And Only to Deceive (Lady Emily Mysteries, 1)

by Tasha Alexander

Paperback, 2006

Status

Available

Publication

Harper (2006), Edition: Reprint, 321 pages

Description

Fiction. Mystery. Historical Fiction. HTML: 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..… (more)

Rating

½ (568 ratings; 3.6)

User reviews

LibraryThing member jemerritt
And Only to Deceive opens with Lady Emily Ashton receiving word her husband the Viscount Phillip Ashton has died in Africa while on a hunting expedition. The tragic news affects Emily little, for she feels more relief than sorrow for the husband she barely had time to get to know.

It isn’t until
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Emily is informed of her late husband’s avid interest in Greek antiquities along with his hidden love and affection for her does Emily venture down the path of delving into the man Phillip truly was. The more she discovers about Phillip’s character the more intrigued she becomes. Reading the Greek poet Homer, visiting the British Museum to view Greek antiquities and even the odd but touching meeting with Renoir in Paris sets Emily on an adventure of not only discovering who Phillip was, but who she is and not what society wishes her to be.

When Emily becomes intimately acquainted with Phillip’s closest friends and learns of some questionable transactions, her newfound affection for her dead husband begins to waver. Mysterious letters, forged Greek antiquities, black market purchases and the sense of being watched, all contrive to sway Emily’s opinion that Phillip isn’t the decent, honourable man she has discovered through his journals. And when some disturbing news surfaces, Emily decides it is time for some answers.

For the reader, And Only to Deceive is more than a story of intrigue and mystery set in Victorian England. It is a book which encourages the reader to expand their mind with the pleasures of Greek literature or to explore the beauty of Praxiteles’s sculptures.

I thoroughly enjoyed And Only to Deceive. The characterization of Emily along with Madam Cécile du Lac and Margaret Seward were a refreshing delight and I recommend this book to anyone who appreciates a well written story with an avid mix of intellect.
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LibraryThing member Kasthu
And Only to Deceive is the first Lady Emily Ashton novel; there are three out right now and a fourth, I believe, coming out in the fall. Emily, also known as “Kallista,” has been widowed for over a year, when she decides to study what her late husband was passionate about: Greek antiquities.
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She inadvertently stumbles into an investigation into what may have been murder.

I admit I’ve been spoiled by Deanna Raybourn’s novels. Raybourn really knows how to create a great historical setting, intriguing characters, and a believable mystery. And Only to Deceive, I think, is a lighter version of the Lady Julia Grey mysteries. I noticed, though, that in several places, especially the proposal scenes, the author lifts lines directly from Jane Austen! I enjoyed the story—it’s fast-paced and fun—but I think the author sometimes sacrificed historical accuracy for the mystery. Would a single woman, even a widow, have addressed a member of the opposite by his first name (even if he really was courting her)? Would a woman, even one as forward-thinking as Emily, have walked around at night, in public, in her nightgown? And that leads me to another point—Emily’s sensibilities were a little too modern at times.

But as I said, the story moves at a brisk pace, and the mystery is an interesting one. A bit predictable, at the end, but good nonetheless. This is a good novel if you’re in the mood for something not too brain-taxing. Still, I’d recommend Deanna Raybourn’s books over this one.
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LibraryThing member jeffersonsambrosia
This book was the first I have read by Tasha Alexander, and I am impressed. I will be promptly seeing to adding more of her works to my TBR pile. She weaves an amazing story of a widow who is coming to terms with the loss of a husband she barely knew, with intrigue of what he possibly could have
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done. Lady Emily Ashton is a carefree character who was ever happy in a typical woman’s role. Agreeing to marry her husband purely to get away from her Mother, when he dies only months into their marriage away in Africa she finds herself able to be more as she wishes to be. This does not agree with society.

We meet a loveable bunch of characters in this novel, from Margaret the brash American socialite to Cecile, the eccentric French widow. The story unfolds in a plethora of twists and turns, and in the background there is just a hit of romance from the many suitors Emily finds at her door. Some are earnest and don’t fully appear so, and some are not earnest at all. You will find yourself surprised at just how things all unfold and turn out to be sure. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, and some mystery. And if you’re a woman who likes to see ladies going against society’s rules, well pull up a glass of port and enjoy some time with Lady Ashton.
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LibraryThing member thepequodtwo
i can't say that this book lives up to its title - it certainly wasn't suspenseful. the prose and dialogue were stilted, the characters bland, and the pace plodding, which is a shame because the premise seemed to have a lot of promise and about the first page or so caught my interest - art theft
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and forgery, ancient greece, and tragic love. the plot was also very transparent, and i'm usually not even good about anticipating a book's twists and turns, especially when the book in question is trying to be tricky and suspenseful.

other reviews have expressed admiration for the narrator as an uncoventional heroine determined to achieve self-actualization. she rebells against society's strictures, educating herself, drinking port, traveling, and unmasking criminals, all of which is meant to endear her to me as a modern, independent, strong woman, i suppose. but i couldn't engage in the story on her behalf. i found her cold and boring, (mostly because the book just wasn't that well written,) an impersonal guide in the unfolding of a bland mystery. in short, i could not derive even a modicum of enjoyment from this book. boo.
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LibraryThing member uncultured
This Victorian mystery-thriller, the first in a series of (so far) three, is an above average tale. Lady Emily Ashton's husband has recently died, and she is compelled to deal with the fact that she has little to mourn for--she barely knew her husband, and accepted his proposal more as a matter of
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form (and to escape her overbearing mother) than love. This must have been a common occurrence in England of the time, though given the excess emotionalism of the day (smelling salts and lots of fainting were common) I doubt it was much noticed.

Emily, however, begins to notice some unusual things about her husband's death. She begins to investigate, and finds that contrary to her own feelings, her husband was actually deeply in love with her. This situation alone raises the book above the average historical mystery. However, Lady Ashton has the misfortune to be one proto-feminist mystery solver among many: Deanna Raybourn's Silence in the Grave has many similarities with this book, and of course, it is tempting to compare this series, with a lead character fascinated with ancient Greece, to Elizabeth Peters' series about proto-feminist Amelia Peabody. Lady Ashton is much more believable than Amelia Peabody, though--Lady Ashton, at least, never spontaneously decides she is going to wear pants rather than skirts.

...Though she does decide that she will drink port with the gentlemen after dinner, rather than flit off to gossip with the women...
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LibraryThing member atimco
I've been meaning to read Tasha Alexander's much-touted novel of suspense, And Only to Deceive, for some time now. Set in Victorian England, this is the story of newly widowed Lady Emily Ashton, who is sorting through her emotions over the death of a husband she barely knew and didn't love. As she
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learns more about the late Philip Ashton, she discovers his deep love for her and begins to reciprocate, alas, too late. At the same time, she becomes involved in the complicated underworld of black-market antiquities, art forgeries, and scandal reaching up to the highest ranks of the aristocracy. Was her husband involved in these unethical dealings before his death?

The use of Greek poetry and tidbits of various other classic writings lends the novel an air of elegance, which unfortunately is dispelled by the rather stilted dialogue and plodding plot. Nothing much seems to happen besides a succession of conversations and the occasional passionate kiss. The "mystery" is not terribly compelling, and I didn't find Lady Emily the memorable heroine that so many other readers have. Despite the author's laudable desire to make her characters true to the period (no 21st-century people dressed up in 19th-century clothes), I'm not sure she succeeded. In particular, I found Lady Bromley an unconvincing caricature of a marriage-mad mother, so ridiculous and over the top that she quickly becomes boring.

This novel reminded me of Deanna Raybourn's Silent in the Grave and its successors. Fairly enjoyable for an afternoon, but not something to which I'll return.
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LibraryThing member bcquinnsmom
Not bad for what seems to be a series opener (at least according to the little blurb on the back of the cover. More romance-ish than I normally read, but this aspect was kept mostly in check as the author devoted most of the story to the central mystery of the novel. And here it is: did Emily
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Ashton's late husband Philip traffic in stolen antiquities? Several clues lead to Emily's discovery that the dead husband she didn't love when she married (but as time went on began to appreciate him more after his death) may not have been all that he seemed to be leads her on a quest for the truth.

Another author's blurb noted that "had Jane Austen written the Da Vinci Code, she may have well come up with this elegant novel." Don't even go there. A) the book was not even close to something Jane Austen may have written and B) there's not a hint of the Da Vinci Code in this story.

But if you like mysteries, the core conundrum was a good one. I'd recommend it for readers who like a good puzzle to solve (this one kept me reading way into the night), or to readers who like books set within this time period.

All in all, not too bad for a series debut.

I'd give it a 3.5, really, but for some reason, the new system doesn't allow me to put in the half star.
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LibraryThing member thornton37814
Lady Emily Ashton had only been married a short time when her husband died on an African safari. It is only after his death that she begins to discover the person that her husband was and becomes interested in anything that interested him. She becomes aware of art forgeries at the British museum
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and fears her husband had been involved in the deception. She must determine whether one or both of her husband's acquaintances were also involved.

The story line was interesting; however, the plot at times became bogged down. While I enjoyed the mystery, it was not my favorite. It was a book that you could put down rather than one that held you captive.
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LibraryThing member Stewartry
This felt so very much like … well, several books I've read before, but especially Silent in the Grave: Both were in the first person. In both, a Victorian lady is widowed, doesn't mind very much, finds out much later poor old hubby, Philip, Viscount Ashton, was murdered, and conducts
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investigation alongside husband's friend (with whom there are sparks) while stressing constantly about what to wear and when can I get out of mourning for heaven's sake it's not like I loved him. In both, I wound up with a deep impatience for, if not outright dislike of, the heroine.

Emily's first reaction to news of her husband's death is relief. He wasn't a bad fellow, but she only married him to get away from her mother's constant nagging, and hey – a couple of years wearing ugly mourning colours, and now she's free and clear and can do what she wants. Yay. Unfortunately, as time goes by, Emily succumbs to her husband's friends' opinions of him, and begins to fall morbidly in love with his memory, the ideal image of the man she never bothered to get to know. He genuinely loved her; that's enough to start her falling. Too late.

In her fervor of self-flagellation for being unable to face Philip's friends and family, she begins to throw herself into his passions. Well, two of them; she still can't abide his beloved hunting (which would have been quite a can of worms if he had lived), but she plunges into the study of ancient Greek and the appreciation of ancient Greek art. In about five minutes she begins to uncover what must be a forgery ring, and, fearing her husband might have been involved, investigates.

She is shaken, trying very hard to reconcile this criminal activity with her green worship of him. Then the book catches up to my prediction (based on the classic soap opera warning "did you see the body?") and she is told Ashton might still be alive, despite his best friend's insistence that he was there and watched the man die. She is thrilled, determined to move heaven and earth to find him and nurse him lovingly back to health. A little ways into that process, I had an intuition that he couldn't be alive after all – and I was right. I've said it before: if I can predict how your book is going to turn out, you've done something wrong. And so he is revealed to yes, be dead, and in fact, have been murdered, and she basically shrugs her shoulders and swans off to revel some more in her romantic ideal of the widow who, see? Really did love her husband after all (if too late).

Excerpts from Ashton's journal never really pull their own weight; they are mostly inconsequential, unrelated to the chapters they proceed, and never echo what Emily thinks about them. Though I suppose I should be happy the author spared me the long and boring passages about hunting, still, on the flip side there was remarkably little about the wedding night. Which isn't said out of prurience, but just because Emily was sort of looking forward to what he wrote.

And the ending … the wrapup of the story was satisfying enough, but once everything was explained away there were still far too many pages left. And it just kept going. All through the book Ashton's friend (whatsit) had been encouraging Emily to go to Greece, to the villa in Santorini Ashton had prepared for her. I had rather expected that to be the next book – it would be perfect, I thought, to build it up, maybe have her planning the trip as this book ended, and then set the second book in the series on the island.

Nope.

The book was quite readable, which is why I did read it through. But it was disjointed. As a friend pointed out in her review, there was a great deal attempted, and not really succeeded at. And one major thing keeping this book from a higher rating was the completely incomprehensible handling of the forger. He is stunningly gifted, and has no problem selling copies of ancient work: he makes no pretense that they are the real thing, after all, and what his buyer does with the work once it's his isn't the artist's problem. Which … is a nice way to look at it, if you can manage it, but isn't very realistic. Up to that point it reminded me very strongly of the case of the artist Alceo Dossena and his buyer, his dealer, Alfredo Fasoli. Dossena claimed ignorance of the ultimate dispositions of his work, too, but he wasn't quite so cheerful about the fact that while he got a pittance for the art his dealer would sell it on, as original, for thousands. He sued. This guy? He has absolutely no problem with the fact that his name is still unknown, that the scores of hours of work and talent invested in every piece is being attributed to others, and – least likely – has no problem with living on the edge of poverty while his dealer is raking it in. Worst, though, is the fact that this one forger handles several different media, no problem. Sculpture? Got it. Black figure urn? No problem. And so on. I went to art school; I’ve always been interested in art forgery and I’ve read a bit about it. I know full well that artists are more than capable of great things in more than one medium – but the likelihood that a man would be so very, very good at pottery AND sculpture as to have his work pass for the best of the best among the ancients, including Praxiteles, is incredibly small. For him to be so gifted and still not be able to make a living for himself without being completely unscrupulous… maybe it's not unrealistic, but it seemed so.

Suddenly, about three quarters of the way through the book, Emily develops a very lawyerly turn of mind, knowing instinctively finer points of what is and is not strictly legal and what will and will not convict a man. The reformation of a female main character from fluffy-headed clotheshorse at the beginning to strong and capable independent woman by the end is no new thing in fiction, but (or maybe "and so") it has to be handled well to be really believable. I'm not so sure about Emily.
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LibraryThing member annekiwi
Good novels. Very romantic. Young widow finds out that her husband loved her and starts to try and figure out a forgery of Greek artifacts and her husband's death. Next book is a romance between Lady Emily Ashton and Colin Hargreaves, the dead husband's best friend. Also there's the mystery of who
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is spreading rumors about Emily, who is the Marie Antoinette cat burglar, who is Charles Berry, and who killed Richard Francis. And finally, Emily's nemisis is killed and her friend's husband arrested for the crime. Emily must go to Vienna to figure out the murderer and also to help stop a war between Britian, Austria, and Germany.

Delightful reads. The writing wasn't as scintillating as the Lady Julia Grey series, but the plots were better. I also liked how Colin treats Emily as an equal whereas Nicholas always treated Julia as an idiot. Probably not very realistic, but more satisfying.
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LibraryThing member JaneSteen
Where I got the book: bought retail at author event

And Only To Deceive was Tasha Alexander's debut novel and the introduction of Lady Emily Ashton. It's the late 1880s, and Emily has been widowed soon after her wedding. As she only married to escape her mother's incessant matchmaking, she is not
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mourning her husband--until she begins to learn about, and share, his interest in Greek culture and antiquities. She then falls in love with him for the first time, until she begins to discover that he may not have been the pillar of society she thought he was...

Lady Emily Ashton has since become the heroine of a series of novels, and I can't help wondering if her tendency to be attracted to every man who shows interest in her (and there are lots, because she is of course rich and beautiful) will continue. In this novel there are three distinct suitors, including her late husband, and Emily oscillates between them as their relative merits and demerits are exposed. If that was meant to be as funny as I found it, then I have to congratulate Ms Alexander on her subtlety.

Otherwise, this wasn't a subtle book. The characters are a little two-dimensional and the writing a bit loose - but hey, it's a first novel by a fairly young author, and that's what I got from the book. I also spotted a few anachronisms and Americanisms (the heroine is British) but not so many that I got annoyed; and in any case, this is a lighthearted novel to be gobbled up on the plane, boat or train, despite the detail about the Iliad and Greek antiquities (not strictly necessary in my opinion, but I suppose a widow must have some interests other than men).

And I enjoyed the read. A good one for fans of Victoriana, Greece, and writing that's heavy on dialogue and short on emotional depth. I'm hoping that Emily, who seems more passionate about her clothes than anything else, will pick up a little steam when I pick up the next book--which I'm sufficiently intrigued to do.
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LibraryThing member allureofbooks
This is the first book of the Lady Emily series, which is a favorite of mine. Emily is a very strong female character who learns to think and study for herself after her husband's death. When mysterious circumstances are unearthed about her husband's death, Emily has to decide who to trust: Andrew,
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the man who seems to be in love with her, or her husband's best friend Colin.

The Greek antiquities her husband collected become fascinating to Emily, and she starts studying them as well as Homer, the Greek language and other studies. I love that she takes that on for herself, she is such a great character!

Speaking of great characters: Colin...oh Colin. He is magnificent book crush material. Strong, smart, handsome, rich and capable. He is also understanding and even approving of Emily's attempts to release herself from the woman's normal role: even when she stays in the room with the other men for cigars and port after dinner! Shocking! But, he is definitely man enough to handle Emily in all her port-drinking-Lady Audley's Secret-reading glory, if Emily wants to let him handle her, that is. When this book ends, the jury is still out on that. She won't give up her new found independence easily.

This is a fantastic historical mystery series, with dashes of romance of course. I definitely recommend picking them up! Tasha Alexander really knows how to create fantastic characters and captivating stories!
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LibraryThing member aliceoddcabinet
I'll definately read another of these, but I don't like them as much as Deanna Raybourne's Lady Julia series. I'm fascinated by the idea that a widow could come to love the *idea* of her husband after he's dead without having loved him while he was alive. This and the Classics angle were both very
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interesting. Lady Emily herself was interesting and competent and charming and intelligent (educating herself, learning Greek, Suffragette Friends, etc). Then at some point she just...went a little dumb. She got smarter again, and it seemed like Alexander had created a heroine too smart for the simplistic mystery she created. As this is a first novel (and in my state of affairs, I'm extremely lenient about first novels), I'll definately try another. Worth a look if you like the genre.
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LibraryThing member TheLibraryhag
Emily is barely past her honeymoon when her husband dies while on safari. At first Emily is not too sad, she barely knew her husband and married him mostly to escape her mother. However, as she learns more about him from friends and his journal, she becomes captivated by the side of him she never
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got to know. He was a lover of Greek antiquities and the works of Homer. Emily wants to learn more and soon is learning Greek and making the acquaintance of many people, not all of them reputable, who knew her husband, Lord Ashton. Slowly a mystery, evolves. Was her husband the mastermind behind a theft ring? Was he murdered?

I really enjoyed this mystery with it look inside upper class Victorian society and this fiesty character. This is the first novel featuring Lady Emily Ashton.
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LibraryThing member riverwillow
This is an interesting first novel in a series I hadn’t heard of until my SantaThing partner selected this book for me and I’m really glad she did.

One of the things I really enjoyed was the idea of Emily getting to know her husband only after he’d been dead for 18 months, having married him
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to escape her mother, together with the growing realisation that the marriage she was creating in her head probably wouldn’t have existed. Emily is a strong, independent character who is resistance to the mores imposed on a woman by society and her mother, which sets up some nice little set pieces.

The outcome of the mystery – who is selling fakes to the British Museum – is fairly obvious from about halfway through the book, and the characters do start to conform to generic ideas of hero, villain etc., but this is, I hope a rookie mistake. As always with American writers writing about British characters there are anachronism which grate on this British reader. However these are minor quibbles as all in all this is good debut and I shall look out for other books in the series.
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LibraryThing member philae_02
I picked up this book years ago in a Walden's Bookstore, just thinking, "Hmm I like this cover, I'll give it a try." And I'm very glad that I did. Tasha Alexander has become one of my Favorite authors. Lady Emily Ashton is recently married in Victorian England, and wedded awkwardness is cut short
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when her husband has gone missing on a safari trip. It is only after he's missing, does Emily learn of his true amorous feelings for her. With the help of her husband's friend Colin, Emily goes on the hunt for her husband. Can she find him before it's too late? Read and find out. P.S. I love the ancient Greek in the book. As a classics major, I really appreciated the details. Good job!
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LibraryThing member ddelmoni
I love historical mysteries. Victorian England is a particular favorite. I enjoyed this book but knew this was the author's first. The background story and characters were developed better than I expected but the "mystery" was lacking. I hope she builds on the Lady Emily British Museum aspects of
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the series.
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LibraryThing member hollyem
Good book.... interseting and held my attention. Quite a nice suprise!
LibraryThing member nabhill
And Only to Deceive by Tasha Alexander, a Victorian mystery is neither the best nor the worst such that I’ve read. I thought the mystery obvious and the tendency of the author to directly address the reader annoying. Unfortunately because I found the mystery obvious, reading how Lady Emily
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finally discovers the truth in the last one-third of the book was tedious. Despite the drawbacks, I did read the book with enough enjoyment to consider the second book in the series, particularly since the good review of the second book was the basis for reading the first.
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LibraryThing member Alie
I was quite surprised by this book. It was lent to me by a friend, and I started reading without expectations. I could not put the book down. I stayed up late each night just to read more and find out what would happen next. Full of mystery, love, and suspense this book is a hit. A real page turner.
LibraryThing member clue
Emily marries the Viscount Ashton primarily to get away from her overbearing mother. When he dies in Africa shortly after their wedding she has reason to question that she knew the man at all. She sets about trying to unravel the mystery of his life and death endangering herself and displeasing
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pretty much everyone. A good read with a very likeable heroine.
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LibraryThing member runaway84
A very enjoyable book. It was a refreshing book about the late Victorian era; not too stuffy. I did predict a bit of it, such as the bad guy and all that, but it took a bit of a twist I wasn't expecting. I do hope the character of Lady Ashton gets more likable for me in A Poisoned Season because
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she was frustrating me a bit in this book. I very much loved the character of Colin Hargreaves; I look forward to seeing more of him.
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LibraryThing member FicusFan
This was the first of the Lady Emily Ashton series set in Victorian London. I enjoyed it very much. Lady Emily was recently married when her husband Philip died on a safari in Africa.

She didn't know him well, and while sad is not heartbroken at his death. He leaves her with money, social position
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and the freedom to live her own life. Widows are no longer so tightly chaperoned, and don't need a male relative to make their decisions.

She mainly married to escape her harpy of a mother. Marriages in her class are arranged to secure position, fortune, and ensure the continuation of the line. Partners don't have to love each other, and often don't. Its a plus if they are compatible or even like each other.

In exploring her freedom, she finds out more about Philip from his friends and journals and finds he was in love with her, and a decent, interesting man. She also takes up his interest in ancient Greek culture. While doing so she finds what seems to be evidence that he might have been involved in stolen antiquities.

There are various characters who try to help her in her quest to educate herself, and some males who are trying to court her although she is still in mourning. Her mother is also plotting how to get Emily another marriage - though Emily is not interested.

The mystery comes in trying to decide who is doing the stealing, and commissioning the copies that are used to replace the originals. The story of Emily is interspersed with journal entries of Philip from just before their marriage, until the day before his death. The more I read about Philip the sorrier I was that he was dead and a character who would not be part of future stories.

The characters are well done, and the setting is interesting. There is a bit of a romance in the story, with hints that it will be part of future stories. The tone of the story is light and fun.

Only one big mistake that I can see: Philip writes in his journal while in Africa of the camp being beset with Howler Monkeys. They are new world monkeys, and not in Africa.

I have the next 2 in the series and will read them. I found out about the series because I saw book 4 being offered through LT ER.
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LibraryThing member punxsygal
Fans of Amelia Peabody (from a series by Elizabeth Peters) should enjoy Emily Ashton, a strong Victorian woman. When Emily married her husband, Philip, she barely knew him, only marrying him to get rid of her overbearing mother. Shortly after the marriage Philip dies while on safari in Africa.
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While reading his journals, Emily discovers that he had been a scholar and antiquities collector who, surprisingly, was deeply in love with her. As she seeks to learn more about her husband, Emily becomes involved in a mystery regarding stolen artifacts. At the same time, she is juggling two suitors and questioning her own role as a woman in Victorian society. This reviewer is looking forward to reading the next volume in the series.
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LibraryThing member mikeysmom
This debut novel seems to be an attempt to imitate the Lady Julia Gray novels of Deanna Raybourn. And Only to Deceive is to be the first of a series of Lady Emily Ashton novels. Both the Lady Julia Gray and the Lady Emily Ashton series combine the Victorian England genre (Jane Austen, Georgette
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Heyer) with a mystery, and both begin with a young widow as the main character. Unfortunately, Deanna Raybourn does it better. Alexander's novel lacked the witty dialogue typical of the genre. There was plenty of dialogue--perhaps too much, even--but it felt flat, stilted, and unconvincing. Lady Emily, who doesn't fall in love with her husband until nearly two years AFTER his death, seems more ridiculous than likeable. The many references to the Iliad felt pretentious. There is potential for this author to improve her craft, but for the time being, I'd stick with Raybourn.
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Awards

RUSA CODES Listen List (Selection — 2016)

Language

Original language

English

Original publication date

2006-10-10

Physical description

321 p.; 8 inches

ISBN

006114844X / 9780061148446
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