From the author of A Dangerous Duet comes the next book in her Victorian mystery series, this time following a daring female painter and the Scotland Yard detective who is investigating her brother’s suspicious death.A young painter digs beneath the veneer of Victorian London’s art world to learn the truth behind her brother’s murder… Edwin is dead. That’s what Inspector Matthew Hallam of …
Edwin is dead. That’s what Inspector Matthew Hallam of Scotland Yard tells Annabel Rowe when she discovers him searching her brother’s flat for clues. While the news is shocking, Annabel can’t say it’s wholly unexpected, given Edwin’s past as a dissolute risk-taker and art forger, although he swore he’d reformed. After years spent blaming his reckless behavior for their parents’ deaths, Annabel is now faced with the question of who murdered him—because Edwin’s death was both violent and deliberate. A valuable French painting he’d been restoring for an auction house is missing from his studio: find the painting, find the murderer. But the owner of the artwork claims it was destroyed in a warehouse fire years ago.
As a painter at the prestigious Slade School of Art and as Edwin’s closest relative, Annabel makes the case that she is crucial to Matthew’s investigation. But in their search for the painting, Matthew and Annabel trace a path of deceit and viciousness that reaches far beyond the elegant rooms of the auction house, into an underworld of politics, corruption, and secrets someone will kill to keep.
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Fans of Anne Perry, Deanna Rayborn, and Tasha Alexander will root for Karen Odden’s newest heroine, Annabel Rowe ― aspiring painter and now amateur sleuth ― investigating the murder of her art forger brother. The novel’s a delightful mix of mystery, history, and romance, served with a delicious helping of lush period detail, while chemistry between Annabel and the investigating Scotland Yard detective add spice to the adventure.
A very engaging story about a woman artist in a man’s world.
The romance was a bit obvious, but sweet.
The details she uncovers are fascinating.
The author did a good job tying it all together.
I have always enjoyed the Victorian mysteries of Anne Perry. She recommended this book and I was not disappointed. Once the mystery was wrapped up, the book seemed to go on a bit long, but I would definitely read more by this author.
A darkly thrilling story filled with suspense and secrets, a courageous heroine, an edgy climax, and an atmospheric setting that perfectly captures the underbelly of London’s art world in the Victorian era. A Trace of Deceit is an absolute winner!
I bought this book because it kept showing up on the website and the cover finally caught my eye. I had second thoughts about starting it, as it is not the first in a series – I hate starting in the middle and not knowing who’s who.
What a delightful surprise when I started reading and it grabbed me from the beginning. It didn’t matter that it was read out of order; there is plenty in this book on its own! The characters are interesting and complicated. The mystery is complex and very instructional about painting/art without being preachy. I highly recommend this book.
Oh what people do for a work of art. They steal, they connive, and they even commit murder.
While in the hands of Edwin who was restoring a famous painting, Madame de Pompadour by Francois Boucher, was stolen and Edwin was murdered.
We follow Anabele, Edwin’s sister, and Mr. Hallam the investigator as they track down clues and the reason the painting may have been stolen.
What they find is quite a bit of information about the selling and trading of paintings and the people who participate in these trades. Some folks are definitely not on the up and up and come from all walks of life.
Will they find the painting and the murderer?
Ms. Odden will have you mesmerized by the workings of the art world and what goes on in auction houses.
Her characters are authentic, and her writing keeps your interest.
There is plenty of tension and good sleuthing along with a bit of romance. 4/5
This book was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you HFVBT for a complimentary copy. I voluntarily reviewed this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
Trace Of Deceit
By: Karen Odden
REVIEW
I love art history, and any story with art as an important piece of the puzzle is an instant draw for me. Trace of Deceit is my first Karen Odden book, and I am obsessed now with reading more. What’s not to love?
A strained sibling relationship. A brother murdered under suspicion circumstances. What? An expensive French painting he was restoring for auction has been stolen. The Inspector and the sister work together to solve this crime. Loved her knowledge of the art world and its use in finding a killer. Very descriptive and immersive into 1870s London and the dark side of art, like forging, etc. Excellent research evident in the development of this story. Informative and educational while maintaining an engaging entertaining story. Mystery was kind of the cozy type. Not cheesy, though. Story is clever, witty, and compelling. Characters have depth and intelligence. Strong and capable heroine. Reconciling brother’s troubled past with his untimely death. She grows and is stronger by the end of the story. Possible romance interest with Inspector. Want to know where this goes next! Overall impression is excellent story. Historical mystery at its finest!
Inspector Matthew Hallam meets Annabel Rowe while searching the apartment of her murdered brother, Edwin. Annabel is attending the Slade School of Art and is an artist like her brother. She joins Hallam in investigating her brother’s murder. The London art world, auction houses, the class system, politics, and corruption all populate this murder mystery. Odden carefully combines two things I love—history and mystery—to create her wonderful novel.
When painter Annabel Rowe discovers a Scotland Yard Inspector, Matthew Hallam, in her brother’s flat, she knows something is amiss but never thought she’d hear her brother’s been murdered. A valuable painting he’d been restoring is missing and Annabel knows it’s the key to finding her brother’s murderer. Teaming up with Matthew, they enter the underbelly of the art world. As they sift through lies, deception, and evasion, the investigation takes a surprising turn and puts Annabel in the crosshairs of a killer. Can she escape with her life or will she be the next victim?
I’m a huge historical mystery fan and A Trace of Deceit is a delight for the senses. Karen Odden plunges the reader into the past with historically accurate descriptive narration, colourful characters, an independent heroine, and a suspenseful mystery. The plot moves at a good pace with a few twists I didn’t see coming. The mystery itself stimulated my mind and I honestly didn’t figure it out until the very end. Well done. A Trace of Deceit is reminiscent of Anne Perry’s Victorian mysteries. Highly recommend!
My Rating: 5 stars
There’s just something that resonates with me about a Victorian mystery, and this novel pushed all the right buttons. It was a satisfying story that focused on the art world of the period, with a strong female protagonist. The atmospheric period details realistically described Victorian London, the characters were believable, and the touch of romance gave the novel another dimension. The plot summary from the book jacket tells just enough to tantalize: “A young painter digs beneath the veneer of Victorian London’s art world to learn the truth behind her brother’s murder.” I encourage you to read this novel, and now I’m going to read Karen Odden’s two earlier books.
Thanks to the Goodreads Giveaway program and publisher William Morrow for a copy of this book. All comments and opinions are my own.
This was a wonderful Victorian mystery. I loved the ups and downs in the story. I loved how Annabel and the Inspector work together to solve her brothers murder. I loved learning some things about the art world during the Victorian era. I received a copy of this book from edelweiss for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
Annabel Rowe has been slowly working to reconcile with her brother Edwin, but one day she arrives at his flat to discover two detectives there with the news that Edwin is dead. Murdered, with a valuable painting he had been cleaning now missing. Annabel needs to understand what happened to her brother to gain some closure on his death (and life) and she convinces Inspector Matthew Hallam that her knowledge of the art world and Edwin will prove valuable to discovering his murderer. But what they discover is the darkness behind the art world, where secrets fester and can prove worth killing for.
A Trace of Deceit is an engrossing Victorian mystery with a strong central figure in Annabel. A student at the Slade Art School, she is trying to find her place in the masculine world of painting. She sees herself as an observer instead of a participant in the world and holds herself apart from fellow students and her older brother, trying to prevent herself from being hurt. But Annabel is only fooling herself- she’s a caring, compassionate woman who feels deeply. Edwin’s death hits her hard, but she finds strength in working with Matthew to discover the killer. She doesn’t shy away from hard truths, although she might not think of them as automatically as a more cynical person would. And there are plenty of hard truths about Edwin that she has to accept in order to understand his murder.
Where Odden’s A Dangerous Duet brought readers into intimate contact with the city of London, A Trace of Deceit focuses on its people. Like Annabel herself, we focus on how they interact, what they show, and what they hide. We see through the eyes of a painter the light and the dark that make up the world around Annabel and Matthew. Odden uses this not only to give the reader brilliant descriptions of the lives around our heroes, but to plant red herrings and clues with equal strength, forcing the reader to continually adjust their view of what seems, at first, to be a simple murder.
Engrossing from start to finish, A Trace of Deceit will keep readers guessing from start to finish, in a book impossible to put down until the last stone is unturned and the last secret is revealed. Full of heart and empathy, Odden explores how individuals deal with personal and family tragedies, betrayals, and secrets. A must read for fans of Sherry Thomas, Anne Perry, and Victorian mystery lovers everywhere.
A Trace of Deceit is a wonderful, well-written mystery. Annabel Rowe is a compelling character and I admired her determination to discover why her brother Edwin, a brilliant but troubled artist, was murdered. Annabel’s knowledge of art and the art world becomes a pivotal part of investigating the mystery alongside Scotland Yard Detective Matthew Hallam and makes for a hard to put down read. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.