Book Review: A Study in Death by Anna Lee Huber

A Study in Death
Author: Anna Lee Huber
Series: Lady Darby Mystery (Book 4)
Publication: Berkley (July 7, 2015)

Description: Scotland, 1831. After a tumultuous courtship complicated by three deadly inquiries, Lady Kiera Darby is thrilled to have found both an investigative partner and a fiancé in Sebastian Gage. But with her well-meaning—and very pregnant—sister planning on making their wedding the event of the season, Kiera could use a respite from the impending madness.

Commissioned to paint the portrait of Lady Drummond, Kiera is saddened when she recognizes the pain in the baroness’s eyes. Lord Drummond is a brute, and his brusque treatment of his wife forces Kiera to think of the torment caused by her own late husband.

Kiera isn’t sure how to help, but when she finds Lady Drummond prostrate on the floor, things take a fatal turn. The physician called to the house and Lord Drummond appear satisfied to rule her death natural, but Kiera is convinced that poison is the real culprit.

Now, armed only with her knowledge of the macabre and her convictions, Kiera intends to discover the truth behind the baroness’s death—no matter what, or who, stands in her way…

My Thoughts: In March 1831, Lady Kiera Darby is engaged to gentleman inquiry agent Sebastian Gage and accepting commissions for portraits. Her current subject is Lady Drummond who seems to be having the same difficulties with her husband that Kiera did with hers. Lord Drummond is a former Navy man who rules his wife with an iron hand. When she arrives for Lady Drummond's next sitting, she is surprised to find her dying on the floor. Kiera is suspicious but the doctor called in by her husband has diagnosed an apoplexy. Kiera thinks it looks a lot more like poison.

Kiera convinces Gage to help her investigate and together they check out Lady Drummond's friends and local apothecaries. Even Bonnie Brock Kincaid gets involved, much to Gage's dismay. While investigating, Keira is also preoccupied with her very pregnant sister's health and her brother-in-law's seeming indifference to his wife's plight. Throw in Gage's father Lord Gage who has come to Edinburgh and is very much opposed to their marriage and Gage's own secretive nature. Add, too, that the rumors that plagued her right after her husband's death seem to be making a reappearance leading to snubs and whispers following wherever she goes. Keira has a lot of emotional ups and downs during the course of this episode.

The story had me wondering why any gently born woman would get married at this time. A woman was her husband's property and physical and mental abuse was much more common and almost acceptable. One example in this story is of a woman married to a gambler who had almost gambled them into the poorhouse who was plotting to hide her jewelry from him. The idea that the jewelry belonged to the husband rather than the wife was the way it was. I liked Kiera's solution to help the wife. I also liked the comparison between a wife and a concubine. The one in this story owned her home and gifts given to her by her protectors.

Fans of historical mysteries will enjoy this latest episode starring Lady Kiera Darby and Sebastian Gage.

Favorite Quote:

She glanced about her once more. "Because it seems awfully convenient for Lord Drummond that his wife is suddenly deceased since her dowry is spent and he's about to be floating up the River Tick. Unless he can find a wealthy new bride, that is.

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

Book Review: A Grave Matter by Anna Lee Huber

A Grave Matter
Author: Anna Lee Huber
Series: Lady Darby Mystery (Book 3)
Publication: Berkley (July 1, 2014)

Description: 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.

My Thoughts: After spending some time with her sister and brother-in-law in Edinburgh to try to recover from her friend Will's death, Keira is back in her childhood home staying with her brother. Her art, which is usually her solace, is letting her down. She has been working on the same landscape for quite a while - and she hates painting landscapes. She is hoping that the annual Hogmanay Ball at her aunt and uncles will serve as a distraction but the death of a caretaker and a disturbed grave bring back all kinds of old memories.

She reluctantly asks Gage to come and investigate. Her relationship with Gage is a big part of her confusion. She doesn't know what he wants from her or what she wants from him. She does know that she wants to be involved in the investigation. It seems odd that resurrectionists would be interested in an old grave. Surely, all that would be left would be bones.

Gage and Keira soon learn that the bones were taken from the grave and everything else was left behind. Soon, a ransom demand arrives. The current Lord Buchan needs to pay to get his father's bones back. Keira, Gage and some others try to follow when the ransom is paid but lose the horse. Some further research finds that Lord Buchan's father is not the first to have his grave disturbed and his bones stolen. Four other men who were also members of the Society of Antiquaries have had the same thing happen. This leads them to a man who is accusing members of the Society of stealing a gold torc that his aunt had donated to the Society.

Of course, there are other potential suspects. Some of the nephews of the men whose bones were stolen for ransom could have need of the ransom money. Then there is Mr. Stuart who is a descendant of Bonnie Prince Charlie who might have a grudge against the men. Adding to the mix is Edinburgh crime lord Bonnie Brock Kincaid who is also looking for the graverobbers since they were his men until they left town with his sixteen-year-old sister. He is hoping Keira can bring her back to him.

Besides the mystery, Keira and Gage are working on their relationship. Keira is hesitant to trust anyone after her bad marriage and Gage's secrecy doesn't help. When she finds out that Gage's father is angling for Gage to marry, she is hurt that he didn't tell her that he had a possible fiance. And when Gage proposes to Keira, Keira is afraid that he is just another man who wants to use her talents as an artist and investigator.

This is an engaging series. I am enjoying watching Keira grow and change through the books. I like the way she is learning more about herself and what she wants out of life. I am also enjoying Gage gradually opening up to her. 

Favorite Quote:

Gage was not one for confidences, and he preferred to charm people and fool them into thinking they were close, when in actuality he's shared next to nothing of his real self. He'd slowly begun to let me in, and as relieved and flattered as I was by that, I was also frustrated by his unhurried pace to do so. He was the most secrative person I'd ever met. Except for, perhaps, myself.

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.

First Paragraph/Teaser Tuesday: A Study in Death by Anna Lee Huber

Every Tuesday Diane at Bibliophile by the Sea posted the first paragraph of a book she is reading or planning to read. In 2018, Vicki from I'd Rather Be at the Beach is taking over this meme.

Here's mine:

"Can you turn your head a little to the right?"

 

Link up here. It is very easy to play along:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! Everyone loves Teaser Tuesday.

Here's mine:

He took a single step into the room. "There is a Lady Rachel Radcliffe here to see you. Shall I tell her you're not accepting visitors?"

This week I am spotlighting A Study in Death by Ann Lee Huber. This is book 4 in the Lady Darby Mystery series. Here is the description from Amazon:

Scotland, 1831. After a tumultuous courtship complicated by three deadly inquiries, Lady Kiera Darby is thrilled to have found both an investigative partner and a fiancé in Sebastian Gage. But with her well-meaning—and very pregnant—sister planning on making their wedding the event of the season, Kiera could use a respite from the impending madness.

Commissioned to paint the portrait of Lady Drummond, Kiera is saddened when she recognizes the pain in the baroness’s eyes. Lord Drummond is a brute, and his brusque treatment of his wife forces Kiera to think of the torment caused by her own late husband.

Kiera isn’t sure how to help, but when she finds Lady Drummond prostrate on the floor, things take a fatal turn. The physician called to the house and Lord Drummond appear satisfied to rule her death natural, but Kiera is convinced that poison is the real culprit.

Now, armed only with her knowledge of the macabre and her convictions, Kiera intends to discover the truth behind the baroness’s death—no matter what, or who, stands in her way…

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (August 13, 2018)

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date.

It’s Monday!  What Are You Reading is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week.  It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

I will be combining my YA and adult reading and purchases on this one weekly roundup. YA and middle grade reviews will still be posted on  Ms. Martin Teaches Media - my other blog.

Other Than Reading...

I had a great reading week. I have added about a week to my cushion. I still want to concentrate on reading until my cushion gets to a full month. I also spent time setting up my September posts and completing the ones that I could schedule ahead. I managed to fit in 4 books from TBR mountain on this blog and 3 from TBR mountain on my YA blog. Otherwise, I have 9 review books on this blog and 9 review books on my YA blog.

We've had a warm week which makes me glad to stay in my air conditioning reading and watching baseball on television.

Read Last Week

If you can't wait until the review shows up on my blog, reviews are posted to LibraryThing and Goodreads as soon as I write them (usually right after I finish reading a book.)

• Rivals in the City by Y.S. Lee - YA historical mystery that concludes a series. My review will be posted on August 20.
• Hidden Pieces by Paula Stokes - YA thriller from the review stack. My review will be posted on August 22. 
• Through the Fire by Katie Ruggle - Romantic Suspense from the review stack. My review will be posted August 23.

• The Prodigy by John Feinstein - YA sports fiction from the review stack. My review will be posted on August 24.
• D-Day: The World War II Battle that Changed History by Deborah Hopkinson - Middle Grade nonfiction from the review stack. My review will be posted on August 27.
• Second Chance at Two Love Lane by Kieran Kramer - Romance from the review stack. My review will be posted on August 25.

• Her Majesty's American by Steve White - Science Fiction/Thriller from the review stack. My review will be posted on August 29.
• Ten After Closing by Jessica Bayliss - YA thriller from the review stack. My review will be posted on August 29.
• Cowboy, Cross My Heart by Donna Grant - Romance from the review stack. My review will be posted on August 30.

Currently

Ignite the Stars by Maura Milan is YA science fiction from my review stack.

Next Week

• The Plot Is Murder by V. M. Burns - Cozy mystery from TBR Mountain
• Unpunished Murder: Massacre at Colfax and the Quest for Justice by Lawrence Goldstone - Middle Grade Nonfiction to be published August 28
• In Cold Chocolate by Dorothy St. James - Cozy mystery to be published Sept. 11 

• The Splintered Light by Ginger Johnson - YA to be published Sept. 4
• Read and Gone by Allison Brook - Mystery to be published Sept. 11
• Dactyl Hill Squad by Daniel Jose Older - Middle grade to be published Sept. 11

Reviews Posted

On Inside of a Dog:

Wild Hunger by Chloe Neill

Mortal Arts by Anna Lee Huber

Guilt by Degrees by Marcia Clark

On Ms. Martin Teaches Media:

The Body at the Tower by Y. S. Lee

#murdertrending by Gretchen McNeil

Shadowspell by Jenna Black

Want to See What I Added to My Stack Last Week?

Bought (All Kindle Books)

• The Woman Left Behind by Linda Howard
• Competence by Gail Carriger
• Wonder Woman: Warbringer by Leigh Bardugo

• Conjure by Lea Nolan
• Secrets & Spells: Six Fantasy Novels by Janny Wurts et al.
• Serpentine by Laurell K. Hamilton

Review

 A True Cowboy Christmas by Caitlin Crews (October 30)

Midsummer Mayhem by Marty Wingate (November 6)

Circle of Shadows by Evelynn Skye (Jan. 22, 2019)

The Blood Spell by C. J. Redwine (Feb. 12, 2019)

If You're Out There by Katy Loutzenheiser (March 5, 2019)

What was your week like?

Book Review: Guilt by Degrees by Marcia Clark

Guilt by Degrees
Author: Marcia Clark
Series: A Rachel Knight Novel
Publication: Mulholland Books; 1 edition (May 8, 2012)

Description: Someone has been watching D.A. Rachel Knight--someone who's Rachel's equal in brains, but with more malicious intentions. It began when a near-impossible case fell into Rachel's lap, the suspectless homicide of a homeless man. In the face of courthouse backbiting and a gauzy web of clues, Rachel is determined to deliver justice. She's got back-up: tough-as-nails Detective Bailey Keller. As Rachel and Bailey stir things up, they're shocked to uncover a connection with the vicious murder of an LAPD cop a year earlier. Something tells Rachel someone knows the truth, someone who'd kill to keep it secret.

Harrowing, smart, and riotously entertaining, GUILT BY DEGREES is a thrilling ride through the world of LA courts with the unforgettable Rachel Knight.

My Thoughts: Rachel Knight's next baffling case starts out with the murder of a homeless man. She is in court waiting for her turn with the judge when the case before hers goes belly up due to the sheer incompetence of the prosecutor. When the judge dismisses the case, Rachel decides she wants justice for the homeless victim and refiles.

Now Rachel and her friend Bailey have to build a case to get justice for the homeless guy. But nothing is simple. It takes a while to identify him and then they learn that he was the brother of a police officer who was butchered in his home a year earlier. The main suspect was his beautiful wife Lilah who also happened to be a lawyer. She was acquitted and then disappeared. Rachel and Bailey really want to find her and talk to her.

Meanwhile, Lilah has started a new secret business venture. It seems that she is in the business of digging up dirt on people and selling the information she finds. When Rachel starts to get close to finding her, she decides that Rachel has to go which leads to a couple of attempts on her life.

I liked the fast-paced action in this one. I also liked the realistic investigative techniques that Rachel and Bailey use. Rachel is also dealing with a romantic crisis as her current boyfriend is getting too close to the secrets Rachel wants to keep buried in her past. I liked that Rachel spends a lot of time meeting in various restaurants that all sound good and make me wonder if they actually exist in the LA area.

I recommend this series for fans of police procedurals and thrillers.

Favorite Quote:

Though no victim is ever just a chalk outline to me, the colors unique to each one fill in slowly, over time, painted layer by layer with the memories and feelings of their loved ones, until ultimately a picture with depth and nuance emerges.

I bought this one July 23, 2014. You can buy your copy here.

Friday Memes: Guilt by Degrees by Marcia Clark

Happy Friday everybody!

Book Beginnings on Friday is now hosted by Rose City Reader. The Friday 56 is hosted at Freda's Voice. Check out the links above for the rules and for the posts of the participants each week. Don’t dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

Beginning:

Prologue

He stood still, listening as the car pulled out of the driveway

Chapter One

He moved with purpose. That alone might have drawn attention to the man in the soiled wool overcoat, but the postlunch crowd was a briskly flowing river of bodies.

Friday 56:

I tried to keep the triumphant note out of my voice. "You've got my word, Walter. I'll be so civilzed, you won't even believe it's me."

This week I am reading Guilt by Degrees by Marcia Clark. This book has been on my TBR mountain since July 23, 2014. Here is the description from Amazon:

Someone has been watching D.A. Rachel Knight--someone who's Rachel's equal in brains, but with more malicious intentions. It began when a near-impossible case fell into Rachel's lap, the suspectless homicide of a homeless man. In the face of courthouse backbiting and a gauzy web of clues, Rachel is determined to deliver justice. She's got back-up: tough-as-nails Detective Bailey Keller. As Rachel and Bailey stir things up, they're shocked to uncover a connection with the vicious murder of an LAPD cop a year earlier. Something tells Rachel someone knows the truth, someone who'd kill to keep it secret.

Harrowing, smart, and riotously entertaining, GUILT BY DEGREES is a thrilling ride through the world of LA courts with the unforgettable Rachel Knight.

ARC Review: Wild Hunger by Chloe Neill

Wild Hunger
Author: Chloe Neill
Series: An Heirs of Chicagoland Novel
Publication: Berkley (August 14, 2018)

Description: In the first thrilling installment of Chloe Neill's spinoff to the New York Times bestselling Chicagoland Vampires series, a new vampire will find out just how deep blood ties run.

As the only vampire child ever born, some believed Elisa Sullivan had all the luck. But the magic that helped bring her into the world left her with a dark secret. Shifter Connor Keene, the only son of North American Central Pack Apex Gabriel Keene, is the only one she trusts with it. But she's a vampire and the daughter of a Master and a Sentinel, and he's prince of the Pack and its future king.

When the assassination of a diplomat brings old feuds to the fore again, Elisa and Connor must choose between love and family, between honor and obligation, before Chicago disappears forever.

My Thoughts: Elisa Sullivan, the only vampire child ever born, is back in Chicago escorting the French House to talks which are supposed to bring peace to the European vampires. She has mixed feeling about being back in Chicago. She's glad to see her parents and her old friends. But being back in Chicago also makes control of the monster inside her more difficult. Somehow in the chain of events that led to her birth, a piece of magic - an angry, uncontrollable piece - became a part of her. This is a secret that she hasn't shared with anyone.

One of her old acquaintances is Connor Keene who is the son of the Alpha of the Shifter pack and who was the bane of her existence when they were children together. Her years away have changed Connor or, at least, changed her perception of him which is causing her to feel a lot of confusion.

When a vampire from Spain is murdered and one of Connor's packmates and a good friend of Elisa's is found standing over the body holding a knife, Elisa knows she needs to get involved to prove that her friend is being framed for the crime. The main problem with Elisa investigating is the agreement between Cadogan House and the city of Chicago which states that they won't interfere with the work of the Ombudsmen. Elisa uses a loophole - she has never pledged to Cadogan House - to conduct her own investigation. Soon she is deep in an investigation of faeries who have a deep and twisted plot to gather more power for themselves. Connor gets involved too by way of a few timely rescues.

I enjoyed this spinoff of the Chicagoland Vampires series and look forward to more adventures for Elisa and her friends.

Favorite Quote:

"I don't understand the point of baseball."

Theo looked at me, blinked. "What do you mean, you don't understand the point of it? What's to understand? It's a sport."

"If there's time for the players to have snacks, it's not a sport. It's recess."

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.