THE ART OF A LIE

Dual narrations by Sophie Roberts and Justin Avoth make following this twisty historical confection an absolute treat. Roberts hits all the right notes for Hannah, who, when widowed by her husband's murder in eighteenth-century London, is left with a confectionary shop, mounting debt, and hostile suppliers who want her out of the business. Avoth embodies Devereaux, a smooth-talking friend of her late husband who helps Hannah by introducing her to "iced cream," a product they believe will bring new life to her waning business. Facing the enmity of Henry Fielding, author and magistrate, they also try to discover her husband's murderer. As the city of London itself becomes a character, Roberts and Avoth are top-notch. Whom to believe? Whom to mistrust? The title gives nothing-- and everything--away. S.J.H. © AudioFile 2025, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2025]