"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."

Is it weird that I already know a lot about the Anatomy Act of 1832?

I received a copy of this title from the publisher; all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. A Fatal Illusion is the latest title in the now long running Lady Darby series and as such may not work as a standalone for some readers. A Fatal Illusion finds Gage and Kiera traveling to the bedside of Gage's father after he is shot following what appears to be a coach robbery gone wrong. Once they arrive and talk to Lord Gage, the robbery explanation doesn't make sense given prior victims weren't harmed in the robbery. It quickly becomes apparent that something from his past may be the cause of Lord Gage's injuries, but he is less than helpful. Gage and Kiera find themselves with several suspects and racing to figure out who is behind the attack when a series of events suggest that the culprit isn't done with Lord Gage. I always enjoy titles in this series and think that the series still feels fresh which is often not the case once a series starts to reach double digit titles. This one is no exception with the mystery well done; this is a side mystery inspired by real history that I was actually able to easily figure out being familiar with story. I hope that we continue to get new Lady Darby books for many years to come.

I confess that the last couple of installments in the Lady Darby series felt a little flat for me, but I'm very pleased to report that this one was a return to form. Most of that was due to Huber anchoring a significant portion of the story in the conflicted emotions at the heart of the Sebastian/Lord Gage/Kiera/Henry relationships. The fraught dynamics between the ever-disapproving Lord Gage and his sons (one of whom is illegitmate and a longheld secret) and daughter-in-law are juicy and worth plumbing, and Huber really dives into them in "Illusion". I'm very interested in seeing how things continue to develop in the next book or two, with the corners that were turned in this one.

Huber's historical details also really shine in "Illusion" -- I was halfway through the book before I recognized the allusions to a particular historical figure re: one of the novel's new characters, and enjoyed much conspiratorial chuckling to myself as further clues were peppered in and my suspicions were confirmed.

All in all, "A Fatal Illusion" isn't one to recommend to brand new readers. Too much previous knowledge of the characters and relationships is needed to fully appreciate this book. But for longtime fans, this is a really solid outing for Kiera and Sebastian, and further proof that marriage and parenthood has yet to dull them (either as investigators or as compelling characters).

Kiera and Gage race to his father's side, baby Emma in tow, after hearing the elder Gage was attacked and his footman killed by highwaymen on the road to Edinburgh, not far from the legendary Sherwood Forest of Robin Hood fame. Rather than wait for the parish constables to stumble their way through an investigation, Kiera and Gage step in to hasten justice. Their curiosity is further piqued when they learn that the bandits were well organized and stole nothing of value, even when offered, An inquiry man and politician, Lord Gage has plenty of enemies, but what was the purpose of this attack if nothing was stolen and Lord Gage wasn't killed outright?

Answers are slow to come, and Kiera and Gage learn that the bandits share their ill-gotten gains widely during tough economic times, not unlike the infamous Robin Hood, thereby ensuring the locals' loyalty. The inquiry is complicated further by Lord Gage's tempestuous relationship with both of his sons, making him less than forthcoming when asked why others from his past might hold a grudge. Even those who offer the investigators help are less than fully honest. It takes the whole team's sleuthing skills to untangle these threads, and yet once the criminals are captured, the reveals keep coming.

The weaving of fact and fiction is expertly executed here, with historical events, legislation, and individuals adding fantastic depth to the narrative. A heavy emphasis on Lord Gage's difficult family relationships slow the building momentum, but the twists and turns that follow, even after the bandits are caught, will keep you turning pages until the very end.

Finally! We learn more about Lord Gage, Sebastian's father, who constantly pokes his nose in his son's life. When Lord Gage is attacked, Gage, Kiera, Henry, and crew ride to his side to protect him and investigate. Of course Lord Gage clams up. Of course he obstructs their investigation. Sebastian is a slow burning fuse that is about to explode over his father's treatment of him, of his mother, of Kiera, and of his newfound brother. Gage's usual cool intellect and good sense are completely overcome and it is up to Kiera to calm the waters so the culprits can be found. This is another complicated and thrilling installment.

I don't think I will ever be tired of this series! I know it has to end eventually, but I hope not too soon. Anna Lee Huber has written a really good mystery for this installment.
Lord Gage has been shot, that's the extent of what Kiera and Sebastian know before arriving on the Great North Road to Yorkshire. They fear the worst, even with relations between Sebastian and his father strained as they are. Henry (Gage's newly revealed half-brother), Keira, and Gage all find themselves investigating the attempt on Lord Gage's life. They know he has no shortage of enemies, but who could have done this?
I was entralled from the start and so excited to finally learn about some of the secrets Lord Gage has long been keeping. Once more the author paints a beautiful landscape and setting with the most lush details. You can almost feel the breeze. What I enjoyed most was actually everyone's interactions with little Emma. The baby provided some lovely quiet moments throught the novel, which made the exciting parts even better.

Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC of this!

An entire book with Lord Gage was tiring but I'm glad to finally learn more about him and make some hedgeway with their relationship with them. Him and Emma were super cute. I am tired of being in the country though, I hope the next one is in the city (or with more known people). I also need more on Bree and Anderly, though I have been enjoying this slow progression I feel like I'm not sure where they're at.

"A Fatal Illusion" is a mystery set in 1832 in England. It is the 11th book in a series. It can be read as a standalone, but it'll probably be the most meaningful to those who've read at least some of the series. That's because much of the story was about Sebastian, Kiera, and Henry's strained relationship with Lord Gage. I thought the author did a good job showing how Kiera tried to understand what motivated others and have a good relationship with them even though still feeling hurt, frustrated, and such with them. The main characters were complex, well-developed, and acted realistically.

Kiera, Sebastian, Henry, and their servants investigated who attacked Lord Gage. It didn't help that Lord Gage hid critical information about his past. Kiera's crew uncovered clues, followed up on them, and steadily sorted out the bad guys and figured out their motive. While the main characters were unconventional for their time, overall, the story felt historically accurate and brought out some interesting details about the place and past events.

There were no sex scenes or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this mystery to fans of the series.

Lady Keira and husband Sebastian Gage rush to his father's bedside after he is wounded. A complicated family, a gang of later day Robin Hood's and revenge weave a wonderful story

I have to call this Lady Darby's angry book. I have never like Lord Darby and he set the tone for this book. It seems as though everyone is angry at someone, or specifically at Lord Darby. The mystery itself is intriguing. I felt for Gage and Henry, who both seemed to be in perpetual emotional pain. The only person Lord Gage was nice to was Baby Emma. Kiera tried to repair the emotions, but they are almost unfixable having continued for too long.

This is a long running series and best read in order. I hope Henry finds happiness. There is a solution, though I wouldn't call it an HEA.

Many thanks to Anna Lee Huber, Yasmine Hassan, and Penguin Random House for a free copy in exchange for an honest review. And so it is.

This book had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. It was so good to have an answer as to why Gage's and Henry's father is the way he is and learning his backstory. The author's descriptions make the movie playing in my mind as I read so beautiful and vivid. Anna Lee Huber is a master storyteller. I love the historic places she takes us to and describes, and the interesting individuals she comes up with (the doctor, for one, in this book). And the metaphors she uses. I just love this series, and this book. I am looking forward to the next book being set in Cornwall!

In this latest entry in the series, Lady Darby and her husband Sebastian (and his unacknowledged half-brother) rush to the town where Sebastian's father was ambushed and severely injured on his way to visit them. There's a lot to work through - Lord Gage's past has caught up to him in more ways than one, and the setting provides an ingenious way to both force him to deal with the pain he has inflicted on his sons, and to give more backstory and motivation to his character.

Kiera and Sebastian get word that Lord Gage and his party have been attacked by a band of highwaymen, and that he is recuperating at the home of a local surgeon. They take their infant daughter, her nanny, and servants Bree and Anderley, to the surgeon's home. Sadly, one of Lord Gage's party was killed, and strangely, he was not robbed. Sebastian believes his father know more about the reasons for the attack than he is revealing. Is there perhaps a grudge for some past misdeed? Some dark secret in his past? Sebastian and Kiera, with the invaluable assistance of Bree and Anderley, attempt to find out. This series just keeps getting better--I recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction with a strong female protagonist, but suggest that the books be read in order. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This is the 11th in the Lady Darby series - they only seem to get better. Gage’s father is attacked on the road on his way to see his new granddaughter. The crew, including Henry who Lord Gage refuses to acknowledge, must solve the mystery of who attacked him. The tension between the irascible Lord and his children is exacerbated by him refusing to tell the truth about his attack.
Thanks Netgalley for the chance to read this.

While the writing is never spectacular and the books’ quality is uneven from novel to novel, i still enjoy them. This was a really good one, and I appreciated the setting and character development, as well as the unexpected twists in the end.

This was another fantastic book in this series! I really enjoy watching Kiera and Sebastian investigate these cases, and this was another where it was personal, because his dad was the one that was targeted. And it was such a great read!

The pair have always had a difficult relationship with Lord Gage. He's got an image of what he'd like his son's life to be, no matter what Sebastian wants, and it's caused plenty of conflict. While this attack happened when he was coming up to see Emma for the first time, it's also the first time that they've seen each other in person after finding out about how he cheated, and has a son that he won't recognize.

We got to see another side of him in this book, he was injured, and that's a weakness, and he can't stand weakness. But there's also Emma, who's adorable. I really enjoyed getting to know him more, to find out why he's so hard and not great at relationships!

The case was interesting, they're in a small town that claims that it's where Robin Hood had his adventures, and there's a current band of Merry Thieves going on right now-which complicates matters with the attack, because the methods are different, but the townsfolk want to protect the group, because times have been tough recently. So that was pretty difficult. I loved how it turned out!

I loved reading this book, and I can't wait for whatever comes next!

A very interesting read with a lot of great historical details! The characters were well done and the setting was amazing. A must read for historical fiction fans!