Book Review Club: A Brush with Shadows by Anna Lee Huber

A Brush with Shadows
Lady Darby Mystery #6
by Anna Lee Huber
Audiobook narrated by Heather Wilds

Brush with Shadows cover

In this mystery, Keira, Lady Darby and her new husband Sebastian Gage are called to his ancestral home in Dartmoor to solve the mystery of his cousin’s disappearance. Alfred is heir to the viscountcy, and the old Lord Tavistock is gravely ill. Everyone from Sebastian’s grandfather to his younger cousin Rory seems to be witholding information, and the two sleuths have a frustrating time of it. Was someone poisoning Alfred? Or was the family curse to blame? And what part did the beautiful herbalist, Lorna Galloway, whom Rory calls a witch, play in the disappearance.

The denouement is a long time coming, but for once I successfully deduced who the villain was.

I really enjoy this series, and Wilds narration is wonderful, though I did miss the Scottish accents that were so prevalent in the first four books. In this book, only Keira’s maid is Scottish.

Written in the tradition of the Gothic mystery, Huber makes full use of the gloomy old house and the brooding, changeable terrain and weather of the treacherous moor. Well written, atmospheric and full of family drama. Fun to read or listen to.

Anatomist's Wife coverOther books in this series are:
The Anatomists’s Wife, Book 1
Mortal Arts, Book 2
A Grave Matter, Book 3
A Study in Death, Book 4
As Death Draws Near, Book 5

Click to see my reviews of the first three books in the series.

As always, click on the graphic below for more great reviews in Barrie Summy’s Book Review Club.

Linda

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@Barrie Summy

Ste. Chappelle, Paris: A Gem of a Church #TuesdayTravels

Tuesday Travel buttonAfter viewing Notre Dame, we crossed the river and strolled a bit, but the area was very crowded, so we crossed the Seine again to the Île de la Cité to look for Ste. Chappelle. It’s a bit hard to locate, tucked in behind the Palais de Justice, i.e. the courthouse. You can see the Gothic spire above the modern (mid-19th century) building.

ste chappelle spire

Roof and Spire of Ste. Chappelle seen above Palais de Justice

Here’s a better photo from Deposit Photos:

St. Chappelle, Paris

St. Chappelle, Paris, France – © apinpornb@gmail.com

Ste. Chappelle is a royal chapel built by Louis IX in the 1240s. It truly is a gem of a church, with gorgeous stained glass windows wherever the eye wanders. I think it’s the prettiest small church I’ve ever seen, at least on the inside.

vintage engraving

Sainte-Chapelle in Paris, France, vintage engraved illustration. Dictionary of words and things – Larive and Fleury – 1895.–© Morphart

After basking in the heavenly glow of the main chapel, we took the stairs to another room above which was equally beautiful. Unfortunately the light was dimmer and I was unable to get a photo. To my disappointment, I was unable to find a recognizable photo of the upstairs room at Deposit Photos where I get my licensed stock photos. However I did find a lovely image of a vintage engraving that shows what the chapel looked like before it was surrounded by the Palais de Justice.

Hope everyone is having a good December.

Linda