Available in e-book and paperback. Hardback and audiobook to follow!
Here is what some readers say about it:-
New life brought to traditional historical romance tropes and themes.
All my favourite elements: fully realised characters, especially a strong heroine; a marriage of convenience; a gorgeous slow burning romance; a touch of jeopardy and a beautifully depicted historical backdrop.
I loved this excellent novel and know I will reread it often – whenever I need a dose of uplifting and heart-warming romance.
The juxtaposition of a successfully growing manufacturing business with the difficulties suffered by the landed gentry as they try to make their land productive is telling and adds immeasurable richness and depth to the story.
Daniel and Anna are excellent characters, and the story, with two villains, made for suspenseful reading.
Buy it from Amazon, B&N, Kobo and other market-places.
I’m new to your books and started with The Shadow Earl which I enjoyed but I absolutely loved Masque if Deceptions. Great take on the marriage of convenience trope, lovely characters and enjoyable mysteries thrown in. I am a great fan of the Civil War period, a huge fan of Prince Rupert , so maybe I’ll try Black Madonna next!
Thank you so much, Debra. You may want to plunge into A Splendid Defiance before Madonna. It’s shorter but also linked, being set around the great siege of Banbury Castle in 1644. And yes … Rupert does makes something more than a mere guest appearance!
Right well I shall download it now! I can read it while my portrait of Rupert by Gerard Honthurst gazes at me- a lovely copy the Landesgalerie in Hanover sent to me over 50 years ago when as a love struck 15 year old I wrote to them after reading C V Wedgewoods The English Civil War!
I have a copy of the Honthurst portrait – got mine from the NPG in London. And, like you, I also began with Ms Wedgwood’s books. Have you read The Stranger Prince by Margaret Irwin? It’s one of my all-time favourites.
The one from the Landesgalerie is the best- slightly different from the one in the NG.
I’m slightly embarrassed to say I’ve probably read everything ever written about Rupert including the Stranger Prince! I always credit him with my distinction in S Level history as one of the questions I answered was ‘Explain the popularity of historical novels’ which I was able to do by reference to all the books I’d read. A couple of years ago we went to Upton Cressett for my birthday weekend and I got to sleep in a room where Rupert slept – such a treat!!!
Another splendid fascinating story.Loved it
Thank you, Alison – I’d delighted that you enjoyed it.
Just finished it In fact couldn’t put it down !Anna and Daniel were great characters and the details of the porcelain works was just right enough fact to make it interesting without overdoing the details !
Whose story is coming next ?I will wait impatiently! Actually I am now rereading the Rockliffe series !!
Thank you, Jo – so glad you enjoyed it. As yet, I’m not prepared to say who is next,though I have made a start on it. This is became, if I think it’s not working, I may change my mind.
Haha I can see your point! Still you have several to choose from I am sure it will be worth the wait.
I am reading this now. I absolutely adore Anna! You don’t see women like her very often in that time period. Such a refreshing change.
Thank you, Katen – that was what I was aiming at because, surprisingly, there were a lot of business women in the latter part of the 18th century – although, to be fair, these were not ‘ladies’.
Excellent book, Stella!
Escapist but solidly grounded in historical accuracy.
I really enjoyed it.
Thank you, Amanda. Any chance of a brief review? At present, Amazon are sitting on at least 5 positive ones that I know about. Not sure what it happening!
Great story, I really liked Anna and Daniel. He’d obviously grown up a lot since The Shadow Earl.
Just finished reading it for the third time since it came out.
Thanks, Shelagh – so glad you enjoyed it and seriously impressed that you’ve read it 3 times! If you could say something along these lines on Amazon, I’d appreciate it. Just had another kicking from Nile Etland containing accusations of spelling mistakes and grammatical errors.
Spelling mistakes and grammatical errors happen. If you want another set of eyes, feel free to contact me (I’m a retired editor and nonfiction writer). I am not sure who Nile Etland is or where they post, but for the record I did not notice an excessive number of errors in the Nook edition of Masque of Deceptions. And I enjoyed the book!
Sorry for the very late reply, Barbara – circumstances beyond my control.
N. Etland had attacked me before. Basically, if something isn’t to her personal taste, she regards it as deeply flawed for whatever reason. Like any book, there may be a handful of mistakes in Masque of Deceptions but it is NOT full of grammatical errors and spelling mistakes. I take great exception to N. Etland saying so – particularly in view of the fact that my dear friend and long-time proof-reader passed away exactly a week before Masque was released. Thank you for your balanced and moderate attitude and comments, Barbara – they are much appreciated.