A BRUSH OF SHADOWS is book six in the Georgian Lady
Darby historical mystery series. I love this series,
it is always filled with rich depictions of the era and a
good mystery I can dig my teeth into. Anna Lee Huber is an
auto-read
author for me.
Kiera Gage is a widow who was formerly married to an
anatomist who abused her and forced her to illustrate his
dissections. Her fortitude and intelligence now stand her
in good stead in her current marriage to Sebastian Gage, who
is an inquiry agent. Kiera uses her smarts to assist her
husband in solving mysteries, and they have been successful
in tracking down many a murderer. Kiera has been coming
into her own in the last several books, now recovering from
her life of oppression under her last husband's thumb. It's
been so enjoyable for me to watch her blossom.
A BRUSH OF SHADOWS finds Kiera and Gage called back to
his childhood home in Dartmoor, where his elderly
grandfather, Viscount Tailstock, is deathly ill. Gage's
cousin, Alfred, disappeared on the moors several weeks
ago, and the worst is suspected. Gage's mother was poisoned
at the family home, and Gage has not returned to the family
estate in fifteen years. Gage's whole remaining family is
horrid, and I wanted to slap every one of them. If only
every single evil or spiteful person would get what is
coming to them!
A BRUSH OF SHADOWS is very atmospheric. I have very
recently re-read two other "comfort read" mysteries set in
the delightfully ominous solitude of the moors at Dartmoor,
and was so pleased to continue my literary stay there.
Huber does a great job of bringing the moors to life, with
chills creeping down my spine as I read. The mystery of
who-done-it kept me guessing to the end, which is always
great fun. Huber's A BRUSH OF SHADOWS provides a chilling
setting underlying the lies and tragedies of Gage's family
struggles, mysterious and mundane alike.
July 1831. It's been fifteen years since Sebastian Gage
has set foot in Langstone Manor. Though he has shared
little with his wife, Lady Kiera Darby, about his past,
she knows that he planned never to return to the place of
so many unhappy childhood memories. But when an urgent
letter from his grandfather reaches them in Dublin,
Ireland, and begs Gage to visit, Kiera convinces him to
go.
All is not well at Langstone Manor. Gage's grandfather,
the Viscount Tavistock, is gravely ill, and Gage's cousin
Alfred has suddenly vanished. He wandered out into the
moors and never returned. The Viscount is convinced
someone or something other than the natural hazards of
the moors is to blame for Alfred's disappearance. And
when Alfred's brother Rory goes missing, Kiera and Gage
must concede he may be right. Now, they must face the
ghosts of Gage's past, discover the truth behind the
local superstitions, and see beyond the tricks being
played by their very own eyes to expose what has happened
to Gage's family before the moors claim yet another
victim...