This is a loosely termed sequel to Blood and Sugar, however this could easily be read as a stand-alone novel. We have a brand new protagonist in Caro Corsham, the wife of the previous protagonist, Harry. Caro is a wealthy and adored daughter of London society, when she stumbles across a dying woman in Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens. She hires a thief-taker, Peregrine Child, to look into the murder of the woman, a well-known prostitute by the name of Lucy Loveless, after it becomes apparent that the authorities are not going to expend much effort to solve the crime.

The novel is abounding in beautifully detailed descriptions of Georgian England; one thing I love about these novels is how completely I feel I am in the time and place of the period. This is a dark and devious London and Caro is in considerable danger as she delves into the secretive world of illicit masquerades, prostitution and murder, but our heroine is not one to shy away from the risk to herself.

One aspect of this novel which was very impressive was its capacity to keep on bringing the twists in the plot. Several times it seemed like the mystery was almost resolved only for another reveal to come along and change the whole picture. Very cleverly constructed, things are not all what they seem at first.

My thanks to the publisher, Pan Macmillan, and #NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

What a joy to read, the characters described brilliantly, it took you on a journey of suspense with twists that kept me guessing with a fabulous history lesson along the way loved it

A most marvellous book. Like a previous reviewer, I am more accustomed to reading historical crime novels set in Victorian, or Tudor, times. Set in the late 18th century, incidentally when Jane Austen was a girl, this was a revelation for me. The squalor, corruption and randomness of justice reminded me of that excellent television series ‘Garrow’s Law’. It does what the best novels do: creates a completely credible world.

The author’s research is evident, but worn lightly. At no point, does the reader feel lectured to. I know from having read books such as Hallie Rubenhold’s ‘The Covent Garden Ladies… the Extraordinary Story of Harris's List’ (which the author consulted) that the story is grounded in the real world, where fact is as strange as fiction.

‘Daughters of Night’ depicts the demi-monde that is only a heartbeat away from the beau monde and the economic and social powerlessness of women at the time. Sadly, the seduction of young girls by the rich and powerful is still with us (witness the current Epstein/Maxwell case).

The plot is gripping and romps along, but never strains credulity. With only a couple of chapters to go, I still did not know ‘who done it’!

The author’s characters are completely believable and with descriptions such as “… a round face thickly plastered in white lead paint, with two circles of rouge” she graphically ‘nails’ their appearance and makes them easy to envisage.

I long to know what happens to Cora. I suspected from several slightly obscure references to her husband that there was a prequel to this novel, and to my delight there is! Can we now have a sequel, Ms Shepherd-Robinson, please?

As soon as I am able I will post this review on Amazon. Thank you for allowing me to read this fantastic novel.

The novel opens with Caroline (Caro) Corsham heading for a clandestine meeting at the pleasure gardens in Vauxhall only to find instead a dead woman, whose last words are 'he knows'. Caro knows the woman , a Contessa named Lucia having befriended her earlier in the year. However, it soon becomes apparent that the dead girl was actually a well know prostitute, called Lucy Loveless, and the authorities have little or no interest in investigating. Caro, however, is not to be deterred and enlists the help of thief-taker Peregrine Child.

And so begins a Georgian murder-mystery packing a complex and twisting plot covering child prostitution, loyalty to the king, illegal money-lending and additional murders; with a cast of flawed and duplicitous characters, where, everyone , it seems, has their price.

I do like a bit of historical murder-mystery, must have been all though Sherlock Holmes stories as a child. This however reminded me less of that and more of things I'd read by Iain Pears, Caleb Carr, and Kate Ross. As with those authors, Shepherd-Robinson's research of the times of which she writes gives the setting and locations a vivid reality which – in turn – helps breath life into her characters.

I confess, I had not read Shepherd-Robinson's debut novel Blood & Sugar – where this book's heroine - Caro , and Peregrine Child – made their first appearances, but I liked the fact that both characters are flawed. Indeed, the same can be said for the books' third lead character 'Pamela' too. Like everyone else they are slaves to their time and their environment. I also liked that there was never any hint of romance between the Child and Caro.

There is no rush to the denouement – indeed, some may find that the book takes rather too long to get there, taking a dickens-esq more is more approach to length. It probably could have been tighter, and lighter in term of length but the verve and vivid evocation of 18th century London coupled with the engaging Caro and Child meant that I still polished this off in a couple of days.

Thank you to NetGalley, Pan Macmillan for this eARC to read and review

An excellent story with an intricate plot set in London in 1782.
With a colourful picture of Georgian Londons wealth and sophistication, clandestine meetings and murder this is a story that keeps you hooked until the very last page

Daughters of Night

I was a HUGE fan of Blood and Sugar when I read it earlier this year, and so when I saw Daughters of Night, another book set in Shepherd-Robinson’s Georgian London, I jumped at the chance to read it as quickly as I could.

Daughters of Night, as the title suggests, is more female-orientated than the slaving Deptford Docks mystery of Blood and Sugar and so I was even more excited. Don’t worry if you haven’t read Blood and Sugar though, this story has a whole new cast of characters (though there are some familiar faces) and a whole new mystery so there’s nothing you’ll be missing.

The plot opens up with the killing of Lucy Loveless, a local prostitute. Caro Corsham, a member of the upper class, finds she is the only one who cares enough to find her killer and so she hires Peregrine Child, a local thief taker, to pursue the mystery. The first chapter explodes into action with the murder, and every chapter after that provides more and more clues and twists and turns in an ever-unfolding mystery.

The author manages to weave a spectacularly intricate and detailed plot, and I was left guessing the whole way through. I said it about Blood and Sugar and I’ll say it again about this - it’s one of the most tightly-plotted and meticulously well written murder mysteries I’ve ever read. No stone is left unturned, and there are so many red herrings and clues that it really is impossible to get it all right, and I certainly didn’t. I found myself gasping and in shock several times and I did not expect the end at all.

Laura’s setting of the story is also excellent. She perfectly depicts the seedy underbelly of the Georgian sex trade, while also weaving in the gossip and scandal of the upper classes. The characters are well fleshed out and each have their own personalities - while there are many to get your head around, once you do they really bring the book to life. It’s so atmospheric and vivid, you can but imagine it all playing out in your head exactly as you read it. It really is stunning.

I cannot recommend Laura Shepherd-Robinson’s books enough. If you’re a fan of a historical thriller, then you really cannot find better than this!

A brilliant murder mystery set in Georgian times.
Caro Corsham a member of the aristocracy discovers the murdered body of a friend in the bowers of the infamous Vauxhall pleasure gardens, but this women is in fact a prostitute.
Determined to find out who committed the murder she hires a thief taker to track down the murderer And thus begins her journey through the salubrious side of Georgian society becomes embroiled in scandal and murders that involve all layers of society even those in the higher echelons.
Brilliantly researched and written it keeps you on the edge of your seat right to the very last page and leaves you wanting more

This book made me want to read the author's debut definitely. I loved Caro Corsham as a character, and want to read more of her. Addicting, energetic, full of surprises.
Definitely recommended.

Thanks a lot to NG nd the publisher for this copy.

This book is full of engaging characters, a lot of whom are puzzling, going from charming one minute to malicious in the next, leaving you not knowing who the real culprits are. This kept me guessing all the way through and just when I thought I had it figured out, nope back to the drawing board!

There is a great introduction to the characters at the beginning of the book which really helps to keep up with who's who.

For those seeking a mystery entwined with historical fiction and great characters this is the book for you!

Great period book. The corruption and inequality of the time shines through this book. Great who done it, with fabulous historical tones. A must read if you like stepping back in time.

Daughters of Night is an incredible work of historical fiction. Full of twists, turns and intrigue it is exquisitely written and a fully immersive experience.

The second book from Laura Shepherd-Robinson (Blood and Sugar is also superb and they could be read independently of each other), this time our main protagonists are some of the more minor characters who we have met previously. The plot is wonderfully complex and it’s a thrill of a ride.

The book captured me from the off albeit I think a more robust edit (including trimming some of the background about the Classics) would stand it in slightly better stead.

With many thanks to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for an ARC in consideration of an honest review.

This is a very well researched novel set in London, 1782. The sense of place and time was extremely well achieved, with a vivid sense of the fashionable Ton living cheek by jowl with the wretched and destitute. Caro Corsham is protagonist in the absence of her husband, who is mysteriously absent abroad, leaving her vulnerable and alone but undaunted. What I particularly admired was the sure-footed way the author led us through this world, especially the brothels and clubs of the sexual underworld. Apparently based on the real Hellfire club of the day, we see close up the double standards of aristocratic men who compound their reverence for the classical past with a desire to recreate orgiastic temples and rituals.
However, I didn’t really get too deeply into any one character or situation. I had some sympathy with down-at-heel thief-taker Peregrine Child but many of the other very large cast of characters were lightly drawn and not especially memorable. Despite frequent changes of scene and frantic activity, the plot’s wheels seem to spend a long time spinning before any meaningful information was given out. In the end the threads are drawn together but I’m afraid that by then the book didn’t engage me very deeply.

My thanks to Laura Shepherd-Robinson, Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for the ARC of DAUGHTERS OF NIGHT. I absolutely loved this. Caro Corsham is a wonderful character and now I want to read the author's debut where she also appears. Gripping, fast-paced, quirky, and very twisty-turny. Loved it!

This novel is a gritty, riveting tale of suspense and woe, following the exploits of Caro Corsham and set in London.
I found the book easy to read with a fast pace always keeping me interested with various twists and turns and the way the story unraveled.
Murder, deceit and plenty of plot changes keep you wanting more, whilst the bleakness of London is the perfect setting.
Thoroughly enjoyed this book!

I was lucky enough to have the hardback of ‘Blood & Sugar’ bought for me as a Christmas present. It was outstanding so I was delighted to receive an ARC of ‘Daughters of Night’ in return for my honest review. Many thanks to NetGalley, Pan MacMillan and Laura Shepherd-Robinson for this opportunity.

Although there are characters from the previous novel this is a stand-alone and develops on a couple of the characters, including Caro (Caroline Corsham). A stunning woman with sophistication and wealth Caro has some secrets herself. Her husband, Captain Henry Corsham (Harry), is in America on a political mission.

The novel begins with Caro walking through gardens to meet Lucy, a high-society prostitute, in Vauxhall, only to discover that she has been brutally stabbed and dies in her arms after whispering ‘he knows,’ before her death. Caro blames herself as she had arranged the meeting and takes on the task to find the truth.

She hires a thief-taker, Peregrine Child, to help her solve the murder as the authorities do not show as much interest as Caro would like because Lucy was a prostitute. I warmed to both of these characters even though they are both flawed and struggle at times with what life throws at them.

The author paints a wonderfully accurate and detailed picture of Georgian London and the interrelationship between men with money and their treatment of prostitutes along with the behaviours in high-society and how easy it is to be shunned. There are twists and turns throughout and just when I thought I had read them all, there are a couple more shocks. A stunning murder mystery with suspense and a superb background.

Loved the ending.

Beautifully written. Highly recommended.

Daughters of Night is a brilliantly told Georgian crime thriller. The story is so well-written, with so many twists, turns and red herrings that it’s so hard to put this book down. Whenever I felt I knew where the story was going it changed again, and I just had to keep reading to find out the truth.

The characters are incredibly rich and multi-faceted; they all have their secrets and demons which are hidden by their outward, society personas. Caroline ‘Caro’ Corsham is a fantastic character who is drawn into London’s underworld of prostitution and secret societies. She struggles against the restraints of Georgian society and what is and isn’t acceptable and respectable for women of the day to do. There are some brilliant observations in this novel over the rights of women at the time, whether rich or poor, and how men viewed women regardless of class and status.

At the beginning of the novel Caro finds the mortally wounded body of Lucy, a high-society prostitute. When it becomes apparent that no body cares about her death, and against the wishes of her brother, members of law enforcement and members of the nobility she makes it her mission to hunt down Lucy’s killer. She employs Peregrine Child, a thief-taker and disgraced former magistrate, to help her. Child is another excellent character, who moves around the underbelly of London’s streets and taverns to help bring Lucy’s killer to justice. An odd-pairing Caro and Child work really well together. I would happily read more books of them teaming up to solve other crimes.

There is always something appealing about Georgian London to me, and it is no different in this well-researched book. We have the Vauxhall Gardens and manor houses, places of opulence and wealth for the rich and powerful, but we also have the dark and dirty London streets and brothels. There is such an intriguing contrast between these two places and the people who occupy these places, which this book moves between so well.

A suspenseful thriller right to the end, I would highly recommend this fantastic novel.

Thank you to NetGalley, Pan Macmillan and Laura Shepherd-Robinson for this ARC to read and review.

I heard good things about Laura Shepherd Robinson first novel Blood and Sugar that I had to request Daughters of the Night on NetGalley It is a continuation, but you can read it as a standalone as, I have not read the previous one.
London 1782 Caroline Corsham find the body of a high society prostitute Lucy Loveless in Victoria Pleasure gardens. She was going to meet her for other issues. The Police are not interested in her death. She is a prostitute after all. So, Caroline (Caro) to her friends takes it on herself to find the killer and the disappearance of 15-year-old prostitute Pamela. She hires Peregrine Child once a magistrate now a thief taker to help her with her quest.
Set in Georgian times Daughters of the Night is deep in historical detail which Prostitutes, pickpockets, Lords, and ladies. The story is set in several points of view. Caro’s. Childs and Pamela and the events that happened leading up to her disappearance.
I really like crime thriller novels set in London during these times and this is no exception. Deep in history, this is a well thought out and gripping novel, with great characters and shocking events that went on in these times. There was a lot of twists and turns and never a dull moment in this story four stars from me.

Daughters of Night is a historical whodunnit littered with strong, engaging characters and set in a Georgian world where trading sex and vice were everyday counterparts to polite society, fashionable parties, and archaeological or artistic pursuits.
Caroline ‘Caro’ Corsham finds her friend dead in improper circumstances, and it soon emerges that her friend was anything but ‘proper’ and the authorities won’t investigate her death. Caro steps into the void, hiring an investigator herself, and the adventures and difficulty start to ramp up, as attempts to close ranks and shut down her pursuit of justice ensue.
I really enjoyed this book. Fantastically researched, and a cracking murder mystery, Laura Shepherd Robinson is an author I will seek out again. My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the free ARC in exchange for my review.

Very interesting read. I felt that this story had been very well researched but it was a bit too long for me with too many characters.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

This is a real page-turner. Lots of likeable characters, a twisty plot, and an interesting historical setting. Although I sometimes felt that the characters were a bit too consciously 'just like us in the 21st century,' there were only a few times when this intruded. I'll be looking out for more by this author, and recommending her books to anyone looking for a good read.