The Corpse Played Dead by Georgina Clarke

The 2nd in the series apparently , I didn't realise , but still enjoyed the title nevertheless . Not reading the first didn't really retract from the story , because of that I feel this could be read as a standalone .
An undercover assignment for the Bow Street magistrate sees Lizzie Hardwicke trade Mrs Farley's Bawdy House in Soho for life as a seamstress at a theatre on Drury Lane.
Once there, she quickly realises that what goes on in the wings is much more intriguing than the theatrics being played out onstage...
A much enjoyable read.

The Corpse Played Dead is the second in the Lizzie Hardwicke Mystery series, which has recently been reissued by VERVE Books. The series follows Lizzie Hardwicke, (disowned) gentleman's daughter and sex worker in 18th century Soho. As an educated, intelligent and highly observant woman who is often overlooked and underestimated, Lizzie makes an ideal spy/informant. After solving the murder of a high profile client to clear her name (i.e. book one) Lizzie is approached by William Davenport, of the Bow Street Runners, to go undercover in a London theatre plagued by a mysterious saboteur. However the case takes a darker turn when Lizzie discovers a body.

The book more than delivers on the promise of the first in the series. It was a joy to revisit Lizzie and see her navigate the world of the theatre, as well as the development of her relationship with Davenport. Going into this series I wasn’t expecting romance but I found myself getting very invested in their mutual attraction turned slow-burn yearning.

I’ve seen reviews suggest that The Corpse Played Dead could be read as a standalone without affecting the reader’s enjoyment. It’s true that Georgina Clarke does a masterful job of swiftly recapping how the events of the first book affect where Lizzie is now in a way that never feels repetitive or like an infodump but readers planning on doing this should be warned that the identity of the previous book’s killer is mentioned, albeit briefly.

I thoroughly enjoyed this fun, well constructed historical mystery and can’t wait to read the third installment, Viper in the Nest, which is due out in April 2025.

Thank you to NetGalley, VERVE Books and Georgina Clarke for the ARC in return for my honest review.

What a fantastic second installment for Lizzie!

Whilst this book is the second in the series, this can be read as a stand alone book and you don't need to read Death & the harlot, but honestly it's so good - go and read it!

Set in 18th century London, the tale of Lizzie - amateur sleuth!

I love this series and can't wait to read the third when it is released.

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to read for an honest review, hopefully I'll be able to read the third because I don't think I can wait until it's released!

I adore this series, I adore Lizzie ! Her wit and her way of thinking is like a bit of fresh air! The intricate plot is not only suspenseful but also interesting. The author has a solid knowledge of the social times in which I am fully immersed while reading. In this novel, the world of theater life is the main theme (apart from murder!). This was definitely fascinating to see how the people working there, either as actors, seamstresses or as other workers were organised and what it all involved. Really good! I have already pre-ordered the third book and hopefully it will not be the last one!
I have received a digital copy of this novel from NetGalley and I have voluntarily written an honest review.

Poldark meets Bridgerton meets Strike.

This is the second book in the series reissued by Verve books and it confirms the promise that was suggested by the first, Death and the Harlot. It’s set six months after that, in 1759, and picks up the tale of nineteen year old Lizzie Hardwick, a prostitute in Soho who is not all that she appears. An educated daughter of a respectable gentleman, she was thrown out and disowned after a rich family friend had sexually abused her. Changing her name, she arrived in London, finding a position at Ma Farleys, a high class, relatively safe brothel. In book one she gets entangled in the murder investigation of one of her clients, forging a relationship with Davenport, a detective with the Bow Street runners. Her skill leads him to offer her paid work for the runners as a source of intelligence about the goings on in Soho, while keeping the security of her job in the brothel.
In this second book, Davenport installs her as a seamstress in the theatre of David Garrick, where Lord Hawbridge is found brutally murdered, hanging upside down over the stage. She comes across a series of suspicious characters, from every section of society, before the culprit is unmasked, in a breathless finale. It’s an excellent historical murder mystery. Clarke’s knowledge of the period and its theatre world is impressive and she uses it with a light touch to create a convincing sense of time and place. She provides a range of suspicious characters with a range of motives so the reader has enough to fuel the speculation that is at the root of much of the pleasure of this kind of fiction, and the story is well paced, with twists and turns and end of chapter cliff hangers.
It’s not all fabulous though, which is why I give it 4 stars rather then 5. Some of the plot twists, or breakthroughs in Lizzie’s understanding of the mystery are a little far fetched to say the least. I’m all for suspending my disbelief when I’m invested in the story and the characters, but my eyebrows jerked upwards on more than one occasion, accompanied by a knowing smirk and a thinks bubble above my head bearing the single word, “Really?”. Although the portrayal of the eighteenth century theatre world was very seductive, I did miss Ma Farley’s genteel brothel and Lizzie’s coworkers, which added an extra dimension to the first book.
But this is splitting hairs. The books work because of Lizzie Hardwick. She’s a fabulous, attractive creation and her growing relationship with Davenport is a beautifully understated driver in the narrative. It will certainly make me look out for the third in the series, also due to come out in 2025. I think it’s only a matter of time before the series is adapted for TV - it would be a very welcome addition to historical drama - Poldark meets Bridgerton meets Strike.

Lizzie Hardwicke is a fabulous character, and it seems that she has to change roles quite often. Usually a common prostitute, she is now undercover for the Bow Street magistrate and mayhen are the name of the game.

This is a fun read and :izzie takes the reader on a wild escapade trying to solve the mystery

It is a brilliant read and highly recommended.. I just love the cover..