- Hardcover: 310 pages
- Publisher: William Morrow & Company (Oct 2005)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0060756713
- ISBN-13: 978-0060756710
- Product Dimensions: 23.1 x 16 x 2.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,755,053 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
And Only to Deceive
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First Sentence
FEW PEOPLE WOULD LOOK KINDLY ON MY REASONS FOR marrying Philip; neither love nor money nor his title induced me to accept his proposal. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
FEW PEOPLE WOULD LOOK KINDLY ON MY REASONS FOR marrying Philip; neither love nor money nor his title induced me to accept his proposal. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
22 of 22 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I was captivated by this book from the very first sentence. It takes off with a hiss and a roar: by page 3, Emily has not just met and married Philip the Viscount Ashton, but she has also been widowed. By the end of the first chapter, a year after Philip's death, she begins to learn how little she knew about the man to whom she was briefly married. Intrigued, she starts to investigate her late husband more and this leads her into investigating a mystery involving forgeries of Ancient Greek artefacts - which may have involved her husband.
At the same time, two men (both friends of her former husband) are displaying an interest in her. Are their motives pure, or are one - or both - of them not to be trusted?
I enjoyed this complicated tale very much. It kept me guessing throughout - every time I thought I knew how it was all going to be resolved, the story would do another twist. I also enjoyed reading about late 19th century London and Paris. Tasha Alexander has included several epilogues talking about the research that she did while writing this book which are very interesting to read. Emily's character was somewhat annoying to me in the early stages - very self-centered and the kind of person who would do things simply to be contrary. But I warmed to her as the book went on. This was Tasha Alexander's first book but since then she has continued Emily's story in subsequent novels - which I will definitely seek out now.
* Warning: The only review of this book that is older than mine (entitled "Excellent") reveals twists that don't emerge until at least halfway through. I would advise you not to read that review before reading the book! It definitely spoiled my enjoyment of it. *
At the same time, two men (both friends of her former husband) are displaying an interest in her. Are their motives pure, or are one - or both - of them not to be trusted?
I enjoyed this complicated tale very much. It kept me guessing throughout - every time I thought I knew how it was all going to be resolved, the story would do another twist. I also enjoyed reading about late 19th century London and Paris. Tasha Alexander has included several epilogues talking about the research that she did while writing this book which are very interesting to read. Emily's character was somewhat annoying to me in the early stages - very self-centered and the kind of person who would do things simply to be contrary. But I warmed to her as the book went on. This was Tasha Alexander's first book but since then she has continued Emily's story in subsequent novels - which I will definitely seek out now.
* Warning: The only review of this book that is older than mine (entitled "Excellent") reveals twists that don't emerge until at least halfway through. I would advise you not to read that review before reading the book! It definitely spoiled my enjoyment of it. *
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
A thoroughly engaging mystery novel, set in Victorian England (with excusrions to France along the way) which features society sleuth, Lady Emily Ashton. Lady Emily marries in haste but doesn't have time to repent at leisure as her husband dies shortly following their marriage. It is then she learns more about him and thus falls in love with the man she will never know. But is he dead? Lady Emily is convinced that he is not, and her desire to find him places her in danger. As it says on the book blurb, "To complicate matters, she's juggling two very prominent and wealthy suitors ..." at the same time.
This is a truly engaging story. There are one or two Americanisms considering the book is written from an English point of view, but they do not prevent this from being an excellent first novel.
This is a truly engaging story. There are one or two Americanisms considering the book is written from an English point of view, but they do not prevent this from being an excellent first novel.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
England, Victorian Era. Lady Emily Ashton, newly wed, has just lost her husband to a raging fever while he was on an African safari with a couple of friends. Having married him to escape her mother's rule, she's not as grief stricken as she should be, Philip was a stranger to her and she almost feels relief at his departure. But oddly, after a while, through his friends and acquaintances, the books he liked to read and the antiquities he collected, Emily perceives a side of her husband she didn't know existed and as shocking as it is, he seemed to actually be in love with her.
Seduced by this unknown facet of the man she married, Lady Emily starts to take interest in the same things he did and slowly falls in love with him, finally feeling the grief of his loss. But as she digs through the past she uncovers facts that were better left untouched, not everything is as it seems and maybe Philip wasn't such an honest and trustworthy man after all. Who was the real Philip and what actually happened to him in Africa?
We accompany Lady Emily in the pursuit for the truth and can't help but fall in love with her, we watch her grow as a person and especially as an independent woman who isn't afraid to stray from the norm and start studying Greek and drinking Port instead of Sherry like every other respectable lady. She makes new friends, such as Cecile du Lac, a French widow who collects husbands, Lady Margaret, an independent American who prefers books to suitors and Colin Hargreaves, her deceased husband's best friend who is our dashing hero. I felt that Emily changed and grew throughout the book and in my eyes became real and believable, as opposed to Lady Julia Grey, Deanna Raybourn's heroine, who always stays the same and doesn't seem to learn anything in Silent in the Grave.
Although there's a mystery to be solved here, its resolution is somewhat predictable, but it doesn't spoil our enjoyment of the story, our focus is always on Emily and her life, the mystery is just an added bonus. I do have one complaint regarding this book though, we don't get to see as much of Colin Hargreaves as I'd like, the author seems to tease us with his quick scenes and leaves us wanting more. Not fair! :-P
So, if you like cosy historical mysteries with a touch of humour and romance, then this is the right series for you, don't hesitate to pick up And Only to Deceive, I'm sure you won't be disappointed!
Seduced by this unknown facet of the man she married, Lady Emily starts to take interest in the same things he did and slowly falls in love with him, finally feeling the grief of his loss. But as she digs through the past she uncovers facts that were better left untouched, not everything is as it seems and maybe Philip wasn't such an honest and trustworthy man after all. Who was the real Philip and what actually happened to him in Africa?
We accompany Lady Emily in the pursuit for the truth and can't help but fall in love with her, we watch her grow as a person and especially as an independent woman who isn't afraid to stray from the norm and start studying Greek and drinking Port instead of Sherry like every other respectable lady. She makes new friends, such as Cecile du Lac, a French widow who collects husbands, Lady Margaret, an independent American who prefers books to suitors and Colin Hargreaves, her deceased husband's best friend who is our dashing hero. I felt that Emily changed and grew throughout the book and in my eyes became real and believable, as opposed to Lady Julia Grey, Deanna Raybourn's heroine, who always stays the same and doesn't seem to learn anything in Silent in the Grave.
Although there's a mystery to be solved here, its resolution is somewhat predictable, but it doesn't spoil our enjoyment of the story, our focus is always on Emily and her life, the mystery is just an added bonus. I do have one complaint regarding this book though, we don't get to see as much of Colin Hargreaves as I'd like, the author seems to tease us with his quick scenes and leaves us wanting more. Not fair! :-P
So, if you like cosy historical mysteries with a touch of humour and romance, then this is the right series for you, don't hesitate to pick up And Only to Deceive, I'm sure you won't be disappointed!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Intriguing start to a new historical mystery series...
I purchased this book purely on the blurb, and I was not disappointed.
Some may think that an historical mystery may be slow-moving and quite dull, but this book really... Read more
Some may think that an historical mystery may be slow-moving and quite dull, but this book really... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Marikka
Wily Widow
A deeply satisfying read. Sometimes I have a problem with books written in the first person, but forgot my misgivings almost immediately as the heroine grew in confidence and... Read more
Published 15 months ago by Mrs Joanna Allardice
Mysterious
I read this book as a change from the usual historical romances and quite liked it as it was more intrigue and mystery than romance. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Mrs. Leanne A. Lingwood
victorian mystery
This book is part of a trend for English historical mysteries written by American authors. This one suffers from the same small niggles as the others - people visit with rather... Read more
Published on 16 Feb 2010 by Ms Anne C. Dickson
Excellent!
Emily marries Philip, Viscount Ashton, to escape her mother for the most part. Emily knows very little about Philip, except that he enjoys art and hunting. Read more
Published on 8 Nov 2005 by Detra Fitch
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