I thoroughly enjoyed reading Laura Shepherd-Robinson’s well received, well-written and intricately researched debut novel, Blood & Sugar, in which she combined a historical whodunit with a moving study of the appalling slave trade in Georgian England

I was therefore looking forward to her ‘difficult second novel’ and was not disappointed. It appears that the author is planning a series of books but instead of taking the easy route with the continuing adventures of the dashing Captain Henry Corsham, she has confined him to the side-lines and instead brought two minor characters from the first novel into the spotlight as the main protagonists. Firstly, Caro, Henry’s flirtatious wife and secondly Peregrine Child who appeared in the previous novel as a Deptford magistrate but has subsequently lost his job and is now a near-destitute thief-taker (private detective to you and me) in London. Together they team up to hunt the killer of a prostitute whom Caro had befriended and not surprisingly have to deal with a barrage of lies, subterfuges, hidden secrets and a considerable deal of violence.

Having plumbed the depths of the Deptford-based slave trade in her previous book, Ms Shepherd-Robinson now takes us into the underbelly of Georgian London with its brothels, sex parties and a wealthy class willing to pay anything to satisfy their perversions. This doesn’t always make for easy reading, but it is quite clear from the astonishing amount of research which the author has conducted, that she has probably painted a pretty accurate picture of an aspect of Georgian society which doesn’t get a lot of coverage in the history books.

This is quite a long book, but Ms Shepherd-Robinson is such a fine writer that she is able to maintain the pace throughout and the whodunit element keeps you guessing right to the very end. But this book is far more than just another historical thriller. It lifts the lid on some disturbing aspects of Georgian society, in particular the treatment of women and the presence of domestic abuse. It is also a book about secrets – the power that they give people who know about them and the lengths to which people will go to protect them.

If I had one minor quibble, I felt that that there were just a few too many twists and turns towards the conclusion but in no way did that detract from a very fine second novel. I suspect that the author has at least one more book in the series up her sleeve, and it will be fascinating to see where she takes these characters and what further aspects of Georgian society she can unravel.

This book is thoroughly recommended and my thanks to Netgalley and the publishers, Pan Macmillan for an ERC in return for an honest review

Disclaimer: Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy of this book. I have been sent a copy of this book for review purposes. This has not influenced or affected my opinions in this review.

Daughters of Night was a tricky read for me and it took me a while to get into. I did enjoy it overall and I thought the plot was great. I loved the way I truly felt transported into Georgian London, but I did find that the element of mystery was fairly difficult to connect to. I did love the way the characters were powerful and well fleshed out. If you’re a fan of historical fiction, you will really enjoy this. Also, if you enjoyed Laura Shepherd-Robinson’s previous novel, Blood & Sugar, you will love this.

*3 stars*

A complex mystery set in Georgian London, shedding light on the beau monde and its entwined relationship with prostitution. As Caroline Corsham and the thief taker Child search London for the murderer of a high class prostitute, Laura Shepherd-Robinson takes us to the darkest, poorest corners of the city as well as the richest households. She draws a vivid, compelling portrait of the society, and its attitudes to money, class and women. The plot became a little convoluted for me about two thirds of the way through, with maybe a few too many complications before we reach the denouement. However, it picks up pace again towards the end and the characters are so well drawn that it makes for a good read.

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for letting me read this book. Oh wow! What a book I absolutely loved it, I had found this on a scroll, I had just picked up blood and sugar a couple of weeks before receiving this ARC and I absolutely loved that so I was so happy to receive this, and yet again it didn’t disappoint me, it kept me guessing right until the end and the plot twist! Wow this author is amazing and the writing is just superb. 5 stars all round.

A really juicy whodunnit, which I'm thoroughly recommending.

Caro Corsham, a society lady, finds a dead body - the body of a prostitute she'd been on her way to meet for other reasons. With the law showing no interest in investigating the death of such a woman, Caro takes matters into her own hands.

Packed with a cast of feisty people and lots of goings-on, this is a long and intricately woven mystery. Lots of twists and turns, lots of characters to love, others to hate, this is also an exploration of 18th century London in all its colours. A great read.

This is the sequel to Blood And Sugar, which I read when it was released in paperback earlier this year.

This book far surpasses the first in everything; writing style, plot, characters and world building. I’d never read a truer grittier Georgian london. And what I loved most about this was that it felt very feminist.

Caro, the wife of our previous MC, is well to do and fighting this deeply misogynistic and patriarchal society to find the killer of a woman she thought of as a friend - it doesn’t matter to her that she was a prostitute. She was a person who deserves justice. Whenever someone mentions “she’s just a dead whore” Caro will immediately corrects them and says “she’s a dead woman and I want answers.”

I didn’t see the plot twist or connect the dots any quicker than the characters and that to me makes for an incredibly engaging and well written book.

Trigger warnings for rape, assault, domestic violence, suicide, abortions, miscarriages, and sex with minors.

W hat a book, such an engrossing read, an absolute delight, full of strong characters, set in 18th century London, it spares no detail of the lower side and classes of the capital city. This is the follow on book to Blood and Sugar, which I missed, but will put on my reading list immediately.
Caro Corsham is the central character. The book begins with her husband in France, and Caro is pregnant , but her husband is not the father. That is how many grand families in this United Kingdom originated, a hushed up pregnancy, a trip abroad to have the baby, and then probably adopt, depending upon the need for an heir. Women were required to be decorous and skilled in managing the household and servants, heaven forfend that women had a brain! Caro is in trouble, when her husband gets home, she will be divorced, thrown out of the family home, and be penniless and never see her child again. Many women in desperation, turn to prostitution, but Caro contacts one of these fallen women to obtain an abortifacient, but when she finds this women in Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens, she is dying from stab wounds. The law don’t want to investigate, so Caro employs a thief taker, Peregrine Child, to investigate the matter. They both become involved in conspiracies that could ultimately threaten the throne of England. Along the way, they encounter masked masquerades, virgin auctions, and the lowest side of London. There is a great deal of detective work, chases, and many murders before all is cleared up.
Caro is a remarkable woman. She is likeable, and lively, honest in her dealings with the prostitutes and very determined to catch those who killed her friend. She is loyal, stubborn and a good judge of character in both the world of grand balls and brothels.
This book has very intricate plots that confuse and confound the reader. It is a fast paced read, with a lovely variety of characters. A marvellous introduction to the shady side of Georgian society, and the callous disregard for life. Poverty and all its accompanying smells and hardships are well portrayed. Murders abound, life is cheap and when you don’t always know what you are eating, never mind who you can trust, makes you glad, your ancestors survived such horrors.
A five star read, that is richly deserved. I will leave a review on Netgalley. Looking forward to more in this series.

Prepare to be transported to 18th Century, Georgian London in this amazingly atmospheric novel.

Following some of the characters from Laura Shepherd-Robinson’s first novel Blood & Sugar, Daughters of Night mixes Crime with Historical Fiction beautifully. The descriptive narrative is outstanding and I found myself fully immersed from the first page.

Caro finds her friend Lucia dying, and outraged that the murderer might go unpunished, she hires a disgraced magistrate turned thief taker to investigate on her behalf. Strong female characters, secret societies, political machinations and a vivid depiction of Georgian society at all levels, this is a complex and twisty historical murder mystery. I thoroughly enjoyed it and will now look for the previous novel!

Set in 1782 in London, Caroline Corsham sets herself the task of finding the murderer responsible for the person she thought of as a friend but who was in fact a prostitute. She enlists the help of Peregrine Child, a former magistrate now working as a thief-taker.
Laura Shepherd-Robinson has created a fabulous, atmospheric mystery that I found thoroughly engrossing. The attention to historical detail is excellent and well-researched. The plot twists and turns and we are presented with a whole series of baddies. Caroline, herself is a strong, stubborn and courageous character, whilst Child is the flawed but likeable support. It is a well-written book with an excellent pace. There are lots of interwoven plots that keep the reader guessing until the end.
Highly recommended.

I finished this book a couple of days ago and have given it a bit of time to breath, but my feelings haven’t changed. I did enjoy the storyline but just never felt that enthusiastic about it. It wasn’t until very close to the end that I started to want to pick the book up and read more. It just all felt a bit long and slow. For me it was fine, but no more than that, but I can imagine other people may enjoy it. Sorry, I wish I could be more positive.

Unaware that this was the second novel based on the main character I read this historical murder mystery with enjoyment and interest. Based in 18th century Georgian London it interweaves the rich and powerful with the lower end of society in a story of murder, vice and corruption and stands on its own two feet.
A tad too long maybe with a slight dip in the middle but a strong and powerful novel none the less. Torn between 4 and 5 stars.
My thanks to NetGalley and Pan MacMilan for this advance copy in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

There are not enough superlatives to describe this book. I have not been this captivated by a novel in years, staying up until I fell asleep holding my Kindle and then waking in the morning and spending the next 4 hours straight, in bed reading. Literally unputdownable.
At first the cast of characters at the front of the book made me worried that it was going to be one of those novels where you have to keep flipping back and forth to remind yourself who is who and who they are linked to in the story.. no easy task on a Kindle but I needn’t have worried. The author’s skills in characterisation are so good that as soon as you meet them, you know them and can’t possibly forget who they are. Caro our brave protagonist and Child her dogged hired thief taker are wonderfully 3 dimensional characters. In their turn repulsive, brave, naive, immoral, kind.
The author has clearly done her research and I love that at the end of the novel she doesn’t just list a bibliography but explains which book she used for which scene, place or character. I was pleased to find out that one book she recommended is one in my ‘to read’ pile. The 18th century is the setting of a few books I’ve read recently but this is the first one to really bring the foetid smells to life. There were times when I actually gagged at some descriptions.
The mystery element of the novel was incredibly well thought out. I love to be an armchair detective and try and beat the characters in figuring out ‘whodunnit’ but I didn’t have a chance with this novel. Just as I was convinced of one characters guilt or innocence she pulled the rug from under my feet and left me scrambling to read on while trying to organise my thoughts. I was most pleased to see that the story seemed to leave the door to Caro and Harry Horsham’s house ajar... another novel to come?

Thanks to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for an advanced copy to review.
Well Georgette Heyer was never like this when in my romantis teens' I read her Georgian novels. At the time I think with foresight I would have said "Mores the pity".
A well researched earthy look at Britain's social history at a time when not even a circus had a safety net let alone the lower orders of society or those that had fallen from the senior classes.
Laura Shepherd-Robinson, has written a cracking novel with a huge cast (there's even a brief introduction to the main ones at the start of the book. It is a long journey not all of it comfortable and the centre section could do with trimming and maybe some re-writing to keep it fresh but this is a small price for the enjoyment of the rest of this perilous journey.
If you have no knowledge of the period by the end you will you may even feel a little bit itchy :-)
Five stars all the way - I am looking forward to the inv=evitable television serial - I hpoe they don't mess it about too much.

This is as good as it gets in the realms of historical fiction. Blood & Sugar, the debut novel was incredibly accomplished and I was thrilled to receive an arc of this book. Let me tell you, this was just as good. Laura Shepherd-Robinson is one to watch out for: a new tour de force in the historical mystery genre. I learned lots of new facts : pineapples! Mice eyebrows! New favourite author!Put down what youre doing and go and check this author out!

The contours of this novel are meticulous, and the atmosphere produced by Shepherd-Robinson's narrative pulls the reader into the past. I loved the history that this novel uses as its visual background and plot, the sex trade of this period is fascinating and drives the story of a brutal murder in Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens.
This book features characters from the writer's debut novel 'Blood & Sugar' (highly recommended read), and in particular, Caroline Corsham who finds herself embroiled in a terrible crime.
What I love about this book is the depth to the story, which is, at its core a murder mystery, but it's so well researched with themes of: the female in Georgian London , art, representation, poverty, moneylenders, politics, sex and desire and power; it's a great dip into the society of this period, matched with a riveting and meticulously planned investigation.
A feast of flawed characters, hypocrisy. morality and sins. Loved it!

This is the second book by Laura Shepherd - Robinson. The first is called Blood & Sugar which I loved, so jumped at the chance to read this one.
In this book we follow Caroline Corsham - the wife of Harry Corsham (Blood & Sugar) as she discovers the body of a friend Lucia, who has been stabbed multiple times.
The authorities don't seem to be interested in investigating the murder, so Caro hires Peregrin Child - Thief Taker (also Blood & Sugar) to bring the murderer to justice.
As they start to investigate, Caro finds that Lucia was not who she said she was and uncovers more lies and secrets. As as they dig deeper, Caro and Child receive threats.... abandon the investigation or suffer the dire consequences.
Set in hedonistic Georgian London, this book is evocative of the time period.
with intricate plots and complex characters this is a real page turner that will have you glued to your seat.
Thank you Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for the ARC.

WOW! I’ve had great pleasure relishing ‘Daughters of Night’. Living within the geographic orbit, I found myself grounded into the intricacies. Weary on behalf of Caro, who is with child - demonstrates an extraordinaire persona, hellbent on defying male dominance in pursuit of justice for Lucy Loveless and Pamela. The wit of a cheetah, she doesn’t rest despite the threats to her life and that of her son. Her once adoration of her brother, Ambrose, sadly forfeits - the terrible truth behind Mr Stones Masquerades. A beautiful novel and absolutely loved (virtually) meeting Caro. I look forward to reading more novels by Laura Shepherd-Robinson.

My thoughts about this brilliant powerful historical crime thriller was brilliant outstanding characters and brilliant story

I really enjoyed this book and it was a pleasure to read. I did not realise that this is the second book in the series that features the main protagonist Caro until I had finished it. It honestly made no difference that I hadn't read the first book. I loved the descriptive prose used in this story and I actually felt that I was walking along with the characters. It is a long book so those that prefer shorter reads made struggle but don't let this put you off as you won't be able to put it down!