3.5/ 5 (rounded up)

I feel sadly very conflicted over this ! Mistress of Lies was one of my most anticipated reads for this year, with the incentive of vampires, blood magic, murder investigations and of course romance, but I couldn’t help feel a little underwhelmed. For me personally it felt a bit surface level when I really wanted to stink my teeth (excuse the pun) into something deliciously macabre and seductive and really understand the rift between Blood Workers and the Unblooded as well as feel deep deep connections to Shan and Samuel.

The story follows Shan, a Blood Worker who is trying to build her family name back up after her fathers paranoia turns them to ruin. Lady LeClaire is a player of games, someone who deceives at a moments notice but as the plot goes on we find out more about the depths of her mind and soul and the lengths she’ll go to for those that she loves and cares about.
The other character view point comes from Samuel, ‘gutter rat to Prince’ with incredibly high morals where we see him conflicted many times throughout the story.

I would have liked a bit more explanation or backstory into the Blood Workers, who they are and what they can actually do compared to the Unblooded? It felt a bit vague at times but for me personally I would’ve loved just a bit more of an explanation to really understand that divide between the two parties. As part of the plot we do start to understand small details but I think I would have just liked a bit more?

This story is incredibly character driven which I then highly recommend to anyone who that suits, I think I prefer more world building, understanding the magic system, how it all runs (a prequel would be right up my alley).

I desperately wanted to love this and it become a 5 star read that I had truly hoped it would be. I would still recommend to those who want that vampire fix, to meet interesting, rich characters and explore this new historical realm. Despite my thoughts, I’d still be very interested in the sequel!

Actual Rating: 3.5

If I had to pick my top five most anticipated books for 2024 then ’Mistress Of Lies’ would undoubtedly have been one of them, so the fact that I’m conflicted over it now is devastating. It definitely has its strengths and I can see many readers falling in love with it so I do advise checking it out. Yet it wasn’t the five star favourite that I was expecting sadly; something that’s particularly frustrating as with a little fine tuning it could have been.

’Mistress Of Lies’ dives straight into its blood soaked action, introducing readers to Shan in a way that they’re not likely to forget anytime soon. Her brutality and scheming bursts from the page and creates a central character that’s complex and layered. Whilst Samuel, the other viewpoint of the novel, had the bones of a brilliant character but didn’t quite deliver on it for me personally. His dark powers, the roots they stem from, his sweet nature; they all appealed immensely in theory. But I couldn’t help but find his characterisation a bit inconsistent at times. One moment he has a deep sense of morality then the next he’s batting away the atrocities of others.

The concept of blood magic – one of my major draws to this book, as a fan of vampire fiction – was intriguing to uncover and offered a fresh approach to this kind of fiction. The world that ’Mistress Of Lies’ is set within had lots of interesting dynamics at play too. The string of murders were uniquely macabre although I do feel that more time could have been spent upon the actual investigation into the culprit. And the overall plot arc and direction was enticing. There were bits of the plot that I saw coming but others that managed to catch me off guard. And the motivation behind the murders was certainly not what I’d have expected.

So this book definitely had its fair share of highs for me, but also a few unfortunate lows. There were times when I didn’t want to put ’Mistress Of Lies’ down but others when I felt compelled to. There were some segments and ideas that I adored but sometimes the execution of them slipped slightly. Some revelations were accepted or regarded by characters too easily for me personally. There were inconsistencies within character dynamics on occasion too. Plus I can’t help but question the believability of Shan’s disguises on occasion.

Ultimately this really was a book that conflicted me. The overall plot arc, character ideas and concept had the makings of a five star read for me. It had moments that I adored but others where I longed for a break too, generally due to little inconsistencies niggling at me. Even so I do advise checking ’Mistress Of Lies’ out as it’s an intriguing new venture into the realm of vampire fiction, with lots of potential that I’m sure many readers will love. Although it didn’t quite blow me away I’m still intrigued enough to check out its sequel.

One of the best debuts I've read this year! "Mistress of Lies" is a dark fantasy set in a world where society is divided into two groups - the Blood Workers, who derive their power from blood magic, and the Unblooded, who are devoid of magic. Despite being a minority, the Blood Workers wield power and privilege, while the non-magical Unblooded live in poverty, degradation, and discrimination.

The magic system in this book is very good. The author draws inspiration from historical experiences of countries such as England and pre-revolutionary France, incorporating the best tropes of horror novels and vampire stories to create something entirely new. The worldbuilding is not merely a decorative backdrop in this book; it holds real plot significance - the unjust nature of a system based on rigid social divisions serves as a driving force for the characters' actions.

Speaking of characters, they are the greatest strength of this book. Shan, Samuel, and Isaac are compelling, multidimensional yet morally grey protagonists. United by the injustices they've suffered at the hands of the flawed system, they find common ground. However, their goals are not entirely aligned. This fluidity leads to seamless shifts from cooperation to rivalry, from desire to denial, from loyalty to betrayal. The complexity of the characters allows readers to become fully immersed in their stories and to root for them, even though the line between hero and villain here is razor-thin. Particularly impressive is the female protagonist, Shan. She is not a conventionally likable character, and some of her decisions are chilling. However, her humanity shines through as she grapples with her mistakes, struggles to navigate a society that rejects her, and fights for what she believes is right. Fantasy needs more heroines like her.

Despite being largely character-driven, the book is not lacking in plot. From the first pages, I was drawn into a web of political conspiracies, alongside a gripping investigation into the brutal murders of the Unblooded. The book also features a well-executed romance subplot, with commendable trans representation.

With its breakneck pace and multi-layered narrative, there's never a dull moment in "Mistress of Lies". I found myself completely absorbed, unable to put it down, and thoroughly enjoyed every moment. I struggled to find any significant flaws of this novel as I devoured it in a single day.

I eagerly await the sequel and highly recommend this book to anyone seeking an unconventional dark fantasy that masterfully combines political intrigue, criminal investigation, romance, and moral complexity.

My review will be published on Goodreads and on retailers' websites within two weeks prior to the release day.

Mistress of Lies by K.M. Enright
Rating: 4/5
Release Date: 15 August 2024

Shan LeClaire, daughter of a once-powerful Blood Worker fallen from grace, has dedicated her life to mastering blood magic, weaving intricate webs of spies, and amassing power at every turn. When she takes the drastic step of assassinating her own father to protect her brother and assumes leadership of the family, it marks only the beginning of her quest for vengeance.

Meanwhile, Samuel Hutchinson, a man burdened with a dark and unwanted ability, unwittingly becomes entangled in a series of magical murders. Drawn into a world of sorcery and political intrigue he had hoped to avoid, he finds himself ensnared in the ruthless court of the vampire king.

Tasked by the Eternal King with uncovering the identity of the murderous culprit wreaking havoc in the city, Samuel teams up with Shan and the enigmatic Royal Blood worker, Isaac. As they delve deeper into the mystery, their bonds tighten. However, Shan's intentions are as perilous as they are complex.

“Mistress of Lies” is an enthralling narrative brimming with political machinations, enchanting magic, and irresistibly complex characters you'll find yourself cheering for. A sumptuous tale that refuses to release its grip on you. With the opening pages of this book setting a stage for blood-soaked vengeance, dripping with cunning and cruelty; it is an absolute thrill to read.

I highly recommend.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Little Brown Book Group UK | Orbit, and the author, K. M. Enright, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review.

A debut fantasy full of political intrigue with a twisty murder mystery and 2 main characters trying to solve it before time runs out.

This is very plot driven and due to that I found that the world building and magic system weren’t very well fleshed out. I also feel like the characters lacked depth and wished we’d got Isaac’s POV aswell but since the twist at the end, I do understand why we didn’t get that. 3.5 stars

This book was just delicious - I don't think any other other word can describe was a lush, dark, intoxicating story this was. It was just consuming and I just had to devour it.

I loved the world that was built up around the Blood Workers and Unblooded - how the nation fits in as an anomaly to the other nations of the world. How - despite being the one haven for Blood Workers - it's still a corrupt abomination of a country for the Unblooded population. (My one thing I wasn't sure on worldbuilding wise was which was the city name and which was the country name out of Dameral and Aeravin).

Shan, Samuel and Isaac are some of the most compelling characters. I loved all the dynamics between the three of them and they way the evolved throughout the story. I loved how each of them has a commitment to bettering their society but has vastly different ways of approaching that, of how they all have vast potential of plotting, scheming and manipulation - how trust doesn't come easy to them despite the lust and love.

Also the plot was just fucking gorgeous - the twists were so damn meaty and juicy and just, this was a story I was really able to sink my teeth into and get engrossed by. I was so convinced that the killer was one character and was absolutely gobsmacked by the reveal. Yet, it all made perfect sense! And that's just the best kind of twist, I love one that I didn't see coming but that completely makes sense in retrospect. It just shows such an excellent hold on the story and the reader on the part of the author.

I also found the Eternal King an interesting character - his power and corruption was so present yet there was still this very subtle undertone of something akin to humanity in his ready acceptance of Samuel and the way his long deceased wife haunted the background of his character, how he had never moved on from her. I would love to see more about him in the sequel.

Mentioning he sequel, I fully went into this thinking it was a standalone. I was so stressed getting towards the end without everything wrapped up but am actually so glad there will be another chance to see these characters and this world. Especially because, despite it all, I am rooting for Shan/Isaac/Samuel so, so bad.