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Tuesday, September 12, 2023

Two favorite mystery series...

 

An Evil Heart by Linda Castillo

This is the fifteenth book in Castillo's Kate Burkholder series. Kate is the sheriff in Painter's Mill, Ohio, a town that straddles two worlds: English and Amish. Kate straddles these two communities herself, having been raised Amish. (Why she left the faith is covered in the first book, Sworn in Silence.) That tension and contrast between her past and present, and between the Amish and English in town, is what I love most about this series. There's also a dark edge to these mysteries that make them very compelling reads. This latest is no exception. 







A Fatal Illusion by Anna Lee Huber

This is another of my favorite mystery series. It's set in England and Scotland in the 1830s. I always find the historical part interesting, but it's the relationship between the two main characters, Lady Kiera Darby and Sebastian Gage, that I really love. They're a very engaging couple (even though Gage suspected Kiera of murder in the first book, The Anatomist's Wife), and their investigative skills really complement each other. It's best to read this series in order...and it's definitely one worth checking out. 



Happy Reading!


36 comments:

  1. I'm not familiar with Huber but I've seen plenty of great reviews for Castillo. I love that this series is still going strong after 15 books!

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    1. Her books have stayed compelling and good, which doesn't always happen in a series like this one. It helps that she has such great characters to work with.

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  2. Hi Lark, a few years back I read the first novel in Linda Castillo's series and since the second novel is available on kindle unlimited I have just downloaded it now and must read it because I so enjoyed the first book and Kate Burkholder is such an interesting character and she has real chemistry with John, the FBI agent in the book.

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    1. Kate is one of my favorite characters, and I love her relationship with John Tomasetti and how it deepens over the course of the series. The Amish setting is one of my favorites to read about, too. :D

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  3. I started Huber's other series and really liked it. I need to start this one (it sounds darker).

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    1. I love Huber's Lady Darby series. The time period is interesting, and the characters are great, and it really doesn't get too dark.

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  4. I have read and reviewed some of Castillo's books, but I must confess I am not familiar with Huber. Perhaps I should introduce myself!

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    1. Check out the first book and see if the plot interests you. I love these books...and Keira and Sebastian are very likable and sympathetic characters.

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  5. I've read two or three of Linda Castillo's books, but like most commenters before me, I don't know the Huber books...probably because I don't think I've read many mysteries set in that period.

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    1. I don't read many historical fiction mysteries, but I do really love this series. And I learn a lot about that time period that I didn't know before.

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  6. I love both series' too as you know! I haven't read all of Castillo's but I've read several and have really enjoyed each one. Love Kiera and Gage and now with their baby girl. Warms my heart! :)

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    1. Seeing them as parents with their cute baby girl in this one totally made me smile. :D

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  7. I agree, these are excellent series! I actually just read The Dead Will Tell back in July which is the 6th in the Kate Burkholder series. I thought that one was quite dark and almost creepy! Slowly making my way through both of these.

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    1. I remember that one! It was dark and creepy. Some of her books are definitely edgier.

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  8. I've seen the Anna Lee Huber series pop up on my feeds -- sounds like I should give them a try!

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    1. I've been enjoying them. Keira and Sebastian are such great characters. They're the reason I keep reading. :D

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  9. I haven't yet read the Lady Darby series (but I have most of the books!) but I am sure I will love it when I do. I have only read the first in the Kate Burkholder series and that was years ago. It's not a series I felt strongly about at the time so didn't continue. Maybe one of these days, I'll give it another try.

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    1. I thought the first Kate Burkholder book wasn't quite as good as the ones that follow it. So if you do decide to try it again, know that the other books are better.

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  10. It's been awhile since I've read a historical mystery, but this series sounds so good. :)

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    1. You might really like Huber's Lady Darby series. Kiera is a very likable and sympathetic character. And I love how her relationship with Sebastian grows over the course of the series.

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  11. I really enjoyed Fatal Illusion and have really liked all the books in the series that I have read. Now I need to go pick up the first book in the Linda Castillo series!

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  12. It's wonderful to hear about your two favorite mystery series! Both Linda Castillo's Kate Burkholder series and Anna Lee Huber's Lady Kiera Darby series seem to offer unique and compelling mysteries. Now I just need to find the time to explore them both!

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    1. That's always the tricky part, isn't it? I can never seem to find enough time for all the books I want to read either.

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  13. I really need to read more of the Kate Burkholder series. I loved the ones I read but fell way behind on the series.

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    1. It's so easy to fall behind in a series! I'm behind in more series now than I can count. ;D

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  14. I keep meaning to start that Huber series. I'm glad you love it so much!

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    1. It's been so good! Mostly because Kiera and Sebastian are such interesting and likable characters.

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  15. Both of these sound good but the first one might be more to my taste than the second one.

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    1. I think you would like the Linda Castillo books.

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  16. I've heard a lot of good things about that series by Linda Castillo. And A Fatal Illusion sounds intriguing too.

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    1. I think you'd really like the Linda Castillo series, Melody. It's a good one.

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  17. I really enjoy the Linda Castillo series although in the last one I read, she was taking ridiculous chances/putting herself into danger and deserved to be murdered! It is bad enough when civilians do these things but I expect more from a sheriff, don't you?!

    I had Huber on my TBR but I guess I need to move her higher on the list!

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    1. Yes! I don't like when Kate puts herself in dangerous situations. It doesn't feel like what a real sheriff would do. And I hope you get a chance to try the Huber series. It's so good. :D

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  18. Thanks for sharing these two series you are currently reading... There's nothing like getting lost in a good series. I will check out both series.

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