William and others at the insane asylum, and whether William is involved with the girl's disappearance. Kiera desperately wants to believe her beloved art tutor and friend is not capable of violence, but she is also plagued by doubts, and things continue to be complicated by her relationship with Gage.

Kiera wants the truth about William but a part of her fears it as well. She is also torn about what she wants from Gage, and how much she can trust him. 

This was heart wrenching in places because of the mental and emotional suffering of William Dalmay. Seen through Kiera's eyes, he is a tragic hero, because she idealized him when she was a young girl, and trusted him. He was a beloved mentor and friend, and she is touched deeply by his brokenness, and she understands some of his pain because of her own experiences. Her sympathy and loyalty to Will causes Gage to wonder whether there was a romantic attachment between them, and the reader is left to wonder if Kiera truly understands how deeply Gage cares for her.

(Check out the Lady Darby Read-Along group on Facebook if you're interested.)

By the same author: The Anatomist's Wife, Mortal Arts (my first reading in 2014); A Grave Matter, A Study in Death, A Pressing Engagement, This Side of Murder, As Death Draws Near, A Brush With Shadows. Treacherous Is The Night, An Artless Demise, Secrets in the Mist, Penny for Your Secrets, A Stroke of Malice, A Pretty Deceit

©2008-2021 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

  

Recent Reads - The Anatomist's Wife

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The Anatomist's Wife by Anna Lee Huber - I recently re-read the first Lady Darby mystery, in which portrait artist Kiera, the widow of an anatomist, assists investigator Sebastian Gage in solving a murder. 

Set in Scotland in the 1800s, it takes place entirely at the country estate of Lady Kiera Darby's sister and brother-in-law. Several guests are in attendance, and the story opens with the startling discovery of a murder victim. Without any clear indication of who the murderer is, all the guests are confined to the estate until the procurator fiscal arrives to take charge. While they are waiting, their host Philip asks Sebastian Gage to investigate and recommends that Kiera assist. Her knowledge of anatomy was during her marriage, as her late husband had her do the illustrations for the book of anatomy he had been working on. The knowledge - and Kiera's instinct - comes in handy as they examine the body and start piecing together the clues.

The story is told in first person by Kiera, so we find out her background little by little; and we only see other characters and events from her viewpoint. She is a scarred and wounded character for several reasons. She didn't quite fit in society in the first place, then was trapped in a loveless marriage and forced to witness and illustrate her husband's dissections, and finally she was accused of 'unnatural tendencies' after his death. She is a convenient scapegoat for the suspicion and spite of some of the guests, so part of her motivation to find the murderer is to vindicate herself and be sure that someone innocent is not ruined by a misplaced accusation.

There is an attraction brewing between Kiera and Gage, and the promise that a romance could be in the works. Seen only through Kiera's viewpoint, Gage's character is not clearly developed though. Kiera's conflicting emotions and troubled past overshadow her assessment of his personality and her interactions with all the characters. The murder mystery and investigation is suspenseful and the solution is a bit of a surprise. I thought the climax of the story was overly dramatic, but considering the murderer is a madman I accepted it. The dialogue and expressions used are often more in line with modern speech than what I would expect from British upper class of the time period, but I didn't think the differences were glaring and they certainly didn't take away from the story or feel obviously anachronistic. 

(Check out the Lady Darby Read-Along group on Facebook if you're interested.)

By the same author: The Anatomist's Wife (my first reading in 2014), Mortal Arts; A Grave Matter, A Study in Death, A Pressing Engagement, This Side of Murder, As Death Draws Near, A Brush With Shadows. Treacherous Is The Night, An Artless Demise, Secrets in the Mist, Penny for Your Secrets, A Stroke of Malice, A Pretty Deceit

©2008-2021 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Recent Reads - A Pressing Engagement

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A Pressing Engagement (A Lady Darby Mystery) by Anna Lee Huber - This novella came out after the fourth book in the Lady Darby series, and is a prequel to the fifth novel which was recently released. However, since I hadn't pre-ordered the fifth novel, and my library hasn't acquired it yet, I decided I would wait awhile to read this. It was worth the wait!

Kiera (Lady Darby) has little interest in her wedding to Sebastian Gage being a grand social affair, but she has been trying to allow her sister to plan the occasion as she wishes. In the midst of the last minute preparations, a cousin arrives to present Kiera a wedding gift - a gold torc that she and Sebastian are sure is the same one that they had once been asked to locate. At the time they had declined to take the case, but now presented with the item, they trace its journey to them and make sure it ends up where its original owner had intended. Other minor investigations also provide some distraction for them amid the whirlwind of wedding preparations, but in the end of course the happy couple weds and the stage is set for the next mystery they will solve.

A short but engaging read that will satisfy the curiosity of Lady Darby's fans who want to know who attended the wedding (does Gage's father relent and make an appearance?), and like me, are still awaiting the next full-length novel, As Death Draws Near.

By the same author: The Anatomist's Wife, Mortal Arts, A Grave Matter, A Study in Death

©2008-2016 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/

Teaser Tuesday/First Chapter First Paragraph - A Pressing Engagement

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Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Jenn at Books and Beat. To play along, just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
• Be careful not to include spoilers!
• Share the title and author, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR lists if they like your teasers! 

This novella is a prequel to the recently released fifth novel in the series, As Death Draws Near. I'm hoping to get my hands on that soon!

It still amazed me at times that I was about to marry him. We had both come so very far from who we'd been ony a year ago. I remembered how at first I'd thought him to be a pompous, dim-witted, interfering rogue.

~A Pressing Engagement (A Lady Darby Mystery) by Anna Lee Huber, at 9% on my Kindle

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First Chapter/First Paragraph/Tuesday Intros is a weekly link-up hosted by Bibliophile by the Sea. To participate, share the first paragraph (or two) of a book you're reading, or thinking about reading.

April 15, 1831 - 9:00 A.M.

Edinburgh, Scotland

"Kiera, stop fidgeting."

   I locked my knees and bit my lip, stifling the urge to squabble with my sister as if we were still children. Especially when the truth was, she was right. I was fidgeting. But how could anyone expect me to stand still? This was perhaps the dozenth fitting in as many days, to fix yet another inconsequential detail on my gown. Thought it was true, this wasn't just any dress, and Alana only wanted to make it perfect for me; that awareness led me back to the thoughts that had made me start fidgeting in the first place.

   Tomorrow was my wedding day.

Here's the blurb:

In this delightful novella from the national bestselling author of A Study in Death, Lady Kiera Darby has one last mystery to solve before she can walk down the aisle . . .

Scotland, 1831.  With her wedding to fellow investigator Sebastian Gage only a day away, Kiera is counting down the hours. But just when matrimonial jitters threaten to consume her, Kiera receives a welcome distraction in the form of a mysterious gold necklace.

The Celtic torc, thought missing for decades, was directly involved in a recent investigation. Now, Kiera feels compelled to uncover the truth behind its sudden reappearance.

But with an overwhelming flock of wedding guests, a muddled cat, an unpaid favor, and a ferocious storm throwing things into disarray, it's anyone's guess whether Kiera and Gage will actually make it to the altar . . .

I'm betting they will. What do you think? Would you continue reading?

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