9/19/2020 A TRACE OF DECEIT BY: Karen Odden @HFVBT TOURS

 

A Trace of Deceit by Karen Odden

Publication Date: December 17, 2019

William Morrow

Paperback & eBook; 416 pages

Genre: Historical Mystery/Victorian

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 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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Praise for A Trace of Deceit

"Odden's third effort injects a refreshing level of complexity, both in character development and plotting, into what one typically expects to find in historical cozies. This will appeal to fans of Victorian mysteries, as well as those interested in art history." -Booklist (starred review) "Odden keenly evokes the physical as well as cultural milieu of Victorian England, and peoples her setting with fully realized and intriguing characters. This book will delight readers who like their mysteries cloaked in well-researched history." -Publishers Weekly "...this thrilling, action-packed story [is] an absolute delight to read." -Historical Novel Society "Odden’s literary brushstrokes vividly portray the misogyny and gender bias experienced by women in Victorian society, especially a woman battling to exercise her artistic talent. " -Washington Independent Review of Books "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." -Susan Elia MacNeal, New York Times bestselling author of the Maggie Hope series "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!" -Stefanie Pintoff, Edgar Award winning author

Review 

I was so excited to be a part of this blog tour and with another great book from one of my favorite authors, Karen Odden since reading A Dangerous Duet which was unbelievably fantastic read, I highly recommend - check it out if you haven't read it already and then come back and thank me later. Though A Trace of Deceit is the second book in the series, this works as a stand alone mystery novel and a fantastic read full of mysteries to solve and 

In Odden's third book, A Trace of Deceit, a Victorian murder mystery set in London's art world, it had everything I loved in a murder mystery. for the daring and strong female lead Annabel Rowe, a painter and whose brother Edwin - once an art forger, was violently murdered while a valuable French painting has now gone missing. leading the investigation is Scotland Yard Inspector, Matthew Hallam who is digging into the bottom of this very suspicious turn of events. 

I loved learning about the underground art world and this definitely was well researched providing a rich tapestry of detail during Victorian England, the people at the time and alongside a suspenseful and thrilling plot. 

The characters were a delight to read about most especially a strong woman who was well ahead of her time, and a passion to resolve her brothers' death as an amateur sleuth courageous enough to deep dive into the treacherous dark secrets of the London art scene. 

I am so delighted to have had the chance to read this amazing book! I highly recommend!

 

About the Author

Karen Odden received her Ph.D. in English literature from New York University and taught at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She has contributed essays and chapters to books and journals, including Studies in the Novel, the Journal of Victorian Culture, and Victorian Crime, Madness, and Sensation; she has written introductions for Barnes and Noble editions of books by Dickens and Trollope; and she edited for the academic journal Victorian Literature and Culture. She freely admits she might be more at home in nineteenth-century London than today, especially when she tries to do anything complicated on her iPhone. Her first novel, A Lady in the Smoke, was a USA Today bestseller and won the New Mexico-Arizona 2016 Book Award for e-Book Fiction. Her second novel, A Dangerous Duet, about a young pianist who stumbles on a notorious crime ring while playing in a Soho music hall in 1870s London, won the New Mexico-Arizona 2019 Book Award for Best Historical Fiction. A Trace of Deceit is her third novel. She resides in Arizona with her family and a ridiculously cute beagle named Rosy.

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Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, September 7 Review at Books and Backroads Review at WTF Are You Reading? Tuesday, September 8 Feature at I'm All About Books Wednesday, September 9 Review at Hallie Reads Thursday, September 10 Review at Gwendalyn's Books Friday, September 11 Review at Historical Fiction with Spirit Monday, September 14 Review at Pursuing Stacie Tuesday, September 15 Review at Faery Tales Are Real Wednesday, September 16 Review at Into the Hall of Books Thursday, September 17 Review at Novels Alive Friday, September 18 Review at A Darn Good Read Saturday, September 19 Review at Nursebookie Monday, September 21 Review at Books and Zebras Tuesday, September 22 Review at Passages to the Past Thursday, September 24 Guest Post at Novels Alive Friday, September 25 Review at The Lit Bitch Monday, September 28 Review at Amy's Booket List Review at Chicks, Rogues, and Scandals Tuesday, September 29 Review at Impressions In Ink Review at Writing the Renaissance Wednesday, September 30 Review at Probably at the Library Guest Post at Writing the Renaissance Thursday, October 1 Excerpt at Books In Their Natural Habitat Review at History from a Woman’s Perspective Friday, October 2 Review at Jessica Belmont Review at Jorie Loves A Story Review at View from the Birdhouse

Giveaway

During the Blog Tour, we are giving away one paperback copy of A Trace of Deceit! To enter, please use the Gleam form below. The giveaway is open to US residents only and ends on October 2nd. You must be 18 or older to enter. A Trace of Deceit