4 out of 5 stars
On Amazon (universal link)
On Goodreads
How I discovered this book: it was submitted to Rosie's Book Review Team, of which I am a member.
In a Nutshell: Fictional account based on a true crime story
In 1872, Charles Kelsey, brother of Cathleen, goes missing. He has, for some time, been pursuing former love Lucy-Jane, now engaged to be married to another man: Sam Royals. Lucy insists Charles's obsession was one-sided; others know it was not.
A talented poet, educated and striking in his unusual mode of presenting himself, Charles is a controversial figure in the neighbourhood. When he goes missing, Cathleen is determined to uncover the truth, with the help of a bumbling local constable and the few people not in cahoots with the wealthy Royals family.
Cathleen and younger brother Danny are distraught when they discover that Charles was tarred and feathered; the crime divides the town.
This story is well-written and researched, and I enjoyed reading it. I found main character Cathleen a little flat, though others, such as the likeable Sam and his feckless brother Reuben, manipulative Lucy and social-climbing Hank, came alive on the page to a far greater degree, and almost immediately. There is much entertaining detail aside from the main story, such as Sam's experiences working in his uncle's Manhattan store, with the ghastly manager.
A solid four stars, though I felt it needed a little more oomph, perhaps by making Cathleen a more colourful character, or maybe editing it down; at times it felt slightly plodding, and it's a fairly long book. But I liked it. It was good, made more interesting, of course, because it really happened. Most impressive as a debut novel, too!
Many thanks Terry.
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