Church deftly highlights the class and ethnic tensions that pervaded the boom time of the late 1800s, paying particular attention to the Irish fleeing the famine and the tensions between incoming rail and stockyard workers and the townspeople. Seeded with wonderfully written secondary characters—Josiah, her boarder, and Sebastian Kanady, the newspaperman in town and possible love interest—the setting comes alive. At 19, Cora is rather self-possessed despite her apparent abandonment and a lack of help from her newlywed brother. She manages to not only keep up with running the boarding house, but also to keep abreast of the town gossip and the mysterious goings on in the night, particularly in the park across from the boarding house.

Wanee is vivid and convincing, as is this depiction of a determined young woman. Certain details, such as the description of the newspaper’s window or Edith’s background, immerse readers in a sense of place and time, though at other times the detail becomes repetitive or more involved than is necessary, diminishing narrative momentum. Overall, though, the novel is light and cozy with its mystery, and lovers of historical fiction packed with detail will delight in this refreshing offering.

Takeaway: A light mystery in 19th century Illinois with an appealingly determined heroine.

Great for fans of: Ellery Adams’s The Book of Candlelight, Mary Stewart’s Rose Cottage.

Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A