And Only to Deceive opens with Lady Emily Ashton receiving word her husband the Viscount Phillip Ashton has died in Africa while on a hunting expedition. The tragic news affects Emily little, for she feels more relief than sorrow for the husband she barely had time to get to know.

It isn’t until Emily is informed of her late husband’s avid interest in Greek antiquities along with his hidden love and affection for her does Emily venture down the path of delving into the man Phillip truly was. The more she discovers about Phillip’s character the more intrigued she becomes. Reading the Greek poet Homer, visiting the British Museum to view Greek antiquities and even the odd but touching meeting with Renoir in Paris sets Emily on an adventure of not only discovering who Phillip was, but who she is and not what society wishes her to be.

When Emily becomes intimately acquainted with Phillip’s closest friends and learns of some questionable transactions, her newfound affection for her dead husband begins to waver. Mysterious letters, forged Greek antiquities, black market purchases and the sense of being watched, all contrive to sway Emily’s opinion that Phillip isn’t the decent, honourable man she has discovered through his journals. And when some disturbing news surfaces, Emily decides it is time for some answers.

For the reader, And Only to Deceive is more than a story of intrigue and mystery set in Victorian England. It is a book which encourages the reader to expand their mind with the pleasures of Greek literature or to explore the beauty of Praxiteles’s sculptures.

I thoroughly enjoyed And Only to Deceive. The characterization of Emily along with Madam Cécile du Lac and Margaret Seward were a refreshing delight and I recommend this book to anyone who appreciates a well written story with an avid mix of intellect. ( )

This particular type of heroine is usually too oblivious for my comfort, but the end of this book gives me great hope for the sequels. ( )

This particular type of heroine is usually too oblivious for my comfort, but the end of this book gives me great hope for the sequels. ( )

This was the first of the Lady Emily Ashton series set in Victorian London. I enjoyed it very much. Lady Emily was recently married when her husband Philip died on a safari in Africa.

She didn't know him well, and while sad is not heartbroken at his death. He leaves her with money, social position and the freedom to live her own life. Widows are no longer so tightly chaperoned, and don't need a male relative to make their decisions.

She mainly married to escape her harpy of a mother. Marriages in her class are arranged to secure position, fortune, and ensure the continuation of the line. Partners don't have to love each other, and often don't. Its a plus if they are compatible or even like each other.

In exploring her freedom, she finds out more about Philip from his friends and journals and finds he was in love with her, and a decent, interesting man. She also takes up his interest in ancient Greek culture. While doing so she finds what seems to be evidence that he might have been involved in stolen antiquities.

There are various characters who try to help her in her quest to educate herself, and some males who are trying to court her although she is still in mourning. Her mother is also plotting how to get Emily another marriage - though Emily is not interested.

The mystery comes in trying to decide who is doing the stealing, and commissioning the copies that are used to replace the originals. The story of Emily is interspersed with journal entries of Philip from just before their marriage, until the day before his death. The more I read about Philip the sorrier I was that he was dead and a character who would not be part of future stories.

The characters are well done, and the setting is interesting. There is a bit of a romance in the story, with hints that it will be part of future stories. The tone of the story is light and fun.

Only one big mistake that I can see: Philip writes in his journal while in Africa of the camp being beset with Howler Monkeys. They are new world monkeys, and not in Africa.

I have the next 2 in the series and will read them. I found out about the series because I saw book 4 being offered through LT ER. ( )

A very enjoyable book. It was a refreshing book about the late Victorian era; not too stuffy. I did predict a bit of it, such as the bad guy and all that, but it took a bit of a twist I wasn't expecting. I do hope the character of Lady Ashton gets more likable for me in A Poisoned Season because she was frustrating me a bit in this book. I very much loved the character of Colin Hargreaves; I look forward to seeing more of him. ( )