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The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes by Cat Sebastian

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The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes

A Novel

London Highwaymen: Book #2

by Cat Sebastian

Narrator Joel Leslie

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Length 9 hours 13 minutes

Language English

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Bookseller recommendation

“We enter Marian’s world as she starts receiving letters from a very charming anonymous agent informing her of her duke husband’s other more valid existing marriage—of course, the letter sender will keep silent for a tidy sum. And, only naturally, Marian continues a correspondence with this mysterious man and they start to slowly share more of themselves. She uses the letter drop-off locations to follow her blackmailer and discover his true identity: a well-liked, redheaded rogue named Rob. When she shoots her husband, Rob is the only experienced criminal she knows. So she kidnaps him as she goes on the run. Why wouldn’t she? (Rob is, as a matter of course, delighted to be 'kidnapped' so he can escort his new friend to safety.) An epic journey ensues, full of cold nights on the road where there’s not much to do other than share body heat and one’s deepest thoughts and feelings. There’s truly no other romance on the market like this historical love story between our sharp-tongued new mother Marian and our subby be-freckled highwayman Rob. Trust me, because I’ve been looking frantically. This story subverts tropes, has innovative and realistic steamy scenes, earnestly confronts trauma and the way it impacts our relationships (romantic or not), and, living up to Cat Sebastian’s reputation, it’s queer, I promise.”
— Wulfe • Raven Book Store

Bookseller recommendation

“I have heard this described as 'two chaotic bisexuals falling in love' and I literally couldn't read the book fast enough. With the assumed predictability of a genre like romance, differences in representation down to the minutiae matter, and as a lover of the genre this book is so so good for this. We get bi-for-bi representation, along with a broadened idea of what (healthy and good) sex can look like, and - my personal favorite - a woman getting herself out of an abusive situation using violence. All within a historical context that makes all of this feel novel. Marian as a character who is coming out of an abusive relationship and finding con artist/charmer Rob is already so lovely, not to mention grumpy girl/sunshine guy couples are so much fun to read. Not falling into any tropes of what their love life should look like, and being honest about what the consequences of pregnancy would be for Marian were so refreshing, not only because we get to see some variety in the bedroom (no wham bam fade to black here!) but also because you don't have to suspend your disbelief about historical accuracy. This lends itself beautifully to a display of emotional intimacy, and their relationship and the reader's experience is richer for it. Really loved it!”
— Nyawira • Page 158 Books

Summary
About the author

Cat Sebastian returns to Georgian London with a stunning tale of a reluctant criminal and the thief who cannot help but love her.

Marian Hayes, the Duchess of Clare, just shot her husband. Of course, the evil, murderous man deserved what was coming to him, but now she must flee to the countryside. Unfortunately, the only person she can ask for help is the charismatic criminal who is blackmailing her—and who she may have left tied up a few hours before…

A highwayman, con artist, and all-around cheerful villain, Rob Brooks is no stranger to the wrong side of the law or the right side of anybody’s bed. He never meant to fall for the woman whose secrets he promised to keep for the low price of five hundred pounds, but how could he resist someone who led him on a merry chase all over London, left him tied up in a seedy inn, and then arrived covered in her husband’s blood and in desperate need of his help?

As they flee across the country—stopping to pick pockets, drink to excess, and rescue invalid cats—they discover more true joy and peace than either has felt in ages. But when the truth of Rob’s past catches up to him, they must decide if they are willing to reshape their lives in order to forge a future together.

Fiction Romance Historical Fiction LGBTQIA+ Fiction

Cat Sebastian writes queer historical romances. Cat’s books include We Could Be So Good and the Turner series, and have received starred reviews from Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and Booklist. Before writing, Cat was a lawyer and a teacher and did a variety of other jobs she liked much less than she enjoys writing happy endings for queer people. She was born in New Jersey and lived in New York and Arizona before settling down in a swampy part of the South. When she isn’t writing, she’s probably reading, having one-sided conversations with her dog, or doing the crossword puzzle.