Reviewed by celinenyx on
Reading updates
- Started reading
- Finished reading
- 6 February, 2020: Reviewed
Death and the Harlot (Lizzie Hardwicke, #1)
by Georgina Clarke
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...
Praise for Death and the Harlot'The hungers, musk, lust, and gorgeous depravity of 1759 London spiral to life in Death and the Harlot, Georgina Clarke's utterly seductive sleight of hand... An achingly alive historical mystery' Reader review
'Fast paced page turner! Lizzie is the type of unique heroine that you can't help fall in love with. Her wit combined with a touch of sass has you rooting for her with each chapter' 5* Reader review
'Excellent book. I stayed up till 3:30 in the morning to finish this. I could not put it down. Lizzie Hardwicke is a prostitute who's last client ends up dead. She's smart, observant and sassy. I adored her...I wholeheartedly recommend this book' 5* Reader review
'Georgina Clarke has a hit on her hands' 5* Reader review
'I absolutely loved this book! Lizzie is not your usual heroine but she's smart, quick and I thought she was fabulous' 5* Reader review
'A gripping page-turner with a sassy and fabulously original heroine in the form of Lizzie Hardwicke - I loved it!' Annie Lyons
'From sumptuous depravity to brutal murder, Death and the Harlot is a wild ride through the seedy side of 1750s London, while its heroine, Lizzie Hardwicke, is razor sharp and brilliantly original. I couldn't put it down' Joe Heap
'Atmospheric and full of authentic details about (the oft-neglected but wonderfully complex) eighteenth-century London, Clarke's debut is told from the perspective of a young woman who looks unflinchingly at her world - with all its depravity and discord - in order to carve out a situation that allows her to retain her humanity, her humour, and her own particular brand of honour. Brava to this new, engaging voice and her strong woman protagonist!' Karen Odden, author of A Lady in the Smoke