London, 1759 An undercover assignment for the Bow Street magistrates has the fabulous Lizzie Hardwicke posing as a pitiable seamstress at a popular theatre on Drury Lane. She soon learns that behind the scenes there is a world as sordid as the bawdy house she calls home, but possibly far more dangerous. When a nobleman and patron of the arts is brutally murdered and left on display centre-stage, the theatre is thrown into disarray. The investigation becomes all the more urgent with public scrutiny on the magistrate?s men including William Davenport, his assistant, with whom Lizzie continues to grow closer. Her suspect list is long but she must find a way to see through all the masks worn backstage without letting her own slip. The Corpse Played Dead is the second instalment of the gripping and vividly imagined Lizzie Hardwicke mystery series. Perfect for fans of Sarah Waters and Diana Gabaldon, echoing the atmospheric pull of a Nancy Drew?esque mystery