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A review by laurenjodi
Mortal Arts by Anna Lee Huber
4.0
Mortal Arts
4 Stars
Lady Kiera Darby travels with her sister and brother-in-law to Edinburgh, but is detoured to Dalmay by an urgent missive from Phillip’s aunt. It seems that Michael Dalmay, an old family friend, is soon to be wed to Phillip’s cousin. Unfortunately, the return of Michael’s older brother and the disappearance of a local girl put a pall on the wedding plans, and Kiera is forced to join forces once again with the enigmatic Sebastian Gage to uncover the truth.
An enjoyable sequel with engaging characters although the mystery is far too obvious.
Similar to Charles Todd’s A Duty to the Dead, Huber provides an accurate and heart-wrenching portrayal of battle fatigue albeit during a much earlier time period (Napoleonic War vs. WWI). Huber’s insight into the human mind as it struggles with the devastating aftermath of war and her descriptions of the terrible atrocities suffered by those afflicted with mental illness and confined to asylums in the 19th century adds a darker tone to the story and makes it impossible for the reader not to sympathize with William Dalmay’s suffering.
The mystery takes time to get going and although the eventual explanation is exceedingly disturbing it is also very predictable. The culprit is glaringly obvious from the start as is the motivation, and all that remains is following along as Kiera and Gage investigate and figure out the hows and the whys of it all.
Gage and Kiera’s relationship (one cannot quite call it a romance at this time) develops at a steady pace as more of Kiera’s past is revealed including her feelings of isolation as a young teen and the time she spent under her nefarious husband’s oppressive thumb. More details of Gage’s background are also provided and they go a long way toward explaining his actions in the previous book. Nevertheless, there are still many unanswered questions and it will be interesting to learn the answers.
Heather Wilds' narration is alright. Her accents are very good, but her pacing is off. She reads quite fast and there are times when the sentences seem to run together, i.e., she doesn't pause would she should at the end of a paragraph or a section of dialogue.
All in all, a well written and disturbing mystery with a touch of romance. Recommended for fans of Deanna Raybourn’s Lady Julia series.
4 Stars
Lady Kiera Darby travels with her sister and brother-in-law to Edinburgh, but is detoured to Dalmay by an urgent missive from Phillip’s aunt. It seems that Michael Dalmay, an old family friend, is soon to be wed to Phillip’s cousin. Unfortunately, the return of Michael’s older brother and the disappearance of a local girl put a pall on the wedding plans, and Kiera is forced to join forces once again with the enigmatic Sebastian Gage to uncover the truth.
An enjoyable sequel with engaging characters although the mystery is far too obvious.
Similar to Charles Todd’s A Duty to the Dead, Huber provides an accurate and heart-wrenching portrayal of battle fatigue albeit during a much earlier time period (Napoleonic War vs. WWI). Huber’s insight into the human mind as it struggles with the devastating aftermath of war and her descriptions of the terrible atrocities suffered by those afflicted with mental illness and confined to asylums in the 19th century adds a darker tone to the story and makes it impossible for the reader not to sympathize with William Dalmay’s suffering.
The mystery takes time to get going and although the eventual explanation is exceedingly disturbing it is also very predictable. The culprit is glaringly obvious from the start as is the motivation, and all that remains is following along as Kiera and Gage investigate and figure out the hows and the whys of it all.
Gage and Kiera’s relationship (one cannot quite call it a romance at this time) develops at a steady pace as more of Kiera’s past is revealed including her feelings of isolation as a young teen and the time she spent under her nefarious husband’s oppressive thumb. More details of Gage’s background are also provided and they go a long way toward explaining his actions in the previous book. Nevertheless, there are still many unanswered questions and it will be interesting to learn the answers.
Heather Wilds' narration is alright. Her accents are very good, but her pacing is off. She reads quite fast and there are times when the sentences seem to run together, i.e., she doesn't pause would she should at the end of a paragraph or a section of dialogue.
All in all, a well written and disturbing mystery with a touch of romance. Recommended for fans of Deanna Raybourn’s Lady Julia series.