The Art of a Lie: A Gripping Historical Thriller of Murder and Deceit in 18th-Century London
Jul 2025 · Pan Macmillan
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320
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About this ebook
THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER
‘Astonishing. A rare and wonderful story’ – Chris Whitaker, author of All the Colours of the Dark
‘Fiendishly clever and completely gripping’ – Jennie Godfrey, bestselling author of The List of Suspicious Things
'Laura Shepherd-Robinson takes delight in pulling the rug out from under her readers’ feet . . . in this cleverly structured and consistently enjoyable novel' - The Times
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.
A 2025 BBC Radio 2 Book Club Pick of the Summer.
Praise for The Art of a Lie
‘A twisty confection as subtle and delicious as one of Hannah's iced creams. I loved it’ – Ruth Ware, author of The Woman in Cabin 10
‘An absolute treat of an historical crime novel. Sheer perfection.’ – Janice Hallett, bestselling author of The Appeal
‘[Laura Shepherd-Robinson's] best yet, and I don’t say that lightly’ – Harriet Tyce, bestselling author of Blood Orange
‘Astonishing. A rare and wonderful story’ – Chris Whitaker, author of All the Colours of the Dark
‘Fiendishly clever and completely gripping’ – Jennie Godfrey, bestselling author of The List of Suspicious Things
'Laura Shepherd-Robinson takes delight in pulling the rug out from under her readers’ feet . . . in this cleverly structured and consistently enjoyable novel' - The Times
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.
A 2025 BBC Radio 2 Book Club Pick of the Summer.
Praise for The Art of a Lie
‘A twisty confection as subtle and delicious as one of Hannah's iced creams. I loved it’ – Ruth Ware, author of The Woman in Cabin 10
‘An absolute treat of an historical crime novel. Sheer perfection.’ – Janice Hallett, bestselling author of The Appeal
‘[Laura Shepherd-Robinson's] best yet, and I don’t say that lightly’ – Harriet Tyce, bestselling author of Blood Orange
About the author
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.
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