Garden of Lies

by Amanda Quick

The New York Times bestselling author of The Other Lady Vanishes presents a gripping novel of intrigue, murder, and unexpected romance set against the backdrop of Victorian London.
 
The Kern Secretarial Agency provides reliable professional services to its wealthy clientele, and Anne Clifton was one of the finest young women in Ursula Kern’s employ. But Miss Clifton has met an untimely end—and Ursula is convinced it was not due to natural causes.
 
Bent on justice, Ursula hatches a plan: take Anne’s place as stenographer to the reclusive poet Valerie, Lady Fulbrook. There are dark rumors about Lord Fulbrook, and his gloomy mansion in Mapstone Square seems the logical starting point for an undercover investigation.
 
Archaeologist and adventurer Slater Roxton thinks Mrs. Kern is off her head to meddle in such dangerous business. But if this mysterious widowed beauty insists on stirring the pot, Slater intends to remain close by as they venture into the darker side of polite society and a den of iniquity called the Olympus Club. Together they must reveal the identity of a killer—and to achieve their goal they may need to reveal their deepest secrets to each other as well...

• ISBN10: 051515606X
• ISBN13: 9780515156065
• Publish Date: 29 March 2016 (first published 21 April 2015)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Penguin Putnam Inc
• Imprint: Berkley Publishing Corporation,U.S.
• Format: Paperback (US Mass Market)
• Pages: 432
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9780515156065

Reviews

[kimbacaffeinate]

Ursula Kern owns the Kern Secretarial Agency in London. Her business has earned a reputation as both reliable and professional. When Anne Clifton one of her most dependable secretaries is found dead of an apparent suicide Ursula believes foul play to be involved. Left with some clues, Ursula plans to take over Anne’s duties to a wealthy client, but to do so; she must take a leave of absences from her current position with the eccentric Slater Roxton. He of course demands an explanation and thinking to seek his advice she confesses her plans. Ursula soon finds herself with a partner and the tale that unfolds leads them into danger and an unexpected courtship.

Amanda Quick tends to be a formulaic writer and it is one of the things I actually like about her. Each book features a strong heroine and a dark, dangerous hero. She then weaves this couple into a mystery creating all the elements I love in romantic suspense. Garden of Lies was no exception. Ursula is strong, independent and quick-witted. Slater Roxton is a bit of a mystery and rumors in the rags will have you giggling. This green-eyed archeologist had me swooning from his James Bond skills to the passionate way he looked at Ursula.

The mystery offered twists and turns creating danger for both characters. I loved the secondary characters, particularly Griffin, Slater’s driver and his staff. Although I yearned for more details. The villains and suspects were colorful and the places we traveled ramped up the suspense. The link between the clues Ursula found and the mystery were clever, despite feeling disappointingly familiar.

The romance had a delicious amount of heat, and felt genuine. I found the banter between Ursula and Slater heartwarming. At times hilarious their interactions were hilarious and I found myself grinning. We do see some bumps in the relationship as Slater and Ursula go through some growing pains. Quick gave us their back-stories, weaving them into the tale and it allowed me to connect. I would like another book based solely on Slater Roxton and his past. It sounds like it was quite the adventure.

Garden of Lies delivered a heated romance wrapped in a clever mystery. It offered me just the escape I was looking for. This review was originally posted on Caffeinated Book Reviewer

[wyvernfriend]

Not my favourite of hers but once I started reading I really wanted to finish, so while it's a 3.5 star read I'm rounding up for compulsion. Instead of psionics or the like in this one we have a man who learned ancient arts when he got trapped in a mysterious island and is a vegetarian ever since. He's the illegitimate son of a lord and an actress and holds the reins of the family fortune in trust for his half-brothers who are underage (for logical reasons explained in the text), he has engaged the help of Ursula Kern to catalogue his collection and when she announces that she's taking some time off and eventually reveals that it's to investigate the death of on of her employees, Anne Clifton.

Now it wasn't perfect, I really would have liked to see more of the build of romance between the two main characters, and I think the getting to know each other part was already over by the time the story starts. It also felt like the first book in a possible series and I would like that.

[ibeforem]

This was a fun mystery/romance set in Victorian England. I would like it if it was turned into a series -- I think the backdrop of a secretarial agency could lead into some interesting stories! But alas, I think it is a standalone. Regardless, I liked it.