And Only to Deceive by Tasha Alexander

And Only to Deceive (Lady Emily Mystery, #1)

by Tasha Alexander

From New York Times bestselling author Tasha Alexander comes a stunning novel of historical suspense set in Victorian England, meticulously researched and with a twisty plot that involves stolen antiquities, betrayal, and murder

Lady Emily's first mystery . . .

For Emily, accepting the proposal of Philip, the Viscount Ashton, was just an easy way to escape her stifling home life and overbearing mother. So when her new husband dies on safari soon after the wedding, she feels little grief. After all, she barely knew the man.

Now, nearly two years later, she discovers that Philip was a far different man from the one she had married so cavalierly. His journals reveal him to have been a gentleman scholar and antiquities collector who, to her surprise, was deeply in love with his wife. Emily becomes fascinated with this new image of her dead husband and immerses herself in his intellectual pursuits, studying Greek and spending time in the quiet corridors of the British Museum.

But there, amid priceless ancient statues, she uncovers a dark, dangerous secret involving stolen artifacts from the Greco-Roman galleries - and as she sets out to solve the crime she discovers even more surprises about the husband she never knew . . .

Praise for Tasha Alexander

'This engaging, witty mix of Victorian cozy and suspense thriller draws its dramatic spark from the endearingly headstrong heroine's growth in life and love. A memorable debut' Booklist

'Enchanting... Alexander keeps readers guessing until the very end' Publishers Weekly

'Tasha Alexander is one to watch - and read... despite her cliffhanger climaxes and witty repartee, there's a depth of sensitivity that sets her apart' The Huffington Post

'Fans of Anne Perry and Elizabeth Peters will welcome this debut novel' The Denver Post

Reviewed by wyvernfriend on

4 of 5 stars

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Interesting When Emily accepts Philip's proposal she does so without any real love on her part, he was the least offensive of the possible candidates and it's more to escape her mother than for love. A few months later he's dead on Safari and she's a widow who now has more freedom than she ever had before. While her mother wants to see her remarried she is using her mourning period to find out more about her husband and she's finding interests that they could have had in common, but she will never really know. Strangely she finds that there are secrets and lies and people who don't want certain truths to come out.It was an interesting mystery with a lot of introspection on whether or not you really know people you are close to. I enjoyed the read and want more from these people. I really liked Emily and found her growth to be very enlightening.
 
Could be Darkest London (already used); murder most foul; amateur sleuth (also already used); terrifying women (already used); not quite ghost, though in certain ways she is haunted by her dead husband or the free space for the game, I'm going to have to think about this.
 
Going to use it for Murder most foul.

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  • 17 September, 2017: Reviewed
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  • 17 September, 2017: Reviewed