I enjoyed the dynamic between Keira and Sebastian as always and I’m also really enjoying the addition if their daughter. The mystery was just complicated enough to keep the story moving quickly. I’m really having trouble caring about Sebastian’s father, but am really enjoying his newly discovered brother.
The inclusion of the Robin Hood mythology was an interesting addition.
I’m getting really tired of modern sensibilities creeping into historical fiction. While I agree that strides are being made and should be made in some areas in modern society, just once I would appreciate a true historical reaction instead of a modern one. Not everyone was accepting of alternative lifestyles and to have all our historical fiction characters accept these things without question lessens the struggles those represented had to overcome. Even a reaction of shock or confusion would be more true to the times. But that is my opinion.

The story is entertaining. The suspense and thrilling aspects of it keeps the readers intrigued with the story. The characters are terrific and real to the story. The book for me was very easy to read. The book also is a good page turner.

Kiera and Sebastian rush to see Sebastian's father, who was in an accident (turns out he was shot and saved by local surgeon Josiah Barker). Lord Gage and his son are at odds, and Kiera uses the presence of her nursing daughter to get the two men to talk civilly together.

After getting a rundown of the incident, Kiera realizes that not only was there an attempt on her father-in-law (unsurprising as he's terrible), but the people who waylaid him seemed to have information about him that only those, such as his family or staff, would know about him. Also, though he was shot, instead of a kill shot, Kiera' father-in-law was shot in his leg and he was not robbed, which is perplexing as this stretch of road is monitored by a local thief, which the local village thinks of as Robin Hood. They’re also unhappy that Kiera and Gage are asking questions of people.

Several people are keeping secrets, and Kiera's careful observation of the action around her helps to open people up, and also produce a rapprochement amongst the Gage men.

I stopped reading this series after book two because I found myself really disliking Sebastian Gage. I decided to read this to determine if that was a temporary aberration, or the way I was always going to feel about this character. I like Kiera, but that isn't enough to sustain interest in this series when I feel such antipathy for her love interest.

I also didn't really care about the interpersonal dynamics between the unkind, irascible father and his sons.

Regarding the historical details and the mystery:
-The historical information was great, and I liked learning about the Uprising of union men against the British government.
-The mystery wasn't particularly challenging as the culprit was pretty easy to figure out.

Will I return to earlier instalments? No. Will I keep reading this series? Most likely not.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Berkley Publishing Group for this ARC in exchange for my review.

It can be no surprise that this is another excellent book in the Lady Darby series. So far, all of the books in the series contain well constructed mysteries and intriguing characters. This time we get more of an understanding of Gage’s terrifying father.

This review is based on an advanced reader copy provided through Netgalley for my honest thoughts.

I probably would have enjoyed this book more had I read at least some of the previous ten in the series, especially since much of the plot revolves around long-standing family dynamics and drama. But this is on me, and I’m reminded why I rarely jump into an established series.

The story was entertaining enough, though I wasn’t wowed or even fully invested at any point. I’m not sure if it was me or the writing style, but I just didn’t feel much of an emotional connection to or between the characters.

In general, this is a plot-driven story, which seemed to rely on readers to already know the characters. So while you can essentially read this one as a stand-alone, I wouldn’t recommend it.

*Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for the eARC.*

<b>Kiera and Gage investigate the shooting of his father, in a village determined to keep its secrets</b>

Anna Lee Huber offers up another well-written historical mystery in her Lady Darby series featuring the intrepid investigators Kiera (formerly Lady Darby) and her husband, Sebastian Gage. The plot centers around an attack on Kiera’s father-in-law, Lord Gage, by a gang of highwaymen. Injured and bed-bound, Lord Gage is forced to sit on the sidelines while Sebastian and Kiera investigate. But their inquiries are stymied at every turn. The villagers seem curiously reluctant to talk about the robbers. Lord Gage is uncharacteristically reticent. And the local doctor and his wife may be hiding their own secrets…

While the mystery is challenging, the family relationships proved the real draw for me in this novel. Gage has a painful history with his father, and Kiera’s relationship with him is similarly fraught. Lord Gage is a complex man, difficult and controlling. The presence of Sebastian’s recently-discovered illegitimate brother, Henry, whom Lord Gage refuses to acknowledge, adds an additional layer of tension. Yet there are hints in this book that he has a softer side, though he hides it well. His delight in his infant granddaughter serves to humanize him, making me just a little more sympathetic to him despite his obfuscations and bluster… for Lord Gage, it seems, knows more about his attackers and their motives than he is willing to share. And there is more going on in the village of Wentbridge, and in the home of Dr. Barton (where the Gages are staying) than just a simple band of highwaymen.

The warmth and commitment of Kiera and Sebastian’s marriage provides a welcome contrast to the strained family relationships mentioned above. Add in the setting’s vague connection to Robin Hood, a more definite connection to the Yorkshire West Riding Revolt some years earlier, and the intriguing Dr. Barton and his wife, and the novel is quite compelling. I really enjoyed it, and of course, I can’t wait for the next Lady Darby mystery!

<b>4.5 stars</b>

Anna Lee Huber immerses us in a non stop Lady Darcy adventure in A Fatal Illusion. Her husband Sebastian Gage has brought them and his brother Henry to the side of Lord Gage who is almost fatally shot on a trip to Scotland. The family is staying with the local doctor as Lord Gage is treated; the village nearby has a group of highwaymen emulating Robin Hood. What is the connection? Will Lord Gage let his family know his own background, why he was attacked. Lots of family and local conflicts. England 1832 was a time of national conflicts; read and understand some of the causes.

A Fatal Illusion finally gives readers some answers when it comes to Sebastian's mysterious father. The mystery is best described as steady - the careful unfolding of clues allow the reader to put it together nicely. I continue to enjoy the character growth alongside the change of scene as Kiera and Gage find themselves trying to figure out who wouldn't want to kill his father? And why now?
As always, Huber deftly entwines historical fact with fiction so the reader doesn't realize how much they've learned until they're reflecting on it. A standout historical mystery series.

A Fatal Illusion is the 11th Lady Darby historical mystery by Anna Lee Huber. Released 20th June 2023 by Penguin Random House on their Berkley imprint, it's 368 pages and available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

Set in the 1830s in Scotland, this is a long running series with distinct and well rendered characters who are believably three dimensional. It's the 11th book in the series, but works well enough as a standalone. The author is quite adept (and prolific) and provides all necessary backstory in the narrative itself. Since it follows on from earlier books in the series, readers should be prepared to encounter spoilers if read out of order. The mystery and resolution are self contained in this volume however. The author is also familiar for her interwar British series, featuring Verity Kent. Both series are well written and enjoyable and surprisingly dissimilar from one another.

Lady Darby is more refined, more earnest, and more cerebral than Verity. Both are very well written and readable, but entirely different setting, time period, and atmosphere. This volume sees Lady Darby and her husband/partner Sebastian, as new parents, investigating an attempt on Sebastian's father's life. If the attempt wasn't robbery, was it politically motivated or are there secrets even Sebastian doesn't know about his father's relationships and dealings?

The unabridged audiobook has a run time of 10 hours 30 minutes and is capably narrated by series narrator Heather Wilds. She reads the characters distinctly and does a good job of differentiating the accents. Except for the dialogue (which she does competently), I found her voice unobtrusive and neutral, in a good way.

Four and a half stars. More than competently written, engaging, and cleverly constructed. It would be an excellent choice for public library acquisition or substantial binge/buddy read.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Thank you to Anna Lee Huber, Berkley, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. Also thank you to Yazmine Hassan for inviting me to participate in the blog tour; I'm sorry I didn't get my crap together in time to participate properly.

I had a great time revisiting the characters and learning more about the dynamics of the enigmatic Gage men. I don't understand Lord Gage and his condescension at all, not even after this book, but it sure was fun to watch him play with his baby granddaughter. The mystery wasn't quite as captivating as the family drama, but still intriguing. Overall another great addition to the series, though I do miss Bonnie Brock and sleuthing about London.

I love this book. The relationship between the two MC is very good and I like how they are moving forward i their lives. I liked the setting. The mystery kept me guessing.
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The eleventh installment of her Lady Darby mystery series shows Anna Lee Huber at her best. Kiera Darby and Sebastian Gage are brand-new parents when Sebastian's father nearly succumbs to a violent attack on the road to Scotland. As Lord Gage fights to survive, Kiera and Sebastian attempt to prevent further assaults by discovering who is responsible for this one. The attack may be politically motivated, as Lord Gage played a role in the passage of recent and controversial legislation. But he's a difficult man, so there's no lack of suspects. Huber deftly balances her protagonists' personal lives with their investigation, and—as always—depicts her setting and the novel's era with great skill; the result is a lively, thought-provoking, and beautifully crafted read.

This series just seems to get better and better.

Once again Gage and Kiera become embroiled in a mystery. This time, it's Gage's father who is injured with one of his traveling party killed. There don't seem to be many clues as to WHY this happened, until Lord Gage finally admits some inappropriate behavior from long ago. As Gage and Kiera, and Gage's newly found half-brother, dig deeper they realize that this goes back years to some circumstances that Lord Gage never wants anyone to know.

It was wonderful to see more of Emma and all of the helpful household staff than Gage and Kiera employ. I did not see the doctor twist at the end coming!! Masterful!

I love this series and look forward to each new book. Please keep them coming Ms. Huber.

Thanks to Kensington and Net Galley for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book. The review is my own.

A Fatal Illusion is book eleven in the Lady Darby series and it’s one that should definitely be read in order even if every book has its own mystery that’s solved by the end. There are ongoing relationships, the most important being the romance between Keira and Sebastian Gage, which had some bumps along the way but has been so worth it!

If you haven’t started the series, there are spoilers ahead.

In the last book at the end, Kiera and Sebastian receive news that Lord Gage, Sebastian’s father was attacked while on route to them to meet baby Emma. Not knowing exactly how bad the attack was, they make plans to leave in the morning and that’s where we pick up the story here.

They arrive in Yorkshire with Henry, Lord Gage’s illegitimate son he’s yet to acknowledge, and are invited to stay with the treating doctor and his wife. Lord Gage is scant on details, and when they question him on possible motives for the attack, he isn’t helpful. He butts heads with Sebastian and Kiera and is completely rude to Henry, and they even consider giving up the investigation, but as a young footman was murdered in the attack, they feel they at least owe it to him and his family to bring the attackers to justice.

I have to say for much of the story I could sympathize with Sebastian. He’s so frustrated and angry with his father, and rightly so given that he hid the fact he fathered another child, Sebastian’s half brother Henry, and didn’t bother to tell him and still refuses to acknowledge Henry. Lord Gage withholds information left and right, but by the end we do see a little bit of change and get some backstory that sheds some light on Lord Gage’s behavior. I was heartened to see Lord Gage’s interactions with baby Emma. Still, it’ll take some time to mend fences. The mystery wraps up satisfactorily. There’s also a surprise I sort of saw coming in regard to one character. Ms. Huber expounds on that storyline in a historical note, and it was based on a real-life account. Very interesting.

Every scene with baby Emma just warmed my heart! Ms. Huber captures some of the very touching aspects of babies and parenthood perfectly!

A Fatal Illusion was another winning installment that captured and held my attention from page one! I think any fan of historical mysteries would enjoy this stand-out series!

I received this book for free from Netgalley. That did not influence this review.

The latest installment in Anna Lee Huber’s regency mystery series, A Lady Darby Mystery, has just been released. A Fatal Illusion combines carefully crafted mystery with multilayered family drama, all in a well-researched historical setting. This is the eleventh novel (with an additional novella in the middle of the series) and these books continue to satisfy.

Kiera (Darby) Gage and husband Sebastian have solved many mysteries in the past. He is a government inquiry agent (like his father, Lord Gage) and she is a very intuitive woman with a knowledge of anatomy and medicine gained from her first husband, a surgeon. That knowledge was acquired against her will. (Start with book one, The Anatomist’s Wife, for the full backstory.)

They are now new parents. Kiera hopes that their daughter will help to smooth over the fractious relationship between her husband and his father, a relationship that is even more strained now that Sebastian has discovered the existence of a half-brother, Henry, that his father kept secret. Henry and Sebastian had intended to meet up with Lord Gage but they received word that he had been attacked by highwaymen and seriously injured while en route. They make a detour to Yorkshire, where Lord Gage is now recuperating in a surgeon’s home in Yorkshire.

It soon becomes apparent that this was no ordinary robbery. Someone targeted Lord Gage. Someone who wished him dead. Kiera and Sebastian have to figure out who, and why – with very little help from Lord Gage, who has reasons for wanting to keep the attackers’ motives secret.

The novel is set in 1832 and utilizes the political events of the times to create a believable, intriguing plot. The well-developed supporting cast helps carry the storyline. This series continues to be one of my favorites.

This eleventh installment in the stellar Lady Darby mystery series finds intrepid Kiera and her love Sabastian Gage, along with their maid Bree, valet Anderly, nanny, and Gage’s brother Henry, running to Gage’s injured father’s side. Lord Gage has been attacked by highwaymen and is convalescing at the local doctor’s home. Gage finds his father to be as difficult as ever, but they must find those who injured Lord Gage and killed one of his footmen. Of course, they face danger as they sort through suspects and motives.

A FATAL ILLUSION really delves into the family dynamics of the Gages, and it is interesting to learn more about Lord Gage and how his experiences molded him into the hard, judgmental man he is. Kiera is as astute and smart as ever, and I feel so much for what Gage and Henry are going through with their father. I enjoyed meeting new characters and watching recurring characters grow.

The mystery of Lord Gage’s attack is well drawn and executed. Yes, the middle of the book becomes a bit repetitive, but it is well worth the read. I did suspect one character’s involvement and motive, but this did not detract from my enjoyment of the story. However, I was gobsmacked by one of revelations form the investigation. I look forward to seeing how the Gages’ relationships progress from here.

I really enjoyed A FATAL ILLUSION. I think new readers could follow the story just fine, but I do highly suggest reading the other books in the series first to fully appreciate the characters’ past and growth. I recommend A FATAL ILLUSION to any historical fiction/romance/cozy reader. I cannot wait to read the next installment.

I received an ARC from Berkley and the author and voluntarily shared ny thoughts here.

Anna Lee Huber has written another fine mystery, #11 in the Lady Darby series, with her signature superb historical research, characters we've grown to love (married couple Sebastian and Kiera with their new baby Emma), and a puzzle involving Sebastian's father, Lord Gage, attacked during an apparent highway robbery. While this can be read solo, it helps to catch up with the previous titles to get full pleasure from the series and a sense of how much the core characters have grown. Recommended!

Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie

Some of the things I love about this novel include a remarkably complex mystery, living history presented in descriptive prose, and brilliant, engaging protagonists. The living history vibrantly demonstrates a setting of villages, gardens, and vistas, political changes, period clothing, architectural and artistic details, and foods – a feast for the senses. I looked up several things to better understand the scenes and noted the authenticity of each. The Author’s Note shares real people and other pertinent background.

Kiera, her husband Sebastian Gage, their infant, Emma, and several others were visiting her brother when Gage received a brief missive from her father-in-law’s valet. Lord Gage had been attacked and severely injured. They quickly headed to Wentbridge, in Yorkshire. Lord Gage had been going towards their home in Scotland to meet his first granddaughter when attacked by highwaymen. It took several days before they reached the home of the surgeon whose care Lord Gage was in.

Thankfully, Lord Gage was alive. The surgeon, Dr. Barker, and his wife invited them and their servants to stay as they had sufficient space to accommodate everyone. Dr. Barker insisted it would be safer than staying at an inn, since Emma was so young. Kiera was especially relieved; there had been a cholera outbreak recently.

Lord Gage had been shot in the thigh and severely beaten. His wound became infected and, had he not ingested light foods between the surgery and fever, he would not have survived. His footman, Gregory, was shot and killed in the attack.

Gage and Kiera had a barely cursory relationship with his father until late last year. He was obnoxious, overbearing, and had no kind words for his family. Last year they learned about Gage’s half-brother Henry, who Lord Gage wanted nothing to do with. It was quite a surprise that the baron wanted to meet his tiny granddaughter, especially since he hadn’t contacted them about visiting them.

The surgeon cautioned them of the risks of too much excitement or movement before they saw Lord Gage. Unable to get out of bed, the former Royal Navy officer still had a spark of fire in his eyes, especially when he met Emma. The older man’s expression softened to affection, almost reverence. Neither Kiera nor Gage had ever seen this side of him. At his request, Kiera sat on the side of the bed with Emma. Instead of barking out orders as he usually did, he asked if he could hold Emma until he tired.

After Lord Gage retired from the Royal Navy, he became a gentleman’s inquiry agent, similar to today’s private investigators. He had enough connections to help even those in highest government levels. Gage began to assist him and proved successful enough to be on his own. He and Kiera often worked together. Rather than rely on the local constable, Gage, with help from Kiera, Henry, and three of their trusted servants, would look into the murder and attempted murder.

Lord Gage claimed he didn’t know anyone who would try to kill him or why, but they know he’s hiding something. The people in the village only talk of how this is the area where Robin Hood had been rumored to steal from the rich. An imitator of Robin Hood with his Merry Men is operating again since times have been hard for most folks. Even if that were true, Robin Hood never harmed or killed anyone; the attackers had refused to take Lord Gage’s money when he offered it!

Having read several books of the series, I am acquainted with Kiera’s past, and have great respect for her. Each character is three dimensional; I do like Kiera best, then Bree, Gage, and Henry. I appreciate how each one continues to grow and change, including Anderley and Bree. Whether Lord Gage will ever change is anyone’s guess.

I enjoy the realistic conversations between characters. The mystery always has priority to the novel, challenging as it is with Lord Gage hiding inconvenient pieces of truth, especially after two attempts are made at the surgeon’s home. One local was finally willing to tell them who to look at, giving me more ideas. I had only one real suspect, but it wasn’t possible for that person to have done everything alone. I was certainly surprised at parts of the outcome of the mystery and attempts for family reconciliation, and very pleased overall. I am looking forward to their next adventure! I highly recommend this fully-engaging historical novel.

I am addicted to historical fiction mysteries and this is one of my very favorite series. I have listened to them all on audible and intend to listen to this one as well.

Although this could be read as a stand alone, I would highly recommend starting at the beginning. Each book gets better and better and with the author's historical knowledge, it seems you are there with the characters!

So excited to see Kiera and Sebastian now have had their baby, and this one is about Lord Gage, who has been a pain and conspirator in this series.

I can only say, please write faster as I adore this series!!

1832 Yorkshire. While travelling Lord Gage has been attacked by highwaymen resulting in a serious injury and his footman, Gregory Reed, dead. In response Gage, Lady Kiera and Lord Henry travel to Wentbridge. Due to the unrest in the country is the attack politically motivated or more personal. Gage and Kiera investigate.
An entertaining historical mystery with its likeable characters. Another good addition to this enjoyable series.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.