Book Synopsis:
A gripping historical crime debut from an exciting new voice.
‘It’s strange, the way fortune deals her hand.’
The year is 1759 and London is shrouded in a cloak of fear. With the constables at the mercy of highwaymen, it’s a perilous time to work the already dangerous streets of Soho. Lizzie Hardwicke makes her living as a prostitute, somewhat protected from the fray as one of Mrs Farley’s girls. But then one of her wealthy customers is found brutally murdered… and Lizzie was the last person to see him alive.
Constable William Davenport has no hard evidence against Lizzie but his presence and questions make life increasingly difficult. Desperate to be rid of him and prove her innocence Lizzie turns amateur detective, determined to find the true killer, whatever the cost.
Yet as the body count rises Lizzie realises that, just like her, everyone has a secret they will do almost anything to keep buried…
Death & The Harlot is available in ebook now for the fantastic price of £1.99. You can purchase your copy using the link below.
My Review:
Death And The Harlot is a hugely entertaining, atmospheric and gripping book that I thoroughly enjoyed!
The author does a great job of bringing the eighteenth century to life with all its seediness, rough justice and fear so that the reader feels like they are really there watching everything unfold. Its interesting to read about how people had to live in that era and what counted as justice which seemed to be quite skewed against the poor.
I absolutely loved the main character Lizzie. She’s rude, crude and some of her observations are utterly hilarious! The reader is given access to her inner most thoughts which allows us to understand her more. This also leads to some of the funniest parts in the book as you are able to learn what she really thinks. I warmed to her instantly and wanted to keep reading to find out what happens to her.
The actual murder mystery is very interesting and takes the reader on a journey through eighteenth century London. Through this the reader learns more about what life was like at that time as the investigation takes Lizzie to some interesting places! There were lots of false leads which kept me on my toes and made it hard for me to guess who the murderer was which always adds to my enjoyment of the book.
This is the author’s debut novel and I’m very excited to read more from her. I hope this isn’t the last we’ll see of Lizzie as I thought she was a fantastic character. This book reminded me a little bit of Crimson And The White not just because it’s about prostitutes but also because of the strong, funny main female character and the easy flow of the book. If you liked that book I think you’ll also enjoy this one.
Huge thanks to Ellie from Canelo publishing for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book via Netgalley.
About The Author:
Georgina Clarke has a degree in theology and a PhD in history but has only recently started to combine her love of the past with a desire to write stories. Her Lizzie Hardwicke series is set in the mid-eighteenth century, an underrated and often neglected period, but one that is rich in possibility for a crime novelist.
She enjoys running along the banks of the River Severn and is sometimes to be found competing in half marathons. In quieter moments, she also enjoys dressmaking.
She lives in Worcester with her husband and son, and two extremely lively kittens.
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