Death at the Beggar's Opera

John Rawlings, the apothecary with a talent for detective work, and John Fielding, the phenomenal blind magistrate whose Runners formed London's early police force, make a welcome return in this evocative Georgian mystery. John Rawlings is among the beau monde enjoying a performance of 'The Beggar's Opera' in Drury Lane when the leading actor - the notorious philanderer Jasper Harcross - dramatically falls to his death on stage. As Rawlings and the Blind Beak hunt for vital clues, they discover a hotbed of rivalry both on and off the stage which produces numerous suspects and questions. As the search takes on a new intensity, John Rawlings soon finds himself on an intriguing trail of obsession that leads to the dark heart of a cold-blooded murder.

Deryn Lake has written five previous John Rawlings mysteries. Renowned for her knowledge of the period and powers as a storyteller, Lake is the pseudonym of a well-known historical novelist who lives in Battle, Sussex. An active member of the CWA, Lake is often invited to sit on panels and give talks at libraries etc