The Redemption of Mattie Silks

by Kimberly Burns

The Redemption of Mattie Silks is based on the true story of Denver's most successful madam and her feud with a notorious con man named Soapy Smith.

316 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 25, 2023

About the author

Kimberly Burns grew up in Colorado hearing stories about the colorful characters of the Old West. She has a degree in journalism from the University of Colorado and a master’s degree from the University of Hartford. She spent several years in the corporate world writing boring training materials while telling exciting stories of the Old West to her East Coast friends. The Mrs. Tabor is her debut novel and she is delighted that Baby Doe’s story won a Western Fictioneers Peacemaker Award for Best New Novel, a National Indie Excellence Award, and received a gold medal for best regional fiction from the Independent Publishers Association. The Mrs. Tabor was also a Finalist for the Foreword INDIES Book of the Year and the LARAMIE Award for Americana and Western Fiction. She lives with her husband in Leesburg, VA.

Reviews

[Meg Perdue · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! It was so well researched and I loved, loved Mattie!

It was a fascinating look at the lives of these women.

The dialogue and the characters in Mattie’s lives, especially the men, were very well done.

However, I did feel it lacked some descriptions and often the chapters read like little short stories instead of a complete book.

Kimberly Burns, the author, has clearly put a lot of work into this story. The research alone is worth the read!

[Leslie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was ok. It is an enjoyable read but some of it moves slow. It is well researched and the author writes well. For those not familiar with the history of Colorado, it might be a more interesting read. So much of it seemed so familiar to me that I thought maybe I had read it before but do not think so since it is a fairly new book.

[Courtney W. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exciting read!

What a great story! Mattie Silks and her cast of characters reveal a world of drama, crime, and female business ingenuity in the Wild West. In spite of her profession, she is a role model for women today. Well done Kimberly Burns!

[Julia Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book after reading the author’s first historical fiction novel which I loved. The story focuses on the (true) person Mattie Silks who was a highly successful Denver madam. The book is extremely well researched, the writing is clear and articulate, and the story is told with good detail but moves quickly. I could not put it down and luckily had a couple of days in a row at the beach to read it cover to cover. I loved that the book addressed many women’s rights issues, topics that seem never (sadly) to go away. Don’t miss this one.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good historical fiction about a Madame in Denver. A smart businesswoman who cared for her employees. I enjoyed this book.

[Natalie Klaas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting history to know for my trip to Alaska next year.

[Jayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. The character and plot development kept me reading. Mattie Silks is a force! It was fun to see her drive, love of her people and ability to persevere in the toughest of situations.
In addition, Soapy Smith is a character we love to hate. His cunning and deceitful character was a constant challenge for Mattie, albeit fun to watch.
I totally recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a historical fun read. Thumbs up to Kimberly burns, a budding writer, who no doubt has a lot more to share with us!

[Janet Puller · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderfully written book based on real historical people and events. The author has woven a delightful story around true characters that actually lived during the gold rush era of Colorado. Engaging and entertaining. Fun read! Highly recommend.