Reviews with content warning for Murder - Daughters of Night

I loved this - using a historical context, and a nail-biting criminal narrative to investigate the double standards against women in society that persists today, and to show we have always lived in a world of secrets and half-truths. There's a lot in this, I can't do it justice, other than to say it's a great read.

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abbieinwonderland's review against another edition

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dark informative mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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anomiques's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious tense medium-paced

5.0

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tianabooks's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

"A woman had to be ruthless in defence of herself."

What a read. Admittedly, I am not one to often visit historical fiction books, yet I am positive this book and its characters will stay with me for a long time. Easily, one of the best books I've read this year already. I can see how it may appear to be a tedious read, as it's historically heavy and quite a long book, but I can guarantee you won't be disappointed by the end.

Historically, you can see the research and care that went into the writing of this. Laura Shepherd-Robinson is a new to me author but I'm so impressed that I will be automatically picking up any other books. There is another book, Blood & Sugar, which is supposed to be the prequel of this one and I intend to read that soon. Daughters of Night is not only an honest and unapologetic canvas of the Georgian Era but it is also an ode to the female experience of the time. Despite the imposing male characters, it is the women that shine the brightest; the ones that keep you at the edge of your seat. I cannot explain how impressed I was with Caro's character and her journey - emotionally and mentally - she underwent throughout this novel. Standing her ground despite what was imposed on her (due to her gender and position in society) and standing up for those who were more than often dismissed in the eyes of the law and the people.

"It is our tragedy to assume upon our own shoulders responsibility for the misdeeds of men [...] But we should be kinder, I think. To one another, as well as to ourselves."

Masterfully written, with pensive inner thinking and interesting character dynamics. Caro and Child's collaborative work was remarkable and we got to witness a, dare I say, friendship and camaraderie blossoming by the end. Pamela, Lucy, Theresa, Kitty - all wonderful and strong in their own way. All fighting their own battles.

Daughters of Night will keep you guessing until the very last page. It made me write down a clue board and yet, I kept getting surprised. It's so well-crafted. When you think you have the answer, something new appears and you're back to wondering. The way this book ended leaves open the possibility for a continuation of these characters' stories - especially Caro's. I would absolutely devour such a book.

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bookmarked642's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious

Plot- or character-driven? A mix

3.5

I don't listen to many audiobooks, and I don't tend to read a lot of historical fiction either, so this was maybe an odd choice for me. I do, however, love to try reading new things, hence why I picked it up.
It takes place in London toward the end of the 18th century. Caroline Corsham - or Caro, as she is known - is anxiously awaiting the return of her husband. Things become particularly interesting when she is wandering the Pleasure Gardens and discovers an injured woman. This woman is an acquaintance of Caro's, Lucia. Caro holds her bleeding body as she whispers her final words: "he knows."
It is later revealed that Lucia is actually a prostitute called Lucy Loveless. Nobody seems particularly motivated in investigating her murder in any real detail, so Caro decides to hire a thieftaker herself to look into it. Through their investigation, Caro ruffles a lot of feathers and discovers a lot about a variety of different people. It's hard to see how all the details are relevant at first, but it all comes together in the end.
There is also another narrative throughout the book, of 15-year-old Pamela from before the death of Lucy. Again, it isn't immediately clear what role she has in this whole affair, but it is all tied together very well later on. I particularly liked Pamela's chapters; the atmosphere was extremely mysterious and eerie, and I found Pamela as a character very interesting. I think I actually preferred her to Caro, personally.
This book covers a lot of issues and topics that may make people uncomfortable. It is largely centred around prostitution and the sex trade, as well as the misogynistic treatment and abuse of women that was sadly so commonplace during that era. Of course, there's more than a fair share of death and violence, too, along with foul language - just so you're prepared!
It was, in my opinion, a bit slow for a while. However, I thoroughly enjoyed the last parts of it, and the final 'twist' was very clever. It was perhaps a little too complicated, especially for an audiobook where I'm maybe not paying full attention at all times, and I may have missed some details because of that. But I know some people are far more interested in complex books with lots of intermingling details, so it's not a criticism! Maybe if I were to read it rather than listen to it, I would enjoy it a bit more. 3.5 stars overall.

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liseyp's review against another edition

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dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Thanks to the author, NetGalley UK and publishers Pan Macmillan for the opportunity to read this book in advance.

Caroline Corsham is in trouble. Her husband is abroad in France and she is pregnant with her lover’s child, although her lover is unwilling to face up to the responsibility. She meets Lucia, Italian countess her brother introduced her to some time ago, who figures out Caroline’s condition and offers to help. But, when Caroline goes to meet her in the garden at a society party, she finds Lucia murdered. The police quickly lose interest when it turns out that Lucia is not a countess, she is in fact a London prostitute. Despite her shock, Caroline decides she cannot let this mystery go unsolved.

I didn’t realise until half-way through that this book is a semi-sequel to the author’s first book Blood & Sugar. Caroline Corsham is the wife of the main character from the first book. While the link will no doubt be obvious from the start if you’ve read the previous book, it worked for me as a standalone.

This is historical crime fiction. Set in the reign of King George III it deals well with the challenges of being a woman in this time. The prostitutes have independence and Caroline’s wealth and family standing get her in to a lot of places, but ultimately the men are the ones with the power. Yet even these men are bound by their secrets and forced to do the bidding of the man who controls the purse strings and their lives.

Secret societies, domestic drama, scandal and danger are all key parts of the plot. Unfortunately the most interesting and intriguing character is Lucy Loveless and the reader only gets to know her through the second hand accounts of other people. That’s a shame as I think she would have made a far more compelling main character and I’d have loved to have more insight into her actions and thinking.

Overall this is a good story, but I just felt at a distance from the action or threat of peril because I didn’t develop a sense of being invested in the outcomes for any of the characters. I suspect though that if you enjoyed Blood & Sugar this should be added to your TBR pile.

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