An Heiress's Guide to Deception and Desire

by Manda Collins Narrated by Mary Jane Wells

Overview

Former lovers become reluctant allies in this delightfully witty historical rom-com from the bestselling author of A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem-for fans of Evie Dunmore, Enola Holmes, and Netflix's Bridgerton!

England, 1867:*As half of the writing duo behind England's most infamous crime column,*Miss Caroline Hardcastle has quite the scandalous reputation. It may have cost her a fiancé, but she would much rather bring attention to crimes against those ignored by society than worry about what the ton thinks of her.

After Caro's dear friend is kidnapped, however, she has no choice but to work with Lord Valentine Thorn, the same man who broke her heart. Worse, when her actions put her father's business at risk, a marriage of convenience may be her only solution . . . but can she trust Val to stand by her? Or will their past repeat itself?

Val-the new Viscount Wrackham-is in an untenable position: His father is demanding he find a respectable bride to secure the succession. Yet the only woman he's ever loved, Miss Caroline Hardcastle, is notorious for behaving improperly. And she's never forgiven him for his youthful transgressions, missteps made in the name of familial duty, but ones he still regrets to this day.

As they grow closer to unmasking the culprit, Val sees an opportunity to show Caro he's a changed man. But can he convince her to give their love a second chance-before death does them part?

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"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

Kirkus Reviews

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.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940176405651
Publisher:	Hachette Audio
Publication date:	11/16/2021
Edition description:	Unabridged

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