A Trace of Deceit

January 13, 2020
Annabel Rowe, the narrator of Odden’s satisfyingly complex and richly detailed sequel to 2018’s Dangerous Duet, is a painting student at London’s Slade School of Fine Arts. Annabel’s troubled brother, Edwin, a gifted painter in his own right, has recently been released from prison after being convicted for forgery. On a visit to his apartment, Annabel finds Insp. Matthew Hallam of Scotland Yard going through Edwin’s meager possessions. She’s shocked to learn that her brother has been murdered, and teams with Hallam to bring the killer to justice. As they investigate, Annabel comes to realize that her brother had some devastating secrets, which lead her to reevaluate their shared past. Readers get a fascinating look at the development of the fine arts auction scene and the attendant corruption that the exchange of vast sums of money inspires. Odden keenly evokes the physical as well as cultural milieu of Victorian England, and peoples her setting with fully realized and intriguing characters. This book will delight readers who like their mysteries cloaked in well-researched history. Agent: Joshua Getzler, Hannigan Salky Getzler Agency.

Starred review from November 15, 2019
In late-nineteenth-century London, Annabel Rowe leaves her painting class at the Slade School of Art to visit her brother, Edwin, also an artist, only to find him dead, with Inspector Matthew Hallam examining the crime scene in Edwin's flat. Annabel helps Hallam with his search, explaining what she knew of her brother's life since his prison sentence for forgery. That night, a family friend, an employee of an auction house, comes to tell her that Edwin had been cleaning a valuable Boucher due to be auctioned in a few days, a painting that was not found in his rooms. Annabel tells Hallam, who notes that the painting had already been reported stolen by a collector but not the same collector who had listed it for sale. Hallam and Annabel, working together, find more than a trace of deceit" as they delve into the provenance of the painting and interview Edwin's friends and former teachers. Odden's third effort, following A Dangerous Duet (2018), injects a refreshing level of complexity, both in character development and plotting, into what one typically expects to find in historical cozies. This will appeal to fans of Victorian mysteries, as well as those interested in art history.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)