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Book review: Mortal Arts by Anna Lee Huber

Mortal Arts - Anna Lee Huber

3.5 stars

Since most of us don't read the author's notes until the book is done, I found some info that I would have loved to have known at the start. Would have helped with the imagery of the two houses. 

The Dalmay House in Mortal arts was based on Dalmeny House, and the crumbling abandoned castle was based on Barnbougle Castle. There's also a short video taken of the old castle here on Youtube.

Now for the review.

"The ruins of Banbogle castle were not exactly a safe place."

Mortal Arts continues the story of Lady Kiera Darby begun in The Anatomist's Wife. Events bring Lady Kiera and family (sister, BIL and their kidlets) to Dalmay House. Kiera has always believed her old friend and art tutor, Michael Dalmay had died ten years ago, but she finds him very much alive and very much disturbed in the mind. Or is he disturbed in the mind? There's also a missing woman (or two or three) and Michael is the top of everyone's list of suspects.  No surprise, potential love interest Gage is back, so it's up to this intrepid pair to put two and two together and solve the mystery.

 

"That was when I heard the ominous crack, too loud to be bone on bone, or even a pistol retort."

I did like this a lot, and there were a few unexpected twists and turns at the end, but I did feel a bit bogged down at times, the guest list at Dalmay House was a bit too large and I lost track of who was who. It could have been me, since I was reading during the work week when my brain is more tired than on weekends when I get to sleep in. I was also hoping for more development in the relationship between Gage and Kiera, I was hoping for more than what we got it this one. There were some advancements, but not as much as I'd hoped for. Sigh. I'll just have to keep on waiting impatiently for the next installment.