A Brush with Shadows (Lady Darby Mystery, #6)

by Anna Lee Huber

[readingwithwrin]

Thank you to firsttoread for an e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

“There is a darkness that hovers over that house. A shadow that seems to touch every life that falls within its reach.”

With a big staff, some very private family members, and a possible murdered in their mist this book does not disappoint.

While this is the 6th book in the series and I haven't read any of the other ones. I can still say that it was easy to follow along with what had happened in the past for the most part.

A Brush with Shadow follows Sebastian Gage and Kiera Darby a newly married couple who also solve investigations together. This one happens to be very personal for Sebastian as it is his Cousin that is missing. With some bad blood between family members from fifteen years ago and them than keeping secrets from the couple, it's a bit of a bumpy ride at first. In fact, the first half of the book is slow because of how little information the couple has and them just getting re-acclimated with the house and what's happening in it now.
The second half though is so good, and I wish the first half had been more like it.
Kiera and Sebastian start getting the staff's support. The family stops treating them like an intrusion, and Kiera meets some of the locals who end up providing some much-needed information.

"I think sometimes I become so determined to find the truth that I become blinded to the affect that truth might have on others."

It was also interesting to see some of the local's superstitions about the moors. Between Pixie's and the rumor that a witch lives on the moors, it was an interesting ride. Needless to say like always they turned out to be nothing.

"It was always difficult to tell a person you genuinely liked, whom you wanted to believe, that you didn’t entirely trust them. "

Overall I did like this book for the most part. Keira and Sebastian are not your typical 1800's match. They choose each other, and married for love instead of convenience. Sebastien seems to not only respect Kiera, but also values her opinion on things. Kiera doesn't take anything from anyone, even when it does make people not very happy with her.
The mystery of why the cousin had left and if it was some big family 'curse' was fascinating to me and I could never figure out what was going on or who was causing what to happen.

I'm interested to see what the other mysteries were like now and I can't wait to see what Kiera and Sebastian get up to next.

"I’ve learned sometimes those who care the most also exhibit the gruffest demeanors. They simply don’t know how to express it.”