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A Deceptive Devotion Spiral-Bound | April 23, 2019

Iona Whishaw

$20.59 - Free Shipping

Wedding bells, a grisly murder, and a defecting Russian spy bring drama to King’s Cove in the newest Lane Winslow mystery, a post-war mystery series that the Kirkus Reviews calls “riveting.”

A wedding is on the horizon for Lane Winslow and Inspector Darling. As one of the few Russian speakers in her community, Lane is obliged to act as translator and hostess for Countess Orlova, an elderly Russian woman who has tracked her missing brother to the Nelson area. Nelson PD investigates, but then the murder of a lone hunter in the hills above King’s Cove takes top priority.

Darling works the case with a Constable Oxley—a newcomer to the area, assigned in Constable Ames’ temporary absence—and a British agent contacts Lane to warn her to be on the lookout for a fleeing Russian defector. Bound by the Wartime Secrets Act, Lane is conflicted about keeping the information from Darling, especially when it begins to put a strain on their relationship.

Fans of Maisie Dobbs and the Kopp Sisters will delight in this rousing adventure of intrigue and espionage.

Publisher: Ingram Publisher Services
Original Binding: Trade Paperback
Pages: 392 pages
ISBN-10: 1771513004
Item Weight: 1.12 lbs
Dimensions: 5.0 x 1.48 x 7.5 inches

A Deceptive Devotion (#6)

"A nostalgic look at postwar Canada melds with a riveting tale of old and new Russia as its deeply nuanced characters lurch from one dangerous situation to the next." —Kirkus Reviews

"Another fantastic entry in the unique and compelling Lane Winslow series! Filled with intrigue, deception, twisted loyalties, and a touch of romance, readers will stand up and cheer." —Anna Lee Huber, author of the Lady Darby Mysteries and the Verity Kent Mysteries

"It’s always a pleasure to return to King’s Cove and be swept away by another Lane Winslow tale. This latest instalment—rich with intrigue, humour, murder and romance—underlines why Whishaw’s books have fast become my favourite mystery series." —Kerry Clare, editor 49th Shelf, author of Mitzi Bytes

"Iona Whishaw has again raised the bar . . . This is seriously good storytelling that continues to earn its place among the finest mystery writing in Canada." —Don Graves, Canadian Mystery Reviews

"Whishaw spins an engrossing tale of murder, Russian assassins, British spies and local Canadian constabulary while deftly braiding the many story threads into a twisty plot in A Deceptive Devotion." —Shelf Awareness

"My enthusiasm was high while reading A Deceptive Devotion. . . . I genuinely love the characters, their banter, how comfortable I am with them while reading. I of course look forward to spending more time with Lane, Darling and (now Sergeant) Ames." —Literary Hoarders blog

"I love [Lane Winslow] because she is a modern woman ahead of her day." —Wei Chen, host, CBC Ontario Morning

"Whishaw knows the land, the language, and the people. She gives readers many interesting characters—Countess Orlova and Aptekar are two of the best. The plot lines play out from the late 1800s to 1947 in about 150 scenes that jump from King’s Cove and nearby Nelson to Moscow, London, Vladivostok, Vancouver, Ottawa, and places in between. But all the threads come together with considerable surprises and twists. Fans of Whishaw and Winslow will enjoy this 6th in the Lane Winslow Mysteries." —Historical Novel Society

"The Lane Winslow books are in the cozy category, but they are more in the vein of Louise Penny: there’s a darkness around them and events from the past still have a tight hold on Lane and Darling, no matter how much they try to move forward. This is a compelling series that combines a cozy setting, spy intrigue storylines, and police procedural elements—not an easy task, but one that Whishaw pulls off." —Reviewing the Evidence blog

Praise for the Lane Winslow Mysteries

A Match Made for Murder (#7) is winner of the 2021 Bony Blithe Light Mystery Award

"The ‘find of the year’, Iona Whishaw’s Lane Winslow series is a real treat. Set after WWII, Lane has left England for Canada . . . settling in the small village of King’s Cove. With a quaint cast of characters and the feel of Louise Penny’s Three Pines, the independence and quick wit of Kerry Greenwood’s Phryne Fisher and the intelligence of Jacqueline Winspear’s Maisie Dobbs, this mystery series has it all!" —Murder by the Book, Texas

"Relentlessly exciting from start to finish." —Kirkus Reviews

"Whishaw deftly intertwines plot and psychology, giving readers insight not only into Lane's crime-solving strategies, but the perspectives and lives of her neighbors. The series also follows Lane's inner journey, from complicated family history to postwar trauma to the beginning of new love. Well plotted and laced with dry wit, Lane's adventures are entirely satisfying summer reading." —Shelf Awareness

"Iona Whishaw is a writer to watch." —Globe and Mail

"There’s no question you should read it—it’s excellent." —Toronto Star

“Iona Whishaw’s writing is worthy of taking its place alongside the works of Agatha Christie and Dorothy L Sayers. . . deftly crafted and briskly paced.” —Fiona Valpy, author of The Dressmaker’s Gift

"Another fantastic entry in the unique and compelling Lane Winslow series!" —Anna Lee Huber, author of the Lady Darby Mysteries

“I absolutely love the modern sensibility of these novels, of their feminism, sense of justice, their anti-racism, their progressiveness, which somehow never seems out of place in a tiny BC hamlet in 1948. . . But it’s never preachy or pedantic, and Whishaw continues to use her murder mysteries to explore the limitations on women’s lives and freedom that were contemporary to the period, and which are not yet so far away in the rear view mirror.” —Kerry Clare, author of Mitzi Bytes and Waiting for a Star to Fall

"Complex, suspenseful, and deeply felt, this is a smart series for the ages." —Francine Mathews, author of the Nantucket Mysteries

"Exquisitely written, psychologically deft." —Linda Svendsen, author of Sussex Drive

"Iona Whishaw has again raised the bar . . . This is seriously good storytelling." —Don Graves, Canadian Mystery Reviews

"In the vein of Louise Penny . . . a compelling series that combines a cozy setting, spy intrigue storylines, and police procedural elements—not an easy task, but one that Whishaw pulls off." —Reviewing the Evidence

"The setting is fresh and the cast endearing." —CrimeReads

"An enthralling mystery." —Historical Novel Society

"This series . . . continues to get better and better." —Reviewing the Evidence

"A simply riveting read by a master of the genre." —Wisconsin Bookwatch

"A series that’s guaranteed to please." —Mercer Island Books, Washington

"Full of history, mystery, and a glorious BC setting . . . a wonderful series." —Sleuth of Baker Street, Ontario

Iona Whishaw is the bestselling author of the Lane Winslow Mysteries. She is the winner of a Bony Blithe Light Mystery Award, was a finalist for a BC and Yukon Book Prize, and has twice been nominated for a Left Coast Crime Award. The heroine of her series, Lane Winslow, was inspired by Iona's mother who, like her father before her, was a wartime spy. Born in the Canadian Kootenays, Iona spent many years in Mexico, Nicaragua, and the US before settling into Vancouver, BC where she now lives with her husband, Terry. Throughout her life she has worked as a youth worker, social worker, teacher, and award-winning high school principal, eventually completing her master's in creative writing from the University of British Columbia.