A Tarnished Canvas
Lady Darby Mystery #13
By Anna Lee Huber
ISBN 9780593639436
Author’s website: annaleehuber.com
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie
Lady Kiera Darby had planned to spend the winter practicing her painting, but instead, she must find the flaw in a killer’s masterpiece when an art auction results in one participant’s final bid.…
March 1833. Kiera and her husband, Sebastian Gage, have decided to settle in Edinburgh for the winter with their infant daughter. This also allows Kiera to enjoy long hours painting in her studio, making progress on the portraits she soon hopes to unveil in her own exhibit. She’s thrilled when she receives an invitation to the auction of the late Lord Eldin’s coveted art collection, and she and Gage eagerly accept. When the floor collapses beneath the gathering, killing one of their fellow bidders, Kiera and Gage are lucky to escape with their lives.
Within days it becomes apparent that what at first seemed to be a terrible accident is actually something far more nefarious. Someone deliberately compromised the integrity of the structure, though the police are unsure of the culprit’s aim. Sergeant Maclean requests Kiera and Gage’s assistance in figuring out who would wish to harm the bidders. As they dig deeper, it becomes increasingly apparent that the victim was not the killer’s intended target . . . and that Kiera was lured to the auction deliberately. Kiera and Gage must utilize all their resources to unveil a monster willing to risk the lives of dozens of bystanders to achieve their ends. But they’re on the verge of making a dire miscalculation. For one of the cleverest tricks in a painter’s repertoire is the art of misdirection, and their eyes have been drawn far from the gravest danger.
Review:
It was refreshing to join Sebastian, Kiera, and infant Emma Gage in Edinburgh in early spring. Sebastian, nicknamed Gage, has not had a new inquiry to work on for months, and is eager for something to do. This is the first time I recall reading that gentlemen could only enjoy certain hobbies, and his woodworking in quiet times was on the edge of being acceptable.
Kiera, formerly Lady Darby, is a talented artist and a collector. She turned down several portrait commissions in the past year while preparing for her own exhibit. She received a costly printed catalog of art and collectibles to be auctioned, starting the next day. She and Gage went on the second day to give herself time to choose what pieces she might bid on from the estate. The home of the deceased was full of interested bidders. The Gages saw the extent of the remarkable collection, but the painting Kiera desired would be auctioned the next day. They returned the third day to find even more hopeful bidders.
During the auction, they heard a loud noise, felt the floor shake, then give way. Many, including Kiera and Gage, slid into the hole, along with furniture, wood, and plaster. It was essential for the terrified people to escape the locked room to avoid suffocation from the thick lime and dust. There were few serious injuries, but Mr. Smith, partner in a banking firm, died.
The floor collapse was thought to be caused by a material flaw compounded with the weight of many people in the small auction area. Gage’s valet recalled a church in nearby Kirkcaldy with a similar accident several years earlier. On a very full Sunday evening service, the gallery of the church collapsed, killing around two dozen people and injuring many more.
The following day, Sergeant Maclean of the Edinburgh city police visited the Gages. The morning paper stated that the floor collapse was an accident, but he told them that a joist supporting the floor had been cut almost all the way through. He hoped the Gages would help him with the inquiry. The motive and the intended victim were unknown, as was how anyone even accessed that room below, kept locked at the heir’s demand. An inventory showed that the only apparent theft was the swap of several valuable coins replaced with much less pricy ones.
The characters are defined with excellence, including sufficient backstory where necessary. Kiera has always been my favorite, and her lady’s maid, Bree, is also a favorite. Bonnie Brock Kincaid, leader of Edinburgh’s largest gang, is always interesting. For unknown reasons, he was concerned for Kiera, often bringing her information they need, and had, once, even saved the lives of Kiera and Gage.
I always appreciate Historical Notes, especially in Scotland. It is enlightening to learn what inspires an author to build their novel around a central theme, including the nature of a crime, and any real-life people. The author also has to live that time frame in their mind to not accidentally utilize modern methods or tools. There are rich descriptions of early spring, the architecture and décor of various structures, and current fashions.
Gage and Kiera were getting close to solving the mystery when attempts were made on Kiera’s life. They also read a warning that another collapse was imminent in Edinburgh, on Easter, just days away. They have to determine which of at least fifty churches in Edinburgh has been sabotaged.
The resolutions to the crimes were astounding. The author again surprised me in almost every area, from the coins to the joist destruction to the threat of more destruction and who was behind it. No loose ends remained at the end of the novel, and I look forward to the next novel in the series! I highly recommend this historical mystery and series, especially to those who appreciate the early Victorian era.
