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.
My Review
“A Trace of Deceit” by Karen Odden is a work of art. Like a striking painting, this story is beautiful, complex and full of details. Some words I would use to describe this mystery are lush, descriptive and immersive. Those who love professionally researched mysteries with a lot of complexities will savor this story. There are a lot of period and art details. Sometimes I felt like the story was a little slow with the pacing. But it is a story to savor and linger in, much like one does at an art gallery. The author obviously has done extensive research and knows what she is talking about. Art lovers will especially love this book, although an amateur (like myself) can also enjoy it. The mystery is done so well, it kept me guessing through the whole book. I do not know how Ms. Odden was able to bring everything together at the end like she did, but it was very cleverly done. I also love that the story has a slightly Gothic feel to it.
Our heroine, Annabel Rowe, is a female painter in Victorian England. She goes to a progressive art school (one of the few that accept women). Her brother (another artist) is mysteriously murdered. Annabel basically inserts herself into the investigation and gets to know the inspector, Matthew, and they develop a friendship and later a romance. They work together to find answers. Annabel is strong, courageous, stubborn and fearless. Sometimes, I got frustrated along with Matthew that Annabel put herself in some dangerous situations. I love Matthew’s character and the relationship that develops between the two as they work together. I also think the way Annabel’s past relationship with her brother and how she processes everything is very well done. Ms. Odden gives the reader a poignant look at grief, loss and resilience.
I recommend this book to lovers of mystery, art and historical fiction!
Content: I give this book a PG-13 rating. Some examples of the content are: a character uses opium and gambles; the Lord’s name is taken in vain; a man drinks; the words “da**,” “bloody hell,” “devil,” “a**” and “bastard” are used; mention of suicide; mention of a man trying to have sex with the maids; metions that a male teacher had sex with some of his male students and made unwelcome advances; mentions that people curse, but the words aren’t actually written.
Rating: I give this book 4 stars.
I want to thank Karen Odden, Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours and William Morrow for the complimentary copy of this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I express in this review are my own. This is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR 16, Part 255.
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
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.
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.
Direct Link: https://gleam.io/competitions/qxgBy-a-trace-of-deceit
Jody Hedlund is the author of over twenty historicals for both adults and teens and is the winner of numerous awards including the Christy, Carol, and Christian Book Award.
