A Novel of the Titanic
Available February 20, 2024 |
Book 1 |
Coming TBD Book 2 |
Anthology The Deadly Hours |
An Anthology |
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Sisters of Fortune
A Novel of the Titanic
Available February 20, 2024
For fans of Shana Abe's The Second Mrs. Astor and Patricia Falvey's The Titanic Sisters, this sweeping historical novel set on the legendary ocean liner includes actual stories and anecdotes from the Titanic, as it tells of three well-to-do sisters, each at a crossroads in her life.
April,1912: It's the perfect finale to a Grand Tour of Europe—sailing home on the largest, most luxurious ocean liner ever built. For the Fortune sisters, the voyage offers a chance to reflect on the treasures of the past they've seen—magnificent castles and museums in Italy and France, the ruins of Greece and the Middle East—and contemplate the futures that await them.
For Alice, there's foreboding mixed with her excitement. A fortune teller in Egypt gave her a dire warning about traveling at sea. And the freedom she has enjoyed on her travels contrasts with her fiancé's plans for her return—a cossetted existence she's no longer sure she wants.
Flora is also returning to a fiancé, a well-to-do banker of whom her parents heartily approve, as befits their most dutiful daughter. Yet the closer the wedding looms, the less sure Flora feels. Another man—charming, exasperating, completely unsuitable—occupies her thoughts, daring her to follow her own desires rather than settling for the wishes of others.
Youngest sister Mabel knows her parents arranged this Grand Tour to separate her from a jazz musician. But the secret truth is that Mabel has little interest in marrying at all, preferring to explore ideas of suffrage and reform—even if it forces a rift with her family.
Each sister grapples with the choices before her as the grand vessel glides through the Atlantic waters. Until, on an infamous night, fate intervenes, forever altering their lives . . .
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Praise For Sisters Of Fortune
Filled with luscious detail of the Titanic's maiden voyage and spot on depictions of its many passengers, from the grand to the ridiculous. I felt an immediate empathy for the three young women whose life choices are challenged in the most unimaginable way. With the Titanic's fate looming, Huber's compelling narrative propelled me through the story, absolutely riveting until the very last page!
- Shelley Noble, New York Times Bestselling author of The Tiffany Girls
Vibrant personalities collide on board a ship bound for certain disaster in [this] heartbreaking and ultimately hopeful story of a real-life Canadian family traveling on board the Titanic. Vividly detailed and painstakingly researched, SISTERS OF FORTUNE threads fact and fiction into a compelling story.
- Bryn Turnbull, author of The Paris Deception and The Woman Before Wallis
Set against the heartbreaking grandeur of the Titanic's fateful maiden voyage, Anna Lee Huber's Sisters of Fortune is a beautifully-crafted—and ultimately uplifting—tale of three young women struggling with the personal complexities of love, loyalty and family as their world is about to change forever.
- Andrea Penrose, nationally bestselling author of The Diamond of London
Just finished...and LOVED IT. Historically rich and powerfully eloquent, Sisters of Fortune is an elegantly told tale of three strong and wholly unique Canadian sisters whose lives are changed forever during an ill-fated voyage on the Titanic. Anna Lee Huber's writing is masterful, conjuring both the hopefulness and the tragedy of the past with profound sensitivity. The fate of the doomed luxury liner may be a foregone conclusion, but that doesn't hinder the suspense of the story. I was held spellbound until the very last page. A spectacular read!
- Mimi Matthews, USA Today Bestselling Author of The Siren of Sussex
I loved it! A fascinating and intimate look at life aboard the Titanic, portraying real people whose lives were so devastatingly impacted. Lush with sumptuous historical details and riveting as the events of that fateful voyage unfurl, readers will love this one!
- Madeline Martin, New York Times Bestselling Author of The Keeper of Hidden Books and The Last Bookshop in London
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The Cold Light of Day
Verity Kent Book 7
Available September 24, 2024
A new decade is dawning, but for fashionable former Secret Service agent Verity Kent, even amid the glitz and glamour of 1920s high society, the perilous intrigue of the Great War persists—as she embarks on her most fraught and dangerous clandestine mission yet . . .
June 1920, Ireland: The streets of Dublin seethe with revolution as the Irish Republican Army clashes with British authorities. Roving assassination squads mean nowhere is truly safe, particularly for Verity Kent and her war hero husband, Sidney. Given their celebrity as society darlings and intrepid sleuths, they must tread carefully to go unnoticed—nearly impossible when they are called upon to search for Verity’s fellow spy and friend . . .
Captain Alec Xavier has seemingly vanished after traveling to Dublin to infiltrate the IRA at its highest levels. Doing her best to maintain a modicum of normalcy and stay under the radar of both the rebels and British Intelligence, Verity works undercover by day and waltzes through the city’s elite social scene by night. Still, she fears the worst for Alec—until shocking evidence mounts that not only is he alive, but that he has switched sides . . .
Already disillusioned with the British government, the news leaves Verity and Sidney reeling. Worse, they learn of a conspiracy within Dublin Castle, where personal vendettas are being carried out and sanctioned by British Intelligence under the cover of revolution. With the distinction between friend and foe never more blurred—or the margin for error narrower—Verity and Sidney cannot turn a blind eye. Especially when a familiar adversary appears, bringing a threat almost too terrifying to confront—even in the cold light of day . . .
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A Certain Darkness
Verity Kent Book 6
The 1920s are off to an intriguing start in USA Today bestselling author Anna Lee Huber's thrilling mystery series featuring former Secret Service agent Verity Kent. For even as a new decade dawns, the shadow of The Great War persists. . .
March 1920: Life has turned unsettlingly quiet for former British Intelligence agent Verity Kent and her husband, Sidney. But even that false calm is about to end. As threats remain, the French authorities soon request Sidney's help with a suspect who claims to have proof of treason—shortly before she is assassinated. And Verity, too, is called to investigate a mystery. . .
The murder of a Belgian lawyer aboard a train seems at first to be a simple case of revenge. But the victim was connected to British Intelligence, and possessed papers detailing the sinking of a gold-laden German ship during the war.
As Verity and Sidney dig deeper, they discover their cases are intertwined—and a lethal adversary persists. Officially, the Great War may be over, but this is a battle of nerves and wits they cannot afford to lose. . .
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Murder Most Fair
Verity Kent Book 5
All is far from quiet on the home front in national bestselling author Anna Lee Huber's captivating mystery series, in which former Secret Service agent Verity Kent receives a visitor—who is being trailed by a killer . . .
November 1919. A relaxing few weeks by the seaside with her husband, Sidney, could almost convince Verity Kent that life has returned to the pleasant rhythm of pre-war days. Then Verity's beloved Great-Aunt Ilse lands on their doorstep. After years in war-ravaged Germany, Ilse has returned to England to repair her fragile health—and to escape trouble. Someone has been sending her anonymous threats, and Verity's Secret Service contacts can only provide unsettling answers.
Even deep in the Yorkshire Dales, where she joins Verity's family for the holidays, Ilse encounters difficulties. Normally peaceful neighbors are hostile, seeking someone to blame for the losses they've endured. When Ilse's maid is found dead, Verity must uncover whether this is anti-German sentiment taken to murderous lengths, or whether there is a more personal motive at work. Could Verity's shadowy nemesis, Lord Ardmore, be involved? And if so, how much closer to home will the blow land when he inevitably strikes again?
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Praise For Murder Most Fair
...A treat for WWI buffs and the legion of fans who have grown fond of Verity.
- Publishers Weekly
...a beautifully written and told story.
- Aunt Agatha's
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A Pretty Deceit
Verity Kent Book 4
In the aftermath of the Great War, the line between friend and foe may be hard to discern, even for indomitable former Secret Service agent Verity Kent, in award-winning author Anna Lee Huber's thrilling mystery series.
Peacetime has brought little respite for Verity Kent. Intrigue still abounds, even within her own family. As a favor to her father, Verity agrees to visit his sister in Wiltshire. Her once prosperous aunt has fallen on difficult times and is considering selling their estate. But there are strange goings-on at the manor, including missing servants, possible heirloom forgeries, and suspicious rumors—all leading to the discovery of a dead body on the grounds.
While Verity and her husband, Sidney, investigate this new mystery, they are also on the trail of an old adversary—the shadowy and lethal Lord Ardmore. At every turn, the suspected traitor seems to be one step ahead of them. And even when their dear friend Max, the Earl of Ryde, stumbles upon a code hidden among his late father's effects that may reveal the truth about Ardmore, Verity wonders if they are really the hunters—or the hunted . . .
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Praise For A Pretty Deceit
A thrilling and touching amalgam of wartime suffering, high crimes, and deadly secrets.
- Kirkus Reviews
The ongoing story line involving Ardmore will intrigue series readers. Fans of Jacqueline Winspear and Charles Todd will appreciate the psychological and social issues affecting the British after World War I.
- Library Journal
Lush historical details bring 1919 England to bold life, and the romantic heat between our newly reunited couple adds to the fullness of the tale. Espionage and murder investigation are deftly interwoven for a compelling story that leaves me, once again, clamoring for more. In Huber's A PRETTY DECEIT, spy-turned-investigator Verity Kent adeptly juggles a murder mystery while battling against an English traitor's machinations.
- Fresh Fiction
A historical mystery to delight fans of Agatha Christie or Daphne du Maurier.
- BookPage
A Pretty Deceit is the most suspenseful and action-packed entry [in the series] thus far... Huber proves she's an author with staying power, as each novel further develops a winning bunch of characters and makes us more and more invested in their search for the truth—and personal peace. A Pretty Deceit will more than satisfy established fans and is a riveting introduction for newcomers.
- Criminal Element
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Penny For Your Secrets
Verity Kent Book 3
England, 1919. In Anna Lee Huber's latest mystery, former British Intelligence agent Verity Kent is finding that life after wartime offers its own share of danger...
The Great War may be over, but for many, there are still obstacles on the home front. Reconciling with her estranged husband makes Verity sympathetic to her friend Ada's marital difficulties. Bourgeois-bred Ada, recently married to the Marquess of Rockham, is overwhelmed trying to navigate the ways of the aristocracy. And when Lord Rockham is discovered shot through the heart with a bullet from Ada's revolver, Verity fears her friend has made a fatal blunder.
While striving to prove Ada's innocence, Verity is called upon for another favor. The sister of a former Secret Service colleague has been killed in what authorities believe was a home invasion gone wrong. The victim's war work—censoring letters sent by soldiers from the front—exposed her to sensitive, disturbing material. Verity begins to suspect these two unlikely cases may be linked. But as the connections deepen, the consequences—not just for Verity, but for Britain—grow more menacing than she could have imagined.
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Praise For Penny For Your Secrets
A compelling mystery of post WW1 England. . . . The blend of intrigue and human vulnerabilities is captivating.
- Shelley Noble, New York Times bestselling author
In Huber's action-filled third Verity Kent mystery...Huber offers a well-researched historical and a fascinating look at the lingering aftermath of war.
- Publishers Weekly
[A] stellar mystery... A great read for fans of the series and for all who enjoy Downton Abbey-era fiction.
- Booklist
Readers looking for atmospheric mystery set in the period following the Great War will savor the intricate plotting and captivating details of the era.
- Library Journal, Starred Review and Pick of the Month
Huber's historical mysteries are always multilayered, complex stories, and Penny is an especially satisfying one as she interweaves social commentary and righteous feminist rage into the post-War period.
- Criminal Element
These novels mix thoughtful, intuitive historical detail (like how Europe was shellshocked after the Great War) with clever mystery plotting, to make compelling mysteries that remember history as much as they feel it, emotionally.
- CrimeReads
I continue to be enchanted with the Kents. Huber does such a marvelous job bringing out the realities of marriage, both its joys and its difficulties. The mystery is equally gripping, with many different twists and turns. This is a fine historical mystery series that will not disappoint.
- Historical Novel Society
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Treacherous is the Night
Verity Kent Book 2
In 1919 England, in the shadow of The Great War, many look to the spirit world for answers. But it will take an all too earthbound intrigue to draw in the discerning heroine of Anna Lee Huber's latest mystery...
It's not that Verity Kent doesn't sympathize with those eager to make contact with lost loved ones. After all, she once believed herself a war widow. But now that she's discovered Sidney is very much alive, Verity is having enough trouble connecting with her estranged husband, never mind the dead. Still, at a friend's behest, Verity attends a séance, where she encounters the man who still looms between her and Sidney—and a medium who channels a woman Verity once worked with in the Secret Service. Refusing to believe her former fellow spy is dead, Verity is determined to uncover the source of the spiritualist's top secret revelation.
Then the medium is murdered—and Verity's investigation is suddenly thwarted. Even Secret Service agents she once trusted turn their backs on her. Undaunted, Verity heads to war-torn Belgium, with Sidney by her side. But as they draw ever closer to the danger, Verity wonders if she's about to learn the true meaning of till death do us part...
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Praise For Treacherous is the Night
A harrowing trip over devastated parts of Belgium and France puts them both in danger from someone who's learned secrets he shouldn't know. Huber compellingly recalls the devastation wreaked on the minds of the people and the fabric of the countries involved. A thrilling mystery that supplies its gutsy heroine with plenty of angst-ridden romance.
- Kirkus Reviews
[A] splendid sequel...Huber combines intricate puzzles with affecting human drama.
- Publishers Weekly
Huber is an excellent historical mystery writer, and Verity is her best heroine. Sidney and Verity are a formidable couple when they work together, but they are also very real. They don't leap straight back into life before the war but instead face many obstacles and struggles as they readjust to married life and post-war life. Nonetheless, the love between Sidney and Verity is real and true, and the way that Huber creates their re-blossoming love is genuine. Topped off with a gripping mystery, this will not disappoint.
- Historical Novel Society
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Winner of the RWA Mystery Suspense, Kiss of Death's Chapter 2018 Daphne du Maurier Award in the category Historical Romantic Mystery/Suspense.
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This Side of Murder
Verity Kent Book 1
Read the 1st Chapter
The Great War is over, but in this captivating new series from award-winning author Anna Lee Huber, one young widow discovers the real intrigue has only just begun. . .
An Unpardonable Sin?
England, 1919. Verity Kent's grief over the loss of her husband pierces anew when she receives a cryptic letter, suggesting her beloved Sidney may have committed treason before his untimely death. Determined to dull her pain with revelry, Verity's first impulse is to dismiss the derogatory claim. But the mystery sender knows too much—including the fact that during the war, Verity worked for the Secret Service, something not even Sidney knew.
Lured to Umbersea Island to attend the engagement party of one of Sidney's fellow officers, Verity mingles among the men her husband once fought beside, and discovers dark secrets—along with a murder clearly meant to conceal them. Relying on little more than a coded letter, the help of a dashing stranger, and her own sharp instincts, Verity is forced down a path she never imagined—and comes face to face with the shattering possibility that her husband may not have been the man she thought he was. It's a truth that could set her free—or draw her ever deeper into his deception. . .
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Praise For This Side of Murder
Engrossing...Evocative historical details complement the well-drawn characters. The intricate plot builds to a surprising conclusion.
- Publishers Weekly
The new Verity Kent Mystery series is rich in detail without being overwhelming and is abundant with murder, mystery, and a bit of romance. The plot is fast-moving with twists and turns aplenty. Huber knows what it takes to write a great mystery.
- RT Book Reviews
Suspenseful, atmospheric, and beautifully written.
- Ashley Weaver, author of the Amory Ames Mysteries
My favorite new mystery series!
- Alyssa Maxwell, USA Today bestselling author
Sure to please fans of classic whodunits and lovers of historical fiction alike.
- Jessica Estevao, author of Whispers Beyond the Veil
Anna Lee Huber jumps into her new Verity Kent series with This Side of Murder, a smashing and engrossing tale of deceit, murder and betrayal set just after World War I.
- All About Romance
If you like smart, clever, extremely competent women sleuths with a handful of secrets and a crap ton of inner resilience this is a terrific start to a mystery series. Good for fans of Huber's other series, and of historical mysteries.
- SBTB
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A Deceptive Composition
Lady Darby Book 12
Lady Kiera Darby and her dashing husband, Sebastian Gage, hope they've finally found peace after a tumultuous summer, but long-buried family secrets soon threaten to unravel their lives . . .
October 1832. Kiera is enjoying the slower pace of the English countryside. She, Sebastian, and their infant daughter have accompanied her father-in-law, Lord Gage, home so that he can recuperate from the injuries he sustained in a foiled attempt on his life. But as the chill of autumn sweeps across the land, they receive a summons from an unexpected quarter. Lord Gage's estranged uncle—a member of the notorious Roscarrock family—has been murdered, and his family is desperate for answers. Despite Lord Gage's protests, Kiera and Sebastian press on to Cornwall to assist.
It isn't long before they discover that almost nothing is as it seems among the Roscarrocks, and they've been lured to their isolated cove under false pretenses. There are whispers of a lost treasure and frightening allusions to a series of murders stretching back decades that touch the lives of the family personally. Kiera and Sebastian are left with no choice but to uncover the truth before the secrets of the past threaten to destroy them all.
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A Fatal Illusion
Lady Darby Book 11
New parents Lady Kiera Darby and Sebastian Gage look forward to introducing Sebastian's father to his granddaughter, but instead find themselves investigating an attempt on his life...
Yorkshire, England. August 1832. Relations between Sebastian Gage and his father have never been easy, especially since the discovery that Lord Gage has been concealing the existence of an illegitimate son. But when Lord Gage is nearly fatally attacked on a journey to Scotland, Sebastian and Kiera race to his side. Given the tumult over the recent passage of the Reform Bill and the Anatomy Act, in which Lord Gage played a part, Sebastian wonders if the attack could be politically motivated.
But something suspicious is afoot in the sleepy village where Lord Gage is being cared for. The townspeople treat Sebastian and Kiera with hostility when it becomes clear they intend to investigate, and rumors of mysterious disappearances and highway robberies plague the area. Lord Gage's survival is far from assured, and Sebastian and Kiera must scramble to make the pieces fit before a second attempt at murder is more successful than the first.
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A Perilous Perspective
Lady Darby Book 10
An all-new historical mystery in this USA Today bestselling series featuring beloved inquiry agents Lady Kiera Darby and her dashing husband, Sebastian Gage.
Argyll, Scotland. July 1832. After a trying few months in Edinburgh, Kiera and her husband and investigative partner, Sebastian Gage, are eager to escape to the Highlands with their three-month-old child. Kiera is overjoyed for her cousin Rye and her detractor-turned-friend Charlotte who are being wed in a private ceremony at the estate of Rye's great-uncle, the Marquess of Barbreck, in what seems to be the perfect wedding party.
But when Kiera is invited to peruse Barbreck's extensive art collection, she is disturbed to discover that one of his most priceless paintings seems to be a forgery. The marquess's furious reaction when she dares to mention it leaves her shaken and the entire house shocked. For it turns out that this is not the first time the word forgery has been uttered in connection with the Barbreck household.
Matters turn more ominous when a maid from a neighboring estate is found murdered where the forged painting hangs. Is her death connected to the forgeries, perhaps a grisly warning of what awaits those who dare to probe deeper? With unknown entities aligned against them, Kiera and Gage are forced to confront the fact that they may have underestimated their opponent. For they are swiftly made to realize that Charlotte's and Rye's future happiness is not the only issue at stake, and this stealthy game of cat and mouse could prove to have deadly consequences.
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A Wicked Conceit
Lady Darby Book 9
Soon-to-be new parents Kiera and her husband, Sebastian Gage, have been hoping for a respite from their inquiries, but murder and mayhem have a startling way of dropping into their laps in the all-new historical mystery in this national bestselling series.
Edinburgh, Scotland. March 1832. Kiera and Gage have been eagerly awaiting their bundle of joy but trouble has been brewing in the form of the roguish criminal Bonnie Brock Kincaid. A new book and subsequent play features some of Kincaid's daringly heinous exploits, although he swears he had nothing to do with it or the characters which are obvious representations of Kiera and Gage. While the scoundrel's fury seems genuine, as well as his determined quest to uncover the real identity of the author, the Gages still hold doubts about his innocence.
A rash of crimes break out across the city, seemingly inspired by the play and book. When the publisher is found brutally murdered–in an imitation of a gruesome scene–the finger not only points to Bonnie Brock as the possible culprit, but also the Gages, who have been outspoken in their condemnation of the tale. Now, the Gages are on a hunt to unmask the killer. Between the infamy garnered by the play, the cholera outbreak still wreaking havoc throughout the city, and the impending birth of their child, they will need all the resources they can garner.
But family quarrels and the revelation of a secret Kiera has been keeping from Sebastian threaten to undermine everything they have overcome. When they find themselves in the crosshairs of the killer, trapped in the squalid underground vaults of the city, they will soon discover that the truth does not always set you free, and death can lurk around any corner.
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Praise For A Wicked Conceit
Huber's artful ninth Lady Darby mystery... provides plenty of depth and detail about social conditions and mores in 19th-century Edinburgh, but the human relationships are the heart of the story. Historical fans will be well satisfied.
- Publishers Weekly
A mystery both complex and romantic.
- Kirkus
Huber's A WICKED CONCEIT serves up plenty of mystery and mayhem, with a charming investigative couple at the center of this lush historical whodunnit.
- Fresh Fiction
A Wicked Conceit is another thoroughly enjoyable novel from an author who has yet to disappoint. Anyone who enjoys historical mysteries, atmospheric settings, and strong female investigators should have Huber on their automatic buy list.
- Criminal Element
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A Stroke of Malice
Lady Darby Book 8
Lady Kiera Darby and her husband Sebastian Gage are looking forward to celebrating with new friends at an exciting yearly soiree, but they soon learn that murder never takes a holiday in the latest riveting installment in this national bestselling series.
January 1832. After enjoying a delightful few weeks with her family, expectant mother Kiera and Sebastian Gage have been invited to the Duchess of Bowmont's Twelfth Night party in Traquair, Scotland. Though she normally avoids such fashionable, rambunctious events, Kiera is ready to join in the festive merrymaking. But upon their arrival at the opulent estate, it becomes obvious that all is not merry in their hostess's home. The family appears to be under a great strain, and someone seems determined to cause mayhem among the guests with a series of forged notes.
Matters swiftly turn from irksome to downright deadly when the partygoers stumble upon a decomposing body in the castle's crypt. The corpse is thought to be the duchess's son-in-law who had purportedly traveled to Paris more than a month earlier. It is evident the man met with foul play, and Kiera and Gage soon realize that a ruthless murderer walks among them—and may well be a member of the duchess's own family. And when the investigation takes a treacherous turn, Kiera discovers just how deep the killer is willing to dig to keep their secrets from ever seeing the light of day.
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Praise For A Stroke of Malice
Huber makes the most of her creepy setting and never strains credulity during the course of the investigation or at the ultimate reveal.
- Publishers Weekly
Romance, suspense, mystery, and bawdy historical customs add up to a fine read.
- Kirkus
Huber is an expert at crafting strong characters and then throwing them into mazes of intrigue, and Malice is one of her wildest puzzles to date. Just when everything seems obvious, we find ourselves facing a blind alley and are forced to reexamine our conclusions. Take nothing for granted here; the truth is always more shocking than you assume... Whether you're already a Lady Darby fan, or just love historical mysteries starring clever, stubborn women, A Stroke of Malice is a must-read.
- Criminal Element
In a break-glass-for-emergency-comfort-read scenario, this book fits the bill.
- Smart B*tiches Trashy Books
Huber once again provides an engaging mystery surrounded by all the gratifying historical details that any historical Anglophile craves.
- Fresh Fiction
Huber continues to deliver intriguing whodunits...this may be the best book of the series so far!
- All About Romance
Details of dress and decor add interest to this eighth in the Lady Darby series, which furthers the loving relationship between Kiera and Gage. A romantic mystery and a rich period piece.
- Booklist
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An Artless Demise
Lady Darby Book 7
Read the 1st Chapter
Lady Darby returns to London with her new husband, Sebastian Gage, but newlywed bliss won't last for long when her past comes back to haunt her in the latest exciting installment in this national bestselling series.
November 1831. After fleeing London in infamy more than two years prior, Lady Kiera Darby's return to the city is anything but mundane, though not for the reasons she expected. A gang of body snatchers is arrested on suspicion of imitating the notorious misdeeds of Edinburgh criminals, Burke and Hare--killing people from the streets and selling their bodies to medical schools. Then Kiera's past--a past she thought she'd finally made peace with--rises up to haunt her.
All of London is horrified by the evidence that "burkers" are, indeed, at work in their city. The terrified populace hovers on a knife's edge, ready to take their enmity out on any likely suspect. And when Kiera receives a letter of blackmail, threatening to divulge details about her late anatomist husband's involvement with the body snatchers and wrongfully implicate her, she begins to apprehend just how precarious her situation is. Not only for herself, but also her new husband and investigative partner, Sebastian Gage, and their unborn child.
Meanwhile, the young scion of a noble family has been found murdered a block from his home, and the man's family wants Kiera and Gage to investigate. Is it a failed attempt by the London burkers, having left the body behind, or the crime of someone much closer to home? Someone who stalks the privileged, using the uproar over the burkers to cover his own dark deeds?
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Praise For An Artless Demise
Based on a true story, thick with period ambience woven into a
knotty mystery. Just the right read for a foggy night.
- Kirkus Reviews
Huber marries clever plotting with a rich, nuanced use of period history.
- Publishers Weekly
Anna Lee Huber keeps upping her game--An Artless Demise is the perfect blend of history, mystery, and one of my favorite sleuthing couples!"
- Susanna Kearsley, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author
Anna Lee Huber has done it again! An Artless Demise is an unputdownable story, with an indomitable heroine, a great supporting cast, and a gripping, propulsive narrative with real history at its core.
- Sherry Thomas, USA Today bestselling author of the Lady Sherlock Mysteries
Intriguing, captivating and well-crafted...Anna Lee Huber's AN ARTFUL DEMISE immediately captures the imagination. Huber's grasp of 1830s London, particularly in her use of nuanced social conventions and rich period details, makes this latest in her Lady Darby mysteries another standout tale. The spirited romance of Kiera and Gage will continue to delight, even as new scandals related to Kiera's past threaten everything the newlyweds have built so far.
- Susanna Calkins, award-winning author of the Lucy Campion Mysteries and the Speakeasy Murders
Few heroines pursue their villains with such resource and wit as the indomitable Kiera Darby as she ventures into the spine-chilling world of London's body-snatching business and her past comes back to haunt her. Another riveting instalment in this compelling series from Anna Lee Huber!
- Tessa Arlen, author of the Lady Montfort Mysteries and the Poppy Redfern Mysteries
Kiera's past and her late husband's chilling trade are at the crux of this exquisite entry in the Lady Darby series. For readers, like myself, who consider Kiera and Gage to be dear friends, the high stakes in this immaculately paced mystery will have them biting their nails and firmly on the edge of their seats. London in the midst of political upheaval and shifting social classes is a gorgeously rendered setting and Huber's pitch-perfect historical research shines on every page. But as with all of Huber's mysteries, it is not just the verisimilitude, Kiera's inimitable and fiercely intelligent narrative nor her deft characterization that establish her as one of the premiere voices in her genre, it is the conviction and heart that motivates her characters and the strong sense of morality that counterbalances even the most sinister of crimes.
- Rachel McMillan, author of Murder in the City of Liberty
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2019 Daphne du Maurier Award Finalist
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A Brush with Shadows
Lady Darby Book 6
Read the 1st Chapter
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 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...
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Praise For A Brush with Shadows
A missing heir, an estranged family, and a possible poisoner add up to a pretty puzzle for two far-from-disinterested sleuths... Huber draws on the beauties and dangers of the mysterious moorlands to provide a fitting setting for a knotty mystery filled with envy, greed, and thwarted love.
- Kirkus Reviews
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As Death Draws Near
Lady Darby Book 5
July 1831.In the midst of their idyllic honeymoon in England's Lake District, Kiera and Gage's seclusion is soon interrupted by a missive from her new father-in-law. A deadly incident involving a distant relative of the Duke of Wellington has taken place at an abbey south of Dublin, Ireland, and he insists that Kiera and Gage look into the matter.
Intent on discovering what kind of monster could murder a woman of the cloth, the couple travel to Rathfarnham Abbey school. Soon a second nun is slain in broad daylight near a classroom full of young girls. With the sinful killer growing bolder, the mother superior would like to send the students home, but the growing civil unrest in Ireland would make the journey treacherous.
Before long, Kiera starts to suspect that some of the girls may be hiding a sinister secret. With the killer poised to strike yet again, Kiera and Gage must make haste and unmask the fiend, before their matrimonial bliss comes to an untimely end...
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Praise For As Death Draws Near
Desert Isle Keeper Review - Deftly handled and well plotted, with gorgeous prose and a demonstrated grasp on a complex history, As Death Draws Near is a sumptuous and suspenseful escape into another time.
- AAR
As Death Draws Near is appealing on many levels, from the sense of local history to the relationships and ties between characters, but it's Kiera, Lady Darby, we've all come to see, and she doesn't disappoint whatsoever! Bring on book six!
- Reader To Reader
I cannot recommend the Lady Darby series strongly enough, and while this one works as a stand-alone, for maximum effect, they really should be read in order. Anna Lee Huber is a supremely talented author, and these books are complex, impeccably plotted, and clearly well-researched. In addition to creating the wonderful characters, she brings the culture and the landscape into full view, and there is a strong sense of place.
- Romantic Historical Reviews
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A Pressing Engagement
Lady Darby 4.5 Novella
Scotland, 1831. With her wedding to fellow investigator Sebastian Gage only a day away, Kiera is counting down the hours. But just when matrimonial jitters threaten to consume her, Kiera receives a welcome distraction in the form of a mysterious gold necklace.
The Celtic torc, thought missing for decades, was directly involved in a recent investigation. Now, Kiera feels compelled to uncover the truth behind its sudden reappearance.
But with an overwhelming flock of wedding guests, a muddled cat, an unpaid favor, and a ferocious storm throwing things into disarray, it's anyone's guess whether Kiera and Gage will actually make it to the altar...
This novella is currently only available in electronic form, but it is not necessary to own an E-reader in order to read it. You can download the Kindle or other E-reader apps to your tablet, smartphone, or computer. You can also use the Kindle Cloud Reader and read it directly inside your web browser.
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Winner of the RWA Mystery Suspense, Kiss of Death's Chapter 2016 Daphne du Maurier Award in the category Historical Romantic Mystery/Suspense.
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A Study in Death
Lady Darby Book 4
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 fiance 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...
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Praise For A Study in Death
Anna Lee Huber once again takes us into the dark streets and the bright ballrooms of Edinburgh as Lady Kiera Darby investigates the mysterious death of one of her clients. Our fascinating heroine finds danger in both the dank alleys and the glittering homes of the wealthy, where nothing is what it seems and she must even doubt the loyalty of those who profess to love her. A thoroughly enjoyable read!
- Victoria Thompson - Bestselling author of Murder on Amsterdam Avenue
Set in Scotland in 1831, Huber's lively fourth Lady Darby mystery...centers on the suspicious death of Lady Drummond, whose portrait Kiera (aka Lady Darby) was painting. Kiera is sure Lady Drummond was poisoned and sets out to prove it... Kiera's options are limited at a time when women were severely reined in both by law and custom, but she uses the resources she has with verve and vigor
- Publishers Weekly
Set in 1831 Scotland, the latest Lady Darby mystery fascinates with its compelling heroine who forges her own way in a society that frowns upon female independence. The crime itself is well planned and executed. The journey to uncover a killer takes many twists and leads to a surprising culprit
- RT Book Reviews
A Study in Death... is every bit as wonderful as the three prior novels... From back streets to drawing rooms, and many places in-between, A Study in Death delivers a plot as twisted as the cobbled lanes of Edinburgh itself. Characters from the past, favors called in and favors owed, and a hint of what's yet to come all promise that this is far from the last we'll hear from Kiera and Gage. Excellent!
- Reader To Reader
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A Grave Matter
Lady Darby Book 3
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.
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Finalist in the Georgia Romance Writers 2015 Maggie Awards in the category Novel with Strong Romantic Elements.
Finalist in the Oklahoma Romance Writers 2014 National Readers' Choice Awards in the category Novel with Romantic Elements.
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Praise For A Grave Matter
In Huber's polished third pre-Victorian mystery... Huber deftly evokes both the pair's attraction and the period's flavor
- Publishers Weekly
Both the high-society setting and the developing relationship between Kiera and Gage that parallels the criminal investigation will appeal to fans of historical romances as well as mysteries.
- Booklist Online
This series continues to remain compelling and fresh, a definite must read for those looking for a fascinating protagonist and a riveting storyline.
- Reader to Reader
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Mortal Arts
Lady Darby Book 2
Scotland, 1830. Lady Kiera Darby is no stranger to intrigue-in fact, it seems to follow wherever she goes. After her foray into murder investigation, Kiera must journey to Edinburgh with her family so that her pregnant sister can be close to proper medical care. But the city is full of many things Kiera isn't quite ready to face: the society ladies keen on judging her, her fellow investigator-and romantic entanglement-Sebastian Gage, and ultimately, another deadly mystery.
Kiera's old friend Michael Dalmay is about to be married, but the arrival of his older brother-and Kiera's childhood art tutor-William, has thrown everything into chaos. For ten years Will has been missing, committed to an insane asylum by his own father. Kiera is sympathetic to her mentor's plight, especially when rumors swirl about a local girl gone missing. Now Kiera must once again employ her knowledge of the macabre and join forces with Gage in order to prove the innocence of a beloved family friend-and save the marriage of another...
Read An Excerpt
Audio Books:
Finalist in the Colorado Romance Writers 2014 Award of Excellence Contest in the category Mainstream with Romantic Elements
Finalist in the WisRWA 2014 Write Touch Readers' Award Contest for Mainstream Novel with Strong Romantic Elements
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Praise For Mortal Arts
Anna Lee Huber has written a fascinating mystery readers won't be able to put down. The storyline is dark and foreboding giving a mysterious quality to both the characters and the setting. MORTAL ARTS is a must read, and is one of those rare books that will both shock and please readers
- Fresh Fiction
Strong and lively characters as well as believable family dynamics, however, elevate this above stock genre fare. Furthermore, the underlying mystery deals with a serious, even horrifying, subject-the treatment of the insane in asylums. Readers should be prepared for some grim tales, though credit Huber for not turning this into a treatise on post-traumatic stress disorder. Rather, she assembles a collection of facts that unfold gradually, serving the story rather than the other way around
- Publishers Weekly
The working relationship between Lady Darby and Sebastian Gage continues to become increasingly personal in Huber's latest mystery. The setting is described in detail, bringing 18th-century Scotland to life. The characters are true to their time period, yet their emotional qualities allow readers to identify with them. The mystery is well plotted, with many unique twists that stem from Lady Darby's unconventional role in life
- RT Book Reviews
A unique and compelling page-turner that readers will enjoy from start to finish.
- Reader to Reader
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The Anatomist's Wife
A Lady Darby Mystery
2013 RITA® Award Finalist
Scotland, 1830. Following the death of her husband, Lady Darby has taken
refuge at her sister's estate, finding solace in her passion for
painting. But when her hosts throw a house party for the cream of London
society, Kiera is unable to hide from the ire of those who believe her
to be as unnatural as her husband, an anatomist who used her artistic
talents to suit his own macabre purposes.
Kiera wants to put her past aside, but when one of the house guests is
murdered, her brother-in-law asks her to utilize her knowledge of human
anatomy to aid the insufferable Sebastian Gage-a fellow guest with some
experience as an inquiry agent. While Gage is clearly more competent
than she first assumed, Kiera isn't about to let her guard down as
accusations and rumors swirl.
When Kiera and Gage's search leads them to even more gruesome
discoveries, a series of disturbing notes urges Lady Darby to give up
the inquiry. But Kiera is determined to both protect her family and
prove her innocence, even as she risks becoming the next victim...
Read An Excerpt
Audio Books:
2013 RITA® Award Double Finalist in the categories Best First Book and Novel with Strong Romantic Elements
Winner of the NECRWA 2013 Readers' Choice Bean Pot Award for Mainstream with Romantic Elements
Winner of the WisRWA 2013 Write Touch Readers' Award Contest for Novel with Strong Romantic Elements
Finalist in the RWA Mystery and Suspense, Kiss of Death Chapter's 2013 Daphne du Maurier Awards in the category Historical Romantic Mystery/Suspense
Winner of the Colorado Romance Writers 2013 Award of Excellence Contest in the category Mainstream with Romantic Elements
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Praise For The Anatomist's Wife
Anna Lee Huber's spirited debut mixes classic country house mystery with a liberal dash of historical romance. Fans of Tasha Alexander and Agatha Christie rejoice! Lady Darby is an engaging new sleuth to follow and THE ANATOMIST'S WIFE is history mystery in fine Victorian style!
- Julia Spencer-Fleming - New York Times bestselling author of ONE WAS A SOLDIER
The Anatomist's Wife is a riveting debut. Huber deftly weaves together an original premise, an enigmatic heroine, and a compelling Highland setting for a book you won't want to put down. I cannot wait for the second installment of Lady Darby's adventures.
- Deanna Raybourn - New York Times bestselling author of THE DARK ENQUIRY
Anna Lee Huber has delivered a fast-paced, atmospheric and chilling debut featuring a clever heroine with a shocking past and a talent for detection. I'm already anticipating Lady Darby's next adventure.
- Carol K. Carr - author of the Madam of Espionage Series
Lady Darby is an unusual and romantic heroine, haunted by a deadly past and trying to be herself in a society that wants to silence her--and worse.
- Judith Rock - author of the Charles du Luc Series
Huber's protagonist is complex and likeable and the well-plotted mystery is filled with fascinating secondary characters. The setting is lavishly portrayed, yet the story's pace is not slowed by descriptions. You'll be engaged right to the end.
- RT Book Reviews
The Anatomist's Wife is mesmerizing, fantastically plotted with details and twists even the most avid mystery reader will fail to predict. Don't miss this one!
- Reader to Reader
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Secrets in the Mist
A Gothic Myths Novel
Read the 1st Chapter
In this spellbinding novel of romantic suspense, written in the tradition of Mary Stewart and Victoria Holt, the bestselling author of As Death Draws Near plunges readers into a world of secrets and deception hidden amongst the mist.
England 1812. Since the death of her mother and brother, Ella Winterton's life has been consumed by keeping her drunkard father out of trouble and the roof of their crumbling cottage over their heads. But even isolated deep in the Norfolk broads, Ella has never been afraid of the marshes surrounding her home, despite their being riddled with treacherous bogs and local smugglers. Until one night a man masquerading as a Lantern Man—a frightening figure of local legend—waylays her in the marshes near her home, and her world suddenly begins to spiral out of control.
Ella can tell her friends and the local villagers are all hiding something terrible, something they refuse to share, and she can't help but wonder if it has to do with the Lantern Man and his secret activities in the shadows of the seemingly quiet broads. But when Ella's father is caught with smuggled brandy by the authorities and levied a crippling fine, she is forced to turn to the stranger for help, despite her distrust and his alarming ability to kiss her senseless.
Now she must unravel a twisted trail of deception and secrets, and uncover once and for all whether the Lantern Man is friend or foe. Or else risk being dragged down into the marshes, like the victims from the myth, and buried in a watery grave.
Historical Note
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Praise For Secrets in the Mist
Calling all fans of Victoria Holt! Secrets in the Mist is a classic gothic with a Regency twist....
- Lauren Willig, New York Times bestselling author
Anna Lee Huber has delivered a classic Gothic novel full of suspense, rich setting and characterization, and romance. Readers of Victoria Holt and Mary Stewart will love it. The perfect book to curl up with alongside a rainy day and a cup of tea.
- Simone St James, author of Lost Among the Living
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The Deadly Hours
An Anthology
"In a Fevered Hour"
Lady Darby, Novella 4.75
A stellar line-up of historical mystery novelists weaves the tale of a priceless and cursed gold watch as it passes through time wreaking havoc from one owner to another. The characters are irrevocably linked by fate, each playing a key role in breaking the curse and destroying the watch once and for all.
From 1733 Italy to Edinburgh in 1831 to a series of chilling murders in 1870 London, and a lethal game of revenge decades later, the watch touches lives with misfortune, until it comes into the reach of one young woman who might be able to stop it for good.
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Praise For The Deadly Hours
Intriguing, full of suspense, and deliciously satisfying, The Deadly Hours is a fantastic read. I've long adored each of these authors' individual work; together, they're an unstoppable force.
- Tasha Alexander, New York Times bestselling author
A charming book. Four interconnected visits to a world of danger, wit, beauty and genuine romance. Treat yourself. Emerge refreshed, and smiling! I did.
- Anne Perry, International Bestselling Author
What a treat! Everyone loves a good "curse" story, and here are four of them, all together in one very clever bundle. I was wishing the curse could go on for another decade or two, just so I could read another story about it!
- Victoria Thompson, USA Today Bestselling author of MURDER ON PLEASANT AVENUE
A gold watch rumored to be cursed links the plots of the four novellas in this superior anthology.
- Publishers Weekly
A diverting weaving of historical mystery, intrigue, and superstition, creating a pleasing whole.
- Fresh Fiction
Readers will enjoy puzzling along with the protagonists... Fans of historical mystery will happily travel through time to follow Kearsley, Harris, Huber and Trent and the cursed watch they've invented.
- Shelf Awareness
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With a perfect blend of murder, mystery, history, romance, and powerful heroines, Huber has yet to disappoint. If you're a fan of historical fiction and you haven't put her on your permanent pre-order list, you've made a grave mistake that should be remedied immediately.
- Criminal Element
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