A Deceptive Devotion - (Lane Winslow Mystery) by Iona Whishaw (Paperback)

About the Book

Wedding bells, a grisly murder, and a defecting Russian spy bring drama to King's Cove in the newest Lane Winslow mystery, a series that the Globe and Mail calls "terrific."

Book Synopsis

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.

Review Quotes

Praise for A Deceptive Devotion (#6)

"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

"She is a modern woman ahead of her day." --CBC Ontario Morning

"[Whishaw] 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

"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

"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

"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, author of Mitzi Bytes

Praise for the Lane Winslow Mysteries

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

Finalist for the Left Coast Crime "Lefty" Awards (2019, 2024)

Finalist for the Canadian Crime Writers of Canada Awards (2023, 2024)

Finalist for the Bill Duthie Booksellers' Choice Award (2022)

Loan Stars Top 10 Pick (2017, 2020, 2022)

"Iona Whishaw's Lane Winslow series is a real treat. 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

"Highly entertaining . . . fans and newcomers alike will find lots to love." --Publishers Weekly, STARRED review

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

"Well plotted and laced with dry wit, Lane's adventures are entirely satisfying summer reading." --Shelf Awareness

"Whishaw goes all out on the historical bits and it's all great fun." --Globe and Mail

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

"Brave, bold and brilliant, Lane Winslow is a force to be reckoned with." --Toronto Star

"As always, Whishaw's characters are the heart of the whodunit--we adored spending time with Lane and her entourage, from the wisecracking Inspector Darling to his quirky but highly skilled crew of constables." --Apple Books

"Reliable bestsellers." --Quill & Quire

"It's the perfect series for fans of Miss Fisher and Maisie Dobbs." --Zoomer Magazine

"Very charming and delightful. If you like Louise Penny's novels, this is right up your street." --CBC Ontario Morning

"It Begins in Betrayal has a wonderfully complex plot with threads that eventually resolve most satisfactorily." --Maureen Jennings, author of the Murdoch Mysteries series

"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

"An engaging, superbly crafted page turner of a mystery." --Alan Hlad, international and USA Today bestselling author of The Long Flight Home

"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." --Kerry Clare, author of Mitzi Bytes, Waiting for a Star to Fall, and Asking for a Friend

"What a delight! . . . crafted with such charming finesse that readers will fall in love as I did." --Genevieve Graham, #1 USA Today bestselling author of Bluebird

"Stellar . . . " --Eliza Knight, USA Today bestselling author of Starring Adele Astaire

"Whishaw is a master of the historical mystery." --Sam Wiebe, award-winning author of Sunset and Jericho and Hell and Gone

"Richly conjured and Whishaw's trademark examination of the mores of the day add depth and enjoyment to another deftly plotted puzzler . . . this series just keeps getting better!" --Catriona McPherson, award-winning author of the Dandy Gilver series

"An intriguing mix of character, plot, time, and place. Highly recommended." --Ian Hamilton, author of the bestselling Ava Lee novels

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

"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

"An enthralling mystery." --Historical Novel Society

"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

"Each book in the series is an impressive combination of mystery, history, and a little bit of romance." --Lethbridge Herald

About the Author

Iona Whishaw is a former educator and social worker whose mother and grandfather were both spies during their respective wars. She lives in Vancouver, British Columbia with her husband. Visit her at ionawhishaw.com.