The Art of a Lie by Laura Shepherd-Robinson

London, 1749

Hannah Cole’s world shatters following her husband’s brutal murder. Her confectionary shop, the Punchbowl and Pineapple, teeters on the brink of ruin. Just as she uncovers a hidden fortune – money her husband secretly possessed – a new nightmare begins.

Magistrate Henry Fielding, the renowned author, suspects illicit gains. To save her inheritance, her shop, and her very reputation, Hannah must delve into her late husband’s secret life. But as she unearths a labyrinth of lies and deceit, she finds herself entangled in a battle of wits far more dangerous than she could ever have imagined.

From Sunday Times bestselling author Laura Shepherd-Robinson comes a twisty, immersive thriller where the truth is a luxury Hannah Cole can’t afford, and every secret is a step closer to her own undoing.

I loved Laura Shepherd-Robinson’s first three novels and she is now an autobuy author for me. And her latest novel definitely appealed – a murder mystery, lies and deceit, and a secret fortune? Sign me up!

Hannah Cole has recently been widowed, and while some see her return to work as indecently quick, she has little choice. Her shop, The Punchbowl and Pineapple, has to reopen to earn any income, she has debts to pay, and her suppliers see her as an easy mark now that she is the sole proprietor. When she hears that her late husband, Jonas, had a significant sum of money stashed away, she can’t believe it. It solves all of her problems, and would go a long way to making life that little bit easier. That is until the investigating magistrate puts a halt on proceedings, questioning whether these are ill-gotten gains in which case the sum would be confiscated. Now Hannah has no choice but to dig into her husband’s life to try and prove the legitimacy of those funds.

Fortunately, she is not alone in this endeavour as she very quickly gets in over her head. A friend of Jonas’s, one William Devereaux, has recently made contact with Hannah over the dividends of a financial investment of her husband’s. He quickly proves to be a staunch ally, helping with her queries, listening to her concerns, and even acting on her behalf given that, as a man, he has access to places that she doesn’t. To Hannah’s credit, she is initially suspicious of William. He seems to want nothing in return, and as she suspects him of lascivious intent, he quickly proves her wrong by providing a chaperone for her when they are together.

What I love about this novel is that no one is quite what they appear to be. Hannah is a grieving widow and concerned about her own future, but she also has secrets which are divulged to the reader surprisingly early on. William also has his own agenda, and I very much enjoyed knowing exactly what everyone was up to even though the characters didn’t. Shepherd-Robinson’s plotting is incredibly intricate, balancing several moving parts over the course of the novel as each character manoeuvres themselves to achieve their goals. It’s very cleverly done and a whole lot of fun.

As ever, Shepherd-Robinson brings 18^th century London to life brilliantly, and I particularly liked the descriptions of the sweets and treats served in Hannah’s confectionary shop – the flavours seem so much bolder than I’d expect and some of the descriptions surprisingly cheeky for the time in which the novel is set. I also really enjoyed Hannah’s experiments in bringing iced cream to a London audience – the process of making it, the flavours Hannah experiments with… I don’t have a sweet tooth, but I felt a craving nonetheless.

I highly recommend any of Laura Shepherd-Robinson’s novels and this one is no exception. I enjoyed the mysteries it presents to the reader, as well as seeing these characters strive toward their own objectives without overplaying their hand. I genuinely wasn’t sure how she would bring this novel to a close, but the ending suited me. There’s a bittersweet element to it that I appreciated, even as it left me feeling a little sad.

Also by Laura Shepherd-Robinson:

Book 9 of 15 Books of Summer.