Welcome friend! I have seen the dark fantasy side of Oxford in R.F. Kuang’s Babel. In The Oxford Guide to Lies and Scandal, I got to visit it in a historical setting. I loved this book and I am excited to share about it. Take a look at the synopsis below and then read on for my thoughts.
Set against the backdrop of post-WWII Oxford University, The Oxford Guide to Scandal and Lies is the irresistible debut from Kate Westbury that seamlessly layers mystery, romance, and a dash of academia to introduce the Crown’s newest undercover operatives.
Oxford, England, 1951 – The Honorable Ginevra Bishop likes red lipstick, clever retorts, and earning top marks in her tutorials. She’s following her mother’s footsteps by studying at Oxford, eager to prove she’s more than a debutante.
Sidney Braithwaite likes brooding, Latin, and ignoring his nightmares. He’s determined to forge a new life for himself at Oxford, far from his childhood mining village and free from memories of the war.
Though Gin and Sidney have little in common, the British Security Service is keen to unite her charm with his espionage experience: there’s a Soviet spy at the university, and the agent tracking them down was poisoned. MI5 wants Gin and Sidney to pick up the trail and identify the informant before more sensitive information is compromised. As a team, the pair of undergraduates clash in personality, upbringing, and taste––but have a connection neither can deny. Gin and Sidney must unite their respective talents to follow the clues before they’re caught in the traitor’s crosshairs…if the sparks flying between them don’t blow up the operation first.
The Oxford Guide to Scandal and Lies – Review
This is the perfect Fall book! It begins with Ginevra Bishop starting her studies at Oxford. I loved the descriptions of the early term days, the packed libraries, the crisp air… it felt like being transported back in time to when I myself started my education at a University in Canada. Rooted in history, the Second World War setting let me get to know Oxford at a different time and place. Wars impact educational institutions and to have Oxford open its doors to women was a big step.
This is the first book in a series. Ginevra with her sharp language skills and social etiquette is recruited by the secret service to investigate the murder of the beloved librarian. She has to work with Sidney Braithwaite, a student continuing at the university. Ginevra and Sidney’s first encounter at the library isn’t friendly but they think they can manage being cordial when they are thrown together in the mission.
Both the main characters come with their own history, preconceptions and ideas about being a spy. Their different backgrounds and assumptions shape their working relationship. For Sidney, it is deeply rooted in experience and his broodiness in the story has a lot to do with his past. He does not come from a family with money. Joining his parents in the family business does not stop the ghosts from haunting him and Oxford offers a way out that he takes. He is a smart person and I enjoyed his shrewdness. His experience in the war is the making and unmaking of him in many ways. I particularly liked his distinction of being used and being useful.
Ginevra may come from a well off family but she is not without hardships. She was quite close to her mother and her loss affected her deeply. She is following her mom’s footsteps by studying at Oxford. Her family situation and tensions with her father were well written. She is a sweet person and establishes friendships easily while being acutely aware of her social status.
I love the role student journalism plays at universities and The Oxford Guide has its own version in Oxford Blue. Ginevra joins it in order to get more information. I loved the newsroom atmosphere. The existence of prestigious student groups like the Demecales club, an exclusive group of men, added an interesting mix of privilege, haughtiness, pride and connections. I enjoyed how this connected to the overall mystery of the spy at Oxford.
Sidney focuses on the aspects of spy work where patience and diligence is required such as sitting outside a bookshop of interest and observing which of the Oxford academic crowd visit it. Ginevra is all about action. She breaks into houses and infiltrates elite circles, partly with her connections. There is a short list of suspects who Sidney and Ginevra are assigned to look into. They are both equally intelligent and come up with creative ways of pursuing their goals.
Through Sidney, Ginevra and other characters, I was able to notice the way students navigate a world shaped by class, privilege, wartime experiences, and institutional traditions. It took them some time but Sidney and Ginevra learned to work well together. I enjoyed the way their chemistry developed.
Author Kate Westbury does a fantastic job of writing vivid descriptions that make the story easy to imagine. Additionally the narrator, Ell Potter, brings the story to life with the right voice inflections and emphasis.
Fans of chess would also love this book. To me, the enjoyment in this aspect was two fold – firstly, the game fit the espionage and strategic maneuvering and secondly, I love spotting references – it makes me feel like a spy. 😉
If you would like to visit Oxford after the Second World War and try some spy action/romance, give this one a read! I can’t wait for the next book.
Many thanks to the publisher for a review copy of the book for my honest thoughts. I am forever grateful for the books that meet me in my mailboxes.
Check back for an interview with the author in the next post!
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