The Art of a Lie
by Laura Shepherd-Robinson
Pub Date: August 5, 2025
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion.
This book is my first by this author and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It grabbed my attention from the very beginning and held my attention through the entire book.
Fair warning about the male POV, which doesn’t appear until later in the book (about 70 pages in): It contains strong language and really is a shift in tone from Hannah’s narrative voice. If that sort of thing puts you off, maybe skip this book. But if you don’t mind strong language, I definitely recommend this.
The writing style is quite good, and it is evident that a lot of research went into bringing 18th century London to life upon the pages here. From Hannah Cole's confectionary shop to the various parks, grand homes, and gambling houses, the details all rang as authentic and do an admirable job dropping the reader directly into the setting. This story is a decent one featuring widows, murderers, con artists, and one satirical novelist turned crime-busting magistrate based off of a real historical figure.

Another fantastic story from Laura Shepherd-Robinson. The alternating points of view work tremendously well and the two main characters are wonderfully likable while terribly flawed! Setting, pacing, and all the twists and turns, make this an immersive and enjoyable read from start to finish. I lapped it up.

The Art of a Lie is a twisty, well-researched historical mystery set in 18th-century London, following widow Hannah Cole as she struggles to keep her confectionery business afloat after her husband's murder. When a charming stranger, William Devereux, appears claiming to be an old friend of her late husband—and possibly a stakeholder in his mysterious investments—Hannah is drawn into a web of deception, secrets, and intrigue. The alternating narratives between Hannah and William make for an engaging read, especially as their intentions and stories begin to unravel.

While I appreciated the rich historical detail and the novel’s exploration of corruption, gender roles, and the evolving middle class, I found it hard to connect with either main character. Knowing more than they did as the reader sometimes made the experience feel frustrating rather than suspenseful. The ending, while surprising to some, fell a bit flat for me. That said, it’s still a solid piece of historical fiction with a unique setting, layered plot, and plenty of deceit to keep readers turning the pages.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

This story is a fully loaded banana split with a cherry on top. Dangerous Liaison but swap out France for 18th century England.

A widow confectioner is drawn into a battle of wits over the death of her husband and a society that treats women unfairly.

Enter William Devereux to help her navigate a murder investigation and a struggling business. He seems too good to be true.

The setting is impeccable, the historical locations and facts divine and the twists, twisty like spun sugar.

The Art of a Lie by Laura Shepherd-Robinson

1749 London The Punchbowl and Pineapple, a confectionery shop, is an old family business and now that Hannah Cole's family is dead, the shop is hers except that her husband Jonas really has control of the purse strings. Jonas was an apprentice of Hannah's father and it may have always been her father's plan for her to marry him. Hannah was besotted with Jonas so she was happy marrying him although the marriage lost its luster over the years. Now Jonas is dead, having been murdered, and Hannah is a thirty year old widow, under intense scrutiny for many reasons.

Other business owners, all men, of course, do not like a woman running a business. Women look down on Hannah, too, and she seems to have few people who will stand behind her and give her moral support. A magistrate who needs wins on his resume, thinks that some of Jonas's money is ill gotten so is investigating Jonas past transactions with others and the rest of the family's money is in probate. Hannah is running out of useable funds and has debts to pay. With a dead husband, funds frozen, and fighting the opinions of others, Hannah is in a bad spot. She is desperate not to lose the family business and home.

Enter handsome and debonair William Devereux, a friend of Hannah's late husband. When William mentions having tasted and enjoyed Italian ice cream, Hannah thinks creating this delicacy could save her shop. As the story progresses, we learn just how creative, clever, and resourceful Hannah is and she soon has customers, even those who had been shunning her, clamoring for Hannah's many flavored ice cream creations.

Hannah also has what she thinks is a great friend and confidant in William. He could be Hannah's savior in so many ways. But, Hannah is not the most trusting of women. After all, Jonas had her fooled and she is just now learning all his misdeeds and deceptions. So Hannah is now suspicious of William and what he might have to offer, especially since William seems to be short on funds just when he needs them most. Could he not be as well off as Hannah first thought?

This historical fiction gives us a picture of just how hard life in this time period. Reputations could come and go faster than ice cream could melt on a hot day. William seems to have so many people who will vouch for him but his tales and those told by others about him don't always sit right with Hannah. Between the magistrate looking into Jonas's murder and Hannah and Jonas's finances and William's and Hannah's growing fondness for each other, everyone is looking at the other with more than a little suspicion and wishful thinking. Never could I or Hannah rest easy as this book takes us through the lows of a woman losing a husband in a time when a woman is nothing without a well off and successful husband.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for this ARC.

It took a second to capture my interest, but once I got to the first plot twist I was absolutely hooked on this book. While it did feel a little disappointing that there wasn't really a 'mystery', the plotting, pacing, and dual point of view absolutely made up for it. I adored how it kept me guessing until the end, but not in any way that was frustrating or felt like a stretch-- it was so much fun to watch the characters make their moves and try and determine what each one was up to.

I will admit that I didn't go into this book expecting much, simply because the description does not give anything away...and I am SO glad it didn't. I think this book is best enjoyed when going in blind. It was so much fun watching the deception and drama unfold layer by layer as the story went on and by the second half I was flying through it. I loved the POVs bouncing between our main characters Hannah and William. The 18th-century setting was vivid and clearly well-researched. I will absolutely be picking up this author's other work!

Thank you to Atria Books and Net Galley for providing me with this digital ARC. All opinions are my own.

Thanks to Atria books for providing this ARC, all opinions are my own.

I haven't read a great deal of historical fiction, but I love a scam and a tangled web of lies, so this was an excellent starting point.
A hesitance I've had about the genre is that the language used will be incomprehensible to me, but that absolutely wasn't the case. This is super readable, but with enough unfamiliar terms to keep me curious about the setting.
I have read some historical fiction prior where the way of speaking was always formal and stiff, and I liked the distinct changes of tone and manner when characters were speaking formally vs among friends.

I hate a simple character, whether all good or all bad, because people never are either, and this had wonderfully complex characters.
I also loved the vivid descriptions of all the confections in the shop.

I haven't read anything else by the author, but now I'm excited to.

This novel takes place in historical England around 1728. Hannah Cole is the owner of what is called a "confectionary shop". But you see her husband was murdered. She is struggling to keep it open. Back then a woman owning a business was frowned upon. The shop had been started by by a family member other than her husband. So she did not want to lose the business. A man came along who had been a friend of her husband's and he is trying to help her out. But there is so many mysteries to be solved. Who murdered her husband and much more.
I want to thank Atrica Books of Simon & Schuster for the invitation to read this book before publishing. So much I learned of history back in this time, and I love historical ficition genre.

The first thing I do when reading something labeled as historical fiction is dive deep into the dates, ages, and what is happening. This book is why I do that. In the first chapter, two pages in, there is a historical inaccuracy (determined by a simple online search). The draw to historical fiction is to learn and want to dig deeper into the truth of that era or that figure. Having inaccurate dates for things is a disgrace to the genre and disrespectful to those who want to dig deeper. I am irritated and annoyed because this sounded like a fantastic book, and the writing up to that point was already engaging. However, I cannot positively review or finish reading a historical fiction book that has an easily researched historical inaccuracy.

The Art of a Lie is a really compelling historical fiction mystery that kept me thoroughly engaged with its twists, secrets, and intricate storytelling.
The novel follows Hannah Cole, a recently widowed woman managing her family confectionery business. As a woman in the 18th century most of the men are not happy that she is managing the business by herself. The story kicks off when Henry Fielding, a magistrate investigating her husband’s stabbing, begins looking into the unexplained large sum of money in her late husband's account, Hannah finds herself drawn into the mystery surrounding his death. She also attracts the attention of William Devereux, a man claiming to be her husband's friend. Together, they set out to uncover the truth behind the money and its origins.
As Hannah digs deeper, she uncovers startling revelations about her husband's past as well as plenty of other secrets she never knew existed. The story is packed with unexpected turns, keeping the suspense alive as each new clue comes to light.
What truly stood out for me was the way the narrative pulled everything together in the end. I worried at times about how all the moving pieces would resolve, but the conclusion was both satisfying and beautifully executed. The mix of historical intrigue and mystery made The Art of a Lie a thoroughly enjoyable read.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria for the advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.

Set in 1749 London, when women had little, if any, legal rights, newly widowed Hannah Cole is struggling to keep her confectionary shop afloat while dealing with mounting debt and unscrupulous suppliers. Two men visit Hannah in her shop. Each has his own agenda. Secrets. lies, and betrayals abound in this clever book. The story was fast paced with believable characters set in a rich historical setting.

Thank you, Atria Books and Net Galley for the advanced copy of this book. I have found a new author to follow.

(Slight spoilers) William Devereux is a con man, one who preys on widowed women who have come into money. He has a pattern, which starts with getting the widows to fall in love with him, a stage he calls The Catch. But William (not his real name) has not counted on the wits of Hannah Cole, whose husband was murdered and thrown into a canal. Hannah is sharp and capable, running by herself the confectioner’s shop she and her husband developed. Hannah is one smart cookie and she herself holds a secret, one that not even William will be able to believe. Who wins out? You’ll have to read this excellent book to find out.

I knew this book was going to be something special when there was a major twist at the 15% point. I was shocked, and delighted, to realize that this was a book that delivered true surprises. Switches in viewpoint allow the reader in on both Hannah’s and William’s thoughts, which also thrilled me. Set in 18th century England and featuring the famous Henry Fielding (author and magistrate) as an investigator, this book was a joy to read. It kept me guessing until the very end, which hit me hard emotionally. This is a book that deserves to be widely read. Recommended. 4.5 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with this e-ARC, which publishes on August 5, 2025.

This book was a treat, with a unique and absorbing plot, including some I-can't-put-this-down twists. The scene is Georgian London, when women, of course, had no rights. Hannah, our primary protagonist, has just lost her husband, who was murdered. She is trying to keep her family's luxury confectionary shop going, despite hostile suppliers who think a woman has no business running a business--plus, her husband's murder is yet to be solved and there are several prime suspects. She soon meets Billy, who becomes enmeshed into her life and tries to assist her as things start heating up in this story. As their lives (and histories) unfold, it is clear that Billy has a fascinating history of his own, as does Hannah. I found myself torn between a range of emotions as the twists kept spinning. I stayed up late until I finished it, the book was that good. I do not want to create any spoilers, but I thought it was a masterpiece of storytelling. It did have a bit of a slow, rather depressing start because Hannah has just lost her husband and that has put her in a precarious situation, but soon, everything heats up and twists kept me engrossed. It was brilliantly woven into a tale sure to keep a reader engaged. Really well done!

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

This was an excellent read! It kept me engrossed from the beginning.

Since I was a big fan of The Square of Sevens, I expected a twisty historical mystery with less-than-angelic characters, and I was not disappointed. I loved being immersed in 18th-century England and learning a bit about what it might be like behind the scenes in a confectioner's shop, but my very favourite thing was the number of times the plot turned on a dime and took me in a new direction. To say anything about the ending would spoil it at least a bit, but I will say it was unexpected.

This will appeal to so many readers: those who enjoy historical novels, mysteries, unreliable narrators, and just plain great stories.

Thanks very much to the publisher and to NetGalley for the opportunity to read a digital ARC in advance of publication.

This was so fun! Usually, books where the main characters are hiding things from each other feel tedious, but this was more like a chess match, with both sides convinced they’re doing the manipulating while the other is oblivious. Really, everyone in the book was trying to play chess, but no one could do it on the level of the two main characters.

The book isn’t stingy with twists, either. They come at regular intervals instead of all at the end. I couldn’t stop reading!

The Art of a Lie is a fascinating cat and not quite mouse story that takes place in 1749, in Georgian London. The book starts with Hannah Cole meeting with Fielding over the murder of her husband Jonas. It’s quickly revealed that Hannah is in fact the one that killed him, but only the reader and Hannah know this. But his death means that she will be able to continue running the confectionery shop run by her father and grandfather, and may be coming into money that Jonas has tucked away-if it is released from probate. In swoops William Devereaux, someone who claims to have been associated with Jonas, who’s ready and willing to help Hannah get access to the funds. Naturally, despite her suspicions, Hannah can’t help falling for a handsome white knight who has shown up at just the right. But there is definitely a dark side to the white knight, and his timing is no coincidence. Thus begins the back and forth between the pair, told from both perspectives, so the reader can see things unfolding from both sides. Even knowing that Hannah killed her husband, you can’t help but root for her. He was cruel to her, and she’s clever, thinking quickly on her feet. Will she be able to avoid the snares of everyone out to get her? The story is enhanced by Shepard-Robinson’s meticulously researched setting that provides a unique and fascinating background to this story, and her afterward with the details of her research is an insightful inclusion that should be read. There’s one chapter that seems out of place in the story and the last part of the book is told from alternating sides of Hannah and William, which took me some time to figure out after the first three parts had been told exclusively from one or the other. Beyond that it was a fascinating and engaging story. A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you Atria Books and NetGalley for providing me with this eARC. All opinions are my own honest opinion.

This is a 5 star read. I absolutely loved this books. It had different characters that bring different depth to the book. Set in 18 century our main character Hannah recently lost her husband when he got killed in a street mugging. She is having hard time to keep her bakery stay afloat and there’s Henry who is creating more problems for her.

Then enters William who claims to be he late husband’s friend and he brings a solution for Hannah in the form of Iced cream recipe for his mother. While they get close, Hannah finds out things that makes us think differently.

Absolute amazing read with well written characters and twist that I loved. I highly recommend this book!

The premise of this book was very intriguing to me but unfortunately it did not hit exactly how I thought it was going to. I had a good time reading it but otherwise it felt very stagnant and didn’t really make me think too much.

A twisty mystery with unreliable narrators that ends like a Shakespearean tragedy. As compelling as parts were, I struggled to care and didn’t know who my hero was since everyone was lying. It’s a clever premise, but the style didn’t work for me since I didn’t have anyone to cheer for, and it had too dark a resolution for me.