Thank you to Atria Books for providing this ARC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own. 

The Art of a Lie by Laura Shepherd-Robinson is a story that blends historical fiction, thriller, and crime drama. The story interjects the colorful details and intriguing characters of Georgian London into a game of cat and mouse, in which both of the narrators are very much in both roles. I was delighted to find that the author did a significant amount of research on the middle-class tradespeople of the era and included fictionalized accounts of real-life figures; chiefly Fielding. I appreciate when authors take the time to make an effort when crafting a reasonably authentic image of a setting. The setting of a confectionary was also a really fun and compelling choice; who doesn’t love crime and ice cream?

I liked that this book was committed to keeping the reader on the back foot. In switching narrators, the reader gets lulled into the sense they have an idea of all of the information, but like the characters, they’re often scheming based on false assumptions or lies. I thought this book would be a murder mystery set in a frilly ice cream parlor, but was actually pleasantly surprised when it veered in a different direction. While the “iced creams” may be the constant, the intrigue seems to shift quickly through the story. 

Overall, I thought this was a very fun read. I think for fans of historical fiction that want a break from princesses or war stories, this is a great choice. I think fans of thrillers and mysteries may also find this a pretty engaging choice that’s slightly lower stakes than other options. For me, it’s a very solid 4/5 stars.