Anna Lee Huber - A Bitter Cut

July 1833. Lady Darby and her dashing husband, Sebastian Gage, are settling into their newly renovated home at Bevington Park in Warkwickshire with their young daughter. With the breach between them and Sebastian’s father recently healed, they've agreed to help host a country house party for friends and family to share in their joy. Kiera is also anxious to help promote a match between her brother, Trevor, and the woman he’s fallen in love with, inviting her family to join them. However, Kiera swiftly discovers that the would-be bride’s family is not without their detractions. Her brother is unpleasant. Her mother is abrasive. And her father—the prosperous industrialist Jeremiah Birnam—is brusque, discourteous, and, at times, downright rude.
So when Mr. Birnam’s secretary is found murdered with Birnam standing over her body, many are content to allow him to take the blame. But neither Kiera nor Sebastian believes he did it, and in spite of his bluster and boorish behavior, they can’t let an innocent man be hung for another’s crime. Unfortunately, Birnam had his fair share of enemies at the house party, and any one of them might have struck out at his secretary in order to get to him. It's up to Kiera and Sebastian to uncover the truth and salvage Birnam’s reputation. As the couple slowly inches their way closer to the truth and threats emerge against their loved ones, Kiera begins to fear that the price of solving the crime may mean sacrificing her brother’s future happiness.

Comment: This is the 14th installment in the Lady Darby series, one I have buddy read with a friend for months now. Of course, we would want to read this one too.

Kiera and Sebastian and their daughter are staying with Sebastian's father while he hosts a house party. Kiera took the opportunity to invite the Birnams, the family of Matilda, the woman her brother Trevor hopes to marry, but she quickly realizes what a mistake it was since mr Birnam is very obnoxious and only interested in discussing a certain bill. Mrs Birnam is also unpleasant and Kiera fears the problems if Trevor and Matilda ever marry, but all this takes second place when mr Birnam's secretary is found murdered. No question that Sebastian and Kiera will investigate but will everyone be ready for what they find?

What else can I say about these books that I haven't already, in terms of positive aspects? For me, the books remain consistent, appealing, and the only things I'd change are related to personal preferences and little things that would make the story flow more easily. That aside, it was like seeing friends again.

I think the author achieved the perfect balance in this series in regards to mix a crime to be investigated in a time period without modern devices, and in presenting us with recurrent characters that we care about and want to see happy. Sometimes, one element or the other takes over but here, in my opinion, everything seems to be suitable placed together. I'm quite glad that this installment maintained this trend.

The crime being investigated seems simple when they learn that the secretary, a young woman, which is unusual, wasn't liked by Mrs Birnam and her son. Matilda seemed ambivalent and only mr Birnam defended her in front of others, a situation that caused enough gossip. I thought the most obvious explanation would be too easy and, in fact, it was. The way the situation is finally explained at the end is actual quite simple and, as always, thoughtful conversations would avoid a lot, but of course that part of the fun is seeing things develop.

There is also an interesting segment regarding the possible marriage between Trevor, who is Kiera's younger brother, and Matilda. It seems the couple is in love and interested in being together but it also becomes obvious that her parents don't seem that happy and believe she would aim higher in terms of finding someone titled, something Trevor cannot have. I think the undercurrents about this were an interesting comparison to Kiera and Sebastian's own relationship, especially before they married, and to the other relationships we get to see here.

In a way, a very good element in these books is precisely the constancy and the confirmation that the difficulties Kiera and Sebastian went through before they go their HEA is validated by how happy and in tune they still are. It might seem boring to some, but to me this a wonderful element and I hope the author keeps up with it. Since it seems there is one more book, at least, coming out next year, I can't wait to see what comes next.

Grade: 8/10