Reviews

And Only to Deceive by Tasha Alexander

mbenzz's review

5.0

I don't normally read mystery novels, but the premise of this sounded interesting, and I really liked that it was set in Victorian England, so I decided to give it a go. SOOOO glad I did! I loved watching Emily evolve and come into her own throughout this book, and finding a true passion in life...Greek Antiquities. Now, I personally have zero passion for Greek anything, so I was afraid the novel would be too bogged down with descriptions of artifacts and Greek Mythology...well it wasn't at all. Ms. Alexander throws in just enough information so the reader understands what's going on, but not so much that it feels like a history lesson.

I also loved that Ms. Alexander didn't wait until the last 5 pages to reveal who the culprit was. We found out about 2/3 of the way through the book, then read about how Emily would trap them into revealing themselves...very entertaining! Nothing irritates me more than when an author drags a mystery out to the very...last...page. It's why I don't read many mysteries. I absolutely loved the cast of character in this novel...Emily is young and modern for her time, but not so much that it's unbelievable in any way. Her friend Cecile is an absolute delight and I loved whenever she made an appearance. Margaret and Ivy (Emily's close friends) are complete opposites but a huge asset to Emily nonetheless.

Overall, I absolutely recommend this novel. As soon as I was finished, I immediately started 'A Poisoned Season', even though a favorite author of mine has a new book out that I've been waiting for MONTHS. I just didn't want to stop reading about Miss Emily Ashton and her newfound knack for solving crimes. A wonderful mystery novel that you're sure to enjoy. So glad I found it!

aches's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No

2.5

pathfindernicole's review

mysterious slow-paced

• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.25

byrdy's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Enjoyable. Talented audiobook narrator. 

willbefunorelse's review

4.0

He reveals that he doesn't care what his wife drinks, so long as she drinks it correctly. This leads me to believe that my habit of mixing aged tequila with caffeine-free diet cola would horrify him.

For the full review -- including some Greek antiquities and some Pro Tips For Dudes (uh, surprisingly unrelated, though I guess I could have made a joke right there), follow the link to That's What She Read.

shawniebooks's review

4.0

I really enjoyed this historical mystery.

saranies's review

3.0

A lovely meringue of a novel and just what I needed to read during a pandemic. Looking forward to reading more.

annalisa4's review

adventurous mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.25

Too much like ever other detective books. I will be reading the rest of the series to see if it’ll get better.

jilligin's review

5.0

I purchased this book February 1, 2013 and I literally just read it. I have no idea what is wrong with me because I really, really liked this book! It is well written with a great plot and even better characters. Emily is flawed but amazing. Lucky for me there are plenty of other books that followed this one. Don’t wait years to read it, it is lovely!

bellamy301's review

fast-paced

2.0