Sebastian Gage returns home to battle the ghosts of his past and prevent them from destroying his future with Kiera in the latest exciting installment in this national bestselling series.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 … 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…
more
I love every Lady Darby novel, and I loved this one, too, but it wasn’t one of my all-time favorites. The writing was wonderful, as always. The characters are well-drawn. And I always enjoy the back and forth between Kiera and Gage, including their quarrels. I even enjoy their servants. But I had trouble liking anyone else in the book except for the “witch” who’s Lord Langstone’s love interest. Even the ending was a bit depressing. This has received rave reviews from most other readers, who like a serious bent to their stories. But I missed the wit and humor that so many other side characters in this series provide. As always, though, high marks for great writing and another substantial historical mystery.
Just finished this ARC of the latest in the Lady Darby series. Always nice to catch up with this group of characters. Huber has the magic touch when it comes to creating relatable, authentically-feeling real characters. Her writing style is both easy flowing and detail rich…my favorite kind. This finds newlyweds Sebastian and Keira called to Sebastian’s childhood home by his ailing grandfather, who he hasn’t seen in 15 years, to solve the mystery of his missing cousin (heir to his grandfather). Family feuds, secrets, poisonings, curses…it has it all! Enjoyed learning more about Sebastian’s background in this one, as he has been very close-mouthed about his past thus far in the series. Thanks to the author for authorizing and to NetGalley for providing my copy for review! Now I’ll impatiently await the arrival of the next installment next year!
Fifteen years ago, at the age of eighteen, Sebastian Gage walked away from Langstone Manor and swore he’d never return. Now, it is in view, as cold and brooding as the moors on which it sits. Every nerve in Sebastian’s body is singing and the tension in the coach is palpable. He certainly didn’t want to return, but here he is, all because his grandfather sent him a missive asking him to come and investigate his cousin’s disappearance. He almost didn’t come and probably wouldn’t have if Kiera hadn’t persuaded him to do so. He and Kiera are tired to the bone because they have traveled from Ireland as quickly as possible. Kiera knows that Sebastian’s life here was not a happy one, but, since he won’t talk about it, she has no idea what that life was really like.
Upon arrival, they are received very coldly by Sebastian’s aunt – the servants didn’t even know they were coming – nor did his aunt. Then, Sebastian learns that not only is his cousin missing, his grandfather is also at death’s door. Had my aunt and cousins treated me the same way Sebastian’s did, I wouldn’t be at all interested in spending my time in a very hostile environment to try to find one of them. However, Sebastian is a very good man and will do what he can to help the family that abused him and his mother.
Albert, Sebastian’s older cousin and heir to Sebastian’s grandfather’s title, walked out onto the moors one day and nobody has seen him since. Not a single trace of him is anywhere to be found. Then, Albert’s brother Rory goes missing as well – and in the same manner. Where could they be? How could they just disappear without a trace? Kiera and Gage are having a really hard time with this investigation because the house is filled with secrets and nobody – even Sebastian’s grandfather – is telling them what they need to know. They are doing all of that while trying to protect themselves as well because they have also been attacked.
I know every murder mystery has to have a victim, but I really didn’t want it to be this one. I came to like this victim more and more as I read more of the book. The villain is a surprise to the reader and to Gage and Kiera. I am so glad we got to know more of Gage’s early life and that there are some reconciliations. I’m also looking forward to their next case in London and to hopefully see Lord Gage (Sebastian’s father) get a bit of a comeuppance.
As always, Huber’s writing is excellent, the story is well plotted and executed, and the characters are fully-developed and engaging. The descriptions of the moors set the mood and immerse the reader in that place and time. You can just feel the fog creeping up around you and surrounding you until you cannot see – and the fear – can you find your way, can you avoid the bogs. Oh! My!
Please check out my reviews at:
Blog: https://flippinpages.blog/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/flippinpages…
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FlippinPagesRev
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BarbBookReview
“I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher.”
I’m totally hooked on this series. Reading Lady Darby books in order, one after another. Addicting!
Love this whole series!!! I have some on audio and the reader is fantastic!!
Reviewed: June 9, 2018
“Its never easy to confront the demons of our past.” (quote from the book)
A Brush with Shadows opens in July 1831 in Dartmoor, England at the ancestral home of Sebastian Gage’s mother. The title is very apt and very telling.
“As beautiful as the landscape was purported to be, it was also treacherous, and this home had taken on many of the same characteristics.” (quote from the book)
Right from the start, you are drawn in as the mysteries and atmosphere of Gage’s family and the moors themselves weave a sense of foreboding. Sebastian and his wife, Lady Kiera Darby (Mrs. Gage) had received an urgent letter from his grandfather, the Viscount Tavistock, to help find his cousin who has gone missing. There is no love lost between Gage and his family but with the urging of Kiera, they return.
This is another revealing and compelling tale that provides more insight into Sebastian Gage and the events that have shaped him. Ms. Huber’s descriptive verse paints a vivid visual of not only the inhabitants within Langstone Manor, but the moors. They are just as much a character of this novel as the people. It is a haunting atmosphere…
“My thoughts kept returning to the moors, to their silent but relentless presence beyond the garden wall. There was something preternatural about them, something ancient. I could not forget they were there. Their existence seemed to always be lurking somewhere in the background of my mind as a sort of hum of anticipation.” (quote from the book)
I could continue to praise this book for sometime…but I wont. I would, however, urge you to take up this book to learn and uncover the layers of secrets, jealousies, and pain within the Trevelyan family yourself. Along the way, you will learn the mystery surrounding the family’s curse, ghosts and loss of those that have gone before them in the shadow of the moors and Langstone Manor.
I do highly recommend you start at the beginning of the Lady Darby series with ‘The Anatomist’s Wife’. Each novel builds so beautifully on the next, as they not only discover each mystery, but we get to see the development of Kiera and Sebastian as they work together and grow as a couple…their flaws, their strengths, and their insecurities but most of all their love.
Really enjoy this series
I really enjoyed this book, I couldn’t put it down. The action takes place at a house on the moors and the author did an excellent job making you feel you were there. The story was quite suspenseful keeping you on the end of you seat the whole time.
As far as gothc novels, this was macabre, more so than her other novels. Still, read through to find the true guilty party. Not quite who you suspected.
In this mystery, Keira, Lady Darby and her new husband Sebastian Gage are called to his ancestral home in Dartmoor to solve the mystery of his cousin’s disappearance. Alfred is heir to the viscountcy, and the old Lord Tavistock is gravely ill. Everyone from Sebastian’s grandfather to his younger cousin Rory seems to be witholding information, and the two sleuths have a frustrating time of it. Was someone poisoning Alfred? Or was the family curse to blame? And what part did the beautiful herbalist, Lorna Galloway, whom Rory calls a witch, play in the disappearance.
The denouement is a long time coming, but for once I successfully deduced who the villain was.
Written in the tradition of the Gothic mystery, Huber makes full use of the gloomy old house and the brooding, changeable terrain and weather of the treacherous moor. Well written, atmospheric and full of family drama. This is one of my favorite historical mystery series. Fun to read or listen to.
I love this series of books by Anna Lee Huber. The are always entertaining and hold my attention for hours trying to figure out who did the crime. Can’t wait to read the next in the series.
Love this series!
I believe this is the best book in the series. It was well plotted. The characters were absolutely believable, although not very likable. The scenery descriptions were wonderful. All-in-all, I had no trouble placing myself in the position of observer in this novel.
Good Character development as the series continues. Good plot that kept me guessing.
I am running out of superlatives for this series. It is engrossing, has characters of distinction, and always a gripping mystery.
Lady Kiera Darby does not know much about her new husband’s past, but she knows he never planned to go back. But his grandfather is gravely ill, and Gage’s cousin Alfred has suddenly vanished. Duty requires they help investigate, but will the secrets of the past bring more pain?
Learning more about Gage and his early life fascinated me from the start. From the start, his interactions with his estranged family make the reader feel for how he must have grown up. Keira really starts to show her support for her husband, trying to find ways to ease the tension with Gage’s grandfather while there is time.
The mystery was interesting. I did find the motivation for the revealed culprit a little weak. The plot moves at a good pace, weaving together the search for Alfred and exploring Gage’s past. Together, it is a solid story. I especially liked the setting, since I’ve never been to the moors.
Readers of historical mystery will enjoy this, especially fans of the series.
I can’t get enough of Keira and Gage! They are summoned to Gage’s old familial home, laden with secrets and curses. True to their form, Keira and Gage find themselves in the middle of another mystery that requires they draw together to find the answers. Past hurts are delved into as they learn how deep family can inflict wounds, but even more, how revealing secrets can bring healing and restoration.
Another good entry into the series.
The characters continue to develop a people.
The plot is tight and fascinating.
It is July 1831 when Sebastian Gage and his new wife, Lady Kiera Darby, receive a letter from his grandfather asking him to return to Langston Manor and help discover what has happened to his cousin Alfred. Alfred wandered onto the moors one day and never returned. Kiera knows Sebastian is not happy about returning to the place where he grew up, because it has so many unhappy memories.
Sebastian answers his grandfather’s summers and arrives to find out the Viscount Tavistock is terminally ill. His grandfather is convinced that Alfred had met with foul play. Sebastian knows that people disappear on the moors all the time, but when his second cousin, Rory goes missing, Kiera and Gage know the Viscount is right. It is now up to them to get to the bottom of things before the moors claim another victim.
Author Anna Lee Huber paints pictures with her words, and this addition to the Lady Darby mystery series is full of perfect brushstrokes.
The moors come to life as Darby and Sebastian investigate his cousin’s disappearance. The more they delve into the situation the grayer it becomes, and the more intriguing it is for the readers. We also get to learn more about Sebastian and his past, which adds so much to the tale.
This is one of those series where I’ve enjoyed watching the characters grow. Reading this one makes me want to go back and reread the earlier books, which would be perfect reads on cold winter nights. But then again a Lady Darby mystery is perfect any time of the year.
Lovers of historical fiction will devour this series, and savor every word.
I received a digital copy of this book through Penguin’s First to Read program.
In the sixth book of the Lady Darby Mystery series, Sebastian Gage (henceforth known as Gage) and his wife, Kiera, are summoned to Sebastian’s childhood home. He hasn’t stepped on Langstone Manor property for at least 15 years so to say he’s not looking forward to going home is an understatement. However, his grandfather has grown terribly ill and one of Gage’s cousins has disappeared. Known to be flighty, Gage doesn’t take Alfred’s disappearance to seriously. Kiera, however walks right into the mysterious disappearance of Alfred from the get-go. Gage quickly changes his tune when his other cousin Rory also disappears from the Manor.
As Gage and Kiera become more involved in the mysterious disappearances, they discover that all may not be what it seems at Langstone Manor. Family secrets, jealousies, lies, and tight-lipped family members make searching for Alfred, and then Rory, too, pretty difficult. There are a number of twists and turns throughout A Brush with Shadows. I thought I had the mystery figured out when all-of-a-sudden the author shattered my story board and made me rethink my choice.
The relationship between Kiera and Gage was sweet and I thought their characters were well written. The author did a wonderful job with the world building in the novel. I felt like I could picture the manor, the moors, and the characters based on her descriptive imagery. I enjoyed Kiera’s empathy toward Gage during the difficult decision to go home and face his family and her empathy toward his grandfather. There are things that went on the past that are not loving or caring, yet she put those things aside and helped care for the gravely ill man.
This is my first experience with Anna Lee Huber and her Lady Darby Mystery series. I was able to jump right into the story without having read the other books. As a reader, I found that Ms. Huber provided enough backstory and other historical information to allow me to enjoy the story without wondering what she was talking about. Despite the ability to read the story without having read the previous five books, I found that I wasn’t really engaged in the story. The story didn’t really jump out at me. Parts of the story fell flat for me and I was able to put the book down without feeling that eagerness to get back to it as soon as possible. This doesn’t mean the book is bad or that I didn’t like it; it just means that I wasn’t able to become engrossed in the book at any point. I did enjoy the mystery. That twist at the end? Wow!