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THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER
One of The Telegraph's greatest books of 2025
‘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.
Praise for The Art of a Lie
‘This deliciously devious tale of skulduggery, questionable motives and untrustworthy appearances will keep you gripped’ – Daily Mail
‘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
Genre: Historical Mystery
One of The Telegraph's greatest books of 2025
‘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.
Praise for The Art of a Lie
‘This deliciously devious tale of skulduggery, questionable motives and untrustworthy appearances will keep you gripped’ – Daily Mail
‘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
Genre: Historical Mystery
Praise for this book
"This book is an absolute treat, with deceit layered on deceit. As always, Laura brings Georgian London to life in all its wit and wickedness. I devoured the story like a bowl of fresh iced cream, and I won't be able to walk the length of Piccadilly without thinking of Hannah Cole and her shop of sweet temptations. As William Deveraux says to Henry Fielding, 'You'll divide your days between the before and after'" - S J Bennett
"A beguiling and mouth-watering game of cat-and-mouse, where Dangerous Liaisons meets Chocolat." - Chris Brookmyre
"In this novel, Laura Shepherd-Robinson displays the art of a truly masterful storyteller: it is captivating, compelling, and so, so clever, but like all the best stories it will capture your heart. It is as exquisite as the iced cream that Hannah Cole concocts and long after you have finished you will not be able to forget it. I absolutely adored it and cannot recommend it highly enough." - Jo Callaghan
"Twisty, atmospheric, wickedly entertaining. Goes down like a gulp of iced cream on a summer's day." - Tammy Cohen
"An irresistible confection to beguile, bemuse and delight, with a slither of ice at its heart." - Essie Fox
"An astonishing historical thriller: artful, wry and unflinching. Laura Shepherd-Robinson invites us to 18th century London both sumptuous and sinister, where no-one is what they first seem. With twists that are as exquisitely constructed as any Georgian confection, I utterly devoured this." - Danielle Giles
"Fiendishly clever and completely gripping, The Art of a Lie had me in its grip right till the satisfying finish. I loved it." - Jennie Godfrey
"How I long to visit the Punchbowl and Pineapple on Piccadilly . . . I simply couldn't look away from The Art Of a Lie. A story as sweet as 'iced cream', as tense as spun sugar, as clever as a trickster and as beautifully written and masterful as everything by the wonderful Laura Shepherd-Robinson. An absolute treat of an historical crime novel. Sheer perfection." - Janice Hallett
"A spellbinding, utterly immersive, meticulously researched novel that grips as a thriller and yet also plunges the reader into a fully realised and vibrant world. The work of a master storyteller!" - William Hussey
"A fast-paced historical narrative that pits two protagonists against each other in a wily battle of wills. Confident, engrossing, and as taut as any thriller." - Vaseem Khan
"A mesmerising and addictive historical thriller from one of the outstanding writers of our generation. A tale quite unlike any other. Gripping and deadly but also rather moving and delicious." - Imran Mahmood
"I absolutely loved this book. A deliciously clever and complex confection of love, artifice, mystery and ice cream, with exquisitely drawn characters. Laura Shepherd-Robinson's best book yet." - Anna Mazzola
"This book is as delicious as the sweet cakes in the Punchbowl and Pineapple. Full of brilliant twists and turns that keeps the reader completely hooked to the final page. Laura just gets better with every book. I adored it." - Julie Owen Moylan
"Told with authority and panache, Shepherd-Robinson takes us on a breathtaking, tension-filled, kaleidoscopic whirl through the Georgian London of the striving middle classes and those who would prey upon them. A woman fighting for her future, murder, romance, deception - and the best desserts in town - this book has it all. Masterful." - Abir Mukherjee
"The Art of a Lie is an absolute triumph of a book. It captures the feel of eighteenth-century London perfectly, and the dreadful position that women in that society found themselves in. Hannah is a most admirable heroine." - James Oswald
"An irresistible confection, chock full of the finest ingredients: meticulous research, absorbing period detail and characters you will love but absolutely should not trust." - Ambrose Parry
"The Art of A Lie is a delicious mystery and I savoured every twist and turn. An impeccably atmospheric, startling and clever historical thriller that kept me guessing to the final page. Completely brilliant!" - Jennifer Saint
"A gem of a book. Beneath the prim Georgian gentility lurks a deliciously devious world. Laura Shepherd-Robinson's latest book is her best yet. Sharply witty and cleverly plotted, it's an utterly satisfying read." - William Shaw
"A delicious romp of cat and mouse infused with sumptuous plotting, The Art of a Lie is a novel of rich delectable appetites to be savoured right to the very last chapter." - Susan Stokes-Chapman
"Laura Shepherd-Robinson has excelled herself with this most artfully constructed novel, which toys with our emotions and plays havoc with our expectations. She has an instinctive feel for the textures of eighteenth-century life - and an almost supernatural knowledge of contemporary confectionary skills and the art of the sophisticated con-trick. Read and enjoy - historical crime fiction doesn't get any better than this." - Andrew Taylor
"Switchbacks and reversals to beat a rollercoaster with an attention to historical detail that had my mouth watering on occasion. I think it's [Laura Shepherd-Robinson's] best yet, and I don't say that lightly." - Harriet Tyce
"No one captures the mood and flavour of Georgian London like Laura Shepherd-Robinson. From the reeking back streets to the perfumed delights of the sweet shop, The Art of a Lie is vivid and dazzling. The action races along. This book is a delight." - Holly Watt
"A beguiling and mouth-watering game of cat-and-mouse, where Dangerous Liaisons meets Chocolat." - Chris Brookmyre
"In this novel, Laura Shepherd-Robinson displays the art of a truly masterful storyteller: it is captivating, compelling, and so, so clever, but like all the best stories it will capture your heart. It is as exquisite as the iced cream that Hannah Cole concocts and long after you have finished you will not be able to forget it. I absolutely adored it and cannot recommend it highly enough." - Jo Callaghan
"Twisty, atmospheric, wickedly entertaining. Goes down like a gulp of iced cream on a summer's day." - Tammy Cohen
"An irresistible confection to beguile, bemuse and delight, with a slither of ice at its heart." - Essie Fox
"An astonishing historical thriller: artful, wry and unflinching. Laura Shepherd-Robinson invites us to 18th century London both sumptuous and sinister, where no-one is what they first seem. With twists that are as exquisitely constructed as any Georgian confection, I utterly devoured this." - Danielle Giles
"Fiendishly clever and completely gripping, The Art of a Lie had me in its grip right till the satisfying finish. I loved it." - Jennie Godfrey
"How I long to visit the Punchbowl and Pineapple on Piccadilly . . . I simply couldn't look away from The Art Of a Lie. A story as sweet as 'iced cream', as tense as spun sugar, as clever as a trickster and as beautifully written and masterful as everything by the wonderful Laura Shepherd-Robinson. An absolute treat of an historical crime novel. Sheer perfection." - Janice Hallett
"A spellbinding, utterly immersive, meticulously researched novel that grips as a thriller and yet also plunges the reader into a fully realised and vibrant world. The work of a master storyteller!" - William Hussey
"A fast-paced historical narrative that pits two protagonists against each other in a wily battle of wills. Confident, engrossing, and as taut as any thriller." - Vaseem Khan
"A mesmerising and addictive historical thriller from one of the outstanding writers of our generation. A tale quite unlike any other. Gripping and deadly but also rather moving and delicious." - Imran Mahmood
"I absolutely loved this book. A deliciously clever and complex confection of love, artifice, mystery and ice cream, with exquisitely drawn characters. Laura Shepherd-Robinson's best book yet." - Anna Mazzola
"This book is as delicious as the sweet cakes in the Punchbowl and Pineapple. Full of brilliant twists and turns that keeps the reader completely hooked to the final page. Laura just gets better with every book. I adored it." - Julie Owen Moylan
"Told with authority and panache, Shepherd-Robinson takes us on a breathtaking, tension-filled, kaleidoscopic whirl through the Georgian London of the striving middle classes and those who would prey upon them. A woman fighting for her future, murder, romance, deception - and the best desserts in town - this book has it all. Masterful." - Abir Mukherjee
"The Art of a Lie is an absolute triumph of a book. It captures the feel of eighteenth-century London perfectly, and the dreadful position that women in that society found themselves in. Hannah is a most admirable heroine." - James Oswald
"An irresistible confection, chock full of the finest ingredients: meticulous research, absorbing period detail and characters you will love but absolutely should not trust." - Ambrose Parry
"The Art of A Lie is a delicious mystery and I savoured every twist and turn. An impeccably atmospheric, startling and clever historical thriller that kept me guessing to the final page. Completely brilliant!" - Jennifer Saint
"A gem of a book. Beneath the prim Georgian gentility lurks a deliciously devious world. Laura Shepherd-Robinson's latest book is her best yet. Sharply witty and cleverly plotted, it's an utterly satisfying read." - William Shaw
"A delicious romp of cat and mouse infused with sumptuous plotting, The Art of a Lie is a novel of rich delectable appetites to be savoured right to the very last chapter." - Susan Stokes-Chapman
"Laura Shepherd-Robinson has excelled herself with this most artfully constructed novel, which toys with our emotions and plays havoc with our expectations. She has an instinctive feel for the textures of eighteenth-century life - and an almost supernatural knowledge of contemporary confectionary skills and the art of the sophisticated con-trick. Read and enjoy - historical crime fiction doesn't get any better than this." - Andrew Taylor
"Switchbacks and reversals to beat a rollercoaster with an attention to historical detail that had my mouth watering on occasion. I think it's [Laura Shepherd-Robinson's] best yet, and I don't say that lightly." - Harriet Tyce
"No one captures the mood and flavour of Georgian London like Laura Shepherd-Robinson. From the reeking back streets to the perfumed delights of the sweet shop, The Art of a Lie is vivid and dazzling. The action races along. This book is a delight." - Holly Watt
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