Many things have inspired Laura Shepherd-Robinson to write "The Art of a Lie." Check them out below.
What was your inspiration behind your most recent book?
a) A beautiful 18th century confectionary shop called the Pineapple that once traded in London’s Berkeley Square.
b) A walk I took with my husband through the district of St James’s, home to many of London’s oldest and most luxurious shops.
c) A desire to write about the 18th century middle classes, who are often left out of the costume dramas and historical novels. And in particular, the many women who owned or ran shops and small businesses.
d) The curious 18th century method for making ice cream.
e) The life and work of the novelist and magistrate, Henry Fielding.
f) The secretive, sometimes violent, world of Georgian London’s illegal gambling dens.
All these elements (plus a few others I shan’t mention to avoid spoilers) combined to inspire "The Art of a Lie."
What does Reading Rainbow mean to you?
It means supporting the right of authors to reflect the diversity of the world we live in and the right of all people to read those stories. It means resisting censorship of all kinds and opening our minds to ideas that challenge with emotional truth.
Why do you feel representation of a variety of people is so important when it comes to writing books?
Because if you are writing about the world, you should write about it truthfully. Eighteenth century London, where my books are set, contained people from all over the world and from many different races. Homosexuality was illegal, but there was a thriving gay subculture who met in "molly-houses" to socialise as well as have sex, and where gay "marriages" were sometimes performed. The inclusion of those people in my books isn’t an act of diversity for its own sake, it’s the truth, one which was excluded from much of the historical record for far too long.
Tell us a little more about the book and why you decided to write it.
Following the murder of her husband in a violent street robbery, Hannah Cole is struggling to run the Punchbowl and Pineapple, her confectionary shop on London’s Piccadilly. Her suppliers are conspiring to put her out of business because they don’t like women in trade, and her debts are mounting. So when she learns that her husband had a large sum of money in his bank account that she knew nothing about, the surprise is extremely welcome. And when William Devereux, a friend of her late husband, tells her about a new Italian delicacy called “iced cream,” Hannah believes it might transform the fortunes of her shop.
But her husband’s unexpected windfall attracts the attention of author-turned-magistrate Henry Fielding, who suspects the money was illicitly acquired. Unless Hannah can prove otherwise, her inheritance will be confiscated. As she and Devereux work to uncover the secrets of her husband’s double life, their friendship opens Hannah to speculation and gossip, locking her into a battle of wits more devastating than anything, even her husband’s murder.
What can fans expect from your book?
It’s a historical novel, a crime-thriller, and a romance all in one. Expect the unexpected and you will not go far wrong!
What's up next for you in the bookish world?
I am currently researching my next book, which will be set in the Tower of London. I love this stage of a novel, when anything is possible and my research takes me in new and interesting directions!
