A Bitter Cut by Anna Lee Huber

A Bitter Cut
by Anna Lee Huber

ISBN-13: 9780593955284
Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Released: June 23, 2026

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
July 1833. Lady Darby and her dashing husband, Sebastian Gage, are settling into their newly renovated home at Bevington Park in Warkwickshire with their young daughter. With the breach between them and Sebastian’s father recently healed, they've agreed to help host a country house party for friends and family to share in their joy. Kiera is also anxious to help promote a match between her brother, Trevor, and the woman he’s fallen in love with, inviting her family to join them. However, Kiera swiftly discovers that the would-be bride’s family is not without their detractions. Her brother is unpleasant. Her mother is abrasive. And her father—the prosperous industrialist Jeremiah Birnam—is brusque, discourteous, and, at times, downright rude.

So when Mr. Birnam’s female secretary is found murdered with Birnam standing over her body, many are content to allow him to take the blame. Kiera and Sebastian aren't certain that he did it, and in spite of his bluster and boorish behavior, they can’t let an innocent man be hung for another’s crime. Unfortunately, Birnam believe's he was the true target, and he certainly has enemies. As Kiera and Sebastian slowly inch their way closer to the truth, Kiera begins to fear that the price of solving the crime may mean sacrificing her brother’s future happiness.


My Review:
A Bitter Cut is a mystery set in 1833 in England. It is the 14th 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. Historical details were woven into the story without slowing the pacing.

Kiera and Sebastian (and his father) investigated the murder while hosting a house party that would end with a ball. They're pressured to solve the mystery before the ball but without offending any of the politically powerful guests. Add in that the people who knew why Portia might have been murdered were either not telling the truth or not talking at all (hiding scandalous secrets). They asked questions and followed up on leads, but that provided clues with minimal context until a break in the case near the end.

There were no sex scenes or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this historical mystery.


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.