Daughters of Night

by Laura Shepherd-Robinson

This book was so enjoyable that I couldn’t put it down. The style of writing and everything about it reminds me of one of my favourite classical authors Wilkie Collins. I know that this book is set in the 1780’s and Wilkie Collins books are set in his life time in the 1800’s. There were so many twists and turns to this book I couldn’t workout who the murderer was. Which is really good as with so many books I can work out who the murderer is way before I get to the end of the book. Anyone who likes to read historical crime, mystery fiction they you must read this book.

In 1782 London’s Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens were a place for the rich, a place for their hedonistic pleasures. This is where Caro Corsham finds herself one evening. She has been waiting for her politician husband to return from France as he’s been away for weeks. While she is there she is greeted by some of her husbands friends and acquaintances.

Caro wanders off the main track to a more secluded part of the pleasure gardens. Where she stumbles across a noblewoman who has been mortally wounded. The woman’s last words are “He Knows”. It’s obvious to Caro that she herself has just missed the killer.

The police are quick in taking action to find the killer until they find out that the victim isn’t a noblewoman at all. She is Lucy Loveless a high class lady of the night.

When Caro finds out that the investigation has been dropped, she sets out to find the killer herself as she can’t bare the injustice of the case being dropped. Caro ends up hiring Peregrine Child a thief taker to help with her own investigation. Not realising that the investigation will lead Caro and Child into the unsavoury world of London’s society.

Along the way Caro finds out that ex-clients along with London’s society aren’t happy with her investigating the murder. They try to discredit her, when that doesn’t work they start to harass and threaten her safety.

Word gets around to Caro’s brother who demands that she stop what she’s doing at once. As she is bringing down the families and her husbands reputation. He even goes as far as to cutting off her funds in an attempt to stop her, but in-spite of her lack of funds Caro doesn’t stop. She has to make wright the injustice of what happened to Lucy Loveless.

Will Caro and Child come out of their investigation unscathed and victorious or will they both pay the price for sticking their noses in where they aren’t wanted?

Pages: 448, Publication Date: 18 February 2021, My Rating: