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Lady Darby Mysteries #14
A Bitter Cut
Not yet published
Expected 23 Jun 26Lady Kiera Darby plans to spend the summer reconnecting with friends and family in anticipation of the betrothal of her beloved brother. But when a future in-law is implicated in a murder, the party takes a deadly turn. . . .
July 1833. Lady Darby and her dashing husband, Sebastian Gage, are settling into their newly renovated home at Bevington Park in Warkwickshire with their young daughter. With the breach between them and Sebastian’s father recently healed, they've agreed to help host a country house party for friends and family to share in their joy. Kiera is also anxious to help promote a match between her brother, Trevor, and the woman he’s fallen in love with, inviting her family to join them. However, Kiera swiftly discovers that the would-be bride’s family is not without their detractions. Her brother is unpleasant. Her mother is abrasive. And her father—the prosperous industrialist Jeremiah Birnam—is brusque, discourteous, and, at times, downright rude.
So when Mr. Birnam’s secretary is found murdered with Birnam standing over her body, many are content to allow him to take the blame. But neither Kiera nor Sebastian believes he did it, and in spite of his bluster and boorish behavior, they can’t let an innocent man be hung for another’s crime. Unfortunately, Birnam had his fair share of enemies at the house party, and any one of them might have struck out at his secretary in order to get to him. It's up to Kiera and Sebastian to uncover the truth and salvage Birnam’s reputation. As the couple slowly inches their way closer to the truth and threats emerge against their loved ones, Kiera begins to fear that the price of solving the crime may mean sacrificing her brother’s future happiness.
July 1833. Lady Darby and her dashing husband, Sebastian Gage, are settling into their newly renovated home at Bevington Park in Warkwickshire with their young daughter. With the breach between them and Sebastian’s father recently healed, they've agreed to help host a country house party for friends and family to share in their joy. Kiera is also anxious to help promote a match between her brother, Trevor, and the woman he’s fallen in love with, inviting her family to join them. However, Kiera swiftly discovers that the would-be bride’s family is not without their detractions. Her brother is unpleasant. Her mother is abrasive. And her father—the prosperous industrialist Jeremiah Birnam—is brusque, discourteous, and, at times, downright rude.
So when Mr. Birnam’s secretary is found murdered with Birnam standing over her body, many are content to allow him to take the blame. But neither Kiera nor Sebastian believes he did it, and in spite of his bluster and boorish behavior, they can’t let an innocent man be hung for another’s crime. Unfortunately, Birnam had his fair share of enemies at the house party, and any one of them might have struck out at his secretary in order to get to him. It's up to Kiera and Sebastian to uncover the truth and salvage Birnam’s reputation. As the couple slowly inches their way closer to the truth and threats emerge against their loved ones, Kiera begins to fear that the price of solving the crime may mean sacrificing her brother’s future happiness.
Kindle Edition
Expected publication June 23, 2026
577 people want to read
About the author
Anna Lee Huber
31 books3,692 followersAnna Lee Huber is the USA Today bestselling and Daphne award-winning author of the Lady Darby Mysteries, the Verity Kent Mysteries, the Gothic Myths series, as well as Sisters of Fortune: A Novel of the Titanic and the anthology The Deadly Hours. She is a summa cum laude graduate of Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee, where she majored in music and minored in psychology. She currently resides in Indiana with her family and is hard at work on her next novel. Visit her online at www.annaleehuber.com.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A Bitter Cut is the latest Lady Darby mystery by Anna Lee Huber. I always look forward to a new Lady Darby mystery and this one did not disappoint! I love Anna Lee Huber’s writing style and I was again hooked from the first page. I also enjoy all of the historical research Ms. Huber does. It adds lots of realism and interest to her stories. This book was particularly well written as we watched Kiera navigate running her father-in-law’s house and a house party along with solving a murder and being a mother. She does it all with lots of style and help from her husband and friends. It was great to have family and friends in this book, especially some we haven’t seen lately. I also enjoyed the mystery. It ended up very differently than I expected, but it was a satisfying and well written ending. I hope Kiera and Sebastian solve many more mysteries. I will always enjoy reading them!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
"A Bitter Cut" is a mystery set in 1833 in England. It is the 14th book in a series. It can be read as a standalone and didn't spoil previous mysteries. The main characters were complex, well-developed, and acted realistically. Historical details were woven into the story without slowing the pacing.
Kiera and Sebastian (and his father) investigated the murder while hosting a house party that would end with a ball. They're pressured to solve the mystery before the ball but without offending any of the politically powerful guests. Add in that the people who knew why Portia might have been murdered were either not telling the truth or not talking at all (hiding scandalous secrets). They asked questions and followed up on leads, but that provided clues with minimal context until a break in the case near the end.
There were no sex scenes or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this historical mystery.
I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
Kiera and Sebastian (and his father) investigated the murder while hosting a house party that would end with a ball. They're pressured to solve the mystery before the ball but without offending any of the politically powerful guests. Add in that the people who knew why Portia might have been murdered were either not telling the truth or not talking at all (hiding scandalous secrets). They asked questions and followed up on leads, but that provided clues with minimal context until a break in the case near the end.
There were no sex scenes or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this historical mystery.
I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4.5 stars
Lady Darby (Keira), her husband Sebastian Gage, and their young daughter had hoped to spend some time in their new county home. However, Keira’s brother is on the verge of becoming engaged and so the almost-fiancé’s family is invited to the nearby estate of Keira’s father-in-law. Keira finds herself hostess to the house party. When one of the guests is horribly killed, Keira and Sebastian try to work out if she was the intended victim and what prompted the death.
I’ve been reading this series from the beginning and really enjoy watching Keira’s growth in her personal and professional life. She’s becoming more comfortable in her role in society while balancing her family and the mysteries she and Gage find themselves investigating.
This was another great book in the series. The mystery was great and I really liked seeing a bit more of the family relationships with Keira’s siblings and such. Looking forward to more in this series!
Thanks to NetGalley and Berkely Publishing Group for an advanced copy.
Lady Darby (Keira), her husband Sebastian Gage, and their young daughter had hoped to spend some time in their new county home. However, Keira’s brother is on the verge of becoming engaged and so the almost-fiancé’s family is invited to the nearby estate of Keira’s father-in-law. Keira finds herself hostess to the house party. When one of the guests is horribly killed, Keira and Sebastian try to work out if she was the intended victim and what prompted the death.
I’ve been reading this series from the beginning and really enjoy watching Keira’s growth in her personal and professional life. She’s becoming more comfortable in her role in society while balancing her family and the mysteries she and Gage find themselves investigating.
This was another great book in the series. The mystery was great and I really liked seeing a bit more of the family relationships with Keira’s siblings and such. Looking forward to more in this series!
Thanks to NetGalley and Berkely Publishing Group for an advanced copy.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I love the cover of this! Kiera hosts a variety of family and business and political acquaintances over the summer. Her brother is in love with Matilda whose father is a prominent business owner. When his secretary is viciously murdered, Kiera must combine investigating and hostessing duties.
The mystery is adequate, I’ve read the first few books in the series and they were fine. I loved reading about the pastimes the guests indulge in while on a country retreat - archery, picnicking, cards. Sadly this is going to be my last read in the series. There just isn’t enough immersion for me. Lord Melbourne makes an appearance though we’re barely told anything about him and you just wouldn’t know you’re in the Georgian era whatsoever. With so many historical mysteries to choose from, I’d rather focus on series that really teach me something about their period.
My endless thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for this ARC!
The mystery is adequate, I’ve read the first few books in the series and they were fine. I loved reading about the pastimes the guests indulge in while on a country retreat - archery, picnicking, cards. Sadly this is going to be my last read in the series. There just isn’t enough immersion for me. Lord Melbourne makes an appearance though we’re barely told anything about him and you just wouldn’t know you’re in the Georgian era whatsoever. With so many historical mysteries to choose from, I’d rather focus on series that really teach me something about their period.
My endless thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for this ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Another great book in the Lady Darby series! It was interesting to bring Kiera and Gage's families together for a house party and get a glimpse into each of their lives. Alfie is sure growing on me since we first met him. This book primarily focuses on Trevor and his hopes to marry Matilda, who comes from a complicated and abrasive family with its own secrets and history, which need to be uncovered to solve the murder. There is some historical information about 2 bills moving through the UK's Parliament: the 1833 Factory Act & the Slavery Abolition Act. The Factory Act plays a significant role in this story, with various characters involved leading up to the vote. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series to see what Kiera & Gage have to confront next.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
July 1833
Kiera, Gage and Lord Gage are hosting a house party at their country estate. The guest list includes family members, several Lords and Ladies and Trevor's love interest Matilda along with her family, the Brinams. Mr. Birnam is considered "new money" due to his ownership of factories and mills. He is strongly opposed to the Factory Act and uses every opportunity during the house party to sway the attending Lords to his point of view. When Mr. Birnam's secretary is found murdered, Kiera and Gage are tasked with solving the crime.
I always look forward to a new Lady Darby mystery. Anna Lee Huber moves her stories along with dialogue and action. Definitely one of my auto buys
This is a must read if you enjoy well researched, historical mysteries. Worthy of your TBR.
Thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy. Opinion is mine. #ABitterCut #NetGalley
Kiera, Gage and Lord Gage are hosting a house party at their country estate. The guest list includes family members, several Lords and Ladies and Trevor's love interest Matilda along with her family, the Brinams. Mr. Birnam is considered "new money" due to his ownership of factories and mills. He is strongly opposed to the Factory Act and uses every opportunity during the house party to sway the attending Lords to his point of view. When Mr. Birnam's secretary is found murdered, Kiera and Gage are tasked with solving the crime.
I always look forward to a new Lady Darby mystery. Anna Lee Huber moves her stories along with dialogue and action. Definitely one of my auto buys
This is a must read if you enjoy well researched, historical mysteries. Worthy of your TBR.
Thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy. Opinion is mine. #ABitterCut #NetGalley
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
It's 1833, and Kiera and Gage are having guests, including the abrasive parents of the woman brother Trevor hopes to marry. When there is a murder, suspicion falls on the vulgar and obnoxious Mr. Birnam. It is a challenge to carry out an investigation with a houseful of guests, but Lord Gage is insistent that they continue, and ascertain who is responsible for this horrific crime. The guests party on as secrets are revealed. Can Kiera identify the culprit before anyone else is harmed? An enjoyable historical mystery with a strong female protagonist, this series is best read in order. Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the ARC.
March 26, 2026
Another fantastic Lady Darby mystery! I love that with each installment we get more family, more friends, more knowledge that Kiera isn’t alone anymore (as she was so isolated in her first marriage). The murder was sadly gruesome, but the mystery kept me guessing until the end. Thanks to Berkley for the ARC.
March 15, 2026
Fun mystery. Dragged a little in the middle, but kept me reading.
Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy
Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I look forward to each new Lady Darby mystery I was not disappointed with this one. i enjoy Ms. Huber’s writing style and the story grabbed me from the first page. Ms. Huber does a lot historical research for her stories and it gives her stories a realistic depiction of life in the past. I liked seeing Kiera and Gage interact with their family, friends and other guests. It is nice to see how far Kiera has come in her personal and professional lives from the beginning of the series. i was good to see Kiera juggle her hosting duties, motherly duties and her murder solving duties all at once.
The main characters were complex, well-developed, and acted realistically. The ending was one that I didn't figure out beforehand and was well written if not completely satisfying in some parts. I am looking forward to more books in this series. Where will Kiera and Gage go next and what mystery will they solve next?
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for Letting me to read this book. All opinions are my own.
The main characters were complex, well-developed, and acted realistically. The ending was one that I didn't figure out beforehand and was well written if not completely satisfying in some parts. I am looking forward to more books in this series. Where will Kiera and Gage go next and what mystery will they solve next?
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for Letting me to read this book. All opinions are my own.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews