What do you think?
Rate this book
Lady Darby Mysteries #3
A Grave Matter
Scotland, 1830. Following the death of her dear friend, Lady Kiera Darby is in need of a safe haven. Returning to her childhood home, Kiera hopes her beloved brother Trevor and the merriment of the Hogmanay Ball will distract her. But when a caretaker is murdered and a grave is disturbed at nearby Dryburgh Abbey, Kiera is once more thrust into the cold grasp of death.
While Kiera knows that aiding in another inquiry will only further tarnish her reputation, her knowledge of anatomy could make the difference in solving the case. But agreeing to investigate means Kiera must deal with the complicated emotions aroused in her by inquiry agent Sebastian Gage.
When Gage arrives, he reveals that the incident at the Abbey was not the first—some fiend is digging up old bones and holding them for ransom. Now Kiera and Gage must catch the grave robber and put the case to rest…before another victim winds up six feet under.
While Kiera knows that aiding in another inquiry will only further tarnish her reputation, her knowledge of anatomy could make the difference in solving the case. But agreeing to investigate means Kiera must deal with the complicated emotions aroused in her by inquiry agent Sebastian Gage.
When Gage arrives, he reveals that the incident at the Abbey was not the first—some fiend is digging up old bones and holding them for ransom. Now Kiera and Gage must catch the grave robber and put the case to rest…before another victim winds up six feet under.
Audible Audio
First published July 1, 2014
761 people are currently reading
3723 people want to read
About the author
Anna Lee Huber
29 books3,668 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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 842 reviews
February 29, 2020
My absolute favorite so far! Loved the mystery but more than anything else, I love Gage and Keira. So swoony! Actually Kiera's whole family is pretty great and it was so fun to see her with her brother and other family members in this.
Quickly becoming a favorite, I absolutely adore this series!
Quickly becoming a favorite, I absolutely adore this series!
September 20, 2022
I enjoyed the first two books of this series, but have to say that I find that this one--the third--is the best yet. Kiera is very well portrayed, so much so that I can easily feel what she feels. I loved the interactions with her brother. I have to admit that I figured out "who did it" quite early, but it did not take away any of the reading pleasure.
September 8, 2017
My favourite book in the series so far. It's turning out to be quite a good historical mystery series.
October 11, 2016
This is another good historical mystery series. This is the third book and there are only a total of 5.
February 28, 2019
This is the third installment of the series, and it is getting better with each installment. This series is unlike anything I read before. The mystery plots are based on unusual themes. And they are original. It seems Anna Huber has taken a good amount of time to research and plan the plot. And there is an easy and smooth flow to the stories which show that she takes care in its execution. But undoubtedly the strongest point of the series is its recurring characters, especially the main duo Lady Darby and Sebastian Gage.
There is good murder-mystery in this installment too, and I did enjoy it. But what really arrested and held my interest is the character development of the main duo, Lady Darby and Sebastian Gage. Lady Darby, as I've mentioned in my previous review, is an unusual choice of a heroine. Her previous abusive marriage has left her broken. It is a pure struggle for her to come to terms of her past and to find her lost innocence and happiness. And her growing attraction for Gage and her realization of her love him doesn't make things easier for her as her past disastrous marriage continuously haunts her arousing suspicions and doubts. Having some personal experience, it was very easy for me to empathize with her. On the other hand, the charming and handsome hero, Sebastian Gage too is not the man the world sees him to be. Underneath his charming facade, there lives a man with a troubled past and an "ungentlemanly" hobby. I really like Anna Huber's choice of these flawed two characters as her main duo. It gives them a very realistic touch. And in this particular installment, there was a lot of tension between them and they go through emotional struggle as they finally come to terms with their relationship. All of this were strongly and feelingly portrayed drawing the readers in to them. This was I felt to be the better part of the story and it is what captured my heart.
All in all, I'm really happy to have come across this series. At this point, it is certainly the best murder-mystery series that I have thus far read.
There is good murder-mystery in this installment too, and I did enjoy it. But what really arrested and held my interest is the character development of the main duo, Lady Darby and Sebastian Gage. Lady Darby, as I've mentioned in my previous review, is an unusual choice of a heroine. Her previous abusive marriage has left her broken. It is a pure struggle for her to come to terms of her past and to find her lost innocence and happiness. And her growing attraction for Gage and her realization of her love him doesn't make things easier for her as her past disastrous marriage continuously haunts her arousing suspicions and doubts. Having some personal experience, it was very easy for me to empathize with her. On the other hand, the charming and handsome hero, Sebastian Gage too is not the man the world sees him to be. Underneath his charming facade, there lives a man with a troubled past and an "ungentlemanly" hobby. I really like Anna Huber's choice of these flawed two characters as her main duo. It gives them a very realistic touch. And in this particular installment, there was a lot of tension between them and they go through emotional struggle as they finally come to terms with their relationship. All of this were strongly and feelingly portrayed drawing the readers in to them. This was I felt to be the better part of the story and it is what captured my heart.
All in all, I'm really happy to have come across this series. At this point, it is certainly the best murder-mystery series that I have thus far read.
May 14, 2019
I read this purely for the romance. Unfortunately, I don't think I'll be continuing with the series. I kept going to see the romance come to fruition, and now it has. I find the stories to be very slow moving, heavy on description and repetitive introspection, and the villain's motive in this one was just silly. I'd like to see Ms. Huber write more in her Gothic myths series. I really enjoyed the first book.
March 14, 2025
Hands down, my favorite mystery series. I love the historic setting and I love how independent Kiera is and how the author writes the characters and the setting, making the characters aware and compliant to the social restraints of the time period but also making them reasonably progressive and independent. Kiera and Gage are super cute together!
October 2, 2014
I hate it when I have to disagree with my friends about a book or a series. Many readers like this series, but for me, the best one was the first book, The Anatomist's Wife (my review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...). I couldn’t finish the second book in this series – it was too depressing. I did finish this one although I was tempted to give it up at least a couple of times. It was a disappointment; I wanted so much to like it, but this novel was very slow.
It takes place at the same time as the first two novels of the series, in 1830. It’s also a historical mystery. The protagonist Kiera, Lady Darby, again stumbles upon a murder and she is assisting Sebastian Gage, an inquiry agent we know from the first two books, in his investigation. Along the way, the two explore their deepening relationship.
It could’ve been such a fun romp. Instead, for most of the book, the heroes shuttle from location to location without uncovering any clues to the baffling crime. They ride in their carriage from one estate to another, talking to various people, while the action stands still. Nothing else happens. No revelations occur. Even the murder was accidental.
The main crime they investigate is that someone steals old bones of long-dead aristocrats from cemeteries all around Scotland and then ransoms them to the relatives. The author and the heroes, except Kiera herself, are more concerned about recovering old bones and the indignities done to the dead and their rich living relatives than they are about the murdered man. He was a poor caretaker after all, and the dead were all nobility. It made me so angry.
Another reason for my dislike of this story: almost the entire book, Kiera is in the grips of angst about Gage, as if she was fifteen and not a grown woman. Yes, her previous marriage was a disaster, but she is free of it now. Her brutal husband is dead. Gage has proven himself to her several times already, even though he never confessed his undying devotion.
Hasn’t she learned what is what in her three years of marriage and two years of widowhood? Why is she mooning and pining like a teenager all her waking hours: “he loves me – he loves me not?” Only the daisies and their petals are missing. After a hundred pages or so of such nauseating inner monologue, I got heartily tired of it. It makes Kiera seem stupid and immature – not a message I expected from the series.
The writing is good, clean and professional, and the editing superb. And except for her insecurities about Gage and his love, I liked Kiera. She is an interesting protagonist, complex and talented. Maybe the author writes in the wrong genre? I think she might be much better suited to romantic suspense.
It takes place at the same time as the first two novels of the series, in 1830. It’s also a historical mystery. The protagonist Kiera, Lady Darby, again stumbles upon a murder and she is assisting Sebastian Gage, an inquiry agent we know from the first two books, in his investigation. Along the way, the two explore their deepening relationship.
It could’ve been such a fun romp. Instead, for most of the book, the heroes shuttle from location to location without uncovering any clues to the baffling crime. They ride in their carriage from one estate to another, talking to various people, while the action stands still. Nothing else happens. No revelations occur. Even the murder was accidental.
The main crime they investigate is that someone steals old bones of long-dead aristocrats from cemeteries all around Scotland and then ransoms them to the relatives. The author and the heroes, except Kiera herself, are more concerned about recovering old bones and the indignities done to the dead and their rich living relatives than they are about the murdered man. He was a poor caretaker after all, and the dead were all nobility. It made me so angry.
Another reason for my dislike of this story: almost the entire book, Kiera is in the grips of angst about Gage, as if she was fifteen and not a grown woman. Yes, her previous marriage was a disaster, but she is free of it now. Her brutal husband is dead. Gage has proven himself to her several times already, even though he never confessed his undying devotion.
Hasn’t she learned what is what in her three years of marriage and two years of widowhood? Why is she mooning and pining like a teenager all her waking hours: “he loves me – he loves me not?” Only the daisies and their petals are missing. After a hundred pages or so of such nauseating inner monologue, I got heartily tired of it. It makes Kiera seem stupid and immature – not a message I expected from the series.
The writing is good, clean and professional, and the editing superb. And except for her insecurities about Gage and his love, I liked Kiera. She is an interesting protagonist, complex and talented. Maybe the author writes in the wrong genre? I think she might be much better suited to romantic suspense.
January 10, 2020
Really loving the series and I'm so happy where things were left with Kiera and Gage!
September 6, 2016
I've given this an A- at AAR, so 4.5 stars
This is the third in Anna Lee Huber’s series of romantic mysteries set in 19th century Scotland and it’s a highly satisfying read on both counts.
Lady Keira Darby is the widow of a renowned physician and anatomist who married her solely for her talents as an artist. Too tight-fisted to pay for someone to illustrate his anatomical textbooks, he forced Keira to watch and draw his human dissections. For a lady to be exposed to such a gruesome thing was quite unthinkable, and when, after his death, word got out about Keira’s – albeit reluctant - involvement in his work, she was shunned, reviled, and relegated to the fringes of society. But the familiarity she had gained with the workings of the human body, combined with her quick wittedness and keen eye, made her ideally placed to help solve a murder investigation in which she was a suspect in The Anatomist's Wife. In A Grave Matter, as in the two previous books, Keira works to solve a mystery alongside the handsome and enigmatic enquiry agent, Sebastian Gage, a man who confuses, intrigues, frustrates, and attracts her in equal parts.
Keira has retreated to Blakelaw House, her brother’s home, following the recent death of a dear friend during her last investigation (Mortal Arts). She is still mourning her friend and wrestling with the nature of her feelings towards Gage, from whom she parted in Edinburgh on uncertain terms. She has become very withdrawn from those around her – even her brother, to whom she is fairly close – and worse still, is unable to find solace in the art she so loves. A skilled portraitist, she has not completed a painting since her return from Edinburgh, and is finding it increasingly difficult to even pick up a paintbrush or to even want to paint, something which only adds to her grief and frustration.
The story opens on Hogmanay 1830, at Clintmains Hall, the home of her uncle and aunt, Lord and Lady Rutherford. When the tradition of “First Footing” (a superstition that the first person to cross the threshold of a house after midnight will bring good or bad luck to the household) is interrupted by a young man covered in blood, telling of grave-robbing and murder at nearby Dryburgh Abbey, it seems that Keira’s period of retreat is at an end.
While her uncle would normally seek to spare a woman from something so gruesome, he nonetheless asks for Keira’s help. It’s a mark of her growing confidence in her abilities as an investigator that she actually wants to help, as her assistance in the previous investigations was more accidental and reluctantly given (because she had been trying to distance herself from the part she had played in her husband’s work). Her uncle also asks her to send for Gage, who, it seems, is still in Edinburgh, despite his declared intention of returning to London.
Ms Huber has once more penned an engagingly complex mystery. Gage’s arrival adds yet more complications to the plot as he reveals he has been working on a similar case, and that whoever stole the bones then demanded a ransom for their return. He suspects the desecration at Drysburgh may follow the same pattern, so now he and Keira are faced with something rather more devious than a simple grave robbery.
His arrival adds other complications, too, as his presence unsettles Keira in ways she isn’t ready to think about or admit to. Because the story is told in the first person, we only see Gage through Keira’s eyes and can only judge his thoughts and actions according to what she sees and thinks. He reveals little of himself to others, preferring to hide behind the persona he cultivates of the handsome charmer, something which enables him to move freely amongst the highest in society while also fooling people into thinking that he’s not much more than a pretty face. In their reluctance to let people get close to them he and Keira are very much alike, but Keira’s deep-rooted insecurities could put paid to any thoughts of a relationship between them. Her reluctance to trust a man is understandable, given the treatment she received at the hands of her late husband, but even though she knows Gage will never hurt her, she can’t help allowing her fears to overcome her rationality.
While I – as, I suspect, is true for many others – read this book as much for the on-going romance as for the mystery element, I do enjoy the way the author weaves the two threads together. The relationship between Keira and Gage progresses nicely, and reaches a satisfying point by the end, even though it’s clear there is more to come (I admit, I may have squealed with delight at the prospect of a fourth book, even though it’s a year away!). But the romance is never allowed to overshadow the mystery, which makes for a greater realism in the story as a whole.
A Grave Matter is very well written, (although a few Americanisms slip through – eg. sidewalk instead of pavement) and makes good use of a number of historical settings and personages. The main characters and familial relationships are strongly drawn; we’ve already met Keira’s sister and brother-in-law, the Earl and Countess of Cromarty, as well as her brother, Trevor, who appeared only briefly before. Here, he’s fully-fleshed out, and his relationship with his sister is supportive and truly touching, especially when, near the end of the book, he tells her a few things she needs badly to hear. Gage is as gorgeous a hero as ever, and I was delighted to see him opening up a little. But it’s Keira who makes the greatest journey in terms of character development. She’s progressed from being a woman who wants to sink into the shadows to one who is gaining confidence in herself and her abilities, is less afraid of the gossip that surrounds her, and isn’t afraid to put herself in harm’s way in order to protect those she cares about.
Anyone who has enjoyed the previous books in this series is certain to enjoy A Grave Matter, yet there is enough detail about past events to make it work fairly well as a standalone for anyone picking this up without having read the others. I enjoyed it very much and will probably embark upon re-read of the series so far in order to get my Gage fix while awaiting book four!
This is the third in Anna Lee Huber’s series of romantic mysteries set in 19th century Scotland and it’s a highly satisfying read on both counts.
Lady Keira Darby is the widow of a renowned physician and anatomist who married her solely for her talents as an artist. Too tight-fisted to pay for someone to illustrate his anatomical textbooks, he forced Keira to watch and draw his human dissections. For a lady to be exposed to such a gruesome thing was quite unthinkable, and when, after his death, word got out about Keira’s – albeit reluctant - involvement in his work, she was shunned, reviled, and relegated to the fringes of society. But the familiarity she had gained with the workings of the human body, combined with her quick wittedness and keen eye, made her ideally placed to help solve a murder investigation in which she was a suspect in The Anatomist's Wife. In A Grave Matter, as in the two previous books, Keira works to solve a mystery alongside the handsome and enigmatic enquiry agent, Sebastian Gage, a man who confuses, intrigues, frustrates, and attracts her in equal parts.
Keira has retreated to Blakelaw House, her brother’s home, following the recent death of a dear friend during her last investigation (Mortal Arts). She is still mourning her friend and wrestling with the nature of her feelings towards Gage, from whom she parted in Edinburgh on uncertain terms. She has become very withdrawn from those around her – even her brother, to whom she is fairly close – and worse still, is unable to find solace in the art she so loves. A skilled portraitist, she has not completed a painting since her return from Edinburgh, and is finding it increasingly difficult to even pick up a paintbrush or to even want to paint, something which only adds to her grief and frustration.
The story opens on Hogmanay 1830, at Clintmains Hall, the home of her uncle and aunt, Lord and Lady Rutherford. When the tradition of “First Footing” (a superstition that the first person to cross the threshold of a house after midnight will bring good or bad luck to the household) is interrupted by a young man covered in blood, telling of grave-robbing and murder at nearby Dryburgh Abbey, it seems that Keira’s period of retreat is at an end.
While her uncle would normally seek to spare a woman from something so gruesome, he nonetheless asks for Keira’s help. It’s a mark of her growing confidence in her abilities as an investigator that she actually wants to help, as her assistance in the previous investigations was more accidental and reluctantly given (because she had been trying to distance herself from the part she had played in her husband’s work). Her uncle also asks her to send for Gage, who, it seems, is still in Edinburgh, despite his declared intention of returning to London.
Ms Huber has once more penned an engagingly complex mystery. Gage’s arrival adds yet more complications to the plot as he reveals he has been working on a similar case, and that whoever stole the bones then demanded a ransom for their return. He suspects the desecration at Drysburgh may follow the same pattern, so now he and Keira are faced with something rather more devious than a simple grave robbery.
His arrival adds other complications, too, as his presence unsettles Keira in ways she isn’t ready to think about or admit to. Because the story is told in the first person, we only see Gage through Keira’s eyes and can only judge his thoughts and actions according to what she sees and thinks. He reveals little of himself to others, preferring to hide behind the persona he cultivates of the handsome charmer, something which enables him to move freely amongst the highest in society while also fooling people into thinking that he’s not much more than a pretty face. In their reluctance to let people get close to them he and Keira are very much alike, but Keira’s deep-rooted insecurities could put paid to any thoughts of a relationship between them. Her reluctance to trust a man is understandable, given the treatment she received at the hands of her late husband, but even though she knows Gage will never hurt her, she can’t help allowing her fears to overcome her rationality.
While I – as, I suspect, is true for many others – read this book as much for the on-going romance as for the mystery element, I do enjoy the way the author weaves the two threads together. The relationship between Keira and Gage progresses nicely, and reaches a satisfying point by the end, even though it’s clear there is more to come (I admit, I may have squealed with delight at the prospect of a fourth book, even though it’s a year away!). But the romance is never allowed to overshadow the mystery, which makes for a greater realism in the story as a whole.
A Grave Matter is very well written, (although a few Americanisms slip through – eg. sidewalk instead of pavement) and makes good use of a number of historical settings and personages. The main characters and familial relationships are strongly drawn; we’ve already met Keira’s sister and brother-in-law, the Earl and Countess of Cromarty, as well as her brother, Trevor, who appeared only briefly before. Here, he’s fully-fleshed out, and his relationship with his sister is supportive and truly touching, especially when, near the end of the book, he tells her a few things she needs badly to hear. Gage is as gorgeous a hero as ever, and I was delighted to see him opening up a little. But it’s Keira who makes the greatest journey in terms of character development. She’s progressed from being a woman who wants to sink into the shadows to one who is gaining confidence in herself and her abilities, is less afraid of the gossip that surrounds her, and isn’t afraid to put herself in harm’s way in order to protect those she cares about.
Anyone who has enjoyed the previous books in this series is certain to enjoy A Grave Matter, yet there is enough detail about past events to make it work fairly well as a standalone for anyone picking this up without having read the others. I enjoyed it very much and will probably embark upon re-read of the series so far in order to get my Gage fix while awaiting book four!
November 9, 2021
As was the case in the previous two titles, the focus in these novels is of course the crime mysteries set in 19th century Scotland, but also Lady Darby’s development, which includes her budding relationship with Sebastian Gage.
In this instalment, following the death of her dear friend, Kiera has found refuge with her brother Trevor. However, during the Hogmanay Ball, someone is murdered and a grave is desecrated. It’s not long before Gage is called upon the scene and our duo are working together once more.
What do I like in these stories? Well, Kiera of course, but also all the members of her family, which we discover more and more throughout the series. Gage can be infuriating and yet I can’t help thinking that it reflects how contemporary men would have been, fearful to lift their social masks - something that both Philip, her brother-in-law, and indeed Trevor, do more easily. The murders themselves are interesting and have been inspired from real historical events. I also appreciate how Huber didn’t go for the same ‘formula’ this time, which was present in the first two books - it bodes well for the rest of the series. And maybe more importantly, they are a fun way to spend a few hours :O)
In this instalment, following the death of her dear friend, Kiera has found refuge with her brother Trevor. However, during the Hogmanay Ball, someone is murdered and a grave is desecrated. It’s not long before Gage is called upon the scene and our duo are working together once more.
What do I like in these stories? Well, Kiera of course, but also all the members of her family, which we discover more and more throughout the series. Gage can be infuriating and yet I can’t help thinking that it reflects how contemporary men would have been, fearful to lift their social masks - something that both Philip, her brother-in-law, and indeed Trevor, do more easily. The murders themselves are interesting and have been inspired from real historical events. I also appreciate how Huber didn’t go for the same ‘formula’ this time, which was present in the first two books - it bodes well for the rest of the series. And maybe more importantly, they are a fun way to spend a few hours :O)
December 7, 2019
This series just keeps getting better! A Grave Matter takes our beloved investigating couple and plunges them into a complicated and twisted mystery that is clever in its own right. Their relationship also progresses to an intricate tangle of friendship and romance. Anna Lee Huber is masterful when it comes to the emotions of the characters and the emotional investment of the reader--I was elated and frustrated right along with Kiera and Gage. Their romance is a new favorite -- and a new standard -- because of the way Huber has crafted a deep friendship and heart-level understanding of personalities between Kiera and Gage, even if the reader sees it before they do. I enjoyed the subtle themes of forgiveness and trust threaded through this story, as well as the (once again) atmospheric setting of 1830s Scotland with all its tradition and superstition.
September 6, 2018
I feel like a reader's actual feelings on a series as a whole start to reveal themselves around book 3 or so. The way I figure it, the euphoria that you experience when starting a solid series is similar to how a shopper feels when you find an unexpected bargain in your favourite store. It surprises you and leaves you with a general feeling of contentment. This entirely nice feeling lingers on into the second book, but by the third, true feelings make themselves known. And what I feel about this series is this: 1) I'm tired of how slow the relevant information about both MCs is revealed, 2) I'm tired of how insecure the h is about herself, 3) and I'm tired of how, even though she feels inadequate in so many ways, she feels like she's a great investigator (which she pretty much isn't). I know, I know. For the time period, any woman, gently reared or not, was not a detective and the fact that she's an amateur one is a point for her. But I digress.
The first person narrative really doesn't help me not be annoyed with Kiera, the h. And the fact that we never hear from the H makes me wonder what his baggage is, aside from what was revealed in the previous book. I suppose the author has a series of many books planned and were all the secrets revealed too early on, the reader would be bored and stop reading. However, this reader is having a hard time caring to find out all the things. Case in point:
I do have to say this for the MCs: I like that the angst is never drawn out. They actually communicate, although it's usually after a huge misunderstanding and blowout. I will give the next book a read. Hopefully, now that things are more settled between the MCs, we can focus more on the actual mystery and suspense.
The first person narrative really doesn't help me not be annoyed with Kiera, the h. And the fact that we never hear from the H makes me wonder what his baggage is, aside from what was revealed in the previous book. I suppose the author has a series of many books planned and were all the secrets revealed too early on, the reader would be bored and stop reading. However, this reader is having a hard time caring to find out all the things. Case in point:
I do have to say this for the MCs: I like that the angst is never drawn out. They actually communicate, although it's usually after a huge misunderstanding and blowout. I will give the next book a read. Hopefully, now that things are more settled between the MCs, we can focus more on the actual mystery and suspense.
July 25, 2014
This book felt like being a bridesmaid in a wedding line: You're introduced to a huge number of people who you don't really know or care about talking to. And as soon as they walk away from you, you forget their name. While reading this book, I actually became bored. I had a few complaints about the other two books in this series, but I never felt bored.
So there were too many new and uninteresting characters that Kiera and Gage had to interview one by one. But I also felt like our old, favorite, returning characters were missing some of their spark. They failed to capture my sympathy like they did in the previous books. Maybe I'm just ready for Kiera to heal emotionally--not much time has passed in the world of the story, but three whole books of being sad about her terrible marriage to Lord Darby is enough. Two books of that was, apparently, my limit. I'm ready to move on.
Two scenes I really enjoyed were the painting of Gage scene and the Bonnie Brock carriage scene. The rest of the book kind of plodded along, one measly hint at a time. It was probably realistic for how real life investigations typically go, but why should fake life be boring, too?
So there were too many new and uninteresting characters that Kiera and Gage had to interview one by one. But I also felt like our old, favorite, returning characters were missing some of their spark. They failed to capture my sympathy like they did in the previous books. Maybe I'm just ready for Kiera to heal emotionally--not much time has passed in the world of the story, but three whole books of being sad about her terrible marriage to Lord Darby is enough. Two books of that was, apparently, my limit. I'm ready to move on.
Two scenes I really enjoyed were the painting of Gage scene and the Bonnie Brock carriage scene. The rest of the book kind of plodded along, one measly hint at a time. It was probably realistic for how real life investigations typically go, but why should fake life be boring, too?
December 29, 2015
Can you hear the sound of my heart singing in book joy? *throws confetti*
I loved every single thing about Kiera, Gage and their romance in A Grave Matter; every single act that underlined the depth of their regard for each other, every argument, every disagreement resolved. It’s been a while since I’ve seen such a satisfying and beautifully-developed relationship between two people in a series that doesn’t have romance as its central genre. Despite both Kiera and Gage being the type of individual to mask their emotions and guard their pasts, we constantly see them war with these instincts in an effort to build a healthy relationship based on trust. Misunderstandings happen, some coming close to endangering any chance they have of a future together, but I love that neither are willing to drag out confrontations or run away without addressing their issues first.
The amount of devotion and passion Gage demonstrates towards Kiera is enough to make every girl swoon. The author doesn’t have to put it in words; with every action, Gage reveals the dependable and honorable side of him that was hidden behind the rake’s façade in the first (and to a certain extent, the second) book. Once Gage comes to terms with his own feelings, he certainly does go all the way. By the end of this, I fully believed that Gage would walk through fire for Kiera.
Kiera, for her part, has suffered so much abuse to her ability to trust and love during her previous marriage that it’s hard not to sympathize with her hesitation to throw herself in headfirst the way Gage does. But like the heroine I’ve come to adore, Kiera has no difficulty recognizing her own faults and makes every effort to reflect at every turn – and where she fails, she has a loving family circle ready to walk her through the process. I loved the addition of Kiera’s brother Trevor; like Alana, he’s fiercely protective of Kiera. Lord knows the girl needs some staunch protectors, after what she’s been through, and it’s definitely a nice change from all the dysfunctional or absent families that seem to perpetuate fiction nowadays. The grieving process that Kiera went through after the passing of her friend in the previous book is also very realistic - grief is long, painful and disruptive to everything that was once part of one's daily life. It's not often that you see it portrayed this way in mystery fiction (death is such a central part of murder mysteries that it's too easy to treat it like it's just another plot point). Kiera's grief really gets you in the gut and I appreciate that the author showed Kiera working through it rather than skipping over it.
What forced me to deduct a star is the mystery, which paled in comparison to the cases in the first two books. While a death had occurred, it was only an unfortunate side-effect (so to speak) of a series of grave robberies. It could have been drummed up for suspense, but it took awhile for the pattern to be revealed and for the most part Kiera and Gage were flummoxed, forced to follow useless leads and wait for further developments. Not the most interesting case, that’s for sure. The resolution came too quickly and too neatly to be fully satisfying. What annoyed me most, though, was that . It could have made Gage jealous, if nothing else, and I do so love jealousy.
I don’t know whether the next book can match or even surpass A Grave Matter; I’m a little worried that the bar is set too high now!
I loved every single thing about Kiera, Gage and their romance in A Grave Matter; every single act that underlined the depth of their regard for each other, every argument, every disagreement resolved. It’s been a while since I’ve seen such a satisfying and beautifully-developed relationship between two people in a series that doesn’t have romance as its central genre. Despite both Kiera and Gage being the type of individual to mask their emotions and guard their pasts, we constantly see them war with these instincts in an effort to build a healthy relationship based on trust. Misunderstandings happen, some coming close to endangering any chance they have of a future together, but I love that neither are willing to drag out confrontations or run away without addressing their issues first.
The amount of devotion and passion Gage demonstrates towards Kiera is enough to make every girl swoon. The author doesn’t have to put it in words; with every action, Gage reveals the dependable and honorable side of him that was hidden behind the rake’s façade in the first (and to a certain extent, the second) book. Once Gage comes to terms with his own feelings, he certainly does go all the way. By the end of this, I fully believed that Gage would walk through fire for Kiera.
Kiera, for her part, has suffered so much abuse to her ability to trust and love during her previous marriage that it’s hard not to sympathize with her hesitation to throw herself in headfirst the way Gage does. But like the heroine I’ve come to adore, Kiera has no difficulty recognizing her own faults and makes every effort to reflect at every turn – and where she fails, she has a loving family circle ready to walk her through the process. I loved the addition of Kiera’s brother Trevor; like Alana, he’s fiercely protective of Kiera. Lord knows the girl needs some staunch protectors, after what she’s been through, and it’s definitely a nice change from all the dysfunctional or absent families that seem to perpetuate fiction nowadays. The grieving process that Kiera went through after the passing of her friend in the previous book is also very realistic - grief is long, painful and disruptive to everything that was once part of one's daily life. It's not often that you see it portrayed this way in mystery fiction (death is such a central part of murder mysteries that it's too easy to treat it like it's just another plot point). Kiera's grief really gets you in the gut and I appreciate that the author showed Kiera working through it rather than skipping over it.
What forced me to deduct a star is the mystery, which paled in comparison to the cases in the first two books. While a death had occurred, it was only an unfortunate side-effect (so to speak) of a series of grave robberies. It could have been drummed up for suspense, but it took awhile for the pattern to be revealed and for the most part Kiera and Gage were flummoxed, forced to follow useless leads and wait for further developments. Not the most interesting case, that’s for sure. The resolution came too quickly and too neatly to be fully satisfying. What annoyed me most, though, was that . It could have made Gage jealous, if nothing else, and I do so love jealousy.
I don’t know whether the next book can match or even surpass A Grave Matter; I’m a little worried that the bar is set too high now!
April 13, 2017
While my reviews of the Lady Darby mysteries are rather spread out, that does not mean that I read them sporadically. On the contrary, I read them in rather rapid succession but decided to spreat out the reviews so as not to overshadow other books that I had on my review calendar.
The Lady Darby mysteries have won a place in my heart as a beloved lady detective series, all thanks in part to the electric romance between her and Gage, and all the Gothic elements that I adore in books.
In this latest book, the Gothic element was a rather macabre burglary of sorts……stealing long dead skeletons. I loved the dark deserted graveyards and Abbeys, in remote locations of Scotland, paired with the creepy implication that perhaps the bodies rose from the dead.
While this book had a lot to recommend itself, especially when it came to romantic tension, the mystery itself….for me….was a little less intriguing than some of the others. I personally wasn’t as invested in the mystery element as I had been with the first two. Maybe because the investigation focus was more on the grave robbers than an actual murder itself, or maybe because of the organized crime syndicate involvement, but for me something about the mystery just didn’t have the same appeal as the other books did. I would probably have given this book 3 stars had it not been for the romance part between Kiera and Gage finally coming to some sort of agreement.
Having said that, I do understand why the author possibly choose to focus on those angles rather than have a dead body and gentleman murderer perpetually popping up at every single ball that Lady Darby attends. I get it, it’s nice to change things up and throw new scenarios at the heroine so I get why doing something more ‘fresh’ at this stage in the series would be a good thing, however I personally liked the first two books better.
But mystery aside….I loved this book for the romantic drama. I love Gage and how he handles Kiera and her conflicting emotions. He is so perfect for her and compliments her character so well. I loved how things started to really come to a head between them in this book. It was kind of a ‘do or die’ point for them and I love how things culminated in the end for them. I enjoy how Gage slowly reveals bits and pieces of himself, I like a man with a little mystery about him still rather than laying it all out there. I think it’s exciting to watch Kiera slowly learn more and more about him and I love that the author doesn’t rush this process. At times Kiera frustrated me, I wanted her to just stop fighting her feelings and acknowledge them already. Sometimes this lack of acknowledgement made her seem rather daft but given her circumstances and history, I suppose it’s fitting but still, I was anxiously waiting for her to realize that she truly did love Gage.
This has been a solid series so far. There are red herrings and little clues that may or may not play a role within the story/mystery. I always feel like I am trying to solve the case right along with Kiera and Gage. There are so many aspects of this series that are working well for me…..the Gothic elements, the romance, and complexity of the cases……not to mention it’s nice to get out of London sometimes and explore other murderous locations in Britain!
See my full review here
The Lady Darby mysteries have won a place in my heart as a beloved lady detective series, all thanks in part to the electric romance between her and Gage, and all the Gothic elements that I adore in books.
In this latest book, the Gothic element was a rather macabre burglary of sorts……stealing long dead skeletons. I loved the dark deserted graveyards and Abbeys, in remote locations of Scotland, paired with the creepy implication that perhaps the bodies rose from the dead.
While this book had a lot to recommend itself, especially when it came to romantic tension, the mystery itself….for me….was a little less intriguing than some of the others. I personally wasn’t as invested in the mystery element as I had been with the first two. Maybe because the investigation focus was more on the grave robbers than an actual murder itself, or maybe because of the organized crime syndicate involvement, but for me something about the mystery just didn’t have the same appeal as the other books did. I would probably have given this book 3 stars had it not been for the romance part between Kiera and Gage finally coming to some sort of agreement.
Having said that, I do understand why the author possibly choose to focus on those angles rather than have a dead body and gentleman murderer perpetually popping up at every single ball that Lady Darby attends. I get it, it’s nice to change things up and throw new scenarios at the heroine so I get why doing something more ‘fresh’ at this stage in the series would be a good thing, however I personally liked the first two books better.
But mystery aside….I loved this book for the romantic drama. I love Gage and how he handles Kiera and her conflicting emotions. He is so perfect for her and compliments her character so well. I loved how things started to really come to a head between them in this book. It was kind of a ‘do or die’ point for them and I love how things culminated in the end for them. I enjoy how Gage slowly reveals bits and pieces of himself, I like a man with a little mystery about him still rather than laying it all out there. I think it’s exciting to watch Kiera slowly learn more and more about him and I love that the author doesn’t rush this process. At times Kiera frustrated me, I wanted her to just stop fighting her feelings and acknowledge them already. Sometimes this lack of acknowledgement made her seem rather daft but given her circumstances and history, I suppose it’s fitting but still, I was anxiously waiting for her to realize that she truly did love Gage.
This has been a solid series so far. There are red herrings and little clues that may or may not play a role within the story/mystery. I always feel like I am trying to solve the case right along with Kiera and Gage. There are so many aspects of this series that are working well for me…..the Gothic elements, the romance, and complexity of the cases……not to mention it’s nice to get out of London sometimes and explore other murderous locations in Britain!
See my full review here
January 26, 2018
I love these Victorian mysteries starring the wonderful Lady Darby and set at the border of England and Scotland.
There is a lovely romance that moves with the slowness that is appropriate for the Victorian culture and lots of tidbits about the culture within the book
There is a lovely romance that moves with the slowness that is appropriate for the Victorian culture and lots of tidbits about the culture within the book
January 16, 2016
Dollycas’s Thoughts
This 3rd installment of the Lady Darcy Mysteries is the best one yet. It is full of mystery but it is wrapped in romance as Kiera and Gage finally start to admit their feelings. It comes after much thought and reflection. Kiera’s self esteem needs a major boost and Gage needs to open himself up and trust her. Both characters truly grew throughout this entire story and it was a pleasure to see that. Kiera is still reeling from what her late husband put her through and the fact she has knowledge like no other woman of that time scares her but her family is there to support her. Gage has some secrets that are holding him back but he is really trying to open up more.
In addition to the romance there is a fantastic mystery. When a caretaker is killed and a grave has been robbed during the Hogmanay Ball Lady Darby’s assistance is needed. She begrudgingly goes with the men knowing it will just hurt her reputation even more. She is happy when she is asked to request Sebastian Gage come to help with investigation and then we learn that this is not an isolated incident. Their inquiries take them hither and yon as they follow the clues. They make a great investigative team.
Anna Lee Huber continues to write stories that evoke emotions and fully engages the reader from the first word until the last. Her characters come to life right off of the pages. They are flawed but so real.
I enjoy learning the history of Scotland and about things like the Hogmanay Ball and the superstition of the first footer.
I get excited each time a book in the series is released. The author gives us just enough of a cliffhanger to make readers wanting more. The problem is I want it right now!!! Write fast Anna!!! Your readers are anxiously waiting!!
If this is a new series to you start at the beginning with The Anatomist’s Wife. This is a extraordinary series.
March 27, 2019
I am grateful to the Meridian Library for my copy of the third book of Lady Darby series. Keira has returned to her childhood home to stay with her brother, Trevor. The grave of a decrease Lord has been disturbed and the bones are missing and the night watchman is shot dead. Keira is asked to write to Sebastian Gage for help. He informs them that recent client of his had a missing bones of ancestors. This client received a note asking for money to return the bones. After payment, the bones were returned. The story has many twists and turns. Keira is fearful of her pass surfacing and the romance between Gage and he continues. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK AND SERIES.
January 7, 2018
Phew! What fun! So far, I’ve liked this volume the best in the series. Towards the end, I was seriously worried that the author is going to pull an Ann Cleeves on me and kill Gage. I listened to the superbly performed audiobook until about 3:30 am to find out Gage’s fate and finally went to sleep after his rescue :-)) The mystery was intricate enough for my taste and the solution was credible enough. A most enjoyable read altogether. Looking forward to the fourth volume.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 23, 2022
I am flying through The Lady Darby Mystery series and while I do not want to stop, I also do not want it to end. Thankfully, I still have 7 books to go! A Grave Matter by Anna Lee Huber is book three in the series and we pick up with Lady Kiera Darby heading back to her childhood home to stay with her brother. She is still reeling after the death of her childhood friend. Her sister is almost to her confinement, so going home seems to be the best course of action. On the night of Hogmanay celebrations are being held and the traditions are in full swing when a man covered in blood enters the hall. The caretaker has been murdered and not only that a grave has been disturbed nearby. With no one else with experience to handle the investigation, it falls to Lady Darby who sends for Sebastian Gage. Together, they will discover that this is a serial grave robber who intends to put people in their graves as well as rob them.
The macabre continues! –this time with grave robbers! There is even a little more historical detail added in this installment, particularly details from the Jacobite Rebellion. With this book taking place in Scotland, it is no wonder that these events are discussed with much emotion. I also appreciated the details regarding Hogmanay and the traditions that mean so much to the Scottish people. Lady Kiera takes much pride especially when she must explain the reasons behind the celebrations.
While I do love the historical detail, the complex mystery, and the gothic aesthetic…my heart does lie with these characters. Sebastian and Kiera’s chemistry continues to grow and they are always helping each other. They both have something to learn from each other and something to teach each other. However, this book is also filled with secrets that threaten to divide Kiera and Sebastion. Plus there is the emotional heartache watching Kiera deal with her grief. It felt very real and anyone who has dealt with loss could relate to her range of emotions.
I hated when the book ended because I wanted more. I already have the next 3 books lined up and I can’t imagine it will take long for me to get through them. I rate this book 5 out of 5 wonderful stars!
The macabre continues! –this time with grave robbers! There is even a little more historical detail added in this installment, particularly details from the Jacobite Rebellion. With this book taking place in Scotland, it is no wonder that these events are discussed with much emotion. I also appreciated the details regarding Hogmanay and the traditions that mean so much to the Scottish people. Lady Kiera takes much pride especially when she must explain the reasons behind the celebrations.
While I do love the historical detail, the complex mystery, and the gothic aesthetic…my heart does lie with these characters. Sebastian and Kiera’s chemistry continues to grow and they are always helping each other. They both have something to learn from each other and something to teach each other. However, this book is also filled with secrets that threaten to divide Kiera and Sebastion. Plus there is the emotional heartache watching Kiera deal with her grief. It felt very real and anyone who has dealt with loss could relate to her range of emotions.
I hated when the book ended because I wanted more. I already have the next 3 books lined up and I can’t imagine it will take long for me to get through them. I rate this book 5 out of 5 wonderful stars!
June 24, 2021
I love historical mysteries and have read the previous two books in the series but I did find myself bored and distracted easily. In A Grave Matter, there is only 1 murder and a series of grave robberies of prominent, old men. The grave robbers send notes to the family and in exchange for the bones of their relatives, they demand money. Lady Darby finds herself helping Mr. Gage catch the thieves.
Kiera's relationship with Gage heats up but the cat and mouse game aggravated me. *Spoiler alert* They do finally get engaged by the end of the book.
Kiera gets a break in this time. Instead of getting herself kidnapped like usual, her beau Mr. Gage, is in need of saving from the bad guys. I swear with their ability to get kidnapped by the murderers at the end of the book is inspiration for what would be the Nancy Drew series in the future.
While I didn't particularly like this book, I didn't love it either. It's missing something I can't quite put my finger on. But if you've been reading the series like me and are also a serial series finisher you may like it. Happy reading! 📚
Kiera's relationship with Gage heats up but the cat and mouse game aggravated me. *Spoiler alert* They do finally get engaged by the end of the book.
Kiera gets a break in this time. Instead of getting herself kidnapped like usual, her beau Mr. Gage, is in need of saving from the bad guys. I swear with their ability to get kidnapped by the murderers at the end of the book is inspiration for what would be the Nancy Drew series in the future.
While I didn't particularly like this book, I didn't love it either. It's missing something I can't quite put my finger on. But if you've been reading the series like me and are also a serial series finisher you may like it. Happy reading! 📚
May 31, 2018
Take my heart ❤️ be that way 😍😍😍
December 1, 2019
Never a great sign when I read another book mid book. So when I felt like I needed to reread The Wall Of Winnipeg and Me at about the halfway point of this book it was clear my attention was not held.
It wasn’t bad. It wasn’t good. The lack of historical accuracy in language and actions again upstages the characters and story. I think sebastian deepened as a character here. The mystery was muddled and uninteresting.
Three books into this series and Huber should own me right now. Hooks should be in deep. But these stories remain fun and easy while lacking that special spark.
It wasn’t bad. It wasn’t good. The lack of historical accuracy in language and actions again upstages the characters and story. I think sebastian deepened as a character here. The mystery was muddled and uninteresting.
Three books into this series and Huber should own me right now. Hooks should be in deep. But these stories remain fun and easy while lacking that special spark.
September 25, 2015
I love this series!
The writing style is wonderful!
I had the feeling that this book is a transitional one where the growth of the relationship between Keira and Gage is explored.
Her Gage reveals more about himself.
I liked less Keira's doubts about Gage. She was swinging from "he loves me!" to "does he love me?" ever other page. It was slightly annoying, but I giustifying her because oof her past.
Great book!
The writing style is wonderful!
I had the feeling that this book is a transitional one where the growth of the relationship between Keira and Gage is explored.
Her Gage reveals more about himself.
I liked less Keira's doubts about Gage. She was swinging from "he loves me!" to "does he love me?" ever other page. It was slightly annoying, but I giustifying her because oof her past.
Great book!
March 15, 2018
Whoops, I just realized I hadn't reviewed this yet! I absolutely devoured it, and while it ends at a lovely point in the series, I cannot wait to read Book 4. (And if I hadn't already blown through my book budget for the month, I would have bought Book 4 IMMEDIATELY! I love being in Kiera's head.)
February 19, 2020
Ringing in the New Year at her aunt and uncle's Hogmanay Ball, Keira is as startled as the rest of the guests when the revelry is interrupted by the announcement that there has been a murder and a grave has been desecrated at the nearby Dryburgh Abbey. Keira's dark reputation gains her some rumor-mongering, but her more recent reputation as an amateur detective has her uncle asking her to join in the investigation. This is a series that is fast becoming addicting and I waited with baited breath to see if Keira and Gage would solve the mystery, but also come to an understanding.
A Grave Matter is the third Lady Darby Mystery and, while the mysteries are standalone, the character and relationship development is carried through the books of the series so it works best in order.
If there is one thing Keira knows, it is bodies thanks to her late anatomist husband who forced her to use her great artistic skill by illustrating the bodies he worked on. The discovery of her part after his death has shredded her character and had many attribute dark deeds to her. It also left her with knowledge that can assist in a murder inquiry. But, for the life of her, Keira can't figure out why grave robbers would steal the old earl's skeleton that can't be used in medical research and neither do they take the effects to sell for money. Her uncle, Lord Rutherford, is the magistrate and he and Lord Buchan, the abbey's owner, decide to call in Sebastian Gage as the closest professional inquiry agent to take the case. Having parted paths after the last emotionally brutal case, agreeing they both need some space, Keira is uneasy about seeing Gage again, but is also longing to see him.
Gage brings with him news that this is not the first of this sort of grave desiccation and the other resulted in a ransom to regain the body. The ransom note does come and the clock starts ticking on Keira and Gage hunting down the robbers who have now committed murder of the groundskeeper when he interrupted their body snatching.
Meanwhile, she struggles with her tangled feelings and confusion about Gage. She worries about bestowing her heart after her previous disastrous marriage and worries about the secrets she senses in him. Then she gets the revelation of one of those secrets and it may just break her heart even as Gage is willing to go to great risk to capture their quarry.
Each book has been building Keira and Gage's romance like a pressure cooker. She could barely stand him in the beginning and then doesn't feel she could ever trust another man again when it came to a relationship and now she is disconcerted about the great need and depth of feeling she has toward a man who has secrets and has a reputation, but is so charming and showed her a side to him that few others know exist. But, she reciprocated by opening her hidden self including her painful past and her art with him already and he respected her rather than turned away in disgust.
The romance is the focus of this story even as they work hard on their case interviewing witnesses and suspects and drawing closer to the truth. There were hints about what was going on with Gage and I confess that I wanted to reach through the pages to shake him and insist he just tell her already, but naturally he didn't and she found out part of what he was hiding in the worst possible way. She was already questioning his feelings for her since she can't believe he would truly be interested in someone with her tarnished reputation and status that is beneath his own. But, there was also point that I was just about done with Keira who was letting her fears from the past override even good sense and she was punishing Gage for what her late husband did to her. Her brother even called her on it because she tends to bottle everything up, overthink things, and jump to the worst conclusions about Gage in particular. Fortunately, the angst didn't last long because they are a formidable pair and electric when in harmony and working together.
The mystery was layered and had some good twists along with danger moments. There were spooky grave visits which are familiar elements now, dangerous characters, and people with secrets. I did have the distraction part of the mystery figured out right away and even worked out the overall mystery not long after that so I mostly had to wait for Keira and Gage to get there. I've liked the previous mysteries better, but this wasn't a bad case. To be honest, I was more interested in the romance element in this book so I didn't mind.
As a side-note, I loved all the focus on Scottish holidays and celebrations with Hogmanay, First Foot tradition, Burns Night Party, Auld Lang Syne, and Handsel Day. It was fun to see these customs added to the author's careful attention to historical setting and culture in the Scottish Border of 1830's.
I was well pleased where this left things off and am eager to press forward with more from the series. If you enjoy a gritty historical mystery along with a smoldering slow burn romance between a brooding heroine and a sexy, charming hero, give this book/series a go.
A Grave Matter is the third Lady Darby Mystery and, while the mysteries are standalone, the character and relationship development is carried through the books of the series so it works best in order.
If there is one thing Keira knows, it is bodies thanks to her late anatomist husband who forced her to use her great artistic skill by illustrating the bodies he worked on. The discovery of her part after his death has shredded her character and had many attribute dark deeds to her. It also left her with knowledge that can assist in a murder inquiry. But, for the life of her, Keira can't figure out why grave robbers would steal the old earl's skeleton that can't be used in medical research and neither do they take the effects to sell for money. Her uncle, Lord Rutherford, is the magistrate and he and Lord Buchan, the abbey's owner, decide to call in Sebastian Gage as the closest professional inquiry agent to take the case. Having parted paths after the last emotionally brutal case, agreeing they both need some space, Keira is uneasy about seeing Gage again, but is also longing to see him.
Gage brings with him news that this is not the first of this sort of grave desiccation and the other resulted in a ransom to regain the body. The ransom note does come and the clock starts ticking on Keira and Gage hunting down the robbers who have now committed murder of the groundskeeper when he interrupted their body snatching.
Meanwhile, she struggles with her tangled feelings and confusion about Gage. She worries about bestowing her heart after her previous disastrous marriage and worries about the secrets she senses in him. Then she gets the revelation of one of those secrets and it may just break her heart even as Gage is willing to go to great risk to capture their quarry.
Each book has been building Keira and Gage's romance like a pressure cooker. She could barely stand him in the beginning and then doesn't feel she could ever trust another man again when it came to a relationship and now she is disconcerted about the great need and depth of feeling she has toward a man who has secrets and has a reputation, but is so charming and showed her a side to him that few others know exist. But, she reciprocated by opening her hidden self including her painful past and her art with him already and he respected her rather than turned away in disgust.
The romance is the focus of this story even as they work hard on their case interviewing witnesses and suspects and drawing closer to the truth. There were hints about what was going on with Gage and I confess that I wanted to reach through the pages to shake him and insist he just tell her already, but naturally he didn't and she found out part of what he was hiding in the worst possible way. She was already questioning his feelings for her since she can't believe he would truly be interested in someone with her tarnished reputation and status that is beneath his own. But, there was also point that I was just about done with Keira who was letting her fears from the past override even good sense and she was punishing Gage for what her late husband did to her. Her brother even called her on it because she tends to bottle everything up, overthink things, and jump to the worst conclusions about Gage in particular. Fortunately, the angst didn't last long because they are a formidable pair and electric when in harmony and working together.
The mystery was layered and had some good twists along with danger moments. There were spooky grave visits which are familiar elements now, dangerous characters, and people with secrets. I did have the distraction part of the mystery figured out right away and even worked out the overall mystery not long after that so I mostly had to wait for Keira and Gage to get there. I've liked the previous mysteries better, but this wasn't a bad case. To be honest, I was more interested in the romance element in this book so I didn't mind.
As a side-note, I loved all the focus on Scottish holidays and celebrations with Hogmanay, First Foot tradition, Burns Night Party, Auld Lang Syne, and Handsel Day. It was fun to see these customs added to the author's careful attention to historical setting and culture in the Scottish Border of 1830's.
I was well pleased where this left things off and am eager to press forward with more from the series. If you enjoy a gritty historical mystery along with a smoldering slow burn romance between a brooding heroine and a sexy, charming hero, give this book/series a go.
May 19, 2025
3.5 stars
My third Lady Darby, and by far the best story I've read in the series. The mystery held my interest, the investigation developped organically enough and the resolution was satisfactory with some neat action scenes. The pace was still too slow at times, but at least there was no house party to suffer through (😅) and the plot managed to get things always on the go.
The definitive romantic path set for Keira and Gage was also enjoyable. Though I still feel their chemistry started out of nowhere, because their backstory still insists on saying that Book 1 was where everything happened - I read it and did not feel it that way. But now at Book 3, it has become established fact per the story's lore, so I am willing to just go along. Same as for Keira's sleuthing skills that are suddenly not only touted as greater than they are objectively are but accepted too easily by her family. Again, willing to suspend disbelief because by now, the characters have started to grow on me 😅!
So while it might not be the best series of the genre, I find it a comfortable one. And since I am way behind the number of books already published, I am already relishing playing catch up on the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 7, 2021
FINALLY!!!! 👏👏👏
That ending. Hearts aflutter. Romantic, delightful and finally we get real communication between our hero/heroine!!!
Tho I still say m/m fiction is my favorite, it's romance like this that makes me happy. ❤️
5 ⭐!!!!
That ending. Hearts aflutter. Romantic, delightful and finally we get real communication between our hero/heroine!!!
Tho I still say m/m fiction is my favorite, it's romance like this that makes me happy. ❤️
5 ⭐!!!!
July 15, 2015
WOW! I'm speechless with how great this followup was! I really took my time with this so I could fully appreciate every word because this is the kind of writing you just want to savor! I also was sick for most of the time, lol, but trust me, there was no other book I'd rather curl up in bed with.
First off, the investigation as a whole wasn't my favorite, but that doesn't mean it was badly written. I always admire mystery writers for how hard they must work to sort everything out and make a solid, believable investigation and Ms. LH does it seamlessly. Definitely kept me intrigued from the start!
But lets face it.. the main reason I read these novels is for the amazing romance between Lady Darby and Sebastian Gage. I knew when I saw this one was over 400 pages that we'd be in for a treat and again, she didn't disappoint! There are some ups and downs between these two that will frustrate you, but its always a thrilling ride. I admit I wanted to smack Gage a couple times for being vague and holding some things back, but I really feel like they are both learning what to do and what NOT to do and need to make these mistakes. The important thing is that they DO learn and strive to do better in the future.
That's another thing I was happy to see.. character growth. Gage is growing and trying to be more open, but Kiera is growing too. I was soooo happy to see her come into her own more and use her little gun with the rest of the fellas! This was a far cry from the meek, scared, quiet mouse of a girl from book one. She is really finding out who she is and who she wants to be and realizes that may lay in the inquiries route, not because of Gage, but because she is GOOD at it. No, it may not be completely acceptable or proper, but if it means she can be her own person and make her own damn decisions, than more power to her! So I love the direction she's going and the fact that her family and Gage is supportive. He has tried to stop her before and it didn't work, so it makes better sense to work together.
I can't believe we have another long wait for the next one, but this one left me totally satisfied and I will definitely be re-reading it in the future!
First off, the investigation as a whole wasn't my favorite, but that doesn't mean it was badly written. I always admire mystery writers for how hard they must work to sort everything out and make a solid, believable investigation and Ms. LH does it seamlessly. Definitely kept me intrigued from the start!
But lets face it.. the main reason I read these novels is for the amazing romance between Lady Darby and Sebastian Gage. I knew when I saw this one was over 400 pages that we'd be in for a treat and again, she didn't disappoint! There are some ups and downs between these two that will frustrate you, but its always a thrilling ride. I admit I wanted to smack Gage a couple times for being vague and holding some things back, but I really feel like they are both learning what to do and what NOT to do and need to make these mistakes. The important thing is that they DO learn and strive to do better in the future.
That's another thing I was happy to see.. character growth. Gage is growing and trying to be more open, but Kiera is growing too. I was soooo happy to see her come into her own more and use her little gun with the rest of the fellas! This was a far cry from the meek, scared, quiet mouse of a girl from book one. She is really finding out who she is and who she wants to be and realizes that may lay in the inquiries route, not because of Gage, but because she is GOOD at it. No, it may not be completely acceptable or proper, but if it means she can be her own person and make her own damn decisions, than more power to her! So I love the direction she's going and the fact that her family and Gage is supportive. He has tried to stop her before and it didn't work, so it makes better sense to work together.
I can't believe we have another long wait for the next one, but this one left me totally satisfied and I will definitely be re-reading it in the future!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 842 reviews