London in 1749, and Hannah Cole’s world shatters with her husband’s brutal murder. Her confectionery shop, the Punchbowl and Pineapple, teeters on the brink of ruin.
Just as she uncovers a hidden fortune — money her husband secretly possessed — a new nightmare begins.
Magistrate Henry Fielding, the renowned author, suspects illicit gains.
To save her inheritance, her shop and her very reputation, Hannah must delve into her late husband’s secret life.
But, as she unearths a labyrinth of lies and deceit, she finds herself entangled in a battle of wits far more dangerous than she could ever have imagined.
The Art of a Lie by Laura Shepherd-Robinson is published in paperback on 7 May, 2026.
For more new historical fiction, have a look at Historia’s list of books coming out in 2026 — over 140 of them.
