What a fantastic heroine. I was immediately captivated by this book and just had to devour it until its end page. Fantastic storyline that complimented the characters perfectly.

Lizzie Hardwicke is a prostitute in Ma Farley’s brothel in 18th Century London. It’s a dangerous place to live, especially for a young woman and when one of her clients is found murdered, Lizzie finds herself at the centre of a murder investigation. In order to clear her name, she decides to find out who was responsible for the man’s murder and teams up with Will Davenport, the Bow Street Runner who is investigating the case.
This was a fun, lively read with many twists and turns. I loved Lizzie’s character and determination and also her chemistry with Will Davenport. The author’s writing exudes an atmosphere that completely absorbed me in the murky underworld of that period.
My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an arc copy in return for a review.

I really enjoyed Death and the Harlot and it reminded me of the recently released TV series Harlots.
I found the story interesting, full of twists and turns but the descriptions of London in the XVIII century is what I enjoyed the most.

Clarke knows how to make the reader travel through time and I really enjoyed learning more about the society during these years – the language and mannerisms, the way in which women were treated, the dirty streets and the cruelty that you could encounter while wondering these streets at night.

I liked our protagonist, Lizzie, from the very first page and her life story was really interesting. I would have loved to read more about it.

As I really like history and I enjoy historical fiction, I might be biased when I say this but this book was definitely a very entertaining read.

Mrs Farley runs a high-class brothel in the heart of eighteenth-century Soho, and Lizzie Hardwicke is one of her ‘girls’. Educated and intelligent, she spends her time entertaining the wealthy men of the city. However, she is soon under suspicion when a client dies shortly after visiting her.
Determined to prove to Constable Davenport that she is not responsible for the man’s death, Lizzie sets out to track down the killer. But when the murderer strikes again, she begins to realise that the stakes are much higher than she’d anticipated…
This was a really engaging and entertaining read. The tone of the narration was so appealing right from the beginning. Georgina Clarke’s style of writing made this an absolute dream of a book to read; her well-realised characterisation of Lizzie made this feel more like chatting to a friend than reading. Lizzie is witty and likeable and I quickly grew very fond of her as a character.
I really enjoy reading historical fiction, so the setting of London in 1759 was right up my alley. As Georgina mentions above, this is a period of time that I don’t see a lot of fiction set in. This works in Georgina’s favour though, as she has so much to work with in terms of setting. The details of the sights, sounds and even smells of London in the 1700s brought a lot of life to the book.
The idea of having a main character who is a prostitute is a unique twist on the usual historical fiction takes, and it works perfectly. Lizzie is very matter of fact about her work, and there were as a good balance about it. There was no unrealistic glamorizing of it, but equally, there were no judgemental undertones. It worked well as a plot device, as it allowed Lizzie to access many walks of life.
I’m one of those annoying readers who is always desperate to guess the ending of a book, but I had a hard time with this! I enjoyed the plot’s pacing. It was fast without being overwhelming. It was clever, unpredictable, and completely believable. I was racing through the final pages in order to find out whodunnit!
Death and the Harlot is a very impressive book, particularly as it is a debut novel. Georgina Clarke is very talented and this book kept me thoroughly entertained. I’m also very excited to hear it is the first in a series of novels. I’m really looking forward to finding out where Lizzie ends up next!

This book won me over from the first page until the last. Lizzie is exactly the kind of heroine I want to read about and that you can't help but root for. The book was fast paced and so well written that I couldn't put it down. Another really really good mystery/crime novel I need to add for my bookshelfs.

This was a fast-paced and thrilling read. I like that this was set in the 18th Century as quite a lot of detective fiction is set in the Victorian period so to have one set earlier was a nice change. Lizzie Hardwick was an interesting character and she was generally well rounded and believable. My only gripe is that I wish the side characters had been fleshed out a bit more as the couple of them felt a bit two dimenisonal in comparison to the rest.

secrets upon secrets! There is nothing I like more than a book that is slow to give up it's mysteries. I love this from Georgina Clarke. The historical atmosphere was creepy and engaging - my interest was kept throughout!

Death and the Harlot is a murder mystery with a very strong female lead. Right from the first sentence you find that the book is humorous, slightly shocking in a tongue-in-cheek way, and reveals more than you might wish to know about the less than pleasant life of a prostitute in 18th century London.

The protagonist is Lizzie Hardwicke. She works in what is essentially a brothel for gentlemen of means. She is sassy and clever, and she is a fantastic character right from the beginning. You know straight away that she wasn't always a prostitute, and her backstory is slowly revealed throughout the book.

When one of Lizzie's clients, a rather large and unpleasant man, is murdered, Lizzie becomes the prime suspect. In order to try to save herself and get to the truth, she begins to investigate his death herself. She knows this will be the best way to get herself out of trouble and to find out what really happened to the victim.

The story is entertaining and also interesting as it offers some insight into some real life elements of life, crime and the law enforcement at the time. The plot is not entirely unique in terms of a mystery story, but it is well written. The pace is good throughout and the book is full of plot twists and development points.

I really enjoyed reading this, particularly because of the lead character, Lizzie. Her life and personality are what makes this book great. She is a fantastic character and the book was so well written I felt like I was going through the story with her. The writing is old-fashioned and true to the era as far as I was concerned, but not so much that it made it difficult to read or understand. I was a good mix.

I found today that there is a second Lizzie Hardwicke book available, and I will definitely be reading it. I would recommend this book to any crime and murder mystery fans.

A fascinating and well writing story that is full of historical details and a intriguing plot. Death and the Harlot is a wonderful debut novel. The author does a great job of bringing the eighteenth century to life with all its seediness, rough justice and fear so that the reader feels like they are really there watching everything unfold. I highly recommend and can't wait to read more from the author.

An enjoyable read about life in 1700's London. Loose historical facts about the early police enter the frame when a man is murdered. Life in certain parts of London was filled with crime; prostitution, drinking and gambling dens these are woven into a good storyline.

A Georgian (1750) whodunit featuring Lizzie Hardwick, once an educated lady, now earning he living on her back as one on Mrs Farley's girls (not the worst establishment of its kind). When one of her wealthy customers is brutally murdered, Lizzie comes under suspicion, so to prove her innocence to Constable William Davenport she begins a little amateur sleuthing. As the secrets and corpses mount up, Lizzie becomes deeply embroiled in the case, and works ever more closely with Davenport.

There's a growing attraction between Lizzie and Davenport, but it's not sexual. This isn't a romance book. Lizzie's profession, while not the subject of graphic descriptions, is always to the fore. She's a working girl in a reasonably upmarket brothel that is maybe less strict then most as long as no one forgets what the main business is. We see streetwalkers in much worse situations than Lizzie, though Lizzie never seems to be in any physical danger from her clients (of either violence or pox, though she never seems to take precautions by insisting her gentlemen use the sheep-gut prophylactics that were available in that time period.).

The whodunit element is always the main theme, though we do eventually find out what brought Lizzie low. This is a gripping read with a satisfying ending. This is obviously meant to be the opening of a series, but it reads perfectly well as a standalone.

This was a a really good book with interesting characters.

My thanks to Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest feedback

This was a complimentary copy courtesy of netgally - many thanks

LOVE LOVE LOVE this genre and soooo good to read a new voice

Historical, murder, mystery - whats not to love

Great strong female characters - always welcome

I can't recommend highly enough - great holiday read

I've recently become a big fan of historical mysteries, and the premise of this one caught my eye. Death and the Harlot is the first book in Georgina Clarke's Lizzie Hardwicke series. I read the first line in the book and was captivated: "There are few sights more ridiculous than a fat old man naked from the waist down." After that line, I just knew I was going to love Lizzie!

Lizzie Hardwicke is a prostitute in Georgian London in one of the finer brothels. After being thrown out of her home by her father, she arrived in London and was quickly employed at Ma Farley's brothel. Unlike a lot of prostitutes, Lizzie was educated. She is dealing with this life as best as she can, and is putting aside money for retirement. She knows that looks eventually fade; the career of a harlot isn't very long. Found in an alleyway behind a bar not far from the brothel is a dead man. Who was the last person to see this man alive? That would be Lizzie! William Davenport is a constable looking into this man's death. He sees the intelligence in Lizzie and allows her to assist with the investigation. Then more deaths, seemingly related to the first, begin to occur...

I totally loved Lizzie. She was very intelligent, full of sass and though a bit jaded at such a young age, she knew life could be a lot worse and did not plan to be a prostitute forever. Though hardened, she did have a soft heart for those less fortunate. I also liked Will Davenport very much. He had a bit of a tragic background, too, and became a runner after being a doctor. I loved the relationship and tension between Lizzie and Will; I hope their relationship extends beyond occasionally working together. There were many wonderful supporting characters here, also. Full of heartache, wanting to be something "more" and the strength of the human spirit, I hope Lizzie and this series continues for a long time to come.

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.

Je ne me suis pas sentie interpellée par ce livre, par le ton. Dommage, car j'aime bien le lieu et l'époque!

This is a great historical murder mystery! I just love this era! I loved Lizzie and you will to. She is a smart, witty and sassy heroine. One who accepts the challenge of finding who done it. She investigates the murder of one of her clients. Cause she is considered a suspect. The characters are well developed. I highly recommend this book! You will not be sorry!

This book is a great atmospheric historical thriller which is the authors debut.
An excellent plot and the book is extremely gripping
Can’t believe this is a debut and can’t wait for the next book

This was a new time period of historical fiction for me and I really enjoyed it. The title with "harlot" immediately drew me to it and then to see it had a mystery element, I was in! I feel like the author did a bang up job with research. I totally felt transported back to 17th century London. I enjoyed all the characters and didn't guess the twists too early on, which is always appreciated. It sounds as if this will become a series and I would definitely pick up the next one.

I was completely absorbed into this book, with its extremely likeable heroine Lizzie Hardwicke, Harlot of the title.

A high-class London prostitute working out of a mid 18th century Soho pleasure house. When one of her "customers" is found murdered she faces inevitable suspicion, so, keen to clear her name she joins forces with an investigator and becomes amateur sleuth.

Set in the back streets of London, among the seediest pubs, the coffee houses and bathhouses where no respectable girl would be seen, as a lady of the night Lizzie can pass through, if not completely unnoticed, at least accepted. She uses her keen skills of observation and an understanding of peoples motives gained from her questionable trade, to great advantage.

What emerges is a complicated tale of blackmail, and revenge, where everyone has either a hidden past or leads a double life, nobody can be taken at face value and murder takes in the stinking filth at the bottom of every dark alley. As a Notorious Highwayman awaits sentencing nearby everyday life carries on in its bustling noisiness and everyday struggles to make ends meet any way possible.

Lizzie, despite a hardened nature through the life she has been pushed into by circumstances, still has a tender heart. Deep down she longs for love and friendship. She takes pity on a couple of younger women one of whom she hopes to prevent being forced to make the same choices which led her where she now resides, on the wrong side of respectability, and the other who has already fallen far below this, yet still manages to touch Lizzies toughened heart. It is this caring nature which made me warm to Lizzie, the original tart with a heart.

The story fairly gallops along, it is exciting and well written and filled with great characters, none of whom you quite know whether to trust or run like hell from.

Following Lizzies adventures allows us to vicariously tread paths we'd never dream of setting foot on and I could see and smell the whiff of roasting chestnuts, vying with the odour from a greasy mutton pie vendor overlying the ordure of the sewage-laden River Thames and its surrounding courts and alleyways.

I loved it and can't wait for further adventures with Lizzie Hardwicke.

History and mystery......two of my favourite things. This was a stunning historical narrative laced in death and deception that had me reading in a state of frenzy. The writing was engaging and captured my attention with its charm and nod to the era. Artistic license has been used sparingly to an extent to highten the narrative, but hasn't overstepped the boundaries of respect for the era or the genre to create an all round gem of a read.

Death and deception play a large hand in this narrative and add mystery and wonder to the reading experience. I mean who doesn't love a tantalising 'who dunnit' plot and this story features enough twists and turns to keep you on your toes and triple guessing right up until the concluding sentence.

Lizzie Hardwicke is a dream of a character creation who single handedly makes this story in my opinion. The intelligence and sheer bravery she shows elevates her position in society and makes her a strong player amongst the male contemporaries in the book. I sincerely hope that this is not the last we will hear from Lizzie as I get the feeling she has only just begun to explore her talents with the Bow Street Runners.

Death and the Harlot is an all round dream of a read. I loved each and every moment of this book and can't recommend it highly enough.