The Art of Deception

by Liz Harris

NA

Genres: Romance

160 pages, Paperback

First published September 16, 2013

About the author

Born in London, Liz Harris graduated from university with a Law degree, and then moved to California, where she led a varied life, from waitressing on Sunset Strip to working as secretary to the CEO of a large Japanese trading company.

Six years later, she returned to London and completed a degree in English, after which she taught secondary school pupils, first in Berkshire, then Cheshire, and then in Oxfordshire.

In addition to the eighteen novels she’s had published, she’s had several short stories in anthologies and magazines.

Liz now lives in Windsor, Berkshire. An active member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and the Historical Novel Society, her interests are travel, the theatre, reading and cryptic crosswords.

To find out more about Liz, visit her website at: www.lizharrisauthor.com. You can sign up to her monthly newsletter from her website, and as a thank-you gift, you’ll receive a free book, Word Perfect, a romance set in California.

Reviews

[Suze · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Jenny sees an ad in the paper she knows it's a job she has to have. She loves Italy, she speaks Italian and she's a skilled artist and teacher, so she's the ideal candidate to teach summer art classes. The only downside is the employer as Jenny believes he was involved in her father's death. Because she wants to know more about it she decides this is the perfect opportunity to gather some information. She believes the Castanien's are a cruel family.

Max Castanien is nothing but nice. Jenny can't seem to discover anything mean about him. What's even worse is that she actually likes her employer and he seems to like her. Jenny is supposed to hate him though, so there can never be anything between them. Jenny enjoys teaching the course and interacting with her students. When Max joins them she has the chance to get closer to him, will Jenny finally find out the truth?

The Art of Deception is a wonderful summer story. The students each have their own distinctive character traits and some are more likable than others. They make the story colorful and interesting. The setting is a beautiful villa in Italy, which is a wonderful background for the story. The tension between Max and Jenny is definitely intriguing as there are so many conflicting feelings between them. I read this story in one sitting as I couldn't wait to find out what would eventually happen between Max and Jenny. I liked everything about this book and think it's a perfect holiday read.

[Elizabeth Ducie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this in a single sitting. Described as a 'heart-warming love story' and set in the beautiful Umbrian countryside, this little novella is perfect for curling up and relaxing on a quiet day just before Christmas. reminding me that summer is not that far away, even in the depths of December. A typical romance, but with the odd nudge towards a thriller as well. Most enjoyable.

[Isla Scott · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was very sentimental and cheesy. I felt like I was waiting for the real story to start, way past half way into the (though short) story. Its quite traditional and reads like something perhaps the more upper classes may enjoy?. Its not really my kind of thing. Looking at the front cover, I'd presumed it would be more along the lines of a thriller, a psychological thriller or mystery but its much moreso a sentimental romance with lots of character description but ultimately not a great deal happens in relation to what the title refers to, until the last couple of chapters. By that point, I have to say I didn't feel especially bothered about the characters, although I gather other people like the authors work, which is fine. It may suit some but not so much me.

I picked it up in paperback form at my local branch of Poundland the other week, so at least it didn't cost much. Its probably a better read for people who are keen on very descriptive reads, although for a book that is under 160 pages long (its 154 pages in length), it maybe gives you an idea of how thin of a plot there is, given there are a lot of (partially unnecessary) descriptions given and it still comes out as only 154 pages long. On the plus side, I enjoyed reading the descriptions of Italy (moreso than descriptions of the characters) and while it was quite bland and cheesy, it was a short book to read and it wasn't too taxing to keep track of, so its an easy skim read.

[Elizabeth Zhou · Rating 1 out of 5]

I do not really think that such story is logical. How can the heroine falls in love with a man who she suspects to be the main cause of her father's murder? In addition, the story only tells that how handsome Max is rather than telling about the inner struggle of Jenny. Bored!

[Maud · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story is a gentle read. Nothing wrong with that, but there are some discrepancies.
One must puzzle over the age of the H/H.
Our hero Max really sounds like a nice old bloke (50 or so) for he has been collecting art for quite some years and has a nicely restored villa in Umbia, runs a textile company for years, has a nephew of 19 (his brother is 8 years his senior) and has had some dealings with Jenny's father before his death 12 years ago.
Heroine Jenny finished school (16/18), had to work for 2 years before entering college for 3y. Then one year PGCE and is now looking for a permanent job. So by my calculations that makes her 22/24 at most. (Although she behaves/speaks like lady with a need for ergonomically personalised shoes or a hip replacement.)
Only at the end we find out that Jenny's mother met Max when he was 19 or 20 and that must have been (at the very least) 12 years ago. So by my calculations he must be 32/38.
Throughout the book one feels that Max is ripe for retirement, he behaves like an old man and although he is head of a thriving business, he does not seem to be spending much time working for it.
All in all it has a 1940'ish feel to it, just like one of those Georgette Heyer Mysteries. But than with mobile phones and wifi.

[Louise Jones · Rating 2 out of 5]

i am not over keen on this type of book as the story does not always add up or tie up together but it is fine running around on public transport and it did have a great title art of deception goes so well in an art setting it was a bit difficult to believe that yo u wld falll for someone you thought was reponsible for the death of yr farther but of course so many understanding s i dont mind these type books for relaxation but wld not really recommend it to people !!!

[John Naylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

It isn't often I step into the world of romantic fiction. This was probably one of the better books to look at in that genre.

It had plot, side plots and no cringe-worthy sex scenes.
It had a mystery and suspense element too. The characters were not all one dimensional and the setting was a character itself.

I enjoyed reading this until about the second page from the end. Then it became unbelievably cheesy and played out like a million other books have. The ending cost the book a 4* rating but I did enjoy it enough for a 3*.

[Carol Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this book from a Choc Lit goody bag and thought I would give it a go. It was an enjoyable holiday read with likeable characters. The setting was lovely and there was even a bit of drama thrown in towards the end. Although it is a novella the plot and characters had enough depth to make it engaging. This was my first Liz Harris book and I am looking forward to reading others.

[Aija Vanaga · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy summer way read. Fast and forgettable.

[Helena · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Art of Deception by Liz Harris was an enjoyable read which transported me to Italy. It made me want to relax and feel the sun on my face. The characters were interesting, and the story moved along at a good pace. I enjoyed the ending, altogether a great read.

[Robyn Koshel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first Liz Harris book and She is an amazing author and I will be coming back for more of her titles. I what I loved about this book, was that no one was what they seemed. Jenny blamed Max for years and carried this huge weight of emotional baggage. She almost demonizing him until she actually met the man.

I think luck had very little to do with Jenny's new job; I felt like she spun a web and she waited for things to fall into place. There was definitely some amount of planning going on.

Italy is described beautifully and the details are that of that of someone who loves and knows the region well. It was a very nice change of pace to read a book set somewhere so lovely. The other art student characters are just as interesting, as everyone had their own reasons to be there as well as Jenny.

The one thing I didn't like about this book was that it was too short. I didn't want it to end. From the moment I picked it up I couldn't put it down and it felt like it just flew by.

The Art of deception is such an intriguing book with themes about revenge, hate, love and forgiveness. I highly recommend it as a fast paced quick read that wont let you down and you will remember for a long time after.

[Angela Britnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘The Art of Deception’ describes this story perfectly. An advert for an art teaching job in Italy interests Jenny, especially when she finds out she would be working for Max Castanien. She believes him to be responsible for her father’s death and wants to find out the truth of what happened. What she doesn’t expect is to be instantly attracted to the charming Max. Together in Italy, where the wonderful landscape becomes a part of the story, their relationship deepens until Jenny begins to question everything she’s been brought up to believe.