An Heiress's Guide to Deception and Desire

by Manda Collins

Overview

A feisty heiress and reluctant duke are partners-in-crime but enemies in love in this delightful and witty historical romance from the bestselling author of A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem--for fans of Sarah MacLean, Sabrina Jeffries, and Netflix's Bridgerton!

England, 1867: Miss Caroline Hardcastle has fully embraced her scandalous reputation--even though doing so cost her a chance for love. She would much rather bring aid to those ignored by society by writing for England's most infamous crime column. When Caro's dear friend is kidnapped, however, she is shocked to find an ally in Lord Valentine Thorn, the same man who broke her heart years ago. Refusing his help would be the height of foolishness, but can she trust Val to stand by her?

Val--the new Viscount Wrackham--is in an untenable position: His father is demanding he find a respectable bride to secure the succession. Yet when Caro's improper actions require her to marry for convenience, Val sees an opportunity to show her he's a changed man. As the two grow closer to unmasking the culprit, can he convince her to give their love a second chance--before death does them part?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781538736180
Publisher:	Grand Central Publishing
Publication date:	09/27/2022
Series:	Ladies Most Scandalous Series , #2
Pages:	336
Product dimensions:	4.00(w) x 6.70(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Manda Collins grew up on a combination of Nancy Drew books and Jane Austen novels, and her own brand of historical romantic suspense is the result. A former academic librarian, she holds master's degrees in English and Library & Information Studies. Her novel Duke with Benefits was named a Kirkus Best Romance of 2017. She lives on the Gulf Coast with two lazy cats, a very spoiled Shih Tzu, and more books than are strictly necessary.

Editorial Reviews

"After delighting readers with A Lady’s Guide to Mischief and Mayhem (2020), Collins is back in fine fettle with another fetching mix of sprightly wit, nimble plotting, and engaging characters that is certain to endear her to fans of historical romances and cozier historical mysteries."—Booklist

"The mystery drives the action while the romance provides the heartbeat of the story, and the two weave together to create a well-plotted, entertaining tale for fans of both genres. Expectations and prejudice based on class and gender are scrutinized throughout, while the leads are witty, fierce, bighearted, and easy to love. . . . A successful and thoroughly enjoyable mix of mystery and romance."
 —Kirkus

"A delectable mystery that reads like Victorian Moonlighting (with a good heaping of Nancy Drew's gumption). Collins writes with a brisk whimsy, her diverting characters popping off the page . . . adroitly threading the needle of her darkly amusing sense of humor, genuine suspense, and a deep sense of connection. . . .  A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem is wickedly smart, so engrossing it'd be a crime not to read it immediately."—Entertainment Weekly on A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem

"Utterly charming."—PopSugar on A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem

"A fun and flirty historical rom-com with a mystery afoot!"—SYFY WIRE on A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem

"Smartly plotted, superbly executed, and splendidly witty."—Booklist on A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem

"Thoroughly enjoyable."—Library Journal on A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem

"Both romance and mystery fans will find this a treat."—Publishers Weekly on A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem

"Manda Collins smoothly blends romance and an English country-house whodunit . . . The twists and turns of the plot will keep readers guessing, but Kate's independent attitude and the interesting friends she gathers around her bring the story to vivid life."—Bookpage on A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem

"When I pick up a Manda Collins book, I know I'm in for a treat. With compelling characters and a rich Victorian setting, A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem weaves mystery and romance into one enthralling tale."—Tessa Dare, New York Times bestselling author

"[Manda] Collins is a delight! I read A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem waaay past my bedtime, absorbed by its spot-on period detail, the well-crafted characters, and of course the intriguing mystery. Brava!"—Elizabeth Hoyt, New York Times bestselling author

"With wicked smart dialogue and incredibly strong characters, Manda Collins reminds me why I love historical romance so much. Witty, intelligent, and hard to put down, you'll love A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem."—Rachel Van Dyken, #1 New York Times bestselling author

"Mystery, romance and an indomitable heroine make for a brisk, compelling read."—Madeline Hunter, New York Times bestselling author

"Manda Collins writes sexy and smart historical romance, with a big dash of fun."—Vanessa Kelly, USA Today bestselling author

"Sexy, thrilling, romantic . . . Manda Collins makes her Regency world a place any reader would want to dwell."—Kieran Kramer, USA Today bestselling author

From the Publisher

2021-09-01
A formerly betrothed pair rediscovers their feelings for each other when they team up to find a missing woman.

When Miss Caroline Hardcastle’s friend Effie, an actress, is kidnapped, Caro takes on the case with assistance from friends. As co-author of a newspaper crime column called “A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem,” Caro is fully aware of the danger Effie could be facing. Effie’s fiance calls on his cousin Lord Valentine Thorn to help with the search efforts. No one knows that four years ago, Val and Caro were engaged. Caro’s middle-class upbringing made her unsuitable in the eyes of Val’s father, and Caro eventually broke off the engagement. She’s been harboring negative feelings toward Val ever since, and matters become more complicated when working on the case leads to their being discovered in a compromising situation, with a marriage of convenience the only solution. Following their wedding three days later, Caro and Val rekindle their friendship and old emotions arise. Opening themselves up to love is difficult, however, not only because of their past, but also because they become increasingly entangled in the case, which could lead to danger. The mystery drives the action while the romance provides the heartbeat of the story, and the two weave together to create a well-plotted, entertaining tale for fans of both genres. Expectations and prejudice based on class and gender are scrutinized throughout, while the leads are witty, fierce, bighearted, and easy to love.

A successful and thoroughly enjoyable mix of mystery and romance.

Kirkus Reviews