A Tarnished Canvas

A Tarnished Canvas (2025) Anna Lee Huber (Lady Darby #13)

Set in Edinburgh in 1833

Kiera and Sebastian are getting ready to celebrate Emma’s first birthday, with Kiera’s sister, Alanna doing much of the planning while Kiera finishes up the series of paintings she has been working on.

But when she receives a catalog for an upcoming auction, she knows she’ll have to fit it into her schedule.

Several names immediately leapt out at me, making my heart quicken with excitement. Raphael. Titian. Tintoretto. Veronese. Dürer. Rembrandt. Van Dyck. Rubens. The folded frontispiece even boasted an engraving of Titian’s Adoration of the Magi

Luckily, Sebastian is understanding.

Sometimes I wonder whether you love me or art more.”

Hearing the teasing note in his voice, I bantered back. “Must I choose?”

Unfortunately, a tragedy occurs and Kiera and Sebastian are caught up in it, which draws them into to the mystery of who was behind the tragedy–and why.

On the I would like to particularly note is how she deals with Kiera’s trauma response as the date of Emma’s birth draws closer.

I knew I was being ridiculous. Naturally, Gage was absorbed with the inquiry. All I needed to do was speak up and tell him I was troubled, and he would attend to me. I knew this, and yet the words stuck in my throat, stifled by my own insecurities.

That is such a true thing–knowing what is going on in your brain, yet being unable to do anything about it.

Bonnie Brock makes an appearance, and finally Kiera asks him why he doesn’t walk away from his life of crime.

His shoulders straightened. “Too many people rely on me.” He shook his head. “I canna fold.”

I fully appreciated then what a trap he’d constructed for himself. Yes, he’d committed terrible acts to get where he was. He continued to commit them. But his power also protected a great deal of people who could not protect themselves.

That’s is a hell of a quandry.

And in addition to the art, we get a glimpse at fashion.

(M)assive sleeves … were so en vogue, I could not escape them entirely and thus insisted they not be quite so expansive, nor the sleeve supports constructed of buckram and wire and filled with soft feathers tied beneath them be so large.

Sounds awful to me.

But the mystery and story were good and I enjoyed them very much.

Characters: Lady Kiera Darby, Sebastian Gage, Bree McEvoy, Anderley, Emma Gage, Lord Philip Cromarty, Lady Alana Cromarty, Trevor St. Mawr, Lord Henry Kerr, Lord Edward Kerr, Jeffers, Dr. Robert Graham, Sergeant Braden Maclean, Bonnie Brock Kincaid, Sir James Riddell, Alexander Smith, Barnard Rimmer, Reverend Jamieson, Mrs. Grady, Lord Eldin, Mr. Clerk, Mr. Winstanley, Lord Marsdale, Eleanor, Lady Caroline Dalmay, Lord Michael Dalmay, Brade Cranston, Jeremiah Birnam, Miss Matilda Birnam

Cover art by Larry Rostant

Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime

Rating: 8/10

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