BOOK REVIEW: Earl Crush by Alexandra Vasti

 I received this book for free from Netgalley. That did not influence this review.

Alexandra Vasti, author of Ne’er Duke Well, has a new book out today in the Belvoir series, Earl Crush. This is an entertaining romp of a Regency Romance, a fine follow-up to the first.

Lydia Hope-Wallace is intelligent, beautiful, and passionate about social justice. Unfortunately, she suffers from an almost crippling social anxiety. This leaves her unable to attract a husband in the usual way. So she focuses her attention on the cause of equality for all. Men and women. She writes inflammatory pamphlets that are published and distributed by her friend Selena (who readers will have met in book 1, the owner of Belvoir library and publishers.) She signs the pamphlets only as “H.”

One of her readers has written back to her, repeatedly, through her publisher. They discovered a true meeting of the minds. This reader signed his letters as Lord Strathrannoch, an impoverished Scottish earl. Lydia, the possessor of a substantial dowry, decides to go to Scotland and propose. Unfortunately, when she arrives, the earl has no idea who she is. He didn’t write the letters. That was his brother, assuming his identity.

Arthur Baird, the Fifth Earl of Strathrannoch, is a gentle giant of a man. He’s very conscientious, caring for his tenants, but a recluse. He hasn’t been looking for a wife. Arthur is also an inventor. And one of his inventions was recently stolen by the same brother who has been writing to Lydia and using his name.

The two join forces to track down this brother. During their adventures, they find themselves lusting after one another increasingly. However, Lydia can’t forget that Arthur rejected her when she first proposed marriage. And Arthur can’t forget that Lydia proposed to him thinking that he was his brother. The steaminess of the novel soon ratchets up to high, especially after they have to pretend to be man and wife.

Readers know they’ll end up together, but there are plenty of surprises along the way. The novel stands alone, but book one will introduce you to Belvoir and to Lydia’s female friends, and they are not to be missed!

BOOK REVIEW: To Carve Identity by Susan Steggall

To Carve Identity by Susan Steggall is the story of a resilient, determined sculptress with feet in both Scotland and Australia, who struggles to find work/life balance in the post WWII years.

Ellie Gilmartin had a difficult youth, yet manages to make a start as a sculptress in Glasgow. While ferreting out painful family secrets in Australia, she meets Jim Blackwood, a solicitor, who helps her cope with what she learned, but their budding relationship is put on pause when she returns home.

Back in Glasgow, she gets back to her artist’s life, missing Jim and wondering if there might be a future with him, when he appears at her studio and asks her to marry him. 

Jim has his own troubled past. He’d been in the Australian army during WWII, was captured, and suffered as a POW in New Guinea. Now, he is trying to lay his own demons to rest by helping other traumatized veterans, a tactic that is only partly successful.

Ellie and Jim enjoy an enchanted honeymoon period, deepening their love for and understanding of one another. They intend to return to Australia one day, but that day comes sooner than they’d anticipated when Jim’s father falls ill.

The story shifts to Australia, where the pregnant Ellie must learn how to be a wife and mother while following her passion for art away from the supportive environment of Glasgow and London. There are family obstacles, health crises, and the push-and-pull of world events, but Ellie perseveres.

To Carve Identity succeeds beautifully in immersing the reader in the modern art of the time, while also following the life of a woman who, though she loves, cherishes, and supports her husband, children, and friends, nevertheless refuses to give up her artistic career.

BOOK REVIEW: Upon the Corner of the Moon by Valerie Nieman

 I received this ARC for free. That did not influence this review.

Upon the Corner of the Moon by Valerie Nieman is a remarkably immersive historical novel of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. Set in Scotland in the early second millennium, the novel provides the backstories of this infamous couple, placing them squarely in the larger framework of Scotland’s history, while humanizing them and making them sympathetic. Each is related to the high king Malcolm, who guards his power jealously. Macbeth and Gruach (the future lady Macbeth) are taken from their parents for fostering, and are brought up to be pawns who will exist to support Malcolm’s aims. This is an era of constant warfare and jockeying for power. Christianity has a hold on the people, but the old religion of the Picts has not yet faded away. Macbeth and Gruach are lonely figures who do their best to survive by bending to the king’s will. Yet as time passes, Malcolm ages, and the ambitions of his followers lead them to break oaths and bonds. Macbeth and Gruach are shaped by events, and find each other in the bloody aftermath. The beautiful language of the novel pulls the reader into the cold, brutal world. This is book one of the story, and I’m eager for book two.

BOOK REVIEW: A Perilous Perspective by Anna Lee Huber

 I received this book for free from Netgalley. That did not influence this review.

The tenth book in Anna Lee Huber’s Lady Darby mystery series, A Perilous Perspective, is newly released. 

Kiera (Lady Darby, Mrs. Gage) is at the country home of her great uncle for a wedding party. Kiera is eager to finally see her uncle’s painting collection, which is supposed to be superb. (She is a well-known portraitist. Earlier books explain how her talent dragged her into her first husband’s illicit cadaver dissection business. He was psychologically and physically abusive. After his death, Kiera had to deal with the fallout with the help of now-husband Sebastian Gage, a government investigator. They have solved many murders together. That’s a quick recap.)

Kiera is enjoying the visit and the time with her three-month-old baby girl. Unfortunately, things fall apart when she explores the painting gallery and discovers that a prized Titian is a forgery. This leads to the spilling of old family secrets, painful ones, which would be difficult enough to deal with. Then, one of the maids is discovered murdered in the gallery beneath the forged painting.

Once again, Kiera and Sebastian are called upon to solve the murder (murders), while dealing with complex family situations.

This remains a well-plotted mystery series with engaging protagonists. A secondary relationship between Kiera’s lady’s maid and Sebastian’s valet keeps things interesting on the romance side now that the love story between Kiera and Sebastian is so well settled.

Fans of this series will be thrilled with this new addition. For those who have not yet met Kiera and Sebastian, start with book 1!

BOOK REVIEW: A Stroke of Malice by Anna Lee Huber

Lady Kiera Darby and her husband, Sebastian Gage, are back to solve another murder in A Stroke of Malice by Anna Lee Huber. It is early January 1832, and the detective couple are at a house party held at the duke and duchess of Bowmont’s estate, celebrating Twelfth Night. The duchess is a new friend and Kiera, despite being six months pregnant, is enjoying herself, though the drinking and the traditional fun of naming a “lord and lady of misrule” is getting a bit wearying as the night wears on. When one of the duchess’s sons offers to lead a ghost tour of the catacombs, Kiera and Gage follow along. Their holiday is cut short when a newly-dead body is discovered amongst the skeletons. It is in a state of decomposition, two to four weeks by Kiera’s estimation, and cannot be positively identified. However, the best guess is that it is the body of the duchess’s son-in-law, a man that is not well liked by the family. And a wound to the skull makes it clear a murder had taken place.

Kiera and Gage are once again called upon to investigate foul play. And, to Kiera’s dismay, it appears likely the culprit is a member of the duchess’s family. Or it might be the lover of the duchess’s daughter, a man that had previously been a thorn in Kiera’s (and Gage’s) side but who was beginning to be more of a friend. (He has been in previous novels.) Kiera is disturbed by the fact that people she has come to care for are clearly lying and hiding something.

The family dynamics in the duchess’s household are complex. Kiera and Gage uncover more secrets than they care to know on the way to finding the murderer. They are helped by their loyal servants, Anderley and Bree, who are hiding a secret of their own, and by Kierra’s brother Trevor, who was also at the party.

The mystery is well-plotted and the interpersonal relationships are moving. This is a wonderful series for those who enjoy historical mystery with a strong dose of romance. Start with book one: The Anatomist’s Wife.

BOOK REVIEW: A Brush with Shadows by Anna Lee Huber

I received this book for free from Netgalley. This did not influence my review.

I’ve been following Anna Lee Huber’s The Lady Darby Mysteries ever since book one, The Anatomist’s Wife. The books are excellent mysteries with thoughtful, kind, intelligent protagonists whose relationship development is as compelling as the detective plot. Set in the mid-1800s, primarily in England, the historical setting and bits of the politics of the day add to the enjoyment of the read.

In A Brush with Shadows, Lady Darby (Kiera Gage) and her husband Sebastian Gage have been summoned by Gage’s aged, ill grandfather to the old family manor in Dartmoor. Gage’s cousin Alfred, the heir to the estate, has gone missing.

Kiera is aware that Gage had an unfortunate childhood. His mother died when he was a young man. His father, a nasty old sea captain, was absent most of the time. They are all but estranged now, although they are both inquiry agents and the father relies heavily on the talent of the son. Although Kiera knows Gage was unhappy growing up, she doesn’t know the details. He has always been very supportive and understanding about her past traumas, but very close-mouthed about his own.

It doesn’t take long for Kiera to grasp the family dynamics. And while she is 100% behind her husband, she does have a bit more perspective and her kindness and perceptiveness allow her to see behind some of the cruel facades.

They soon discover there is more to the story of the missing cousin. Alfred is something of a wastrel and is heartily disliked by just about everyone–especially Gage. Still, he has to be found.

Once again, the author constructs an intricate plot with contradictory leads, multiple possible culprits, and multifaceted characters who may or may not be trustworthy. Kiera and Gage have to navigate new difficulties in their relationship as this time, Gage is the vulnerable one.

Readers may figure out whodunit before the climactic revelation, but the conclusion is nevertheless tension-filled and fast-paced.

This series is highly recommended.

BOOK REVIEW: Plaid and Plagiarism by Molly MacRae

I received this book free from Netgalley. This did not influence my review.

Plaid and Plagiarism by Molly MacRae is a newly released first book in a cozy mystery series that adds in an additional enticement– the detectives are book shop owners. I decided to give it a try even though it’s a contemporary novel and I tend to prefer cozy mysteries that are historical.

Four women (Janet, her best friend Christine, and their two adult daughters, Tallie and Summer) have decided to move to the tourist town of Inversgail in the Scottish Highlands and take over a bookstore. (The owners are selling.) The plan is to add on a tea shop and bed-and-breakfast. The four women have talents and backgrounds that should help ensure success (a librarian, social worker, lawyer and investigative journalist, respectively.) Christine is from Inversgail and wants to move back to care for her aging parents. Janet, who is the main protagonist, used to vacation in the town with her husband, from whom she is recently divorced after discovering he cheated on her.

The four arrive in town and begin to get organized in advance of the big annual literary festival that should help drive traffic to their store. Right away, they are visited by Una Graham, who writes an advice column for the local paper and who has also taken up investigative reporting. Assigned to do a story on the new bookshop owners, Una is looking for controversy, not a puff piece. If she can’t find controversy she has no problem inventing it.

The women are put off by Una, but continue on with their business, which includes meeting some of the other locals. Then they head off to Janet’s home. (Purchased long ago by Janet and her husband to be a retirement home, the house is now being rented. At least, it was being rented. The lease was not renewed and the renters are, supposedly, dragging their feet about leaving.) They arrive to find the kitchen full of garbage. That’s a lot better than what they find when they try again a few days later. Now, they discover Una Graham brutally murdered in the garden shed.

The local policeman is called in, who also alerts the special crimes division. The professionals begin investigating, but that isn’t enough for the bookstore owners who have a vested interest in seeing the crime solved. They begin collecting clues on their own.

The book is set in a lovely location and the second-chance scheme of the women to run their own business in town is interesting. The mystery holds together in the end. However, the story is slow paced. The women suspect whatever townspeople they come into contact with. The action consists of the women questioning townspeople then listing everything they know and all their new questions on a spreadsheet. The village policeman is sweetly patient with them, but their prying into a murder investigation–and being allowed to interfere– does seem a bit farfetched. Some of the plot elements also seem unlikely, and appear wedged in to make other pieces of the plot work. While it’s a short read and nice to envision a life of book-selling and scone-eating in Inversgail, I wasn’t really engaged in the characters as mystery solvers.

BOOK REVIEW: A Pressing Engagement by Anna Lee Huber

In anticipation of Anna Lee Huber’s latest installment of The Lady Darby Mystery series (Book 5: As Death Draws Near), I thought I’d better read her novella, Book 4.5: A Pressing Engagement.

This short, sweet piece continues the love story between talented sleuth Lady Kiera Darby and investigator Sebastien Gage. Despite a rocky start in book 1, they have become detecting partners and have fallen in love. Now, it’s time for their wedding.

The novella would not read well as a stand-alone. Readers need to be aware of the history between the two and to be acquainted with other characters such as Kiera’s concerned sister and the rogue crime boss, Bonnie Brock. But for Lady Darby’s followers, this little book is a treat.

It’s the day before the wedding. Kiera is going out of her mind being coddled by her sister, who is trying to turn the quiet wedding desired by bride and groom into the celebration of the century, or so it seems to Kiera. Fortunately, a little mystery pops up for her and Sebastian to solve to pass the time. The mystery ties together some loose ends left over from a previous book. At the same time, Kiera learns more about what has made Bonnie Brock the man he is.

A Pressing Engagement is a nice "filler." It will be interesting to see how the storyline progresses now that these two detectives are husband and wife.

BOOK REVIEW: quiet neighbors by Catriona McPherson

It’s been a while since I’ve read a contemporary mystery/thriller, so when I read a blurb for quiet neighbors by Catriona McPherson I decided to give it a try. It’s an oddly compelling book, with a slow build at first that then gets hard to put down.

Jude Hamner is the unreliable narrator. A young woman with a compulsion for cleanliness that has veered into the pathological, Jude has fled from her librarian job in London to a tiny remote town in Scotland after something unspeakable happened to her. She chose the hidey-hole because she had been there a year earlier on a vacation with her husband and she’d fallen in love with a used bookstore run by a kindly old man, Lowell Glen. (Another book about bookstores and bookstore owners. I can’t get enough of these!)

The old man is still there and he’s just as kindly. On the spot, he offers her a job and a place to stay. His mannerisms are odd, but she puts it down to old-fashioned politeness and loneliness and besides, she’s desperate. Because she’s terrified of being discovered, particularly by police, whatever she did must be criminal and pretty bad.

The truth dribbles out little by little, aided by the arrival of a pregnant teenager who claims to be Lowell’s long-lost daughter, whom he never knew existed. Her mother, Lowell’s ex-lover, is recently dead. Lowell welcomes her with open arms. Jude is more suspicious. It’s hard to tease out whether she’s overly suspicious or has cause.

But Jude can’t focus on obsessing over the daughter. While sorting the used books, she stumbles on yet another mystery. Years ago, someone was apparently murdering elderly residents of the town. Is the murderer still around?

This novel is entertaining, although rather farfetched. Jude is an intriguing protagonist and the daughter is a good foil. I had a bit of trouble with Lowell, who never really jelled for me as an actual character. I couldn’t quite tell what the author was going for with him. Maybe that was deliberate, given the mysteriousness of the goings-on in the town, but it detracted a bit from the story. Yet after multiple twists and turns of the plot, there was a satisfying conclusion. If you’re interested in a thriller that combines a bit of gothic creepiness with a bit of farce, you’ll enjoy quiet neighbors.

BOOK REVIEW: A Study in Death by Anna Lee Huber

I’m a devoted follower of the "A Lady Darby Mystery" series by Anna Lee Huber, so I dove in to the newest offering: A Study in Death.

The series is set in Scotland in the early 1800's. Lady Kiera Darby is a young widow. Her late husband, Sir Anthony, was at one time a respected anatomist. However he became embroiled in scandals which included the revelation that he forced his wife (a talented portraitist) to illustrate the dissections he conducted. That he beat her and terrorized her meant nothing to fashionable society—they ostracized her for her part in the ghoulish business.

After his death, Kiera retreated to the safety of her sister’s home where she found some protection in the sheltering arms of her sister and brother-in-law. But her peace did not last. A murder was committed on their property and Kiera, too well acquainted with death, was drawn into the murder investigation, as both suspect and investigator. During the course of the investigation she met the official ‘gentleman investigator’, Sebastian Gage. By the time they solved the murder, a relationship had blossomed between them.

The next books continue to develop Kiera’s investigating skills as well as her comfort with the fact that this is something she is not only good at but compelled to do. The relationship between the sleuths also continues to develop.

In the current book, Kiera is occupied with her first talent, portrait painting. She has been commissioned to paint a young lady of her social set, Lady Drummond, whose kindness and friendliness have drawn Kiera in. More, Kiera is drawn to her by the recognition that Lady Drummond’s husband is a bully just as Sir Anthony had been, and Lady Drummond is terrified of him. Kiera feels Lady Drummond is about to open up to her and wonders if she can encourage her without prying. Then Lady Drummond dies, quite horribly, and Kiera is certain she has been murdered.

Kiera and Gage investigate, though Gage is not, at first, sure that a murder has occurred.

Complications include the impending birth of Kiera’s nephew (or niece.) Her sister has a history of difficult deliveries and this one may be life-threatening. Her brother-in-law is acting oddly, straining the usually tight-knit household. And, there is the problem of Gage’s father arriving in the city, determined to break up the partnership between Gage and this very unsuitable female. Finally, there is the criminal mastermind/head hoodlum that Kiera crossed in the previous book who owes her a favor and now lurks in the background, both threatening violence and protecting her from it.

As in previous books, there is a thoughtful, deliberate collection of clues, sifting of evidence, and an element of danger that keeps things moving swiftly. But it is the personalities of the characters, Kiera’s psychological journey and Gage’s steady support along with some growth on his part as well, that make these books particularly enjoyable. I look forward to the next book in the series!

BOOK REVIEW: A Grave Matter by Anna Lee Huber

My last review of the year is following up on a historical mystery series that I got started with last year: A Lady Darby Mystery. The latest release is book three – A Grave Matter by Anna Lee Huber.

Lady Kiera Darby is a talented young artist, a portrait painter, who became entangled in a very wrong marriage at a young age because she wanted to be allowed to paint, something ladies of her social status didn’t do. Unfortunately, her husband, Sir Anthony, was an anatomist who forced her to paint his dissections. He was cruel to her in other ways as well. There were other shenanigans going on in the medical dissection world at the time, including grave robbing and murder. Sir Anthony is now dead. In books one and two, Kiera’s reputation was in ruins. Kiera was beginning to make her painful way back into society, or to hide from it, sheltered by her loving sister, when murders that needed solving popped up. Because of her knowledge of anatomy, and all-around intelligence and good sense, she proved very helpful to the investigator, one extremely handsome and kind, if secretive, Sebastian Gage.

Sparks have been flying between them for two books, but other problems and suspicions have been keeping them apart.

Now, Kiera is back in her old family home, staying for a time with her brother while she mourns the death of an old friend and wonders what to do about Gage. In the midst of her aunt and uncle’s annual Hogmanay Ball, a servant stumbles in to report a killing and a grave robbery. Kiera should not want to get messed up with this, but oddly, she does. And not only because it likely means she will see Gage again, but because she wants to be useful and she has discovered she has a talent for crime solving.

The grave robbery is unusual because the victim is long dead so there is no corpse to sell. Nothing is left but bones and only these were taken. Clothing and jewelry was left behind. Kiera sends for Gage at the request of the victim’s family. When he arrives, it is with surprising news. This isn’t the first such incident. Someone is holding skeletons for ransom.

Once again, Kiera and Gage team up to ferret out clues and chase down culprits. There are a couple of false leads as well as an interesting and dangerous adversary that I expect we’ll see again in future books.

Kiera and Gage are a well-matched, engaging couple and their romance progresses apace. I did find myself starting to get a little frustrated with Kiera’s waffling, but there were reminders that she couldn’t let go of the trauma from her first husband and had serious trust issues, so I cut her some slack. It will be interesting to see where the pair will go from here.

While this book can stand alone, I highly recommend starting with The Anatomist's Wife, then reading Mortal Arts and following up with book three. Because who doesn't read series in order?

ESCAPE TO THE PAST WITH: Mortal Arts by Anna Lee Huber

Anna Lee Huber’s historical mystery romance series "A Lady Darby Mystery" is quite addictive. I recently read The Anatomist’s Wife and decided to just move right on to book two, Mortal Arts, while the characters and plot were still fresh in my memory. I’m glad that I did. Book two was as enjoyable a read as book one.

The protagonist, Kiera (Lady Darby), is on her way to Edinburgh with her pregnant sister and brother-in-law when their journey is interrupted. They detour to the manor of an old friend, Michael Dalmay, who is engaged to marry Kiera’s younger cousin. However, the wedding plans are in disarray. Michael’s older brother, Will, who happens to be Lord Dalmay, has returned to the family home after having been missing for ten years. Kiera thought he was dead, but in fact, he had been in an insane asylum.

Will Dalmay, many years older than Kiera, fought in the Napoleonic War and returned home with PTSD. Of course, it was not recognized or diagnosed as such in those days. His own father grew alarmed by his symptoms and had him locked away, secretly. It was not until after the death of the father that Michael was able to have his brother released.

Unfortunately, Will’s condition only worsened in the years of his confinement. There are rumors that he has become violent. And now a local girl has gone missing.

Fortuitously, Nicholas Gage is also a friend of Michael Dalmay’s, and he has been summoned to the manor as well, or so he says. Once again, Kiera and Gage join forces to solve a mystery. And once again, their own interpersonal struggles help and hinder the progress of the investigation. Kiera needs to be able to trust Gage, but he’s not completely honest with her. She needs to be able to trust Will, but Will doesn’t even completely trust himself.

The plot twists keep the book moving right along, but the development of the relationship is what makes the book most compelling. I’ll be looking for book three.

This is another book added to my historical fiction challenge, hosted by Historical Tapestry.

ESCAPE TO THE PAST WITH: Letters from Skye by Jessica Brockmole

I’ve been eager to get my hands on Letters from Skye by Jessica Brockmole. It’s an epistolary novel and I love that format. It’s set in Scotland, in Edinburgh and on the remote Island of Skye, and I guess also in Illinois, although the setting of the male protagonist didn’t make as much of an impression on me. Most of the story takes place during WWI, but it begins during WWII, and then unfolds with flashbacks.

I’m making it sound more confusing than it is.

Elspeth Dunn is a poet in her mid-twenties living on Skye who receives a fan letter from a twenty-one year old college man, David Graham, living in Illinois. They strike up a flirtatious correspondence that results in their falling in love, despite the fact that Elspeth is married. When WWI begins, Elspeth’s husband goes off to join the fighting. Soon after, David volunteers as an ambulance driver. Elspeth and David meet for the first time and consummate their emotional affair. Elspeth now has a husband and a lover to worry about at the front.

In addition to the letters between Elspeth and David, there are also letters set during WWII between Elspeth and her daughter, Margaret, and between Margaret and her beau, Paul. Elspeth is concerned that the relationship between Margaret and Paul is progressing too quickly. Then a bomb drops, rattling Elspeth’s home and exposing Elspeth’s hidden letters. Margaret finds one of them, but before she can get any explanation, her mother disappears. Margaret, who remembers nothing about her father and knows nothing about her mother’s past, recognizes that the letters must hold the key.

The stories unfold simultaneously, with chapters shifting back and forth in time. Both Elspeth and David’s relationship and Margaret’s search for answers about the past are engaging narratives, and I didn’t want to put the book down. It’s nicely descriptive of the tension of wartime romance.

Still, when all was said and done, I felt sorry for Elspeth’s husband. And I couldn’t help but wonder why it was somehow OK for Elspeth to have an emotional affair because she used snail mail. If she and Davey had been interacting through Facebook or gmail, it would seem much more tawdry than their poignant, witty, captivating letters. So, as much as I liked the book, it nagged at me that I was rooting for this relationship. I had a mental image of Ann Landers interjecting a letter at the beginning of Elspeth’s story, suggesting that she cease writing to her American stranger and rather focus on rekindling the romance with her husband. Ann would suggest that they get some counseling. The reaction is anachronistic, of course. But if, by today’s moral standards, one should frown on online cheating on one’s spouse, why is it acceptable to consider snail-mail cheating on one’s spouse in 1912 the start of a beautiful love story? And yet, the love story did tug at the heart strings.

If you enjoy epistolary novels and wartime romances, Letters from Skye fits the bill. There is love, friendship, family drama and moral dilemma enough to keep you turning the pages. And then there are questions to think about after the last page is turned. It might make a good book club book.

I’m just going to keep going with the Historical Fiction Challenge, hosted by Historical Tapestry. And I have now finished the Library Book Challenge, hosted by Gina at Book Dragon’s Lair! This was a great challenge for me. It really helped me to use the resources of my wonderful local library more.

ESCAPE TO THE PAST WITH: The Anatomist's Wife by Anna Lee Huber

Anna Lee Huber has a second book out in her Lady Darby mystery series, Mortal Arts, that sounded interesting, but I couldn’t read the second until I read the first. Fortunately, the premise of the first book, The Anatomist’s Wife, was one I found even more compelling. I don’t read a whole lot of mysteries, but if I do get caught up in a series, it’s generally because of the characters. After finishing The Anatomist’s Wife, I think I’m going to have to add Lady Darby’s mysteries to the select group that I follow faithfully.

The backstory is what drew me to this novel. Set in Scotland in 1830, Lady Kiera Darby is hiding from genteel society at the estate of her sister, Alana, and brother-in-law, Philip, the earl of Cromarty. She has been there since the death of her own husband, Sir Anthony, and the nastiness that followed. Kiera would like to stay peacefully hidden away from gossip and unpleasantness, but her peace is about to be disturbed. Alana and Philip are having a house party. And one of the guests, Lady Godwin, has just been murdered.

A murder at a country estate house party is standard fare for a murder mystery. So how does Lady Darby become involved in solving the mystery?

Kiera is an artist--a particularly talented portraitist. When her father gave her in marriage to Sir Anthony, Kiera didn’t pay all that much attention. Sir Anthony was a respected gentleman, who happened to be an anatomist. She only cared that he was going to allow her to continue to paint. It was only after they were married that he told her his conditions. He was working on an anatomy textbook. He would perform secret dissections of corpses and she was to provide the illustrations of his work.

After his death, her drawings were discovered. Kiera was accused of unnatural acts, procurement, even murder, by a prejudiced and horrified citizenry. The malicious gossip of the lords and ladies of London was even worse. Kiera wants to put that all behind her and stay out of society altogether.

Stumbling on a murder at the house party makes this impossible. Not only is the scandal of Kiera’s past dredged up so that she is presented as the most likely murderer, but her brother-in-law, who has complete faith in her innocence, feels that she is in the best position to clear her own name.

Also in attendance at the estate is one of Philip’s old friends, Sebastian Gage, who happens to be the son of an Investigator. Gage has helped his father on many occasions and has the makings of an investigator himself. Because it will take four days for an official to arrive, Philip asks Gage to start looking into the murder and to allow Kiera to help him. Gage has the necessary interrogation skills (charm and sociability) while Kiera has experience with corpses. While they are not keen on combining forces, they agree to Philip’s request. Before long, they are ferreting out clues and getting to know one another.

Kiera is an independent, strong heroine. Her lapses in judgment are forgivable because of her limited options and her extreme emotional strain. It’s fascinating to see her struggle with the stigma of merely having witnessed and sketched human dissections at the command of her husband and society’s morbid fascination with what she has done. Gage is a wonderful partner for her, both professionally and romantically. The progress of their relationship was as interesting as the unfolding of the mystery.

I look forward to reading book two!

This is my 17/18 book for the Library Challenge hosted by Gina at Book Dragon’s Lair and my 26^th book for the Historical Fiction Challenge hosted by Historical Tapestry.