The Art of a Lie by Laura Shepherd-Robinson is a mystery set in London in 1749. It is a romp, filled with colorful characters, set against the well-detailed urban landscape of the Georgian era. The plot is full of surprises, twists and turns. It is a beautifully crafted page turner.

A well-mannered beautiful widow in her thirties, Hannah Cole, owner of a luxury confectionery shop in London, is hard-working, businesslike, and caring. But, were there other sides to her?  An elegant gentleman, wealthy, experienced, cosmopolitan and philanthropic, William Devereux, extends a hand to her. But what of his intentions? What hidden secrets do they have? And how do these principal figures play off the many colorful characters making their way in a city noted historically for its gentry and its rogues, the pretentious and the petty thieves, its orphans and its drunkards.  Her late husband, Jonas Cole, was a hardworking shopkeeper, a dedicated public servant in his parish and a devoted husband. But was he?

And then there is Henry Fielding. Yes, the author of A History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, and of Joseph Andrews, novels that changed the course of English literature. Shepherd-Robinson presents Fielding as himself, when he is earning his living as a magistrate.  He is dealing with pimps and prostitutes, con men, murderers, gamblers and informers. As he did in real life, he is an advocate for reform of the judicial system and a proponent of a formally trained police force.  Fielding in the novel had a flawed past, as he had had in real life. As we read about Fielding in the novel, we recognize the mix of roguishness and forgiveability we read long ago in Tom Jones.

The Art of the Lie is a battle of wits and the principal characters’  interior struggles with their own feelings. It’s a crime mystery and a rich, atmospheric, historic portrait of 18^th century London (if you love the West End of London, you’ll feel right at home.) Most of all, it’s a fast, fun read, and I’m happy to recommend it.

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