The Art of a Lie

In Georgian London, widowed confectioner Hannah Cole must prove the legitimacy of her late husband’s fortune with the help of his associate, William Devereux. But both are hiding secrets . . .

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'[Laura Shepherd-Robinson is] the queen of modern Georgian literature' – Susan Stokes-Chapman, bestselling author of Pandora

The Art of a Lie is a beguiling historical thriller of secrets and subterfuge played across the streets of Georgian London. From The Sunday Times bestselling author of The Square of Sevens, Laura Shepherd-Robinson.

That’s the trouble with stories, especially the ones you write for yourself. Sometimes you think they've ended, when they've barely begun . . .

London, 1749. Following the murder of her husband in what looks like a violent street robbery, Hannah Cole is struggling to keep her head above water. Her confectionery shop on Piccadilly is barely turning a profit, her suppliers conspiring to put her out of business because they don’t like women in trade. Henry Fielding, the famous author and new magistrate, is threatening to confiscate the money in her husband’s bank account, because he believes it might be illicitly acquired. And even those who claim to be Hannah’s friends have darker intent.

Only William Devereux seems different. A friend of her late husband, Devereux helps Hannah unravel some of the mysteries surrounding his death. He also tells her about an Italian delicacy called iced cream, an innovation she is convinced will transform the fortunes of her shop – if only she can learn how to make it. But their friendship opens Hannah to speculation and gossip, and draws Henry Fielding’s attention her way, locking her into a battle of wits more devastating than anything, even her husband’s murder . . .

Praise for Laura Shepherd-Robinson:

'This rich, complex and haunting Dickensian epic is a triumph of the Gothic genre' – Janice Hallett, bestselling author of The Appeal, on The Square of Sevens

'The best historical crime novel I will read this year' – The Times on Daughters of Night

‘A page-turner of a crime thriller . . . This is a world conveyed with convincing, terrible clarity’ – C. J. Sansom, bestselling author of Tombland, on Blood & Sugar