I’ve been wondering for some time now when we will get some explanation in regards to the way Lord Gage speaks of and treats his family. He has been such a prevalent character in the latter half of the series and it seems strange the murkiness surrounding such backstory would be pushed back time and time again. Alas, in A Fatal Illusion, the eleventh book in Anna Lee Huber’s Lady Darby Mystery series, we have our answers.

Lord Gage is a character I have both detested and felt sympathy for in recent stories for its evident that he is lonely and does not know how to express himself in a means that shows any wisp of emotion. In saying that, he reminds me of the worst aspects of Kiera and Sebastian so I cannot feel too kindly towards him. As the story progresses, one which I will admit is a little familiar but nevertheless an easy to follow tale, we get the glimpses into the mind of Lord Gage and the feelings he hasn’t been able to express up until now. It’s a little cliche considering it’s pushed by the possible imminence of his ill health and death but when plot points align one cannot make things too difficult for oneself.

I will say that Kiera didn’t annoy me in this one as much as she does in recent books. I don’t attribute it to her new experiences as a mother, more her occasional understanding that minding her own business when things don’t pertain to a case is preferred. Her nosiness is one of her worse qualities in my opinion and her stubbornness in tandem make for rather repetitive arguments.

Onto the plot and story itself. As I mentioned, it reminded me of the events of A Brush With Shadows in the sense that we have a hostile community, talks of revolution and protest, characters deciding to threaten the Gages and their staff and so on. It’s not the worst but it does feel a little like a rework of the story (I have read a lot of regency-era historical fiction murder mysteries so everything is starting to feel like repeats and echoes of each other). In terms of landscape and description of the space, I quite liked it though it was lacking a touch. Being in first person, I would love if Kiera’s artistic prowess painted her perception of things a little more like it had in the beginning of the series. It’s one of the aspects that drew me into this series but it feels like it’s been lacking in recent books and given she mentions that she wants to draw or paint ordinary people instead of the upper echelons of society you would think she could be sketching her hosts for a scene or her nursemaid while she minds her child. Something that would actually prove that she wants to showcase these faces and teach people of the other side of the coin so to speak.

There is also the slight uncertainty I felt with Henry in this book. I think he’s a great character and his background certainly gives him an interesting place and perspective of society. He felt a little used in this book and didn’t seem to get anything out of it (I know he does and it was inferred in one scene but I wish more for him).

Overall, the series feels like it’s slowing down a little but that could simply be me considering I have been reading all of these one after another with very little time in between. A Fatal Illusion has been the book I’ve waited the longest for between novels and know I am caught up it will be a pleasant change to have to wait a year or more like everyone else. A nice refresh to cleanse the brain of the reoccurring motifs, themes, character traits and conflicts that structure a regency-era historical fiction murder mystery.