Georgina Clarke

Writer

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Books

Agent: Laura Macdougall

Laura Macdougall

LMacdougall@unitedagents.co.uk

Assistant: Eleanor Horn

ehorn@unitedagents.co.uk

Books

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Georgina Clarke has a degree in theology and a PhD in history but has only recently started to combine her love of the past with a desire to write stories. Her first novel is set in the mid-eighteenth century, an underrated and often neglected period, but one that is rich in possibility for a crime novelist.

When she's not writing, Georgina enjoys running along the banks of the River Severn and is sometimes to be found competing in half marathons. In quieter moments, she also enjoys dressmaking.

She lives in Worcester with her husband and son, and two extremely lively kittens.

Current publication:

THE DAZZLE OF THE LIGHT - Verve Books - 17th November 2022

A sparkling new historical novel set in the 1920s, inspired by the notorious all-female crime syndicate known as the Forty Thieves who operated out of the slums of south London.

Ruby Mills is ruthlessly ambitious, strikingly beautiful - and one of the Forty Thieves' most talented members.

Harriet Littlemore writes the women's section in a local newspaper. She's from a 'good' London family and engaged to an up-and-coming Member of Parliament - but she wants a successful career of her own.

After witnessing Ruby fleeing the scene of a robbery, Harriet develops a fascination with the elusive young thief that extends beyond journalistic interest. As their personal aspirations bring them into closer contact than society's rules usually allow, Ruby and Harriet's stories become increasingly intertwined.

Their magnetic dynamic, fraught with envy and desire, tells a compulsive, cinematic story about class, morality and the cost of being an independent woman in 1920s London.

Praise:

'The characters and the historical setting are riveting; we follow Ruby from thieves’ dens to louche nightclubs, rooting for her all the way' - The Times & Sunday Times Crime Club star pick

'Along with an enviable gift for readability, Clarke has a knack for quickly getting us invested in her characters.' - the Scottish Herald

'When it’s cold and dark and damp outside, there’s nothing like losing yourself in another world and The Dazzle Of The Light ...will transport you back to another time and place'. - Red online, Book of the Month November 2022

'Gaining lots of love from book reviewers, Clarke's standalone thriller is inspired by the real-life all-female gang "The Forty Thieves" who reigned supreme over London in the early 20th century. With a touch of Killing Eve, dutiful journalist Harriet becomes obsessed by one of the thieves, Ruby Mill, and what it really means to be an independent woman' - Evening Standard Book of the Month, November 2022

‘Fans of Sarah Waters and Kate Atkinson will adore this compelling, evocative and utterly gripping tale... It deserves to be huge’ - Sarra Manning

‘This was a marvellous read... Two fabulous protagonists, you will be rooting for them both’ - PRIMA

'Immersive, compelling and darkly seductive, an absorbing journey back in time to the throbbing gaiety and rich colours of 1920s London' - Laura Carlin

'Fans of Sarah Waters and Kate Atkinson will adore this compelling, evocative and utterly gripping tale of two very different women in 1920s London. It deserves to be huge'. - Harriet Walker

'A breath-taking romp through the seamier side of London in the 20s and a tantalising glimpse of the sometimes deeply corrupt world of the rich and well-heeled' - Celia Anderson

"Georgina Clarke is the queen of pacy historical fiction. DAZZLE OF THE LIGHT is a witty, seductive gem of a book. A blistering read and absolutely shimmering" - Margot Douaihy, author of SCORCHED GRACE

Previous publication:

THE CORPSE PLAYED DEAD - Book 2 in the Lizzie Hardwicke series - Canelo - 2019

Praise:

“I loved everything about this ingenious story! It is every bit as sparkling and twisty as the first book“ Celia Anderson, author of 59 Memory Lane

“Georgina Clarke has shown considerable focus in maintaining a steady momentum of the plot and the natural developments in solving the crimes. The throbbing atmosphere and landscape of historical London are superbly depicted and vividly brought to life…” Reader Review

“The Corpse Played Dead is an intriguing whodunit with lots of wit and even a bit of romance.” Reader Review

Fiction

Publication Details	Notes
DEATH AND THE HARLOT: Lizzie Hardwicke, Book 1 2019 Canelo	In a city built on secrets, who would kill to keep theirs hidden? The year is 1759, and London is shrouded in a cloak of fear. With the lawmen at the mercy of robbers and highwaymen, it's a perilous time to work the already dangerous streets of Soho. Lizzie Hardwicke is somewhat protected from the fray, making her living as one of the girls at Mrs Farley’s Bawdy House, a reputable brothel. But then a wealthy customer is found brutally murdered... and Lizzie was the last person to see him alive. The magistrate’s assistant, William Davenport, has no hard evidence against Lizzie, but his presence and questions make life increasingly difficult. Desperate to be rid of him and prove her innocence, Lizzie turns amateur detective, determined to find the true killer, whatever the cost. Yet as the body count rises, Lizzie realises that, just like her, everyone has a secret they will do almost anything to keep buried...
THE CORPSE PLAYED DEAD: Lizzie Hardwicke, Book 2 2020 Canelo	Death takes centre stage. Does the killer lie in the wings? 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… When a high-profile investor is brutally hanged at centre stage, Lizzie discovers the body and is once again thrown together with William Davenport, the magistrate’s assistant with whom she is growing ever closer. The suspect list rivals any casting call, and Lizzie must use every trick hidden up her sleeve to see through all the performance and bring the culprit into the spotlight.

Publication Details

Notes

DEATH AND THE HARLOT: Lizzie Hardwicke, Book 1

2019

Canelo

In a city built on secrets, who would kill to keep theirs hidden?
The year is 1759, and London is shrouded in a cloak of fear. With the lawmen at the mercy of robbers and highwaymen, it's a perilous time to work the already dangerous streets of Soho. Lizzie Hardwicke is somewhat protected from the fray, making her living as one of the girls at Mrs Farley’s Bawdy House, a reputable brothel. But then a wealthy customer is found brutally murdered... and Lizzie was the last person to see him alive.
The magistrate’s assistant, William Davenport, has no hard evidence against Lizzie, but his presence and questions make life increasingly difficult. Desperate to be rid of him and prove her innocence, Lizzie turns amateur detective, determined to find the true killer, whatever the cost. Yet as the body count rises, Lizzie realises that, just like her, everyone has a secret they will do almost anything to keep buried...

THE CORPSE PLAYED DEAD: Lizzie Hardwicke, Book 2

2020

Canelo

Death takes centre stage. Does the killer lie in the wings?

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…

When a high-profile investor is brutally hanged at centre stage, Lizzie discovers the body and is once again thrown together with William Davenport, the magistrate’s assistant with whom she is growing ever closer. The suspect list rivals any casting call, and Lizzie must use every trick hidden up her sleeve to see through all the performance and bring the culprit into the spotlight.