A trek again in time to 18th century London the place we meet newly widowed businesswoman, Hannah Cole. Hannah runs a confectionery store known as “The Punchbowl and Pineapple“. After studying that her murdered husband’s cash should go via probate, she is struggling financially. Henry Fielding, is working as a Justice of the Peace and he suspects that the cash is of  illicit origin. (the famed creator Henry Fielding was Chief Justice of the Peace of Westminster on the time the story is ready and was the founding father of the Bow Avenue Runners, London’s first police drive.)

The center 18th century was a time when ladies had little company over their very own lives, and although Hannah is a powerful lady, she is more and more determined, is struggling financially, and can’t advocate for herself. Despite the fact that the store was in Hannah’s household lengthy earlier than her marriage, it turned the property of her husband to do with as he noticed match.

Hannah meets a captivating man named William Devereux who claims he was a great buddy of her late husband.  William is attentive and sort to her, and the chemistry between them is apparent. Figuring out that society dictates that she needs to be in deep mourning, Hannah defies conference by forming a liaison with Devereux.

The narrative switches between the views of Hannah and William, with every narrator placing forth their aspect of the more and more convoluted and twisty story.

With tales from William of his mom making a delicacy known as ‘iced cream’, Hannah tries making it herself to buoy up her enterprise and entice prospects. It’s not a simple process. Bear in mind, this was a time years earlier than freezers and fridges. The making of iced cream was very labour intensive and required utilizing enormous blocks of ice… Her concoctions go over very effectively, and folks flock to her store to pattern this ‘new’ deal with.

In the meantime, the reader is made conscious that William Devereux is a confidence man. He preys upon unsuspecting widows, to alleviate them of their cash. Additionally, the reader realizes that Hannah herself shouldn’t be with out wiles. What outcomes is a mutual deception that steadily builds – making the reader surprise who of the 2 might be extra efficiently on this battle of wits and duplicity. Each are very crafty, clever, and manipulative.

A effectively written story of a ‘lengthy con‘, “The Artwork Of A Lie” was an gratifying learn that I can heartily suggest to lovers of cleverly plotted historic fiction.

This overview was written voluntarily and my score was under no circumstances influenced by the truth that I acquired a complimentary digital copy of this novel from Atria Books/Simon & Schuster by way of Edelweiss.

Publication Date: August 5, 2025

ISBN: 9781668083093 – ASIN: B0DHYRYNTN– 304 pages

Laura Shepherd-Robinson was born in Bristol in 1976. She has a BSc in politics from the College of Bristol, an MSc in political principle from the London College of Economics, and an MA in artistic writing from Metropolis St. George’s, College of London. She is the creator of 4 novels, Blood & Sugar, Daughters of Evening, The Sq. of Sevens, and The Artwork of a Lie. She lives in London along with her husband.

Go to the creator’s web site: LauraShepherdRobinson.com.