Laura Shepherd-Robinson

*The Instant Sunday Times Bestseller**A BBC Radio 2 Book Club Pick of the Summer *'Astonishing. A rare and wonderful story' – Chris Whitaker, author of All the Colours of the Dark'Fiendishly clever and completely gripping' – Jennie Godfrey, bestselling author of The List of Suspicious Things'Laura Shepherd-Robinson takes delight in pulling the rug out from under her readers' feet . . . in this cleverly structured and consistently enjoyable novel' – The TimesLondon, 1749. Hannah Cole's world shatters with her husband's brutal murder. Her confectionery shop, the Punchbowl and Pineapple, teeters on the brink of ruin. Just as she uncovers a hidden fortune - money her husband secretly possessed - a new nightmare begins. Magistrate Henry Fielding, the renowned author, suspects illicit gains. To save her inheritance, her shop and her very reputation, Hannah must delve into her late husband's secret life. But, as she unearths a labyrinth of lies and deceit, she finds herself entangled in a battle of wits far more dangerous than she could ever have imagined. From Sunday Times bestselling author Laura Shepherd-Robinson comes a twisty, immersive thriller where the truth is a luxury that Hannah Cole can't afford and every secret is a step closer to her own undoing. Praise for The Art of a Lie:'A twisty confection as subtle and delicious as one of Hannah's iced creams. I loved it' – Ruth Ware, author of The Woman in Cabin 10'This deliciously devious tale of skulduggery, questionable motives and untrustworthy appearances will keep you gripped' – Daily Mail'[Laura Shepherd-Robinson's] best yet, and I don't say that lightly' – Harriet Tyce, bestselling author of Blood Orange

FROM THE CREATORS OF THE HAUNTING SEASON AND THE WINTER SPIRITS COMES A BRAND NEW COLLECTION OF GHOSTLY TALESFeaturing new and original stories from:Michelle PaverStacey HallsBridget CollinsImogen Hermes GowarKiran Millwood HargraveAndrew Michael HurleyJess KiddNatasha PulleyElizabeth MacnealSusan Stokes-ChapmanLaura Shepherd-RobinsonStuart TurtonCatriona Ward_________There is something peculiar about the hour after midnight.It is the time when darkness reigns.And strange things roam the earth.In this dazzling collection of original haunted tales, thirteen bestselling and much-loved authors bring the old superstition of the witching hour to new and vivid life.Transporting you from the smog of London to the freezing mists of Svalbard, from an Irish town riddled with rumour to a sinister English boarding school, these thirteen stories will serve as your spinetingling companion to the long hours of winter.So curl up, light a candle, and wait for the clock to strike . . .

THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLEROne of The Telegraph's greatest books of 2025‘Astonishing. A rare and wonderful story’ – Chris Whitaker, author of All the Colours of the Dark‘Fiendishly clever and completely gripping’ – Jennie Godfrey, bestselling author of The List of Suspicious Things'Laura Shepherd-Robinson takes delight in pulling the rug out from under her readers’ feet . . . in this cleverly structured and consistently enjoyable novel' - The TimesLondon, 1749Hannah Cole's world shatters following her husband’s brutal murder. Her confectionary shop, the Punchbowl and Pineapple, teeters on the brink of ruin. Just as she uncovers a hidden fortune—money her husband secretly possessed—a new nightmare begins. Magistrate Henry Fielding, the renowned author, suspects illicit gains. To save her inheritance, her shop, and her very reputation, Hannah must delve into her late husband's secret life. But as she unearths a labyrinth of lies and deceit, she finds herself entangled in a battle of wits far more dangerous than she could ever have imagined. From Sunday Times bestselling author Laura Shepherd-Robinson comes a twisty, immersive thriller where the truth is a luxury Hannah Cole can’t afford, and every secret is a step closer to her own undoing. A 2025 BBC Radio 2 Book Club Pick. Praise for The Art of a Lie‘This deliciously devious tale of skulduggery, questionable motives and untrustworthy appearances will keep you gripped’ – Daily Mail‘A twisty confection as subtle and delicious as one of Hannah's iced creams. I loved it’ – Ruth Ware, author of The Woman in Cabin 10‘An absolute treat of an historical crime novel. Sheer perfection’ – Janice Hallett, bestselling author of The Appeal‘[Laura Shepherd-Robinson's] best yet, and I don’t say that lightly’ – Harriet Tyce, bestselling author of Blood Orange

`A page-turner of a crime thriller . . . This is a world conveyed with convincing, terrible clarity' - C. J. Sansom Blood & Sugar is the thrilling debut historical crime novel from Laura Shepherd-Robinson. June, 1781. An unidentified body hangs upon a hook at Deptford Dock - horribly tortured and branded with a slaver's mark. Some days later, Captain Harry Corsham - a war hero embarking upon a promising parliamentary career - is visited by the sister of an old friend. Her brother, passionate abolitionist Tad Archer, had been about to expose a secret that he believed could cause irreparable damage to the British slaving industry. He'd said people were trying to kill him, and now he is missing . . . To discover what happened to Tad, Harry is forced to pick up the threads of his friend's investigation, delving into the heart of the conspiracy Tad had unearthed. His investigation will threaten his political prospects, his family's happiness, and force a reckoning with his past, risking the revelation of secrets that have the power to destroy him. And that is only if he can survive the mortal dangers awaiting him in Deptford . . .