Now that I am reading this series as each book is getting published, I have quite positive feelings about the Gages and the Kiera Darby Mystery series as a whole. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, they say, and on top of that, A Tarnished Canvas, the new instalment in the long-running series, has the tension drumming loud and the stakes very personal and very real.

March 1833. Kiera and her husband, Sebastian Gage, have decided to settle in Edinburgh for the winter with their infant daughter. This also allows Kiera to enjoy long hours painting in her studio, making progress on the portraits she soon hopes to unveil in her own exhibit. She’s thrilled when she receives an invitation to the auction of the late Lord Eldin’s coveted art collection, and she and Gage eagerly accept. When the floor collapses beneath the gathering, killing one of their fellow bidders, Kiera and Gage are lucky to escape with their lives. Within days it becomes apparent that what at first seemed to be a terrible accident is actually something far more nefarious. Someone deliberately compromised the integrity of the structure, though the police are unsure of the culprit’s aim. Sergeant Maclean requests Kiera and Gage’s assistance in figuring out who would wish to harm the bidders. As they dig deeper, it becomes increasingly apparent that the victim was not the killer’s intended target . . . and that Kiera was lured to the auction deliberately. Kiera and Gage must utilize all their resources to unveil a monster willing to risk the lives of dozens of bystanders to achieve their ends. But they’re on the verge of making a dire miscalculation. For one of the cleverest tricks in a painter’s repertoire is the art of misdirection, and their eyes have been drawn far from the gravest danger.

I do love when art plays a central role in the mystery, as previously seen in Mortal Arts and A Perilous Perspective, as it allows Kiera to showcase her expertise in the field while also providing support for the investigation. Art and her approach to portrait painting is what makes Kiera stand out to me in the world of historical crime fiction murder mysteries. I have noted my overall impression of her in my series review (of which is incomplete, of course, given this series keeps on giving, so considering more as a mid-series check-in), so I won’t repeat it. I feel it is safe to say I still will read this series and patiently anticipate the next release.

Shout out to my golden heartthrob Sebastian Gage. This man continues to develop as a character and I love the glimpses of struggle, concern, love, and vulnerability from him when it comes to Kiera, Emma, his close friends and family, and how he views himself. the man is a fantastic character as an investigator, a partner, and a father, and I feel his emotions so strongly. Kiera is a lucky woman. All jokes aside, these characters have come so far, and I am happy to leave my intial reservations about them and their relationships aside form now on. Things may happen, but Anna Lee Huber has a magnificent way of writing it all out for an entertaining journey with a resolute happy ending. Perhaps I will have to start looking at Bonnie Brock and his scandalist rapscallion ways as my new muse – who am I kidding, I’ve been watching him for some time now and I think another Bonnie Brock in the spotlight moment is due.

A Tarnished Canvas continues to build this wonderful and complex world full of glitz and dark dank passageways. If you are new to historical fiction murder mysteries, I highly recommend giving the Kiera Gage Mysteries a go for something easy-going yet immersive. It has a bit of everything in it, so I feel many will enjoy the ride.