The Art of a Lie: A Gripping Historical Thriller of Murder and Deceit in 18th-Century London

(Hardback)

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'An absolute treat of an historical crime novel. Sheer perfection' - Janice Hallett, bestselling author of The Appeal The Art of a Lie is a beguiling cat-and-mouse thriller 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. The Punchbowl and Pineapple, her confectionary shop on Piccadilly, is barely turning a profit. 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 have been 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. 'Fiendishly clever and completely gripping . . . I loved it' - Jennie Godfrey, bestselling author of The List of Suspicious Things 'This book has it all. Masterful' - Abir Mukherjee, bestselling author of Hunted '[Laura Shepherd-Robinson's] best yet, and I don't say that lightly' - Harriet Tyce, bestselling author of Blood Orange 'Historical crime fiction doesn't get any better than this' - Andrew Taylor, bestselling author of The Shadows of London 'Captivating, compelling, and so, so clever' - Jo Callaghan, bestselling author of In The Blink of An Eye

Reviews

Told with authority and panache, Shepherd-Robinson takes us on a breathtaking, tension-filled, kaleidoscopic whirl through the Georgian London of the striving middle classes and those who would prey upon them. A woman fighting for her future, murder, romance, deception and the best desserts in town this book has it all. Masterful -- Abir Mukherjee, bestselling author of Hunted
Fiendishly clever and completely gripping, The Art of a Lie had me in its grip right till the satisfying finish. I loved it -- Jennie Godfrey, bestselling author of The List of Suspicious Things
Laura Shepherd-Robinson has excelled herself with this most artfully constructed novel, which toys with our emotions and plays havoc with our expectations. She has an instinctive feel for the textures of eighteenth-century life - and an almost supernatural knowledge of contemporary confectionary skills and the art of the sophisticated con-trick. Read and enjoy - historical crime fiction doesnt get any better than this -- Andrew Taylor, bestselling author of The Ashes of London
An irresistible confection to beguile, bemuse and delight, with a slither of ice at its heart -- Essie Fox, bestselling author of The Fascination
How I long to visit the Punchbowl and Pineapple on Piccadilly . . . I simply couldnt look away from The Art Of a Lie. A story as sweet as iced cream, as tense as spun sugar, as clever as a trickster and as beautifully written and masterful as everything by the wonderful Laura Shepherd-Robinson. An absolute treat of an historical crime novel. Sheer perfection -- Janice Hallett, bestselling author of The Appeal
In this novel, Laura Shepherd-Robinson displays the art of a truly masterful storyteller: it is captivating, compelling, and so, so clever, but like all the best stories it will capture your heart. It is as exquisite as the iced cream that Hannah Cole concocts and long after you have finished you will not be able to forget it. I absolutely adored it and cannot recommend it highly enough. -- Jo Callaghan, bestselling author of In The Blink of An Eye
A fast-paced historical narrative that pits two protagonists against each other in a wily battle of wills. Confident, engrossing, and as taut as any thriller -- Vaseem Khan, bestselling author of Midnight at Malabar House
Switchbacks and reversals to beat a rollercoaster with an attention to historical detail that had my mouth watering on occasion. I think its [Laura Shepherd-Robinson's] best yet, and I dont say that lightly -- Harriet Tyce, bestselling author of Blood Orange
The Art of A Lie is a delicious mystery and I savoured every twist and turn. An impeccably atmospheric, startling and clever historical thriller that kept me guessing to the final page. Completely brilliant! -- Jennifer Saint, bestselling author of Ariadne
A delicious romp of cat and mouse infused with sumptuous plotting, The Art of a Lie is a novel of rich delectable appetites to be savoured right to the very last chapter. -- Susan Stokes-Chapman, bestselling author of Pandora
The Art of a Lie is an absolute triumph of a book. It captures the feel of eighteenth-century London perfectly, and the dreadful position that women in that society found themselves in. Hannah is a most admirable heroine -- James Oswald, bestselling author of the Inspector McLean series
A beguiling and mouth-watering game of cat-and-mouse, where Dangerous Liaisons meets Chocolat -- Chris Brookmyre, award-winning author of The Cracked Mirror
A spellbinding, utterly immersive, meticulously researched novel that grips as a thriller and yet also plunges the reader into a fully realised and vibrant world. The work of a master storyteller! -- William Hussey, award-winning author of Killing Jericho
No one captures the mood and flavour of Georgian London like Laura Shepherd-Robinson. From the reeking back streets to the perfumed delights of the sweet shop, The Art of a Lie is vivid and dazzling. The action races along. This book is a delight -- Holly Watt, award-winning author of To The Lions
An irresistible confection, chock full of the finest ingredients: meticulous research, absorbing period detail and characters you will love but absolutely should not trust -- Ambrose Parry, author of Voices of the Dead
This book is an absolute treat, with deceit layered on deceit. As always, Laura brings Georgian London to life in all its wit and wickedness. I devoured the story like a bowl of fresh iced cream, and I won't be able to walk the length of Piccadilly without thinking of Hannah Cole and her shop of sweet temptations. As William Deveraux says to Henry Fielding, "You'll divide your days between the before and after" -- S. J. Bennett, author of the Her Majesty Investigates series
Twisty, atmospheric, wickedly entertaining. Goes down like a gulp of iced cream on a summer's day -- Tammy Cohen, author of The Wedding Party
A mesmerising and addictive historical thriller from one of the outstanding writers of our generation. A tale quite unlike any other. Gripping and deadly but also rather moving and delicious -- Imran Mahmood, author of Finding Sophie
I absolutely loved this book. A deliciously clever and complex confection of love, artifice, mystery and ice cream, with exquisitely drawn characters. Laura Shepherd-Robinsons best book yet. -- Anna Mazzola, author of The Book of Secrets
An astonishing historical thriller: artful, wry and unflinching. Laura Shepherd-Robinson invites us to 18th century London both sumptuous and sinister, where no-one is what they first seem. With twists that are as exquisitely constructed as any Georgian confection, I utterly devoured this -- Danielle Giles, author of Mere
A gem of a book. Beneath the prim Georgian gentility lurks a deliciously devious world. Laura Shepherd-Robinson's latest book is her best yet. Sharply witty and cleverly plotted, it's an utterly satisfying read. -- William Shaw, author of The Wild Swimmers
This book is as delicious as the sweet cakes in the Punchbowl and Pineapple. Full of brilliant twists and turns that keeps the reader completely hooked to the final page. Laura just gets better with every book. I adored it -- Julie Owen Moylan, author of Circus of Mirrors
A delicious confection of bluff and counter-bluff, shot through with detailed research, sprinkled with humour and topped with a twist. I devoured it in a couple of days and went back for a second helping. Laura Shepherd-Robinson creates characters who step full-bodied out of the past into your affections, and plots as intricate and imaginative as a sugar sculpture -- S.J. Parris, author of HERESY
Exquisitely drawn and meticulously researched, fast-paced and tightly plotted and full of heart. This gorgeous novel had me turning pages late into the night, and I am still thinking about its two brilliant protagonists long after finishing the final chapter. In a word: decadent -- Elizaabeth DeLozier, author of ELEANORE OF AVIGNON

Author Bio

Laura Shepherd-Robinson worked in politics for nearly twenty years before re-entering normal life to complete an MA in Creative Writing. Her debut novel, Blood & Sugar, was a Waterstones Thriller of the Month and won the Historical Writers' Association Debut Crown and the CrimeFest/Specsavers Crime Fiction Debut Award. Her second novel, Daughters of Night, was shortlisted for the Theakston's Crime Novel of the Year Award, the Goldsboro Glass Bell Award and the HWA Gold Crown. Her third novel, The Square of Sevens, was an instant Sunday Times bestseller, a USA Today bestseller, and featured on BBC Two's Between the Covers. The Art of a Lie is her fourth novel. She lives in London with her husband Adrian.