As the proprietor of the Kern Secretarial Agency, Ursela Kern takes the well being of her employees very seriously. So when one particular employee, Anne Clifton, who also happens to be very good friends with Ursela, ends up dead, Ursela takes it upon herself to investigate the death. Determined to prove her friend didn't commit suicide, Ursela takes over the job Anne was in the middle of so she could investigate whether it had anything to do with her death.

When Ursela informs Slater Roxton that she can't continue working on his cataloging project because something else has come up, Slater persuades Ursela to confide her plan to him. Convinced Ursela could be placing herself in danger, Slater insists on helping with the investigation. As they begin to gather clues, it quickly becomes evident that Anne was playing a dangerous game that involved drugs and murder and wasn't the person Ursela thought her to be. When their quest for answers brings danger towards them, Ursela and Slater have more than just Anne's death to solve; they have to start worrying about their own lives and secrets as well.

I've been a huge fan of Amanda Quick and all her personalities for years. I tend to re-read her books often so whenever a new book comes out, I have to add it to my collection. GARDEN OF LIES, while a good read, is going to be one of those rare books that I don't add to my re-read pile. I enjoyed the story but I found it to be heavier on the mystery surrounding Anne's murder and less so on the developing relationship between Ursela and Slater. Though typically not a problem, I just couldn't connect to the characters in a way that had me fully invested in them. The mystery itself is typical Quick and had plenty of danger and intrigue, thus keeping me reading until the final pages. Though not one destined to be a part of my favorite reads, GARDEN OF LIES is still an action packed read that'll suck you into its mystery.

Book Summary

The New York Times bestselling author of Otherwise Engaged and The Mystery Woman presents an all-new novel of intrigue and murder set against the backdrop of Victorian London…

The Kern Secretarial Agency provides reliable professional services to its wealthy clientele, and Anne Clifton was one of the finest women in Ursula Kern’s employ. But Miss Clifton has met an untimely end—and Ursula is convinced it was not due to natural causes.

Archaeologist and adventurer Slater Roxton thinks Mrs. Kern is off her head to meddle in such dangerous business. Nevertheless, he seems sensible enough to Ursula, though she does find herself unnerved by his self-possession and unreadable green-gold eyes…

If this mysterious widowed beauty insists on stirring the pot, Slater intends to remain close by as they venture into the dark side of polite society. Together they must reveal the identity of a killer—and to achieve their goal they may need to reveal their deepest secrets to each other as well…