After reading Laura Shepherd-Robinson’s Blood & Sugar I couldn’t wait to read this, her second novel. Daughters of Night did not disappoint. Shepherd-Robinson again paints a vivid portrait of late 18th century London and its inhabitants to give us a rewarding historical thriller taking place in the demi- monde of prostitution. Twists and turns abound in Caro Corsham’s quest to solve a murder of one “ daughter of night” and the disappearance of three other women. There are shades of Wilkie Collins in the atmosphere of the novel and in the character of Stone, a man who treats both men and women ruthlessly for his own financial gain. A highly recommended read.

This book immerses you into Georgian society from the beginning. A well researched book that explains all the small nuances of this period that would normally be overlooked. I did, however find the story a little slow, especially at the start of the book. It picked up pace as the murder/mystery unraveled. Both the heroine, Caro and her 'thief-taker' were well rounded characters.

A stand alone book. It was not until I had finished it that I found out there was an earlier novel in the series.

Thank you NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for an advance copy of this book.

Shepherd-Robinson's 'Blood & Sugar' drew me in from page 1 and I barely put it down. The follow up 'Daughters of Night' is a little more of a slow burner, taking time to build up to a crescendo. Caro Corsham, a somewhat peripheral figure in the first book steps into the protagonists shoes and is a wonderful guide to Georgian London and the scandals within.
Shepherd-Robinson fully fleshes out her characters and shows that even at a time when they had few personal freedoms women were capable of shaping their own lives outside of society expectations.
The key plot point here, a murder that is the first loose stitch in a swiftly unravelling tapestry of lies and intrigue, seems enough of a story in itself and multpiple times I was convinced I had worked out where the story would end only to be proved wrong at the next turn.
Whether Caro or Harry Corsham are centre stage, or indeed if the thief taker Peregrine Child becomes our eyes, I do hope we return to this world before too long!

Daughters of the Night by Laura Shepherd Robinson
Having read and loved Blood and Sugar by this author I was really looking forward to reading this novel. The main character in this book appeared in a minor role in the previous book but both novels stand independently. At the beginning of this novel Captain Harry Corsham (hero of Blood and Sugar) is abroad and his wife, Caro, eagerly awaits his return.
Caro attends an entertainment at the popular Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens and it is here that she encounters Lucia; who had been introduced to her as an Italian Countess by Caro’s banker brother Ambrose. She asks Lucia for help with a sensitive problem and they agree to meet in the bower. When Caro arrives however she finds her friend dying from stab wounds and she gasps, “He knows...” before she dies.
It soon becomes clear that far from being a Countess, Lucia is actually a prostitute. Caro is determined to bring her killer to justice and so enlists the help of Peregrine Child, a thief taker. (Another character from Blood and Sugar.) This book investigates the horrors to which Georgian women were subjected and the figures which she gives for those involved in the sex trade in London during the period are truly shocking. She states that the sex trade was such an important part of the Georgian economy that one in five female Londoners were involved at some point during their lives.
She also sheds light on the plight of the well to do women of the period who transgressed by indulging in adulterous relationships. Many were separated forever from their children, ostracized and forced to live alone in the countryside or abroad.
This is an enthralling thriller that will keep you reading long into the night. It really brings Georgian London to life, in all its moral and monetary deprivation. At heart the book is a mystery with numerous twists and turns; you will think that you have solved the murder only for new information to confound your theories.
Many thanks to the author, the publishers and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

I absolutely LOVED Laura Shepherd-Robinson’s debut novel, Blood & Sugar, and was delighted to get hold of her follow up via Netgalley ahead of its publication in February 2021.

While the two novels aren’t part of a series, they do feature some of the same characters. One thing I liked about Daughters of Night is that Caroline (Caro) Corsham, a minor character in Blood & Sugar, takes centre stage here with her husband, Harry, away for the duration of the novel. And what a character she is! Bold and headstrong, she has only a passing concern for society and propriety and is utterly determined to bring Lucia’s murderer to justice. The revelation (early on) that Lucia isn't the Italian noblewoman that Caro has been led to believe, but is rather a prostitute better known as Lucy Loveless does nothing to diminish her intentions, despite the harm – physical and reputational – that it may do her, believing that a murdered woman deserves justice, whatever her profession. Caro is a joy to read, and I cheered her on shamelessly throughout.

To support her investigation, Caro hires thief taker, Peregrine Child – another name that will be familiar to those who’ve read Blood & Sugar – to assist in bringing Lucy's murderer to justice. Somewhat down on his luck, Child is heavily indebted to the wrong sort, which doesn’t stop him soaking up gin like it’s going out of fashion. They make an unusual pair, but however poorly Child comes across initially, he quickly proves himself to be as determined as Caro to seek justice, and not just for the money that he’s being paid. Sharp and shrewd, there's not much that gets past him, and I think that Caro and Child complement each other nicely – both have their own ways and means, and between them, they cover all angles of the investigation nicely.

As you’ve likely guessed from the title and synopsis, Daughters of Night centres around prostitutes, and particularly those who attend to the wealthier members of society. The double standards of the time are highlighted, with such individuals frowned upon, and yet visited shamelessly by many of those doing the frowning:

"Child surveyed the women he passed, trying to pick the harlots out from the wives. It was no easy task. They bought their silks and satins from the same mantua-makers, their plumed hats from the same milliners, and, of course, they fucked the same men."

I think that some novels have a tendency to look down on such individuals and I found it a pleasant change to look on these women from a different angle, in that this was one of the few professions that might give a woman some element of freedom – something that was unlikely to be achieved through marriage, as I’m sure Caro would attest to. That’s not to say that it’s glamourised in anyway – it has its dangers, and these are highlighted throughout the narrative – but it was a choice that some women made willingly in order to gain some degree of independence.

A brilliant piece of historical fiction, Daughters of Night is extremely well researched, and Shepherd-Robinson brings Georgian London to life brilliantly, incorporating some absolutely fantastic swearing from the time that I’ve not come across before – "beshittened arsehole" is my new go to curse! More than that, it has a fantastic mystery at its heart, which becomes increasingly complicated as Caro and Child begin to dig into what happened to Lucy when the officials appear to lose interest. There are multiple suspects, and I had absolutely no idea who was responsible. I also loved the references to Greek myth used throughout the novel, which seemed initially to be a little more than an aside, but soon became more relevant to the narrative. Highly recommended.

Caroline Corsham finds a person brutally murdered at Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens, the person is known to her a Lucia (an Italian Countess) but is actually Lucy Loveless a lady of the night. Why has she been murdered? Caroline engages Peregrine Child, a thief taker, to find the murderer.
Lots of twists and turns along the way, set in 18th century London this novel kept my attention to the end.

If you like the slightly grimy, exciting, sexy world of Sheperd- Robinson's first novel, Blood Sugar, you'll like this one too. Just reading the description has things that jump out that I know I will love- "London, 1872", "Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens" "Bow Street Constables". I enjoy spending time in novels in the time frame and with the attitude that Sheperd- Robinson's do; a fun mix of slightly romanticised and heightened, with some down and dirty reality of life in London at that time. The storyline is compelling, too; murder of a mysterious woman, political intrigue and so on. It is engaging and there is a lot here to keep you turning the pages. It might not be hugely original- I have read similar things before- but it was enjoyable. In some ways I enjoyed her first book more, but the character of Caro here just about wins.

The star system won't allow for nuance, but I would put 3.5 if I could.

My thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel.

Daughters of Night is a bold, sprawling, thriller set in a vividly recreated Georgian London. The novel follows two vastly different, intriguing and ultimately flawed characters seeking to solve a brutal murder whilst also dealing with their own personal problems.

Genteel Caroline Corsham will be familiar to fans of Laura Shepherd-Robson’s previous book; Blood & Sugar (note that this can be read as a stand-alone novel). One fateful night Caro stumbles across the dying body of her enigmatic friend, Lucia, in the decadent Vauxhall Gardens. Although she soon discovers that “Lucia” was not the fashionable high-society lady she claimed to be Caro is determined to avenge her murder.

Bedraggled Thief Taker Peregrine Child is enlisted by Caro to investigate the seedier aspects of the cases; to seek in places that a lady like her could not tread. Child is down on his luck; he’s rather too fond of the gin bottle and owes a lot of money to some scary people. But he is good at his job and a dogged investigator. Together he and Caro make an odd but formidable pair taking us on tour of the high, low (and very low) realms of 18th Century London.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and to the publishers for a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

A-maz-ing!

This book fully immerses you in Georgian society from the highest ro the lowest.

I love Caro. She is feisty and determined and genuinely cares what happens to the women she gets to know regardless of their circumstances.

Refusing to be brushed aside by the constables and the newly formed Home Office, Caro hires a their taker – the Georgian equivalent of a private investigator, Peregrine Child, to find out who has killed the woman she knows as Lucia.

She finds herself immersed in a world of prostitution and corruption. A world where the rich and powerful have immunity from their crimes and young women are at their mercy.

The unravelling of the mystery of Lucia’s murder is multi-layered and complex.

This book is utterly compelling and there are so many twists and turns. The characters are multifaceted and it is possible to simultaneously loathe and sympathise, admire and disapprove of them. This book stays with you long after you have read it. And is definitely worth a re-reading.

Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for this advanced copy in return for an honest review

I loved Blood and Sugar from start to finish, so I was very excited to get my hands on Daughters of Night. We are introduced to a different kind of sleuth this time though. Instead of Captain Harry Cosham, we follow his wife, Caro, as she witnesses the horrific death of a lady of the night. Caro defies most historical stereotypes (both realistically, and thrillingly!) and it is a joy to follow her and Peregrine Child as they seek to uncover the truth.

This book is full of excellent twists and turns. The descriptions are incredibly rich too, and i found myself completely immersed in the world portrayed. I absolutely adored the interweaving of the Greek tragedy, the Oresteia, and how the world of Classics is referenced throughout. This book is somehow better than the first, and I loved the first. It shows a very different side to 18th century London, which definitely warrants further exploration. I cannot wait for the next.

Exquisitely crafted and enormous fun. Murder, mythology, deception and dark doings in Georgian London. Absolutely loved this, particularly the 18th century swear words: go f*** your grandmother’s horse, beshittened arsehole, and weeping cunny-sore.

Daughters of Night is a brilliant book set in London in 1782.It is so well written that it is easy to get immersed in the characters and their surroundings.This is a murder mystery ,Caro Corsham, a lady who is well ahead of her time decides to investigate when her friend is murdered and the Authorities don't seem interested so she hires a thief taker Peregrine Child another brilliant character to help her investigate. This book is compelling ,fast paced ,and full of twists and turns .I also found it very interesting to learn how life was in those times .I loved the surprising ending and look forward to reading the next book about Caro and Harry .Many thanks to the Publisher the Author and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest review .

Daughters of Night is an incredibly immersive tale set in the latter part of the Nineteenth Century and a must for the lover of historical fiction.

The author, Laura Shepherd-Robinson's attention to detail both in regards to the landscape of London at the time and the language used between the different classes ensures that the reader cannot help but feel as though they are witnessing the story first-hand.

The list of characters is many from Prinny or as he's historically known, the Prince of Wales, to tuppence whores both male and female whose tales are fascinating as well as macabre. Caro, our main character, growth throughout the novel is profound and I loved that whilst the restrictions she faces due to her gender and position in society are great? She refuses to give in and fights for what she believes in and to discover the truth to her many questions and sudden threatened life.

I liked how we are reminded of how different life was especially for women during that time in history. The author is painstakingly accurate in her portrayal of the choices offered to the poor women of the British Empire as a whole. Those choosing to become whores even at such a young as as fifteen offer up no apologies for their actions as one character points out, they could be paid £5 for a year's back breaking work as a maid somewhere or the same £5 in one night laying on their back. The women are all strong and fiercely determined to survive no matter their class in life and that too is excellently portrayed.

I can firmly say that Daughters of Night is one of my favourite books of 2020 and Laura Shepherd-Robinson has become a favourite author.

This is one Hell of a novel and I will be eagerly anticipating the next one from this fantastic author.

London, 1782. This book follows Caroline Corsham as she seeks justice for a murdered woman who she believed was an Italian noblewoman. The Bow Street constables are unethusiastic and unhelpful with the case when they discover that the woman was a prostitute. Caroline decides to take matters into her own hands and solve the crime herself by enlisting the help of a thieftaker, Peregrine Child. Together with Caro and Child, you are taken into the deepest depths of Georgian London.

Initially after reading this book, I gave it 4 stars. Since finishing the last page, I've been thinking of nothing else and instantly want to be transported back to that London in the 1700s. I've decided this book is very well-deserving of a 5 star review. The book is so well-based in history, the story feels authentic and you feel like you are living alongside these characters. The descriptions of London were so rich, the smells, the poverty, the secret lives that you just to learn more about... The characters are perfectly fleshed out, making the story seem even more plausible. Oh, and the twist and turns this book has! I was on the edge of my seat constantly thinking "just one more chapter and then I'll stop. Just one more" to find out "whodunnit". Even when you find out "whodunnit", the twists and turns still don't stop. One of the best historical fiction books I've read.

″It′s how history remembers the lady, she thought. By our death or our dishonour or our sins.″ This is the protagonist′s conclusion in the first chapter, while looking at a paintings of classical scenes, which seem to only consist of killing, dying and rape. And that foreshadows the theme of the whole book, nearly every woman we meet is a victim of some unjust act. But they don′t submit without a struggle, and they take what they can out of life in the meantime.
The protagonist, Caro Corsham, discovers a dying woman with whom she has a slight acquaintance, and when the authorities show little interest in finding her killer, Caro employs a thief-taker to help her investigate. The investigation delves deep into the dark underbelly of London, the world of the whore from upper class courtesans to disease-ridden street-walkers. However the real crimes seem to be found amidst people of Caro′s own class, and start to come closer to her own circle of friends and family.
The descriptions of Georgian London are splendid, not in the sense of sumptous but in the richness of their detail, making use of all the senses to pull the reader into a location. The logistics of the many varieties of prostitution are explained, so you can understand the choices people make, and the lack of choice that also drives them. The two investigators, Caro and Peregrine Child, make an unlikely but effective combination, able to delve into their respective levels of society, although they are sometimes let down by their own failings. The mysteries are resolved at the end of the book, but villains do not necessarily get their comeuppance, or victims their justice, which might be frustrating for some readers.

This is a sequel to her previous book ″Blood and Sugar″ but it can easily be read as a standalone, although it does end on a ″Gone With the Wind″ style cliffhanger. I would certainly want to read another mystery in this setting.

I had a copy of this book early through Netgalley

Another great book from Laura, it follows Caro Corsham, who is Captain Harry Corsham's wife from her first book Sugar & Blood.
This book is full of wonderful writing, and atmosphere. The descriptions and details about the 18th century are so in-depth, I just got completely lost in this world of the beau monde and the lives they live with the high end prostitutes they surround themselves with. This story had so many twists that I did not see coming right until the very last page and it was a delight to read!

Thoroughly enjoyed the twists and turns in this book. Painted a picture of the past from a new angle. The only thing I didn't like was the repeated use of the word Fuckster to describe the suspects it really grated on me.

Loved this! Did not guess the end at all. Every time the story pointed in a particular direction, a few pages later we were heading off somewhere else. Full of twists and turns. I have also been watching 'Harlots' on the tv so clearly a bit of a tie-in but I think the book evokes a much better picture of the filth of Georgian London than anything on the tv. Some terms in the book were new to me and no amount of googling seemed to help. Maybe a small 'vocab list' might help for the more colloquial expressions. Funny to think of Clapham being out in the country!

Thank you to netgalley.co.uk for giving me a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I wasn't sure what to expect with this novel, it has been a while since I have read a novel set in the 18th Century. I enjoyed the political element that the author brought into it, the book was well written. It did take me a while to get invested, but it was worth it. I really enjoy the plotline and the way it kept me guessing with its many plot twists. It was clear that the author really did some research into London's setting during the 18th century as it felt so real. I strongly recommend this book.

I really enjoyed this murder mystery set in the seamy world of Georgian London. A historical novel that felt really convincing, with an in-depth look at the social conditions of the time where prostitution is endemic and seen as a well-paying profession by many young women with no other prospects. Extremely well-written, this is so much more than ‘just’ a crime novel. Highly recommended.