A Wicked Conceit by Anna Lee Huber

A Wicked Conceit
by Anna Lee Huber

ISBN-13: 9780593198445
Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Berkley
Released: April 6th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Edinburgh, Scotland. March 1832. Kiera and Gage have been eagerly awaiting their bundle of joy, but trouble has been brewing in the form of the roguish criminal, Bonnie Brock Kincaid. A new book and subsequent play features some of Kincaid's daringly heinous exploits as well as characters which are obvious representations of Kiera and Gage. The scoundrel's fury at the author seems genuine, as well as his determined quest to uncover the real identity of the author.

A rash of crimes break out across the city, seemingly inspired by the play and book. When the publisher is found brutally murdered—in an imitation of a gruesome scene—the finger not only points to Bonnie Brock as the possible culprit, but also the Gages, who have been outspoken in their condemnation of the scandalous implications against Kiera in the tale. Now, the Gages are on a hunt to unmask the killer. Between the infamy garnered by the play, the cholera outbreak still wreaking havoc throughout the city, and the impending birth of their child, they will need all the resources they can garner. But family quarrels and the revelation of a secret Kiera has been keeping from Sebastian threaten to undermine everything they have overcome.


My Review:
A Wicked Conceit is a mystery set in February 1832 in Scotland. It is the ninth book in a series. The author referred back to events in the previous books, including the solution to several mysteries. This book also heavily referred to events in previous books, so events in the current book will probably make more sense if you've read those books.

About 80% of the book was spent on relationship conflicts (with Kiera's sister, between Kiera and Gage, between Kiera's maid and Gage's valet, dealing with the scandal implied by a recently released book, etc.). While this continued to develop the characters, the mystery seemed more like the event driving the relationship conflicts than the focus of the story. I prefer a little more focus on the mystery.

The historical details were mainly about the cholera outbreak and book publishing. Kiera was about to give birth at any time, but she continued to investigate and go to dances and other social functions (where people, mainly women, made public comments about the state of her pregnancy). Kiera and Gage investigated the identity of the informant, the author, and the murder (which weren't necessarily different people, but the people behind those roles needed to be identified). They asked good questions and followed up on clues. I guessed some of it before the reveal, but some parts weren't clear until the final clues were uncovered.

There were no sex scenes. There was occasional use of British 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.


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