A Tarnished Canvas by Anna Lee Huber

A Tarnished Canvas
by Anna Lee Huber

ISBN-13: 9780593639436
Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Released: June 24, 2025

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
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.


My Review:
A Tarnished Canvas is a mystery set in 1833 in Scotland. It is the 13th book in a series. It can be read as a standalone and didn't spoil previous mysteries. The main characters were complex, well-developed, and acted realistically. I enjoyed reading about them. A main part of the story was how Gage felt like he had to be useful to be lovable and Kiera feared the criticism that she knew she'd get for the subject matter of her latest paintings.

Overall, the story felt historically accurate and brought out some interesting details about the time period. Kiera, Sebastian, and their servants investigated the floor collapse. They uncovered clues and followed up on them. It was clear that the one man who died couldn't have been the target since nearly a hundred people were injured. So why sabotage the floor and who was involved? I was frustrated that they believed that the collapse was not targeted at a single person yet kept investigating who the intended target was like there was one. They're experienced investigators but were easily side-tracked, not following up on certain clues or asking certain questions that I felt they should have asked sooner. But I guess if they had then the mystery would have been solved too easily.

There were no sex scenes or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this mystery to fans of the series.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.