Based on actual events, this historical mystery is perfect for true crime lovers.
Annie Moore is only 16 when she is sent away to a convent to give birth to her illegitimate baby. When the baby is taken to an orphanage, Annie makes the difficult decision to run away and to try to find some sort of work that will allow her to regain custody of her infant daughter. Unfortunately, opportunities for a woman like her are few and far between and she is taken in by a house of prostitution and soon begins working there. As the years go by, Annie changes her name to Bessie and moves up in the hierarchy, working in fancy brothels and attended by a more wealthy clientele. She's making her way in a difficult situation but longs to return to respectable society.
As it so often happens, Bessie's ultimate downfall is a man. Although what happened to her is not unique, the way the author tells her story is wholly engaging and a compelling tale of what women suffered before women's rights were a thing.
I really enjoyed the way the story shifted after Bessie is betrayed by her new husband and it did indeed remind me of The Lovely Bones with that point of view though I typically am not into any paranormal. The characters in Bessie's inner circle were interesting, but the way the author wrote about Bessie was so endearing that I felt such empathy for her. This was a fast read that I consumed in a matter of hours in one sitting as I could not wait to find out how it ended. The best part of the conclusion was the author's notes about the real people and historical records at the back of the book.
This is definitely a book that I will recommend and thank you to NetGalley and Spark Press for this e-book ARC to read and review.
This is a standalone and is not part of any series.
Genre - Historical mystery based on a true crime
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