I’m a historical fiction fanatic. More specifically, the murder mystery side of historical fiction. I can and will read other historical fiction books but my heart lies with the slightly gruesome, dark, immersive worlds of sleuthing and investigating while in polite society. The Anatomist’s Wife by Anna Lee Huber ticks so many boxes for me and let me convince you that it will tick every box you’ve got too.

I’ve been reading a lot of regency-era murder mysteries in the last few years. Deanna Raybourn, C.S. Harris, and Andrea Penrose have been my top three from what I recall (there are many books in each author’s collection so the titles and storylines have become a little jumbled in my head by throughly enjoyable nevertheless). With these books though, I couldn’t quite get the right balance. The female protagonists are all uniquely established, from Veronica Speedwell with her charismatic and adventurous personality to Charlotte Sloane with her secrets and past shrouded in mystery and death. Even Hero, the woman more than compatible with Sebastian St. Cyr and all his glory, wasn’t quite reaching all the points I was looking for in a murder mystery heroine. Kiera Darby, on the other hand, has it all in my eyes. A past shrouded in death, horror, and intense social scrutiny. Her background isn’t unique but her family ties and relationships certainly set her apart and not because she’s secretly royalty. There’s a strong sense of family and love that I haven’t seen in other reads that I really appreciate. I think I’ve read too many female protagonists who don’t have close family they can rely on and love.

Something that immediately drew me to this books (and kept me engaged in the series) is the environment. With the three previously mentioned series they’ve all been set primarily in London – there’s nothing wrong with regency-era London as a setting but when it’s the sole location for everything you read within this sub-genre it becomes repetitive and boring. We are in Scotland, specifically the Scottish Highlands for this book, and we get all the comes with the territory; dark natural setting, the gloomy weather, the Scottish brogue to bring the tension and characterisations more authenticity and depth, and a culture that hold more traditions and interest than the stuffy English galas and social politics. Again, there’s nothing wrong with the more English-centric norms and celebrations, but this is a nice change.

Now, I know some people aren’t focused on this with their historical fiction, but I do have to mention it. The relationships in this book are great. We have established, healthy relationships. We have new budding relationships. The man of interest in this series has me thanking all the writing gods for he isn’t a dark, broody boy. He’s got blond hair and blue eyes and he’s not a reincarnation of every love interest I’ve read across the board in the last three years. Sebastian Gage has layers to him and he’s such an interesting, receptive character in my opinion. He’s like Wrexford from the Andrea Penrose books but better.

One thing that is brought up in other books but isn’t a focal point so to speak is the societal pressures and norms of the time and what happens to those who break that norm, whether it’s their actions or someone else’s. There’s something about Kiera and her experiences that really hit home with me and I found myself genuinely believing that her reactions to what was being said and done to her was normal. We have past actions, the consequences of those actions, and Kiera living through the aftermath. There’s a harshness to this series with how the other characters think and act towards Kiera unlike in other series I’ve read so far. It’s darker, more intense and certainly more gut-wrenching.

Then we have the mystery itself. I’m a fan of the more “realistic” depictions when it comes to these stories. I don’t want fanciful drama and theatrics with my mystery, I was human detail. I want authentic responses to things, whether they are to seeing or hearing specific things, feeling drawn to or repelled by the murder. The significance and pressure to answer these questions and find the culprit and not just because it’s a fun thing to do. For me, the senses need to be utilised to really immerse me in the tale and the voice of the character needs to be in harmony with their way of life.

This story brings everything together with such a stunning, page-turning suspense that I really enjoyed. I highly recommend historical fiction lovers give this book a chance. I assure you, you will not be disappointed. The Anatomist’s Wife is truly spectacular!