LYING WITH LIONS is a really excellent piece of well-grounded historical fiction.

Using real-life scandal as a starting point, Fielding has created a novel that kept me on the edge of my seat to see who would be caught out by which lie and who the truly guilty parties were.

The novel has quite a quiet, understated feel to it, sticking to subtler events and relatively isolated locales in a story that builds to the outbreak of WW1 as an almost background event. The subtlety, with a relatively slow pace (not in a bad way!) gives this novel a Gothic feel, perfect for fans of Jane Eyre and Rebecca.

The characters were wonderfully complex and morally grey, especially the protagonist, Agnes, who has a rather flexible attitude to what constitutes the truth. I liked Agnes, and it’s testament to how well she’s written that even when she lied, forged and looked the other way, facilitating some awful things, I never really thought of her as being a real wrong-doer. I loved how determined she was to claw her way up in the world, and how dedication she was to the people she loved, even to the detriment of everyone else.

Atmospheric, and with a lovely writing style that kept me hooked even in the quieter moments, LYING WITH LIONS is an enthralling family saga, one I could easily picture with a mini-series adaption.

Annabel Fielding knocked me down with a feather in her newest novel, Lying with Lions. This incredible story takes readers on a journey through one woman’s desire to become better. But, how far will she go to become the best?

Agnes takes a job with a titled family to archive their ancestral history. However, Agnes had no credentials nor experience when Baron Bryant hired her. She comes from a background of lower than low. Where she vows to become someone while taking care of her drunken father before his death. Unfortunately, Agnes doesn’t know how manipulative the Baroness is before becoming attached. When it comes to Agnes’s attention, she attempts to right some wrongs, but it is a little too late. Both women need to face their demons. But will they escape the heinousness they unleashed on the world?

I didn’t know what to think of Agnes when I first met her. She seemed like an okay kind of person. But there was a hint of something under the surface that rubbed me the wrong way. It turns out she was a social climber, yet not the way most people think of a climber. She wasn’t looking for money or a fancy title. She wanted to feel important. Who of us can’t understand the longing to be important to someone?

Helen gave me chills from the beginning with her frigid snakelike qualities. I knew there was something wrong with her. But, Agnes followed her willingly in her reach for the top. For this alone, I formed a hatred of Agnes in my mind. In the end, I couldn’t reconcile Agnes’s struggle for inclusion with her deeds as Helen’s secretary/lover.

I felt for Harold and Meredith. Unfortunately, they were collateral damage in Helen’s twisted deceit. I am happy with how their story turned out. Though, I still don’t trust that uncle of theirs. Regardless of how well his intentions seem to be. I think there is more to him. His story felt unfinished, which disappointed me.

One of the most wonderful things about this book is the LGBTQIA representation. This feat is hard to do in historical fiction. I offer many kudos to Annabel Fielding for doing it so well. I also want to congratulate her on the tremendous amount of research that went into this tale. I adore history, and how Annabel pulled this all together makes me happy to be a reader.

My only real problem with this story is how the chapters tend to jump ahead in time without warning. That jarred me a bit and made me scratch my head in wonder. It would be wonderful if a dateline headlined each chapter. The only place where it told of a jump was the epilogue.

It pleases me to award Lying with Lions 4 out of 5 stars. The jarring time jumps pulled me out of the story, so that’s why it is 4 instead of 5 stars. I highly recommend this novel to anyone who loves history. The book is unique and full of characters you love and characters you love to hate.

In Edwardian England, Agnes Ashford, an archivist, is working for the Bryant family. In the course of her work, she stumbles across a big family secret that has been carefully hidden away. This starts a relationship with Helen Bryant which takes her from archivist to personal secretary when an unexpected death occurs in the household.

I loved the setting of this book. From the suitably creepy Hartfell Hall with its tunnels to Rome (one of my favourite places). Starting in Edwardian England, we travel through to the First World War (I'm also a huge fan of books set in wartime - another check!).

Agnes is a really interesting character. I think I'd have enjoyed a little more backstory on her part, but that's just my own opinion. I was never very sure whether or not I particularly liked Agnes, but I certainly didn't hate her. I felt a similar way about Helen, who seemed to be very much in control from my point of view. Meredith was my favourite character and I'd have loved to have seen some more of her, along with her brother, Harold. She had a lot of wit!

I enjoyed the first half of the book a lot more than the second. The intrigue of the secret that Agnes uncovered, along with a murder and the relationships between Agnes and Helen and also Helen and her son, Harold, after being reunited. I struggled with the politics involved in the second half of the book. That part of history is something that I studied at A Level but it was the least favourite part of my studies! But that's just my personal preference! The big reveal at the end was expected but I did enjoy the flash forward at the end, along with Anabel's note after the book had finished to explain what parts of the story had been based on real events. Especially the link to Wentworth Woodhouse which is just down the road from me!

The only other thing I struggled with was a couple of instances of present tense being used when it should have been past tense, but I was reading an advance copy!

If you're a fan of historical fiction with a bit of a dark side, make sure you check this one out!

***Special thanks to NetGalley and KDP for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review***

This is my kind of book! I love the premise of a woman finding out the secrets of a powerful family (in some ways it reminded me of Downton Abbey, one of my favorite shows!) The writing was outstanding and actually kept me hooked throughout the novel, which can be uncommon for me.

I would definitely recommend this book

Atmospheric and detailed in historical facts. This is an entertaining read .

This isn't usually my genre but I could see the research and love that had gone into this novel. Some of the descriptions were besutiful and the romance is very touching. A very interesting pefiod of time which enlightened my understanding of the period.

If you are a fan of this genre you most definitely will enjoy it.

***3.5 stars!***

When you have nothing, you have nothing to lose.

Lying with Lions is the latest release from new-to-me author, Annabel Fielding, set in Edwardian England telling the tale of Agnes Ashford’s rise within the aristocratic Bryant household.

Employed initially as an archivist, Agnes is a bit of an enigma. Her past is shrouded in mystery, but I was left with the overriding feeling that there was nothing she wouldn’t do to secure her position and future.

Hartfell Hall and the tunnels running beneath where we first meet Agnes lend a dark gothic undertone to the narrative which weaves its way throughout the book creating an uneasy atmosphere.

Although admittedly it took me a few pages to connect with the writing style, I was engrossed from the beginning. Imho, they aren’t exactly the most likeable of characters. Some might even say morally corrupt, but I had to see how all the plotting and scheming played out.

One of things I love most about historical fiction is when real life events are interwoven and reimagined in books. The author’s research and attention to detail was evident in Agnes’s story.

Despite not liking the characters very much (were we meant to?!) and with an ending that felt a bit rushed for my tastes, I did overall enjoy this fascinating story. Plus, I really wanted those ciphered notes to be fully decrypted! (I’m so bad at needing to know everything *shrugs*.)

I have a feeling I’m still going to be talking about this book in the weeks to come.

An atmospheric and gothic read set during the Edwardian age about a young woman hired as an archivist to an affluent family who uncovers secrets and turmoil within and the matriarch determined to hold onto her power at any costs

Young and outspoken Agnes spends her days documenting the lives of the old, moneyed Bryant family when she discovers a long buried secret deep within the tunnels of the estate. Reminding herself of her place as she moves forward in her work Agnes begins to gain the confidences of the formidable and icy Lady Helen who is presides over the family with an iron fist and the two women embark on a passionate and scandalous relationship but being privy to the inner members of the family Agnes will bear witness to their political aspirations, loyalties and just how ruthless Lady Helen can be when she is trying to hold onto the reigns of power.

This book was super cool: the historical context with the Bryant history goes well together. Only a small part ( around the middle) was a bit too fast so it’s was difficult to follow. Appart from that, this book is awesome

As anyone who’s been reading my blogs for a while will know, historical fiction is my favourite genre to read, so I jumped at the chance to read this historical fiction novel via NetGalley. I found the beginning of the book quite confusing – it felt like we were thrown into the story with very little context, and it is for that reason that the I gave the book a 3 star rating. Once I’d figured out what was happening, I started to become deeply invested in the storyline. Despite the lack of context at the beginning of the book, I thought the writing was fantastic throughout.

The relationship between Helen and Agnes was great, and I think that LGBT+ representation in historical fiction is so important – just because at the time it was frowned upon doesn’t mean it didn’t exist! The storyline is intriguing and immersive, and when I was starting out reading the book, I wouldn’t have been able to guess its plot if I was just going off the synopsis.

There are a number content throughout the book that could be seen as problematic for some readers (see trigger warnings at the top of the page). Being mindful of these, I would recommend this book if you’re looking for a historical fiction with plenty of drama and Edwardian lesbians.

Thanks again to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for this review.

I love historical fiction and so jumped at the chance to read this book, set in Edwardian England. Thank you to NetGalley and Annabel Fielding for the copy of the book in exchange for an honest review, plus the chance to join the blog tour.

This is the story of an archivist, Agnes Ashford, who is employed to work cataloguing the records of the aristocratic Bryant family. However, she soon uncovers a secret that has huge implications for the family...and Agnes' place with them. The Bryant family are not going to be pushed around and Agnes finds her position - from archivist to Helen Bryant's personal secretary to something more - increasingly problematic as the stormclouds of the First World War begin to gather.

I loved the setting of the novel. Hartfell Hall felt suitably sinister and claustrophobic - especially the tunnels under the house which become Agnes' domain as she sorts through the Bryant's documents and artefacts. It isn't a comfortable setting, and rightly so - the family have seen tragedy and have secrets that need to stay hidden. Other parts of the novel shift to Rome and Venice and the sense of place is just as fabulous - I love the idea of a Grand Tour accompanied by a Baedeker travel guide which feels gloriously E M Forster-esque!

Indeed, the historical moment of the novel is well done. We get the sense of the decadence of the Edwardian era shifting into something darker and more disturbing with the advent of war. Historical events like the sinking of the Lusitania are woven into the fabric of the novel and it is clearly well-researched. Fielding's notes at the end about the source material for her story are engaging and demonstrate the thought that has gone in to crafting the novel.

I also enjoyed the characterisation, particularly of some of the women in the novel. Agnes herself is an interesting central figure and we see that she makes some startling decisions for a woman in her day and age. Helen Bryant, the lady of the house, is also well-portrayed and has a steely determination which is to be respected - even if her methods perhaps are less honorable. I also liked the daugher of the family, Meredith - I was really rooting for her as her fate became more uncertain.

The plot of the novel is engaging and did keep my attention, although I did struggle with the more political focus towards the end. I also sometimes found myself a bit lost with the relationship between the characters and their motivations - I think maybe a physical copy of the book would be better for this as I wanted to be able to flick back and forth to check who was who. A family tree in the front would be even better!

Overall, this is an interesting novel about aristocracy, tradition and power. Although it was presented as having LGBT+ themes, I found that this was actually not that central to the novel - the same-sex relationship develops and fades into the background without any real sense of significance or focus on how transgressive it is for reasons of historical moment, social acceptance and the class divide. However, this is an enjoyable historical novel that certainly took paths I wasn't expecting.

I must confess I have expected something different. I chose the book because it had LGBQT+ Content and it was there, but it was not in the center of the book. That irritated me a bit as I was expecting quite a different kind of story.
But if I have a look at the book as a traditional historical novel, I can recommend it highly, I liked the setting very much and the family was depicted well. Also the problems and difficulties faced by the high-profile families at the beginning of the 20th century and the posotion of women and children were very well-shown.

DNF @ 25%

I'll admit that this DNF was more of a me problem. I couldn't connect with the characters or storyline in general. I liked the premise but it ended up not really grabbing my attention at all.

I've also just been quite busy lately and don't have the time to spend hours on books I don't really care for.

Thank you to Netgalley and KDP publishing for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I loved Lying with Lions, it reminds me of everything great of Downton Abbey with plenty more intrigue and darkness. I really enjoy historical fiction and this book hits all the right notes. Agnes is a really compelling character and is really empowered despite the setting. Lying with Lions really handles classism and the shifts between classes really well and the romance aspect of this is handled with care. It's a definite must-read!

I’d like to thank Annabel Fielding for contacting me to take part in the blog tour of this haunting historical fiction story.

The story follows Agnes who originally started working for the Bryant family as an archivist. I initially found the beginning a little confusing as we were thrown straight into the story with little information about Agnes and her history. However I soon got into the chaotic life of the Bryant family and was intrigued to see how Agnes story played out.

One thing was certain, everyone in the Bryant family was either scheming or keeping secrets. No one seemed to trust one another and would happily let an innocent take the blame if it meant they were saved. In amongst the chaos was Agnes who’s love for Lady Helen blinded her to the corruption. Agnes soon found herself swept up in the family drama’s and I admire her loyalty and clever ways to protect those closest to her.

The settings were described vividly and Hartfell Hall was especially gothic and dark in my imagination. I loved all the different places they travelled too as well. Harold and Meredith’s stories were very interesting and I felt they had Agnes sussed quite early on.

The relationship between Agnes and Lady Helen was delicately written and gave the book a different edge. Neither lady were particularly likeable but I was intrigued to see how their romance would play out. It was hard at times to tell who was using who but ultimately I felt that Agnes had placed her trust in the wrong person.

The ending was climatic and as dramatic as I had expected. All lose ends were tied up and the ultimate betrayals were revealed. At under 300 pages this story is packed with devilish characters, beautiful settings and a lot of family drama!

Lying with Lyons takes place nearing the end of the Edwardian era, which was preceded by the Victorian era. The timeframe is very important as it is also happening at the turn of a century fraught with political struggles.

Lady Helen Bryant, is the matriarch of a titled and powerful family. In shades of women’s rights, or the lack thereof, Lady Helen is faced with making a plan to hold on to power through her son.

Agnes Ashford finds herself in a rather interesting position as she works for Lady Helen, but is also in a physical relationship with her employer. Lady Helen relies on Agnes to perform the important and daunting task of cataloging the archive of the Bryant family. However, due to the nature of her work, Agnes becomes aware of a dark secret and must decide how she will proceed.

Lying With Lions is an engaging read on many levels, and I quite enjoyed the story.

I haven’t read too much historical fiction but when I do I am reminded how much I enjoy it.

This book was historical fiction but with a gothic feel about it. The romantic elements were written in a way that you could feel the tenderness of it. We also saw how society changes during the Edwardian era into the era of George V. The family Agnes is working for has to change too. Agnes was a real character that I loved reading about. Cannot say too much as I will give away the ending of the book.

I look forward to reading more of this authors work now.

I was contacted on TikTok to review this book and give my honest thoughts and feedback. There are minor spoilers below!

So this was the first historical fiction book I've ever read, so I honestly was not sure what to expect. The premise of this book seemed interesting so I decided to give this book a read.

Overall I really enjoyed the beginning and ending of this book. The beginning was very captivating and hooked me in from the first chapter, and the ending was INSANE!! I did not see it coming at all!! I also really enjoyed watching the evolution of Anges's character. The seeds of doubt are there throughout the book and then it comes full circle by the end! I really thought her development was very well done. Another thing I really enjoyed was Helen's character, because she is a very complex character. She is the textbook definition of and abusee who becomes and abuser, and I loved to see how she uses every thing she has to get what she wants, but disguises what she wants as "what is best for everyone". Lastly, the twist at the end was genius! It made sense and ended the book with a bang!

The only thing I didn't like about the book was the middle section. Personally I like fast paced stories, and it the pace of the mid section was very slow, and not much happened. So it took me a while to get through this portion of the book.

Overall, I would recommend this book to everyone! I think it was a solid read and very enjoyable!

Lying With Lions is an intriguing and captivating tale of the privileged Bryant Family who hold some very dark secrets. Our protagonist Agnes discovers these shocking truths and find herself caught up in the family’s cunning ways especially her involvement with the powerful Lady Helen.

The main characters are selfish, greedy and even corrupt. There is a heavy gloom that shadows around the Bryant Family and you know from the very start that some twisted truths are going to be unleashed.

It has a bit of romance and I found it so refreshing having some LBTQ+ rep in one of the main storylines. I particularly loved the details the author wrote so beautifully about the era before the First World War whether it’s political events, descriptions of the everyday lives of people of that time to the immersive, vivid details of Hartfell Hall.

The author successfully keeps you gripped throughout with the tense atmosphere she creates and the suspense of each unravelling of truth that then escalates to a shocking ending.

A compelling and entertaining read that fans of historical fiction will revel in.

First of all, I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with the eARC of this book, Lying with Lions by Annabel Fielding.

Lying with Lions is a work of historical fiction that follows Agnes, an archivist, who works for the noble Bryant family and discovers secrets from their past which they would rather be left uncovered. It progresses as Agnes becomes more intertwined in their deceit and struggle for power over the course of several years.

Unfortunately this book just did not grab my attention, whilst I enjoyed the premise it just failed to live up to what I wish it could have been. I enjoyed the insights provided into the characters and their dynamics with each other but that was overshadowed by the fact that I heavily disliked the pacing of the book. I also felt that the timeline just wasn’t made clear and there was quite a lack of development for so long.

I was really excited for this book. The premise looked intriguing and the title itself suggested something dark and peaked my curiosity.

We follow Agnes, who is employed by the Bryant family to catalogue their archives. She discovers a 'dark' secret and the story unfolds.

The story itself was interesting and the connections between the characters builds as the novel develops. The setting of Edwardian England is intriguing and I felt I learnt a lot about this time.

That said, this felt like two different books. Around the 55% mark it switched tone, pace and general content - it was hard to stay gripped by the story. The latter half was very politics heavy which wasn't introduced in a particularly engaging or informative manner - I felt quite lost at times and this did impact my enjoyment of the novel.

The writing itself was descriptive and at times poetic and beautiful. It did well to situate the reader within the context and environment that the main characters were experiencing.

My main gripe was the need for a serious edit! I am sincerely hoping that the net galley edition is NOT the one that readers are buying either a hard copy or or the e-book because it was absolutely littered with grammatical errors, typos and general issues. I highlighted over 150 throughout the book and am passing them onto the publisher just in case. If I was this author I'd be incredibly disappointed in my editor!

I think if you are into historical fiction, a lot of scandal and can use your imagination to go beyond what might be considered believable or likely (particularly around the scandal elements) you will enjoy this book. I would have loved more depth and less superficiality in this book - there was SO much potential there and it just seems that it was kept hidden away, much like the secret Agnes stumbles upon...