Product Description

From gifted new writer 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

And Only to Deceive

For Emily, accepting the proposal of Philip, the Viscount Ashton, was an easy way to escape her overbearing mother, who was set on a grand society match. So when Emily's dashing husband died on safari soon after their wedding, she felt little grief. After all, she barely knew him. 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 she immerses herself in all things ancient and begins to study Greek.

Emily's intellectual pursuits and her desire to learn more about Philip take her to the quiet corridors of the British Museum, one of her husband's favorite places. There, amid priceless ancient statues, she uncovers a dark, dangerous secret involving stolen artifacts from the Greco-Roman galleries. And to complicate matters, she's juggling two very prominent and wealthy suitors, one of whose intentions may go beyond the marrying kind. As she sets out to solve the crime, her search leads to more surprises about Philip and causes her to question the role in Victorian society to which she, as a woman, is relegated.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #46358 in Books
• Published on: 2006-10-01
• Released on: 2006-10-10
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 336 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780061148446
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From Publishers Weekly
In this charming late Victorian romantic suspense novel, Emily, a young and beautiful widow, regrets her husband's African hunting expedition death less than is proper. The late Philip, Viscount Ashton, had a passion for classical antiquity, and Emily, in an attempt to get to know her husband postmortem, uses her newfound independence in London to study it. In the process, she forms a friendship with Cecile du Lac, a Parisian of a certain age, and realizes that there was more to Philip than she realized—including his genuine passion and love for her. The charming Colin Hargreaves may have been involved with Philip in art forgeries, and Andrew Palmer proposes to Emily and then offers evidence that Philip is still alive. By this time, Emily and Cecile are a well-practiced team of amateur sleuths: Phillip's secrets begin to emerge, and travel to Greece provides the possibilities of a new life. Alexander makes Emily light but sympathetic, and conveys period flavor without being ponderous. Her knowledge of the ethical dilemmas posed by Victorian etiquette is considerable; sexual chemistry in particular is handled with exquisite delicacy. The archeological background will lure readers who like to dig for their clues. (Oct.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
Emily Bromley, a Victorian beauty, doesn't really want to marry, but her mother's persistent pressure forces her to accept wealthy Viscount Philip Ashton's proposal. When Philip dies on safari in Africa a few months after the wedding, Emily feels relief more than grief. Now the wealthy widow of a man she hardly knew, she is free to pursue her heart's real passion--reading! Yet once Emily begins to hear stories about Philip's interest in Greek literature and his exquisite collection of antiquities, Emily begins to feel herself falling in love with her mysterious, now-dead husband. But the more she discovers about Philip's extraordinary life, the more she fears that his death may not have been an accident. Compounding her concern are some very mixed messages from Philip's two best friends and the mounting evidence that he may have engaged in some backdoor business dealings. Who can Emily trust? 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. Misha Stone
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review
"An admirable and literate debut novel." -- Nashville Tennessean

"An entertaining debut." -- Nashville Scene

"Charming." -- Publishers Weekly

"Engagingly suspenseful and rich with period detail." -- BookPage

"Fans of Anne Perry and Elizabeth Peters will welcome this debut novel." -- Denver Post

"The who-done-it is well designed and fun to follow. Tasha Alexander’s historical mystery is terrific." -- I LOVE A MYSTERY newsletter

Customer Reviews

Loved it -- Read it!
I started this one evening and could not go to bed until I had finished it. It is the perfect blend of Victorian sociology, art history, romance and mystery. The characters are strong and well-drawn; intelligent, independent Emily, her friend Ivy, domineering mother, vapid acquaintances, grand dame Cecil du Lac, the butler Davis and maid Meg, painter Renoir, two handsome suitors, her late husband Philip, and the list goes on. But rather than feeling overwhelmed by the number of characters, each is so distinct, they make a strong contribution to the story and the growth and character of Emily. You want to personally know these characters, to study Greek antiquities and re-read the Iliad. The romance is appropriate to the period and the mystery compelling. I loved this book and I anxiously await Ms. Alexander's next book.

Art theft, Greek mythology and Victorian women combine to make a good book
There's a reviewer quote on the back of this book that says something to the effect of if Jane Austen had written the Da Vinci code it would have come out like this novel. I only noticed this quote when I was halfway through the book but seeing it made me smile because one of the first things I noticed about this book is that the characters sound exactly like the people in a movie version of one Jane Austen's books-but not like the people in the books themselves. They're too cynical and not polite enough for that. Anyway, this author's voice is enjoyable to read because of the familiar similarity to some of my favorite movies and the added sarcasm makes parts of it a hoot.

This book contains three of my favorite things to read about, though I didn't know it at the time I first bought this novel which made this book a delightful surprise. These things are: Greek mythology, intrigue/crime and love in Victorian England. This is the story of Emily Ashton, whose recent husband Phillip Ashton has just died on a safari in Africa. This doesn't bother her much because she only really married him to get away from her mother and didn't know him well enough to morn him in any way. His death leaves her wealthy, but with two years of mourning to get through; she has a great deal of time on her hands.

So she spends this time learning all about one of Phillip's main interests, the story of the battle of Troy in the Iliad, by Homer and Greek antiques. Most of Phillips finds were donated to the British museum and as Emily studied and learns more about her late husband and his world she learns through his journals how much he loved her and she begins to fall in love with her dead husband (tragic really.) At the same time two men appear on the horizon, both friends of Phillips, Colin and Andrew competing for her affection.

But Emily is discovering that some of the pieces in the British museum, pieces donated by her now beloved dead husband, are forgeries, and Phillip may have been a thief. Even worse, Colin or Andrew may be involved in these thefts. And then come the news that Phillip may still be alive....

This was a good book. As I said previously I really enjoyed the authors writing style and the dialog was all very cute (if you've seen "Emma" you'll just hear the words in your head.) Emily is a great heroine, she's smart, has actual self esteem for a women of her time and real ideas about how women should function in society, and the whole falling in love with a dead person thing is just a wonderful literary device because it makes for an unspeakable tragic situation-always mourning the time you lost with a person you now love. Aside from that the book is romantic, suspenseful and just all around good.

But it doesn't have that special spark that makes a book great, so, four stars.

Simply beautiful
Reviewers cannot write enough about Emily, Ms. Alexander's heroine, and rightfully so. If only for the characters, this book is worth reading. But this book offers so much more--a wonderful balance of mystery, history, arts, and romance, all wrapped in beautiful and intelligent prose. I'm ordering more copies for my friends and family!