THE ART OF A LIE
BY: LAURA SHEPHERD-ROBINSON

This is my first time discovering how talented an Author, LAURA SHEPHERD ROBINSON is in this delicious latest novel of Historical Fiction, or Historical Thriller called, "THE ART OF A LIE." I used to read a ton of Historical Fiction, but my favorite genre has become Literary Fiction. I'm so happy to have read this since it is an outstanding blend of Historical Fiction & Historical Thriller that was written with authenticity to recreate the Georgian era in 1749, in London. I will be seeking out to read this Masterful Author's prior work. Hannah Cole has recently become a widow to her husband Jonas who was murdered leaving Hannah in a precarious situation. The Patriarchal society ruled the day not willing to let a woman eke out an existence to run Hannah's Confectionery shop that was passed down to her from her Grandfather, then her Father. Hannah's husband Jonas has just been murdered, leaving her to deal with suppliers, and other men who don't want her to succeed in running the Confectionery shop. Whose sweets sounded so mouth watering delectable. I enjoyed reading about the desserts she sold, which had me head out to a local Bakery that is a favorite of mine, which they bake home made sweets everyday on their premises offering a wide variety of every kind of freshly made desserts replenished daily. The tradesmen would like nothing more than to see Hannah's business fail. She's an industrious, and very resourceful woman who is determined to keep the shop from going under, especially since she's the third generation to run it. She has some help with a few side characters to aid her, but they are employees who work for her, and can't aid her financially.

She receives a visit in the beginning from William Devereux, who claims to have a new friendship with Jonas, and he tells her about an Italian delicacy called, Ice cream that his mother used to make for him. He also informs her that Jonas had some money that she didn't know about. He gets her the recipe for Peaches and Cream Ice cream which she sets off to duplicate seeing it as a potential innovation that could save her business. The Confectionery is in Piccadilly, called, the Punchbowl and Pineapple. She is next contacted by the Author, and Chief Magistrate, Henry Fielding who was a factual person. He questions Hannah about a sum of 1500 pounds that Hannah's husband Jonas had that Hannah knew nothing about, which Henry Fielding thinks the money was gained through illegal means. He is holding up probate of the money, until he can solve Jonas murder, and find out how the money came into Jonas's possession, which he suspects it wasn't earned legally. Hannah desperately needs to collect her one third owed to her to pay off debts to her suppliers, and keep the business afloat, and solvent, which she believes this new introduction of serving Ice Cream will accomplish. I enjoyed reading about the processes of making it with Hannah. Her first attempt failed, and she learns that she has to go and get more ice. Then after she succeeds, and when William Devereux comes back they both enjoy a serving of ice cream together. She was initially suspicious of him, and she's just so pleased that she has been able to recreate for William, this delicacy that his mother served him.

She has now made three flavors, and the lines that form with Customers all wanting to taste this newest innovative Confectioners discovery are quite staggering, as William Devereux stops by to talk to Hannah. She tells him that it will make a profit with all the customers who are in the queue to taste this treat.

It's very evident that an amazing amount of research was done by Laura Shepherd-Robinson to bring the Eighteenth Century, Georgian, London so vividly alive on the pages. This is so hard to review without giving away any spoilers. I'll just say that as soon as I got to Part II, and William Devereux's point of view, I gasped aloud. This was not comfort reading, and I wouldn't want to inhabit that era. Corruption, Con men, fraudsters, murder, lies, deception, deceit, romance.

"That any one of us is capable of acts of great wickedness under the right circumstances."

Publication Date: August 5, 2025

Thank you to Net Galley, Laura Shepherd-Robinson, and Atria Books for generously providing me with my ARC, in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own, as always.

#TheArtofaLie #LauraShepherdRobinson #AtriaBooks #NetGalley



Not everything is as it seems, and I was shocked to read about Hannah's huge secret so early revealed in this novel of cat and mouse, but filled with intrigue

1749,London. Hannah’s husband has been murdered and she’s struggling to keep her shop afloat. William is a con artist who tries to separate widows from their fortunes. Henry is the magistrate trying to solve the murder and Hannah and William are at the top of his suspect list. Who is lying? Who isn’t?it’s a complicated story that pits Hannah vs William.

A gem of a novel! A suspenseful mystery that takes place in Georgian England. The author has done extensive research and the reader is fully immersed in the daily life of a young widow struggling to keep her confectionery shop. The novel is told from her POV and that of a handsome gentleman , William Devereux. Without giving away spoilers, the author creates an intricate web of lies and deceit. How will the widow survive with her business, virtue and income intact?
Very clever, with intricate crosses and double crosses, the Art of a Lie keeps us on the edge of our seats. A five star read!
Thank you, NetGalley for an advance copy.

Laura Shepherd-Robinson knows how to write a good con-artist! She strikes again with The Art of a Lie. It was moody and suspenseful with plenty of twists and turns to keep a reader engaged throughout! I really enjoy this dynamic coupled with her well researched historical setting. Although a very different storyline, her book The Square of Sevens had a great many of the same elements that made it an enjoyable read as well.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!
I did not know what to expect with this book but I enjoyed it so much. I was on my toes and there were so many surprises and twists and turns. The title is very appropriate for this book.

The Art of a Lie by Laura Shepherd-Robinson takes us to 1749 London, where two narrators—both dishonest and morally corrupt in their own ways—pull the reader into a twisting story told through shifting perspectives. They’re different in circumstance, yet similar in their willingness to bend the truth for personal gain. While the dual viewpoints are intriguing at first, the constant tangle of lies began to feel more tedious than tense.
What stood out most for me was the rich historical detail—especially the fascinating glimpse into London’s early ice cream craze. Shepherd-Robinson captures the atmosphere so well you can almost feel the cobblestones under your feet.

While this one didn’t fully land for me, readers who enjoy intricate plots, morally grey characters, and well-researched historical settings may find much to appreciate.

Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this just-released (August 5, 2025) novel in exchange for my honest review.

THE ART OF A LIE – by Laura Shepherd-Robinson

‘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-turned-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.’

That. Was. Awesome!

Though I read this book into the late hours of yesterday morn—an hour or two of necessary winks to dezombify mine eyes for the long day ahead—I still classify THE ART OF A LIE as an intriguing, unputdownable page turner that I Highly Recommend!

Thank you, NetGalley and Atria Books (Simon & Schuster Publishing), for providing me with an eBook of THE ART OF A LIE at the request of an honest review.

In 18th-century England, a widowed confectioner is drawn into a web of love, betrayal, and intrigue and a battle of wits in this masterful historical novel."

Hannah Cole is desperately trying to figure out how to obtain her husband's money after his untimely death. A magistrate is trying to block the money from leaving probate as he feels it was obtained illegally. On top of that, Hannah has to run their confectionery shop managing employees and mastering a new dessert.

She meets William Devereaux and feels her is the only person she can trust. Or can she? Is this a game of cat and mouse among con artists? Only time will tell!

I loved this intriguing story set in London in the Georgian era. It is full of mirrors and lies where what you are being shown may not be what you are getting. There is mystery, murder, mayhem, gossip, and romance. The amount of research poured into this novel is impressive! Lots of twists and head games with this one.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Laura Shepherd-Robinson for an advance reader's copy in exchange for my honest review. I listened to the audiobook to supplement the ebook copy and found it an engaging performance with a male and female narrator. Highly recommend!

#TheArtOfALie #LauraShepherdRobinson #AtriaBooks #NetGalley #HistoricalMystery #bookrecommendations #NetGalleyReviewer #ARCreview #bookreview #bookrecommendations #bestbooks #TBR2025 #booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #booklover #bookstagram #bookclub #bibliophile #mystery

I really enjoyed this book, primarily because I had no idea what was going to happen next. That's unusual, in a world where many books try to emulate other, more successful books, and rely heavily on tropes. This book was a surprise from start to finish.

It's very well written, and well researched. I felt immersed in Georgian England and I loved that this was not a book about the ultra wealthy and their romantic woes, but about regular people who are on the edge of desperation. Hannah's lack of rights was frustratingly real, and her decisions made complete sense given the options open to her. Both main characters are quite flawed people, but that didn't take away from being able to sympathize with both.

Highly recommend if you like well written historical fiction, plot twists, and originality.

As a total sucker for historical fiction set in Georgian England, I adored this book! Shepherd-Robinson's prose is playful and evocative, immersing the reader in the streets and sights of 18thc London. I was engaged from the first page, and read ravenously through every twist and turn. The characters were flawed, but sympathetic, and I thought the alternating POVs were really well done. I loved that Henry Fielding featured as a magistrate. A really fun read. I'll be on the lookout for Shepherd-Robinson's other works!

Thank you to Atria Books and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback. Unfortunately this book did not work for me and I did not finish it.

Clever cat and mouse tale. It got bogged down in some of the more mundane details and at times the pacing was slow.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Hannah Cole is a recently widowed owner of a confectionary shop in 18th century England. It is a time when women in business are frowned upon. To make matters worse, her husband was murdered and there is a search on for his killer. Her accounts have been frozen until investigators find out where her husband acquired his large sum of money.

She’s having trouble paying her suppliers and business is down. One day a man named William Devereux walks into the shop, claiming to be a friend and business associate of her late husband. From that moment on, the book really heats up.

Neither of these two really know who they are dealing with and when magistrate Henry Fielding gets involved it becomes a triangular game of cat and mouse. I was not sure what would happen one moment to the next. This was such a fun read and was filled with wonderful, colorful characters.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria books for allowing me to read an advance copy. I am happy to give my honest review and to recommend this book to other readers.

18th Century England - Hannah's husband was brutally murdered and she is left to run her confectioner's shop alone and in debt. Henry Fielding, author-turned-magistrate wants to confiscate her money to protect it, thinking a woman of this era can't run a business or handle money. It does seem there are a number of men who are after her money. And old friend, William Devereaux, shares a delicacy from Italy called "iced cream" which becomes very popular. It takes everything Hannah has to grow her business, get out of debt and figure out who she can really trust.

The Author's Note sheds a lot of interesting light on the actual history and people of this time.

My thanks to to Net Galley and Atria Books for an advanced copy of this e-book.

THE ART OF A LIE is so mind-bendingly excellent. I was biting my cuticles—literally—as I watched this battle of wits unfold like a tennis match, secrets and lies volleying back and forth with each chapter.

The result is a historical thriller that's deliciously twisty and taught, with layered deceptions that feel as dangerous, slippery, and fresh as anything you'd read in contemporary crime.

Do NOT skip the author's note at the end!

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Iced Cream. Georgian England. Henry Fielding. Murder!

The Art of a Lie follows the story of Hannah, who takes sole ownership over her father's confectionary shop after her husband is murdered in a robbery. She meets William Devereux, a friend of her late husband's, who shares a recipe of iced cream and thus, jump starts her failing business.

The story is told from the POV of both Hannah and William, broken into multiple segments. I loved this layout, because the voice of each character is so vastly different from the other character's perspective. What a fun treat.

Throw into the mix, Henry Fielding, the magistrate of Westminster and the man investigating Jonas Cole's killer. While this trio each had their own ongoing motives, their battle of wits against each other was so clever and artfully drawn out.

Thank you so much to the author and NetGalley for the eARC. This review is entirely my own.

Laura Shepherd-Robinson has crafted a fabulous depiction of London in 1749. It’s a well researched book that explores multiple aspects of life, trade and criminal activities in that time.
Hannah Cole’s husband has been murdered, his body found floating in the Thames. The theory is he was robbed and murdered. But Henry Fielding (yes that Henry Fielding) is the magistrate brought in to investigate the crime. And it’s not quite so cut and dry. To make matters worse, probate is being held up because of a large unexplained amount in Mr. Cole’s bank account. Hannah desperately needs her share of that money to keep her confectionary shop solvent. Into this mix comes William Devereux, a supposed friend of her husband’s who wants to help her. Add the introduction of “iced cream” to London society as a potential means of providing a means to keep her business afloat.
Fielding has two jobs - trying to find the murderer and trying to determine the source of the money. It’s a complex plot with several twists, especially as the POV changes between Hannah and William.
I was immediately drawn in by the characters and the setting. There’s a big question of whom, if anyone, Hannah can trust. But there’s also the question about her own sense of morality. Brava to Shepherd Robinson to have crafted characters that are clever and daring, yet morally ambiguous. These aren’t folks with a heart of gold but they were completely engaging. I was reading as fast and often as I could, trying to determine how it might all work out. It was a fabulous ending.
I’ve not read Shepherd Robinson’s prior books but will seek to remedy that.
My thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for an advance copy of this book.

If you're in the mood for a chunky historical fiction novel filled with plenty of twists and turns, definitely pick this one up! We follow Mrs. Cole, a recently widowed confectioner who is struggling to keep her shop open after her husband's death. But an investigator is convinced her husband may have been involved in something unsavory, so to save her shop from being confiscated, Mrs. Cole teams up with Mr. Devereux, a friend of her late husband. Their relationship develops as they uncover secrets together, and in the end, you won't quite know who has the upper hand.

I was surprised at every turn by this book! It is expertly plotted, and I was delighted by all the twists. I did find Mrs. Cole a bit naive, but that may be my modern brain. You can't trust anyone at face value these days, or else you'd be falling for a new text scam every day © Regardless, Mrs. Cole made a formidable opponent, and I enjoyed watching her gain her footing after her husband's death. I do wish this book was maybe a tad shorter-some chapters dragged a bit for me. Even so, this is a great battle of the wits, and you won't know who you'd rather see win in the end.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Shuster for providing me with an e-ARC. I was very excited to get my digital hands on this book because I loved The Square of Sevens.

The Art of a Lie does not disappoint with its sumptuous historical setting and its twisting plot. I loved to read about Hannah’s life as a tradeswoman since it’s not talked about in history along with the commentary on the Triangular Slave Trade. I was very satisfied with Hannah’s journey and the tension between William and Hannah. The tension was immaculate with Fielding’s involvement.

The dual points of view kind of simmered down the tension even though it made the book drop in dramatic irony. Daniel Cole's proposal, I thought, came out of left-field and did not need to be included in the plot. I also found the ending a bit rushed which left me feeling a little bit unsatisfied.

I left the book with a 3.75 rating and a craving for one of Hannah’s ice creams.

My first book by this author and it will definitely not be my last!

I was intrigued with the idea of a mystery set in 18th century England. It sounded like a fun twist, and it was.

The main characters are Hannah, a shopkeeper and business owner, who is trying to keep her family confectionary shop afloat after the brutal murder of her husband. It is quite scandalous for a woman to try and run her own business, so she must work extra hard to make it happen.

When handsome, William Devereux, shows up with an idea that will help explode her business, she is enthralled in more ways than one.

But it’s not all as it seems, with twists and turns, it’s a fun ride through the whole book! I loved every bit of it. The time period added an extra layer of interest.