#BookReview: The Dazzle Of The Light by Georgina Clarke @clarkegeorgina1 @VERVE_Books #TheDazzleOfTheLight #GeorginaClarke #5Stars #HistoricalFiction

Book Synopsis:

A sparkling new historical novel set in the 1920s, inspired by the notorious all-female crime syndicate known as the Forty Thieves who operated out of the slums of south London.

Ruby Mills is ruthlessly ambitious, strikingly beautiful – and one of the Forty Thieves’ most talented members.

Harriet Littlemore writes the women’s section in a local newspaper. She’s from a ‘good’ London family and engaged to an up-and-coming Member of Parliament – but she wants a successful career of her own.

After witnessing Ruby fleeing the scene of a robbery, Harriet develops a fascination with the elusive young thief that extends beyond journalistic interest. As their personal aspirations bring them into closer contact than society’s rules usually allow, Ruby and Harriet’s stories become increasingly intertwined.

Their magnetic dynamic, fraught with envy and desire, tells a compulsive, cinematic story about class, morality and the cost of being an independent woman in 1920s London.

My Review:

I was a huge fan of this author’s Lizzie Hardwicke series so I was very excited to read this book, especially as I’d heard lots of great things from my fellow blogger’s.

Firstly I loved the setting of this book which takes us into the slightly seedier, grimey side of the 1920’s then the carefree one we normally read about. This book describes a London still feeling the effects of the war and people struggling to make ends meet. I found it fascinating to walk throughout the slums and experience everything alongside the characters.

The author has clearly done her research and I loved all the historical details she included. I loved learning more about the Forties gang in particular as I hadn’t heard anything about them before so it was interesting following them as they went on raids. The differences between the classes were quite stark at times, as emphasised by the different lives Ruby and Harriet led. It was quite emotional to read about one group struggling while the other drank champagne near by. The treatment of women at the time made my blood boil and made me feel sorry for Harriet as she tries to do her own thing only to be thwarted by her parents.

The story is fairly fast paced and I quickly became absorbed into the story and the lives of the two very different characters. There always seemed to be something happening to keep me reading and even in quieter moments I was so absorbed in the story that I found the book hard to put down. I felt very sad when the book ended and I had to leave behind Ruby and the Forties. I’d really love there to be a sequel as I’d love to read more about them. If you’re a fan of historical fiction you need to read this book!

About The Author:

Georgina Clarke has always been passionate about stories and history. The Lizzie Hardwicke novels give her the opportunity to bring to life her love of the eighteenth century and her determination that a strong, intelligent and unconventional woman should get to solve the crimes – rather than be cast in the role of the side-kick.

Georgina was born in Wolverhampton, has degrees from Oxford, Cambridge and London, but now lives in Worcester with her husband and son and two lively cats.

Her first two novels, Death and the Harlot and The Corpse Played Dead, are published by Canelo. She is currently cooking up plots for the next novels in the series.

She is represented by Laura Macdougall, at United Agents.

If you would like to visit her website, you can find her at:

http://www.georginaclarkeauthor.com

She is also to be found tweeting (probably far too often than is good for her) at:

@clarkegeorgina1