Laura Shepherd-Robinson

The second novel from the author of Blood & Sugar, and this time Captain Harry Corsham's wife, Caro, takes centre stage as she pursues a murder case the city officials are refusing to investigate . . .

Daughters of Night

Liv Strefford

4.5 stars
This murder mystery set in Georgian London was an enjoyable read, with slow pacing that gradually pulls you into the mystery. The setting is brilliantly written and not often seen in murder mysteries. The characters were excellent, well fleshed out, each with their own tangle of motives and emotions. 
I liked that the book was written in a prose more reflective of the time period it was set in, but was not convoluted enough to put you off reading. Also, I liked how the author made acknowledging prejudice towards prostitution, and women in general, a big theme in the book as it made for an interesting read and helped give the reader a better understanding of all the female character’s situations.
Public appearance, reputation and expectation is the main theme and concern for the upper class characters in this book, which is a jarring clash with the lower class characters dealing with poverty, rape and murder. The social commentary running throughout the novel makes is very clever, pointing out issues in our modern society by highlighting those that plagued the past, and noting that murderous villains can hide behind the masks of well-respected gentlemen.
My only criticism would be that the plot is slightly slow in the middle, but this is no major issue

'The best historical crime novel I will read this year' -- The Times 'This is right up there with the best of C. J. Sansom and Andrew Taylor' -- Amanda Craig 'Top-drawer historical fiction meets compulsive, just-one-more-chapter crime' -- Caz Frear London, 1782. Desperate for her politician husband to return home from France, Caroline ‘Caro’ Corsham is already in a state of anxiety when she finds a well-dressed woman mortally wounded in the bowers of the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens. The Bow Street constables are swift to act, until they discover that the deceased woman was a highly paid prostitute, at which point they cease to care entirely. But Caro has motives of her own for wanting to see justice done, and so sets out to solve the crime herself. Enlisting the help of thieftaker Peregrine Child, their inquiry delves into the hidden corners of Georgian society, a world of artifice, deception and secret lives. But with many gentlemen refusing to speak about their dealings with the dead woman, and Caro’s own reputation under threat, finding the killer will be harder, and more treacherous, than she can know . . . From the pleasure palaces and gin-shops of Covent Garden to the elegant townhouses of Mayfair, Laura Shepherd-Robinson’s Daughters of Night follows Caroline Corsham as she seeks justice for a murdered woman whom London society would rather forget . . .

Eleanor Luhar

I don't listen to many audiobooks, and I don't tend to read a lot of historical fiction either, so this was maybe an odd choice for me. I do, however, love to try reading new things, hence why I picked it up.
It takes place in London toward the end of the 18th century. Caroline Corsham - or Caro, as she is known - is anxiously awaiting the return of her husband. Things become particularly interesting when she is wandering the Pleasure Gardens and discovers an injured woman. This woman is an acquaintance of Caro's, Lucia. Caro holds her bleeding body as she whispers her final words: "he knows."
It is later revealed that Lucia is actually a prostitute called Lucy Loveless. Nobody seems particularly motivated in investigating her murder in any real detail, so Caro decides to hire a thieftaker herself to look into it. Through their investigation, Caro ruffles a lot of feathers and discovers a lot about a variety of different people. It's hard to see how all the details are relevant at first, but it all comes together in the end.
There is also another narrative throughout the book, of 15-year-old Pamela from before the death of Lucy. Again, it isn't immediately clear what role she has in this whole affair, but it is all tied together very well later on. I particularly liked Pamela's chapters; the atmosphere was extremely mysterious and eerie, and I found Pamela as a character very interesting. I think I actually preferred her to Caro, personally.
This book covers a lot of issues and topics that may make people uncomfortable. It is largely centred around prostitution and the sex trade, as well as the misogynistic treatment and abuse of women that was sadly so commonplace during that era. Of course, there's more than a fair share of death and violence, too, along with foul language - just so you're prepared!
It was, in my opinion, a bit slow for a while. However, I thoroughly enjoyed the last parts of it, and the final 'twist' was very clever. It was perhaps a little too complicated, especially for an audiobook where I'm maybe not paying full attention at all times, and I may have missed some details because of that. But I know some people are far more interested in complex books with lots of intermingling details, so it's not a criticism! Maybe if I were to read it rather than listen to it, I would enjoy it a bit more. 3.5 stars overall.

Daughters of Night

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