
Small Acts of Deceit
by Kate High
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Pub Date 28 May 2025 | Archive Date 3 Jul 2025
The Book Guild | Book Guild Publishing
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Description
After receiving a call from her estranged half-sister Lena, the life of heiress Mauve Gilcrest begins to unravel. Mauve discovers Lena’s flat covered in blood but finds no body—only a doll linked to a murder eight years earlier, that of Paulette Franklin. Haunted by fragmented memories of the crime, Mauve is forced to confront her dark past.
When the police investigation implicates her in the murders of both Paulette and Lena, Mauve goes on the run. Charlie Morrison, her legal advisor and only true friend, tries in vain to convince her to turn herself in. Her son Kit insists on accompanying her and persuades Lena’s daughter, Eliza, to join them. However, Mauve distrusts Eliza, suspecting that her niece, in collusion with an uncle, murdered Lena and is attempting to frame her.
As photographs of them appear in the press, Kit uses his skills as a make-up artist to alter his mother’s appearance. Taking things further, Kit’s glamorous alter-ego, Veronica, steps in to take his place on their journey. With nowhere left to hide and unsure of whom she can trust, Mauve must finally confront her demons.
A Note From the Publisher
Available Editions
EDITION | Ebook |
ISBN | 9781835743409 |
PRICE | £4.99 (GBP) |
PAGES | 304 |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews

This book was pretty good, I would definitely recommend
~This was given by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Not the best book I have read, but not the worst either. It falls somewhere in the middle. I found Kit to be a bit too much at times and the storyline to be both predictable and unrealistic; however, the fats pace kept me turning the page (metaphorically) and that kept my interest.

A riveting thriller with lots of action and a great storyline. The plot was extremely well woven and the characters are extremely well rounded.
This book is a page-turning, can't put down, and keeps you guessing thriller

ive known Kate for her works of everything mother than books. i did not know she was an author! i shall have to remedy this. and for those that dont know of her other works than you must go and look those up. it seems someone can be brilliantly successful at way more than should be allowed, ha.
this book was very much a moving story in many senses. both the characters and with emotions. our characters are very much hiding and running away from both those things too. but the time might just be here for them to turn and face them. being suspected of murder might not mean you can estrange yourself forever.
this book cover alot to do with families too. and how complex they are. how conflicted people can feel both within the close relationships and for those we arent close with but once were. when one of those seeks us out in need of help what do you do? and what happens then when your own life begins to unravels because there is a bloody scene and a missing person presumed murdered...by you. this is how our character finds herself on the run. on the run with her family and on the run from her family and the secrets that lie all over that.
a really intriguing and interesting read. there were lots of thinking points throughout and it crossed a few genres to become even more engrossing with every page you turned.

I received this as an ARC thank you to Netgalley and the author! This book was a quick thriller. Mauve is a mom and is well off in money. She receives a frantic reach out from her half sister who she doesn’t have a relationship with anymore. When she arrives she comes across a mass amount of blood and a doll. This book I wish had a little more twists than it did. I found kit to be a bit over the top sometimes. About 1/4th of the way into the book i just knew Lena wasn’t actually dead. I did not see the suprise of Charlie being kits dad though!! The ending with the diamonds being under the queen roses kind of made me a little mental with how easy it would have been all those years ago for Mauve to find them.
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