The last Lady Darby book was a little bit of a left down for me. That said, I was eager to see what this book held because I really love Anna Lee Huber’s books, not just the Lady Darby books, but all of her books!
The thing that excited me most about this book was the eye catching cover. I totally need this sunny yellow dress to wear around town….it’s beautiful. I was absolutely in love with this cover…..yes I know that’s terrible but it’s the truth. I was happy to read this because the happy yellow dress made it so….especially on the cliffs of the moors. SOLD.
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 (summary from Goodreads).
This book had to do a lot in the way of redemption for me, mostly because in the last book Gage and Kiera hardly worked ‘together’ and with the description promising so much detail about Sebastian’s past, this book HAD to be good or else I might have to move on. And let me just tell you…..this book delivered in a big way for me.
Not only were Gage and Kiera working together more and sharing theories, but Kiera took the lead and more of an independent and impartial investigator which was refreshing. I loved how exposed Gage’s character was throughout the novel and how his past was like a raw nerve. I really felt the pain he had endured throughout most of his life. It jumped off the pages and took on a life of it’s own, well done!
Though not much happened in the romantic sense, there were plenty of tender moments and stolen kisses to satisfy readers who were looking for more chemistry between Gage and Kiera. Though the romance wasn’t the focus of the book as it has been in previous novels, this book had more romance than in the last book.
Normally I might rate this book 4 stars but I went for the 5 and here is why. Atmosphere. I am a huge huge huge suckers for books set on the moors. I love the moors and the mystery, haunting intrigue, and moody ambiance they have come to symbolize. I could close my eyes and feel the mist in this book. I loved how much the setting added to the mystery and how big of a role it was in the narrative. It almost took on a life of it’s own and I adored it. I can’t say enough great things about the setting of this book.
I think one thing worth mentioning….if you are a fan of Huber’s writing like I am, you might feel like you have read a story like this before. I recently read the first Verity Kent book and this latest Lady Darby installment had similarities within the plot. It wasn’t like a copy cat or anything but I could tell that there were some similarities. I personally didn’t mind at all, I rather enjoyed it but I thought it worth mentioning all the same. If you haven’t discovered Huber’s novels you need to. Any of them. All of them. She has a wonderful talent and I love how she uses the English country side to add to her atmosphere and mood within the novels. Well done!
Challenge/Book Summary:
Book: A Brush with Shadows (Lady Darby Mystery #6) by Anna Lee Huber
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Kindle Edition, 384 pagesExpected publication: March 6th 2018 by Berkley
- Review copy provided by: Author/Publisher in exchange for an honest review
This book counts toward: NA
- Hosted by: NA
- Books for Challenge Completed: NA
Recommendation: 5 out of 5
Genre: Mystery, detective novel, Regency lit, Gothic lit
Memorable lines/quotes: NA
The Lit Bitch 
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