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dcm7918's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
gmamartha's review
4.0
1832 Edinburgh, Scotland. Details of Bonnie Brocks life have been published and threaten him. Kiera's baby born.
emilybordelovewrites's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
mysterious
tense
laura_cs's review
4.0
I received an ARC of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
It is March of 1832 and Keira and her husband, Sebastian Gage, are in Edinburgh and are eagerly awaiting the birth of their first child. However, all is not well. The cholera epidemic rages through England and Scotland, putting the inquiry agents in a new type of danger around every corner. Distraction from the devastating illness comes in an unusual form: a book has been published about the exploits of Bonnie Brock Kincaid, who--needless to say--disapproves. Keira and Sebastian are also displeased, as the book makes references to them and their previous encounters with Kincaid--and implies that Bonnie Brock is the true father of the child Keira carries. This prompts Keira and Sebastian to start investigating the identity of the anonymous author. For who knows Bonnie Brock so well to know all of these intimate details of his life and criminal deeds?
When the book is turned into a highly successful stage play--turning Kincaid into a hero--and a sequel is hinted at, the book's publisher is found murdered in his office. Kincaid pleads his innocence, and Keira and Sebastian are quick to believe him. However, the Gages are shocked when the police begin to suspect them as the killers instead. Now it is even more important to find the identity of the author, as it will reveal more about who wanted to kill the publisher and why.
The latest in Anna Lee Huber's Lady Darby mystery series is a brilliant piece of historical fiction and full of intrigue, deception, and scandal. In addition to the whodunit, Keira must solve some touchy interpersonal problems with her sister and husband, all while preparing for childbirth and all the excitement, anticipation, anxieties, and discomfort that accompany that. Huber blends these personal elements of Keira's life well with her high-stakes plots and confounding clues, making readers thoroughly invested in the story and the lives of the characters.
My only issue with this book was that there were several references to an event that happens in a novella that was published in September of 2020 in an anthology; having not known about this anthology and the Lady Darby story within, I was rather lost because the events of the novella were described with enough detail that I thought that I had forgotten some parts of a previous novel, except that the timeline for the novella was described as after Keira and Gage's wedding, which takes place between books 4 and 5 and book 5 is set outside of Scotland entirely. The publisher may wish to consider adding in a note about this other novella and where it can be located to curb reader confusion. This is really the only reason I give this novel 4 stars, because it was just distracting enough to take away from an otherwise thoroughly enjoyable addition to the Lady Darby mystery series.
It is March of 1832 and Keira and her husband, Sebastian Gage, are in Edinburgh and are eagerly awaiting the birth of their first child. However, all is not well. The cholera epidemic rages through England and Scotland, putting the inquiry agents in a new type of danger around every corner. Distraction from the devastating illness comes in an unusual form: a book has been published about the exploits of Bonnie Brock Kincaid, who--needless to say--disapproves. Keira and Sebastian are also displeased, as the book makes references to them and their previous encounters with Kincaid--and implies that Bonnie Brock is the true father of the child Keira carries. This prompts Keira and Sebastian to start investigating the identity of the anonymous author. For who knows Bonnie Brock so well to know all of these intimate details of his life and criminal deeds?
When the book is turned into a highly successful stage play--turning Kincaid into a hero--and a sequel is hinted at, the book's publisher is found murdered in his office. Kincaid pleads his innocence, and Keira and Sebastian are quick to believe him. However, the Gages are shocked when the police begin to suspect them as the killers instead. Now it is even more important to find the identity of the author, as it will reveal more about who wanted to kill the publisher and why.
The latest in Anna Lee Huber's Lady Darby mystery series is a brilliant piece of historical fiction and full of intrigue, deception, and scandal. In addition to the whodunit, Keira must solve some touchy interpersonal problems with her sister and husband, all while preparing for childbirth and all the excitement, anticipation, anxieties, and discomfort that accompany that. Huber blends these personal elements of Keira's life well with her high-stakes plots and confounding clues, making readers thoroughly invested in the story and the lives of the characters.
My only issue with this book was that there were several references to an event that happens in a novella that was published in September of 2020 in an anthology; having not known about this anthology and the Lady Darby story within, I was rather lost because the events of the novella were described with enough detail that I thought that I had forgotten some parts of a previous novel, except that the timeline for the novella was described as after Keira and Gage's wedding, which takes place between books 4 and 5 and book 5 is set outside of Scotland entirely. The publisher may wish to consider adding in a note about this other novella and where it can be located to curb reader confusion. This is really the only reason I give this novel 4 stars, because it was just distracting enough to take away from an otherwise thoroughly enjoyable addition to the Lady Darby mystery series.
gawronma's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Not one of my favorite but still a very well written book.
ptaradactyl's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Not my favorite but the series. The central mystery was one of the better ones, but the interpersonal plots with Kiera and her sister and Kiera and Sebastian got into “just talk to each other!” territory.
qu33nofbookz's review
3.0
Another great addition to the series. In this book the old timeline events mirror some of the events at the time of publication such as a pandemic (Covid-19 in the 2020/21 and Cholera in 1831/32) as well as the plight of the poor verse the rich and their abuses of money and power to be above the law or societal rules.
Kira and Gage have come back from their extended honeymoon, Kira far along into her first pregnancy. When a book is published about an outlaw acquaintance of theirs with thinly veiled references to them they are in the public eye and not in a good way when the book becomes very popular that even plays and songs are being written about it. Out of curiosity and to stop their acquaintance from doing the author any harm they try to find out who the author is since he has hidden behind a false name. Things get harder when the publisher is murdered and a sequel is set to be published. Now it's a race against the clock to find the author, solve the publisher's murder, and stop the sequel before Kira has her baby.
Kira and Gage have come back from their extended honeymoon, Kira far along into her first pregnancy. When a book is published about an outlaw acquaintance of theirs with thinly veiled references to them they are in the public eye and not in a good way when the book becomes very popular that even plays and songs are being written about it. Out of curiosity and to stop their acquaintance from doing the author any harm they try to find out who the author is since he has hidden behind a false name. Things get harder when the publisher is murdered and a sequel is set to be published. Now it's a race against the clock to find the author, solve the publisher's murder, and stop the sequel before Kira has her baby.
ariazsilentsoul's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5
alikatson's review against another edition
4.0
I’m so sick of drama around Keira, isn’t there someone else interesting in society? Please no more!
Otherwise this was an entertaining installment and I loved meeting the new addition.
Otherwise this was an entertaining installment and I loved meeting the new addition.