Reviews for Fallen women

Kirkus
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Murdered prostitutes, unsavory characters and high society provide fodder for scandal sheets--and for author Dallas (True Sisters, 2012, etc.)--in 1885 Denver. Beret Osmundsen is upset when she receives news of her sister's death and discovers she was murdered during a brutal attack in a high-class brothel. Beret raised her much younger sibling following their parents' deaths, but a bitter argument led to their estrangement. Lillie moved in with their socially prominent aunt and uncle, Varina and John Stanton, in Colorado, and Beret assumed that she'd been residing in their home since she left New York. Determined to discover the circumstances of Lillie's murder, Beret travels to Denver and teams with Detective Michael McCauley, who's in charge of the investigation. Although sparks don't immediately fly, the detective and Beret develop a mutual respect for each other as they question those who were part of Lillie's circle during her final days: McCauley quickly learns that Beret has the mettle to stand up to almost anyone, and Beret discovers McCauley is a man of principle. She also slowly realizes that she never really knew her sister at all. Pretty certain Lillie's murder was not a random act (although a second murder points in that direction), the unlikely pair pursues leads in Denver's seediest businesses in the tenderloin district, where the least desirable prostitutes occupy cribs, men make wagers in gambling joints, and opium dens provide mind-numbing retreat; but they also pursue suspects who rank among the city's highest social strata and occupy mansions in the best part of town. Sorting through numerous suspects--and veteran Dallas deftly offers a wide array of shady characters to choose from--Beret has a tough time eliminating anyone as she searches for a pair of diamond earrings, which she believes were stolen from her sister by the murderer. A lightweight, innocuous narrative. For many readers, the resolution (when it finally comes) will be no great shock. Still, not a bad choice for a lazy, low-key weekend.]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.


Library Journal
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Warmly recalling childhood visits there with her socially prominent aunt and uncle, New York philanthropist Beret Osmundsen journeys to Denver in the spring of 1885 to attempt to learn who murdered her estranged sister, Lillie. Initially confident that mission work in her own city's disreputable environs qualifies her to plumb Denver's depths and assist in resolving the crime, Beret confronts further quandaries: When and why had Lillie joined a brothel? Does Beret herself bear any responsibility for Lillie's death? Nicely exploiting the contradictions between Gilded Age opulence and depravity, Dallas (The Quilt Walk) melds history, mystery, and hints of romance. Verdict Expertly voicing a spectrum of players from plummy socialites to denizens of the Tenderloin district, narrator Barbara Caruso reinforces the wide appeal of this satisfying story. Book groups will relish opportunities to discuss social issues and character motivation.-Linda Sappenfield, Round Rock P.L., TX (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.


Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.

Dallas plumbs the lives of so-called fallen women in 1885 Denver as she ably reveals the ties, sturdy as well as tenuous, that bind two sisters and test the memory of their relationship after one of them is found murdered in a brothel. When Beret Osmundsen, a wealthy New York socialite, arrives in Denver after she receives the news of her sister Lillie's death, she believes she is prepared to find the truth. Instead, she is led down a path of lies, treachery, and confusion that threatens to undermine everything she has ever believed in. Detective Mick McCauley helps Beret negotiate the serpentine twists encircling the life and death of the sister Beret realizes she didn't really know at all. As she forges ahead in her determination to see the truth uncovered and justice served, Beret must deal with scandalized relatives who would love to see the situation entirely disappear, the ugliness so readily displayed by a so-called civilized society, and her own conflicting views and emotions. Sure to be snapped up by era fans as well as Dallas' loyal readership.--Trevelyan, Julie Copyright 2010 Booklist


Publishers Weekly
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

Bestseller Dallas (True Sisters) memorably evokes the raw, rough-edged Denver of 1885 in this blend of suspenseful mystery and nuanced romance. Wealthy Manhattan mission worker Beret Osmundsen breaks off ties with her willful younger sister, Lillie, after she discovers that Lillie has betrayed her trust. When Lillie, now a prostitute in one of Denver's brothels, is found stabbed to death, the guilt-stricken Beret travels west. Beret's socially prominent aunt and uncle provide a home for her in the city, where she teams with Det. Sgt. Michael "Mick" McCauley, who, like Beret, is a child of privilege pursuing an unconventional profession. After they discover that Lillie was pregnant, a second murder forces their investigation uncomfortably close to people each loves dearly. The author's depiction of 19th-century Denver, especially its seedier side, is vividly authentic, while the nascent bond between Mick and Beret will have readers eagerly anticipating their next encounter. Agents: Danielle Egan-Miller and Joanna MacKenzie, Browne and Millier Literary Associates. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

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