nitially, I was a little turned off by Lizzie's profession as a harlot; however, as the novel progressed her character won me over. Lizzie assist Mr. Davenport in the hunt for a killer, who has murdered one of her customers as all as a fellow harlot. The relationship between Lizzie and Mr. Davenport is an interesting one, on one hand he is unforgiving of her profession, but on the other he is impressed with her intuition and ability to see the details. For anyone who enjoys Emily Organ, Deanna Raybourn or Sherry Thomas; this series should be added to your to read list! I look forward to the next installment of Lizzie Hardwicke!

Frankly, I’m tired of reading books that portray fat people as disgusting, pathetic, lazy, and/or stupid. I have lots of choices of books to read, and I don’t need to waste my time cringing and feeling about myself while doing something that’s supposed to give me joy.

Lizzie Hardwicke is a prostitute in Georgian London, who finds herself at the centre of a murder investigation. Lizzie is a fantastic protagonist, a feminist ally for the 18th Century, wanting the women alongside her in the brothel and on the streets to have a better life. One of the Bow Street Runners, William Davenport, is investigating the death of one of Lizzie’s customers, Charles Reed. The book takes us through the twists and turns of Davenport’s enquiry, with Lizzie helping him, and performing some sleuthing of her own. The characters and atmosphere are well drawn, and Georgina Clarke manages to convey 18th Century Soho and Covent Garden thoughtfully and fluently. There are twists and turns and the unmasking of the killer is well plotted. An excellent read.

A really well thought out Historical Crime story . Gives a real good picture of the streets around London at the time it is set . A man is found murdered behind an Inn , frequented by people of all sorts , the Harlot from the title of the book Lizzie has had relations with the "gentleman" previously and had invited him to a party at her bawdy house , from where he was ejected on the night of his murder . She sets out with a Bow Street Runner to investigate what happened to him , after finding out some papers he always kept with him were missing . There follows an intriguing tale of Blackmail and further murders with a surprising twist in the end .

Lizzie Hardwicke is not the average 18th century Soho prostitute. She was brought up as a gentlewoman, she's educated, clever and beautiful - she's also just discovered that she was the last person to see a client alive before he was murdered, and is determined to find out what happened to him and clear her own name. Working with Davenport from the Bow Street Runners, an initially prickly relationship, they navigate both London's underworld and the young men from high society who frequent it.

This was entertaining, despite covering murder, prostitution, abuse and blackmail. Lizzie is an excellent narrator, and I hope she features in more novels. The author has a good mix of bluntness about the sex trade without too much gory detail, which makes for an easier read, whilst acknowledging in her afterword that there are some historical inaccuracies for plotting purposes. These aren't glaring, as making Lizzie a prostitute gives her more freedom than other women might have had at the time, whilst not letting go of the other risks she faces as a result. Hopefully this will be a success, I think it should be!

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I was charmed by this novel, and though I do wish the author had done more to make me care about the charcters, it was lovely. The plot twists make it interesting, but the lack of description, character development and romance detracts from the overall enjoyment. In future books, I hope to see much more daring.

This book was fine. I didn't find it amazing, but it wasn't horrible either. I didn't connect to the characters much, or find them overly entertaining. It was easy to pick up to read a quick chapter or two, but it was just as easy to put down. The mystery was very twisty and unpredictable in it's detail, but I guessed the killer right away, like at the discovery of the crime scene. Although I didn't know his backstory or motive, I wasn't exactly riveted the entire book. The story didn't seem to be particularly rooted in it's setting. I kept thinking the story could have played out the same with characters who were not prostitutes. Or in another time or place. Being named Death and the Harlot, I guess I figured the harlot part would come into play a little more. The main character didn't actually seem like an 1800s London prostitute either. A convenient plot device so a female could go where polite females of the time may not venture and to give the book an attention grabbing title, but nothing more. I'm not completely disappointed in this one, but I don't think I'm interested enough to read a sequel if there is one.

An enjoyable romp, just the thing for a bit of light reading. I get the impression that this is the first in what may become a series - I’d certainly read another.

It's Georgian era London and Lizzie Hardwicke works in a brothel run by Ma Farley. The city is a dangerous place to be, with highwaymen on the loose and crime rates high as people struggle for survival. Into this scene steps Mr Reed, a Norwich merchant, client of Lizzie's and - ultimately - murder victim. With the Bow Street runners (an early kind of police force) treated with mistrust by the local people and a desire to clear her own name, Lizzie begins an investigation that takes her further into London's grim underworld.

I loved this book and read it very quickly, keen to find out what happened. Lizzie is a clever and engaging heroine and the London setting is evoked well - Clarke doesn't hold back on describing some of the seamier side of life, but it's this that raises the stakes on the story as people are fighting for survival in a pretty lawless world. The story is well plotted and I didn't see a lot of the twists coming even though I am a seasoned reader of crime fiction.

I'd recommend this to anyone who likes a good historical murder mystery. It will keep you reading and leave you wanting more - I hope that there are more Lizzie stories to come.

Lizzie Hardwicke is supposed to be a woman of privilege in 17th century London, but has been cast out by her father. She is now living as a prostitute as one of Mrs. Farley's girls. When one of her clients ends up dead, Lizzie is the prime suspect. Lizzie must do everything she can to prove her innocence. As people around her are murdered, she learns the lengths people will go to to keep their secrets buried.

Georgina Clarke has a hit on her hands. Death and the Harlot was so easy to fall into. Clarke has done a spectacular job with slipping the reader into Lizzie Hardwicke's world. She has created compelling, relatable characters that I was truly invested in. The twists and turns kept me guessing who the murderer was until the very end. I hope based on the ending that this is not the last we will see of Lizzie Hardwicke. Highly recommend

I absolutely loved this book! Lizzie is not your usual heroine but she’s smart, quick and I thought she was fabulous. Davenport is her perfect foil as the kind damaged detective. I totally didn’t guess the guilty party, the whole murder mystery was very cleverly done. I won’t say to much here about the plot as I don’t want to give away any spoilers.
The author has clearly done her research as the scenes are detailed, rich and leap off the page. I hope there is to be a sequel?!
Highly recommend.
I was given a ARC by NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

Excellent book. I stayed up till 3:30 in the morning to finish this. I could not put it down. Lizzie Hardwicke is a prostitute who’s last client ends up dead. She’s smart, observant and sassy. I adored her. Will Davenport is the constable assigned to the case who is a bit of a jerk at first but ends up being a decent guy. After he tells Lizzie that she’s the most likely suspect she decides to do some investigating. There are a whole group of suspects who Lizzie and Will have to rule out. I really enjoyed this book. It was excellent. I’m hoping this is the beginning of a series because I’m completely on board. I’m also completely on board for a romance between Lizzie and Will. I wholeheartedly recommend this book.

Fast paced page turner!Lizzie is the type of unique heroine that you can't help fall in love with. Her wit combined with a touch of sass has you rooting for her with each chapter.