Review - An Artless Demise

Lady Darby returns to London with her new husband, Sebastian Gage, but newlywed bliss won't last for long when her past comes back to haunt her in the latest exciting installment in this national bestselling series.  I have reviewed the six prior books in this series (click here) and consider myself a fan of the this historical mystery series.  Check out what I thought of the seventh addition to the Lady Darby series.

Author: Anna Lee Huber

Copyright: April 2019 (Berkley) 380 pgs

Series: 7th in Lady Darby Mystery series

Sensuality: Mild with non-gruesome references to murders, dark subject matter

Mystery Sub-genre: Historical Mystery

Main Characters: Lady Kiera Darby, an accomplished artist, widow now re-married, and social outcast

Setting: 1831, London

Obtained Through: Publisher for honest review

From the cover blurb: "November 1831. After fleeing London in infamy more than two years prior, Lady Kiera Darby's return to the city is anything but mundane, though not for the reasons she expected. A gang of body snatchers is arrested on suspicion of imitating the notorious misdeeds of Edinburgh criminals, Burke and Hare--killing people from the streets and selling their bodies to medical schools. Then Kiera's past--a past she thought she'd finally made peace with--rises up to haunt her. 

All of London is horrified by the evidence that "burkers" are, indeed, at work in their city. The terrified populace hovers on a knife's edge, ready to take their enmity out on any likely suspect. And when Kiera receives a letter of blackmail, threatening to divulge details about her late anatomist husband's involvement with the body snatchers and wrongfully implicate her, she begins to apprehend just how precarious her situation is. Not only for herself, but also her new husband and investigative partner, Sebastian Gage, and their unborn child. 

Meanwhile, the young scion of a noble family has been found murdered a block from his home, and the man's family wants Kiera and Gage to investigate. Is it a failed attempt by the London burkers, having left the body behind, or the crime of someone much closer to home? Someone who stalks the privileged, using the uproar over the burkers to cover his own dark deeds?"

Lady Darby comes up against her nightmarish past and must fight emotionally and mentally to keep her new life together.  Her new husband Sebastian Gage has been understanding and sympathetic, but gets more of a taste of what she faced before.  Even Lord Gage, Sebastian's father, who has never accepted Kiera, gets a glimpse of what her life was like with her deceased husband and the public hatred she withstood.  

The setting of London has been covered by scores of books and authors and yet Ms. Huber weaves historical facts seamlessly to create a layered and atmospheric large city.  The main plot of handling two investigations, the "burkers" trial with an unidentified young "Italian Boy" victim they are trying to id, and the case of a young heir, a truly black-hearted individual, whose murder was loosely made to look like a "Burking" are enough to keep the story hopping.  But the added black mailing and Gage's right-hand-man Anderly having a personal stake in identifying the young victim make the story emotionally layered and rich.  It is an absorbing story that draws you in and is hard to put down.

The climax is to prevent another wealthy heir's death as the city is on tender hooks after the "burkers" trial and impending public execution.  It has exciting elements of a ticking clock to save a life with some harrowing elements.  Wonderful climax.  The wrap-up gives a hint of Lord Gage's tendency to "arrange" his family's lives to suit himself and paves the way for the next story.

It is hard to believe this is the seventh book and if anything the series just keeps getting better and better.  I love how history is made fascinating and alive through this series. The themes of ethnic prejudices and the poor becoming political pawns shows how "the more things change, the more they stay the same."  The story was immersive and an experience I highly recommend.

Rating: Near Perfect - Couldn't Put it down. Buy two copies, one for you and one for a friend. 

Review - A Conspiracy in Belgravia

Happy Sir Arthur Conon Doyle's 159th birthday!

I was incredibly excited to read and review the first in this series, A Study in Scarlett (click here), which is a retelling of the famous Sherlock story featuring a woman as the actual detective with her false identity as Sherlock.  The concept was great, but more importantly the execution was superb.  The highly anticipated second book in the series arrived and it took a little longer for me to get to the book.  But I finally have a review.

Author: Sherry Thomas

Copyright: Sept 2017 (Berkley) 336 pgs

Series: 2nd in Lady Sherlock Mystery series

Sensuality: Mild

Mystery Sub-genre: Historical Detective Mystery

Main Character: Charlotte Holmes, disgraced upper class woman who creates the Sherlock Holmes identity

Setting: 1886, Devonshire and London England

Obtained Through: Personal purchase

"The game is afoot as Charlotte Holmes returns in USA Today bestselling author Sherry Thomas’s Victorian-set Lady Sherlock series.

Being shunned by Society gives Charlotte Holmes the time and freedom to put her extraordinary powers of deduction to good use. As “Sherlock Holmes, consulting detective,” aided by the capable Mrs. Watson, she’s had great success helping with all manner of inquiries, but she’s not prepared for the new client who arrives at her Upper Baker Street office.

Lady Ingram, wife of Charlotte’s dear friend and benefactor, wants Sherlock Holmes to find her first love, who failed to show up at their annual rendezvous. Matters of loyalty and discretion aside, the case becomes even more personal for Charlotte as the missing man is none other than Myron Finch, her illegitimate half brother.

In the meanwhile, Charlotte wrestles with a surprising proposal of marriage, a mysterious stranger woos her sister Livia, and an unidentified body surfaces where least expected. Charlotte’s investigative prowess is challenged as never before: Can she find her brother in time—or will he, too, end up as a nameless corpse somewhere in the belly of London"

Charlotte Holmes is blond, pretty, feminine, too fond of sweets, and far too intelligent for the time period. She is funny without intending to be as she considers her fondness for desserts and how many chins she has at the moment.  She is coldly logical, but when it comes to Lord Ingram she may have unwanted emotions.  Mrs. John Watson, a retired stage actress has become her sidekick. Lord Ingram Ashburton, a long time friend and first love, knows of Charlotte's secret identity and aids her.  In this outing Lord Ingram's unrequited love for Charlotte whitle in an unhappy marriage is displayed. Inspector Robert Treadles featured in the first book shows up again but has his prejudices against consulting Charlotte again that demonstrates the common man's attitude towards such a woman in that day and age.  Moriarity is developed further and is slowly developing into the mastermind and nemesis.  Mrs Watson's niece, Miss Redmayne, is visiting and assists in the investigation at times.

The plot definitely has several twists and has a level of intrigue that sneaks up on the reader.  The pacing, I felt, maintained a steady pace and kept me engaged.  I will give a caveat that it should be read when you can give your full attention, I read it in short bits here and there because of life circumstances, and found with the twists I could easily loose the thread and get lost.

The killer reveal was a final twist in the story I had not seen coming, well done!  The wrap up is nicely satisfying and even a little poignant. 

Not only was this a great mystery, but the characters are further developed and their personal dramas unfold and gain complication.  A shocking move on Charlotte's father's part shows how little voice women of the era had in their own lives.  I find this series so imaginative and refreshing, give it a try if you like historical mysteries.

Rating:   Near Perfect - Buy two copies: one for you and one for a friend.

Review - A Brush with Shadows

This is one of the few series I have followed since the very first book:  The Anatomist's Wife (click here) .  I have also reviewed #2 Mortal Arts (click here) , #3 A Grave Matter (click here), #4 A Study in Death (click here), #5 As Death Draws Near (click here), and was honored to interview the author (click here), and have a guest post (click here).  Now for the next book in this riveting historical mystery series.

Author: Anna Lee Huber

Copyright: March 2018 (Berkley) 384 pgs

Series: 6th in Lady Darby Mystery series

Sensuality: Mild

Mystery Sub-genre: Historical Detective Mystery

Main Character: Lady Kiera Darby, an accomplished artist, widow now re-married, and social outcast

Setting: 1831, Scottish Moors

Obtained Through: Publisher (Netgalley) for honest opinion

From the Cover:  "Sebastian Gage returns home to battle the ghosts of his past and prevent them from destroying his future with Kiera in the latest exciting installment in this national bestselling series.

July 1831. It's been fifteen years since Sebastian Gage has set foot in Langstone Manor. Though he has shared little with his wife, Lady Kiera Darby, about his past, she knows that he planned never to return to the place of so many unhappy childhood memories. But when an urgent letter from his grandfather reaches them in Dublin, Ireland, and begs Gage to visit, Kiera convinces him to go.

All is not well at Langstone Manor. Gage's grandfather, the Viscount Tavistock, is gravely ill, and Gage's cousin Alfred has suddenly vanished. He wandered out into the moors and never returned. The Viscount is convinced someone or something other than the natural hazards of the moors is to blame for Alfred's disappearance. And when Alfred's brother Rory goes missing, Kiera and Gage must concede he may be right. Now, they must face the ghosts of Gage's past, discover the truth behind the local superstitions, and see beyond the tricks being played by their very own eyes to expose what has happened to Gage's family before the moors claim yet another victim..."

Lady Kiera Darby finds a challenge when living with Gage's mother's family while investigating the heir's disappearance.  They are an unpleasant lot, privileged, condescending, judgmental and so on. She gets a good picture of how they tormented her husband during childhood.  

Sebastian Gage struggles with the baggage from his childhood from this cruel family plus questions regarding his mother's death years prior. 

Bree, Kiera's personal maid and Anderley, Gage's rough spoken valet are the only people they can trust.  Gage's Grandfather, Aunt, and cousins Alfred and Rory are all contentious and incredibly secretive. 

The setting of the Scottish Moors provided a gothic setting that created the best atmospheric stage I can remember in a novel (better than Hounds of Baskerville even). 

The plot quickly turns complicated with the secretive nature of the family and many developments and aspects to Alfred's disappearance.  The pacing kept me reading into the night.  The climax was edge-of-your-seat thrills - just how I love it.  The wrap-up provides satisfaction on many levels for Sebastion, Kiera, and the reader.

This case, with all of its personal issues, is the most emotionally straining for Kiera and Sebastian.  They are seriously challenged so early in their marriage and it shows what they are both made of.  I loved the depiction of the moors, highlighting the stark beauty and lethal hazards. There was love and hate, privilege and isolation, and bitter family dynamics.  This book would be excellent for a book club to discuss the layers of plot, characters, theme, and the use of gothic elements.  I believe this is my favorite of the Lady Darby mysteries thus far. 

Rating:  Near Perfect - Buy two copies: one for you and one for a friend. 

Review - Study in Scarlet Women

Sherry Thomas is an acclaimed romance author - regularly receiving starred reviews from trade publications. She is also a two-time winner of Romance Writers of America's prestigious RITA® Award.  

It is a supreme challenge to come up with a new angle for a Sherlock novel, let alone pull any new attempt off successfully.  Ms. Thomas has ventured out from the romance genre and devised and brilliant angle - that Sherlock was actually a woman and she used different methods to conceal it, the stories written by sidekick Watson being only one trick.

Author: Sherry Thomas

Copyright: Oct 2016 (Berkley) 336 pgs

Series: 1st in Lady Sherlock Mystery series

Sensuality: Mild - Adult topics discussed

Mystery Sub-genre: Historical Amateur Sleuth

Main Characters: Charlotte Holmes, disgraced upper class woman who creates the Sherlock Holmes identity

Setting: 1886, Devonshire and London England

Obtained Through: Publisher for honest review

From the cover: "With her inquisitive mind, Charlotte Holmes has never felt comfortable with the demureness expected of the fairer sex in upper class society. But even she never thought that she would become a social pariah, an outcast fending for herself on the mean streets of London.

When the city is struck by a trio of unexpected deaths and suspicion falls on her sister and her father, Charlotte is desperate to find the true culprits and clear the family name. She’ll have help from friends new and old—a kind-hearted widow, a police inspector, and a man who has long loved her.

But in the end, it will be up to Charlotte, under the assumed name Sherlock Holmes, to challenge society’s expectations and match wits against an unseen mastermind."

Charlotte Holmes is blond, pretty, feminine, and too smart to be accepted easily in society. Olivia is her loving sister who knows her better than any other. Mrs. John Watson, a retired stage actress initially employs Charlotte as a ladies' companion but quickly becomes her sidekick. Lord Ingram Ashburton, a long time friend and first love, is the go-between for "Sherlock" and a police inspector.  Inspector Robert Treadles is a fan of Sherlock and his advice on several cases, but the case of three society deaths makes him want to consult with Sherlock in person.

In 1886 women were still expected to marry and produce children and weren't considered suited for deep thought or much past a simple painting and playing the piano. Into this setting Charlotte hits the scene with a whip sharp intellect, little desire for domesticity, and little regard for societal mores limiting her.  The setting is the era and it's impact that fashions a lovely - even cherubic looking woman - into the legendary Sherlock. 

The plot is mainly the making of Sherlock with a tantalizing murder mystery to show us how Charlotte deducts and leads the police while maintaining her cover as Sherlock.  The murder is clever and likely wouldn't have been uncovered or even suspected as a murder, if it weren't for Charlotte.  The pacing picks up once Charlotte finds Watson, so the beginning sets the stage.

You likely know how I love a suspenseful killer confrontation, but this was a killer reveal that explains the three deaths and the understanding is such a twist that it serves as it's own suspense.  The wrap-up introduces the re-imagined Moriarty that promises more twists on the established Sherlock mythos.  

This story is pure genius.  Charlotte is so counter to the image of Sherlock and yet it works beautifully.  I feel as though Ms. Thomas, to whom English is a second language, was born to write this and it will be her crowning character and series.

Rating:  Near Perfect - Couldn't put it down. Buy two copies, one for you and one for a friend. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I have written and published my first cozy mystery - Iced (Resort to Murder #1) by Avery Daniels is on pre-sale for a whopping low price of .99. This low price will be for a limited time only.  The official release day is May 31st. 

ICED
Julienne has her ideal job as an event planner at a prestigious resort. During a luncheon event she coordinated, a renowned celebrity pastor is killed next to the buffet. All eyes turn to her as the suspect. If she wants to stay out of jail or even keep her job, Julienne needs all the help she can get to solve the crime. 

She has her work cut out for her with a vengeful high school rival now reporter, the public demanding she be fired, plus family who knows what's best for her, and a boyfriend who doesn't understand her. She turns to friends and a new ally to uncover who wanted to put the pastor on ice. 

Julienne goes undercover and investigates a local swingers group as she follows the trail of clues before they go cold. Can she gather enough suspects and motives to convince the police to her widen their investigation? Can she do it before the killer sets his murderous sights on her? Will her personal life ever be as simple as unveiling a murderer?

Preorder the kindle edition for .99 (click here.)  
Print book and audio is due shortly, I will include link then.


Oh, and if you have a blog and would like to do a spotlight or a review, just leave me a comment.

Review - Where the Dead Lie

I have been following this series since the sixth book in the series and became an instant fan.  I have even been going back and picking up the first books.  I have reviewed When Falcons Fall (click here), Who Buries the Dead (click here), Why Kings Confess" (click here), "What Darkness Brings" (click here), "When Maidens Mourn" (click here), and "Where Shadows Dance" (click here).  We were also honored to interview C.S. Harris (click here.)  As a side note, I also reviewed a modern thriller, The Archangel Project (click here) by this author under the pen name CS Graham.  Let's see how the series is doing now that we are into the twelfth book.

Author: CS Harris

Copyright: April 2017 (Berkley) 347 pgs

Series: 12th in Sebastian St. Cyr Mystery series

Sensuality:  Serial killer subject matter, children victims

Mystery Sub-genre: Historical Detective

Main Characters: Sebastian St. Cyr (Viscount Devlin) a veteran of the Peninsula wars with Napoleon and a nobleman.

Setting: 1813, London England

Obtained Through: Publisher for honest review

From book cover: "London, 1813. Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, is no stranger to the dark side of the city, but he’s never seen anything like this: the brutalized body of a fifteen-year-old boy dumped into a makeshift grave on the grounds of an abandoned factory.

One of London’s many homeless children, Benji Thatcher was abducted and tortured before his murder—and his younger sister is still missing. Few in authority care about a street urchin’s fate, but Sebastian refuses to let this killer go unpunished.

Uncovering a disturbing pattern of missing children, Sebastian is drawn into a shadowy, sadistic world. As he follows a grim trail that leads from the writings of the debauched Marquis de Sade to the city’s most notorious brothels, he comes to a horrifying realization: someone from society’s upper echelon is preying upon the city’s most vulnerable. And though dark, powerful forces are moving against him, Sebastian will risk his reputation and his life to keep more innocents from harm..."

We have Sebastian and new wife Hero front and center again.  But Hero is dealing with emotional upheaval with her seriously ill mother and can't assist in the investigation. Sebastian, newly a father, takes this case particularly personal as his heart breaks for these unfortunate street children meeting evil ends. Sebastian faces emotional issues with his father too.  

Gibson, Sebastian's dear friend who essentially performs the duties of a medical examiner, joins the cast again still fighting his personal demons.  Hero's father Jarvis is somehow involved - even if it's the possibility that he could know the killer's identity but doesn't divulge it for his own manipulations, which causes tension to build even further with Sebastian.  They seem to be building to an explosive show-down at some point.  Tom is especially at risk because he fits the profile of the abducted children and Sebastian tries to keep him safely at home, which Tom takes offence to being excluded.  Homeless former soldier Rory Inchbald and street kid Toby Dancing are just a few of the many sad people Sebastian interviews.  Then there are the people who try to aid the street children Reverend Filby and Icarus Cantrell.  Cantrell, aka The Professor, is considered a fence for stolen items and is the breakout character in this novel.

The subject matter is a bit darker than the usual with many atmospheric touches to ratchet the tension rather than dwell on details of the killings.  Abandoned factories, back alleys, brothels that cater to more sadistic tastes, and so forth are the myriad of settings.  

The plot exposes the calloused side of society towards the defenseless without being preachy. I do have to say that the multiple visits to the same suspects seemed (IMHO) to slow the action a bit.  The climax was filled with tension and danger, a real nail-biter.  This particular story leaves the reader with a threat close to Sebastian's family that will no doubt be carried into the next book.  

This addition to the series is a little darker than prior books in the series.  But I didn't feel it was gruesome rather enough to get a sense of the torture done.  That said, because the victims are children I am giving a trigger warning.  This book in the series shows considerable emotional changes for both Sebastian and Hero, a seemingly impossible to solve serial killer, and dark brooding settings.  I feel it is a well crafted story although rather somber.

Rating:  Excellent - Loved it, it had a good grip on me! Buy it now and put this author on your watch list

 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

My first cozy mystery ever Iced (Resort to Murder #1) by Avery Daniels is on pre-sale for a whopping low price of .99. This low price will be for a limited time only.  The official release day is May 31st. 

ICED

Julienne has her ideal job as an event planner at a prestigious resort. During a luncheon event she coordinated, a renowned celebrity pastor is killed next to the buffet. All eyes turn to her as the suspect. If she wants to stay out of jail or even keep her job, Julienne needs all the help she can get to solve the crime. 

She has her work cut out for her with a vengeful high school rival now reporter, the public demanding she be fired, plus family who knows what's best for her, and a boyfriend who doesn't understand her. She turns to friends and a new ally to uncover who wanted to put the pastor on ice. 

Julienne goes undercover and investigates a local swingers group as she follows the trail of clues before they go cold. Can she gather enough suspects and motives to convince the police to her widen their investigation? Can she do it before the killer sets his murderous sights on her? Will her personal life ever be as simple as unveiling a murderer?

Preorder the kindle edition (click here.)
Print book is due shortly, I will include link then.

Oh, and if you have a blog and would like to do a spotlight or a review, just leave me a comment.