What do you think?
Rate this book
The Three Lives of Mary Sutton: A Novel
Not yet published
Expected 10 Nov 26For fans of Marie Benedict and Rachel Beanland, this debut novel shows a grittier side of the Gilded Age as two young women struggle to find their own way in 1880s New York, where the cards are stacked in favor of men.
In 1878, young Mame Sutton escapes her oppressive father through a quick marriage to the charming stage manager of a New York theatre, while her younger sister Lizzie makes the same escape by eloping with a young Jewish jeweler. Which sister has made the better choice?
Life for Mame in a theatrical boarding house in 1878 offers new kinds of friendships and unexpected challenges. Through the tales of the theatre workers, she gets a backstage look at the Gilded Age of the Astors, Goulds, and Rockefellers, but she has no share in the freedom given to the ladies of the stage. Her husband’s view of a wife’s role is as narrow as her father’s idea of a daughter’s role was. How can Mame break free?
For Lizzie, marriage into the Cohen family offers warmth and support, but also cultural differences and expectations which she finds hard to master. Her husband, though loving and tolerant of her mistakes, is financially dependent on his family. Lizzie longs for a life apart from the Cohen world.
When disasters shake their worlds, can the sisters help each other onto new paths?
In 1878, young Mame Sutton escapes her oppressive father through a quick marriage to the charming stage manager of a New York theatre, while her younger sister Lizzie makes the same escape by eloping with a young Jewish jeweler. Which sister has made the better choice?
Life for Mame in a theatrical boarding house in 1878 offers new kinds of friendships and unexpected challenges. Through the tales of the theatre workers, she gets a backstage look at the Gilded Age of the Astors, Goulds, and Rockefellers, but she has no share in the freedom given to the ladies of the stage. Her husband’s view of a wife’s role is as narrow as her father’s idea of a daughter’s role was. How can Mame break free?
For Lizzie, marriage into the Cohen family offers warmth and support, but also cultural differences and expectations which she finds hard to master. Her husband, though loving and tolerant of her mistakes, is financially dependent on his family. Lizzie longs for a life apart from the Cohen world.
When disasters shake their worlds, can the sisters help each other onto new paths?
- GenresHistorical Fiction
Kindle Edition
Expected publication November 10, 2026
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
October 11, 2026
Thankyou NetGalley & She Writes Press for the arc!
I really enjoyed reading The Three Lives of Mary Sutton. What I found especially interesting was getting a glimpse of what life was like back then and seeing how the choices we make can have such a big impact on the lives we end up living. I loved the idea behind the story and how it makes you think about the different paths life can take depending on the decisions we make. It’s fascinating to think about how one choice can change so much and how things might have turned out differently if we had chosen another path.
That being said, there were moments when I found myself wondering if something more was going to happen. Some parts felt a little slow to me, and I occasionally wanted a bit more to keep the story moving. Still, I found the book genuinely interesting, and the concept stayed with me even when the pacing wasn't quite what I hoped for. Overall, this was a thoughtful and enjoyable read that made me reflect on the impact of our choices and how they shape our lives. Definitely a book I'm glad I picked up!
I really enjoyed reading The Three Lives of Mary Sutton. What I found especially interesting was getting a glimpse of what life was like back then and seeing how the choices we make can have such a big impact on the lives we end up living. I loved the idea behind the story and how it makes you think about the different paths life can take depending on the decisions we make. It’s fascinating to think about how one choice can change so much and how things might have turned out differently if we had chosen another path.
That being said, there were moments when I found myself wondering if something more was going to happen. Some parts felt a little slow to me, and I occasionally wanted a bit more to keep the story moving. Still, I found the book genuinely interesting, and the concept stayed with me even when the pacing wasn't quite what I hoped for. Overall, this was a thoughtful and enjoyable read that made me reflect on the impact of our choices and how they shape our lives. Definitely a book I'm glad I picked up!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received an advanced reader copy of this book from the author. I am a physician and I was a history major in college, so I was intrigued when I heard about Johnson's story.
The Three Lives of Mary Sutton is a vivid, carefully researched debut novel that brings 1880s New York to life through the eyes of a woman fighting for footing in a world built to deny it. Reimagining her own great-grandmother's story from family letters and historical research, Johnson plunges the reader into a tale of the Gilded Age from below—not the ballrooms of the Astors and Rockefellers, but the boarding houses, sickrooms, streets and theaters where ordinary women lived and labored.
The novel takes an unflinching look at how tightly law and custom bound women's lives. Marriage could mean the loss of nearly everything—independence, property, even the right to one's own children should a woman dare to leave her husband. Protagonist Mary Sutton (Mame) flees the tyranny of an abusive stepmother and autocratic father only to discover the constraints of another world. Johnson lays bare how completely the cards were stacked in favor of men, and how much resolve it took for a woman to imagine a life of her own.
The novel's portrayal of early nursing also is a standout: Johnson captures the grit, skill, and quiet courage of women who tended the sick in an era before the profession commanded much respect, rendering the daily realities of care in nineteenth-century New York with striking, textured detail.
This tale is a moving, illuminating read for anyone drawn to stories of women's resilience, the history of nursing in the United States, and the hidden histories of New York City in the 1880s.
Highly recommended.
The Three Lives of Mary Sutton is a vivid, carefully researched debut novel that brings 1880s New York to life through the eyes of a woman fighting for footing in a world built to deny it. Reimagining her own great-grandmother's story from family letters and historical research, Johnson plunges the reader into a tale of the Gilded Age from below—not the ballrooms of the Astors and Rockefellers, but the boarding houses, sickrooms, streets and theaters where ordinary women lived and labored.
The novel takes an unflinching look at how tightly law and custom bound women's lives. Marriage could mean the loss of nearly everything—independence, property, even the right to one's own children should a woman dare to leave her husband. Protagonist Mary Sutton (Mame) flees the tyranny of an abusive stepmother and autocratic father only to discover the constraints of another world. Johnson lays bare how completely the cards were stacked in favor of men, and how much resolve it took for a woman to imagine a life of her own.
The novel's portrayal of early nursing also is a standout: Johnson captures the grit, skill, and quiet courage of women who tended the sick in an era before the profession commanded much respect, rendering the daily realities of care in nineteenth-century New York with striking, textured detail.
This tale is a moving, illuminating read for anyone drawn to stories of women's resilience, the history of nursing in the United States, and the hidden histories of New York City in the 1880s.
Highly recommended.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of *The Three Lives of Mary Sutton* before publication. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
I really enjoyed *The Three Lives of Mary Sutton*. It gives a much less glamorous view of the Gilded Age and focuses instead on what life could actually look like for ordinary young women trying to create some independence in a world where most of their choices were still controlled by men.
Mame Sutton escapes her oppressive father by quickly marrying a charming stage manager, while her younger sister Lizzie chooses a different path and elopes with a young Jewish jeweller. Both believe marriage will give them freedom, but very quickly they discover that escaping one set of expectations does not necessarily mean escaping them altogether.
What I liked most was the contrast between the sisters. Mame finds herself living among theatre workers and seeing a world that appears far more liberated than her own, yet her husband’s expectations of her are not very different from her father’s. Lizzie, meanwhile, enters a much warmer family environment but struggles with cultural differences, financial dependence and the feeling that she still does not fully control her own future.
The historical setting was probably my favourite part. The theatre world, the social divisions within New York and the restrictions placed on women all feel very present without the book becoming overloaded with historical explanation. I also found the early nursing elements particularly interesting because they show another possible route towards independence for women at the time.
This is definitely more character-driven than fast-paced, and there were moments where I wanted the story to move a little quicker. But I appreciated that the book gives the sisters space to make mistakes, change their minds and gradually understand what kind of lives they actually want.
Overall, *The Three Lives of Mary Sutton* was thoughtful, atmospheric and very engaging. I particularly enjoyed the sister relationship, the less glamorous perspective on the Gilded Age and the way the novel explored how difficult genuine independence was for women even when they believed they had escaped the lives chosen for them.
I really enjoyed *The Three Lives of Mary Sutton*. It gives a much less glamorous view of the Gilded Age and focuses instead on what life could actually look like for ordinary young women trying to create some independence in a world where most of their choices were still controlled by men.
Mame Sutton escapes her oppressive father by quickly marrying a charming stage manager, while her younger sister Lizzie chooses a different path and elopes with a young Jewish jeweller. Both believe marriage will give them freedom, but very quickly they discover that escaping one set of expectations does not necessarily mean escaping them altogether.
What I liked most was the contrast between the sisters. Mame finds herself living among theatre workers and seeing a world that appears far more liberated than her own, yet her husband’s expectations of her are not very different from her father’s. Lizzie, meanwhile, enters a much warmer family environment but struggles with cultural differences, financial dependence and the feeling that she still does not fully control her own future.
The historical setting was probably my favourite part. The theatre world, the social divisions within New York and the restrictions placed on women all feel very present without the book becoming overloaded with historical explanation. I also found the early nursing elements particularly interesting because they show another possible route towards independence for women at the time.
This is definitely more character-driven than fast-paced, and there were moments where I wanted the story to move a little quicker. But I appreciated that the book gives the sisters space to make mistakes, change their minds and gradually understand what kind of lives they actually want.
Overall, *The Three Lives of Mary Sutton* was thoughtful, atmospheric and very engaging. I particularly enjoyed the sister relationship, the less glamorous perspective on the Gilded Age and the way the novel explored how difficult genuine independence was for women even when they believed they had escaped the lives chosen for them.
Review of advance copy received from Author
The author immerses us in a decades long journey of her protagonist, Mary Sutton, who grows up in New York City after the Civil War in a merchant class family. The city boroughs and their ethnic composition, with some entrenched prejudices, are a formidable labyrinth for Mary and her sister. I was turning the pages to see how the young women navigated obstacles strewn in their paths by a dysfunctional father and a society with little tolerance for a woman's fight to find purpose. The girls have minimal schooling but lots of good instincts and common sense. Each of them marries, which adds layers of interest to the different paths they take. Mary's husband works for a theater company, aspiring to a management role, and is barely around in the boarding house where he rents a room for them. Mary gets life lessons by hanging with other borders, mostly women, who teach her to sew and stealthily make her own money, though it’s never much. There is a Dickensian quality to the narrative, completely convincing without being sentimental. We root for Mary’s empowerment that comes in streaks. She is willful and lucky enough to find opportunities to ultimately escape the drudgery, learning from setbacks which are sometimes major, but often subtle. She reads the room well. Without giving away the ending, I found one accomplishment of the novel to be its consisten credibility. As a reader I was in living in Mary’s boarding house, taking the ferry between Manhattan and Brooklyn, and learning how to survive on a pittance. At the end, I stopped to savor the pluck of Mary Sutton…
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced reader copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review.
For fans of Brooklynn Rose by Ann Rinaldi (2005), The Three Lives of Mary Sutton: A Novel feels like its more mature literary sibling. Set against the backdrop of America's gilded age and the economic uncertainty of the long depression, Mary's story follows a young woman navigating a world in which men's freedoms often come at the expense of a woman's own.
TW: Non-graphic depictions of one-sided sexual encounters within marriage, including the protagonists resulting feelings of resentment and dissatisfaction.
For fans of Brooklynn Rose by Ann Rinaldi (2005), The Three Lives of Mary Sutton: A Novel feels like its more mature literary sibling. Set against the backdrop of America's gilded age and the economic uncertainty of the long depression, Mary's story follows a young woman navigating a world in which men's freedoms often come at the expense of a woman's own.
TW: Non-graphic depictions of one-sided sexual encounters within marriage, including the protagonists resulting feelings of resentment and dissatisfaction.
Review of advance copy received from Author
The Mary Sutton of the title is a woman with an identity issue. Not an identity crisis born of self-doubt but a series of identity changes as she escapes from circumstances that threaten her sense of self.
Mary Sutton has a strong sense of self.
She is not always far-sighted; her upbringing is bounded by ignorance. She is not what you might call well-balanced; she has a sharp tongue and some serious hang-ups. But she is forceful. Mary Sutton does what she needs to do in the moment, even if it might not be the most carefully thought out thing she could do.
Mary’s story is that of an ordinary family living in New York at the end of the nineteenth century, a family whose horizons are physically limited by the streets immediately around their home and culturally limited by their restrictive father and their church going. Mary breaks out in her own way, her sister Lizzie in another and her brother Jackie in yet another.
The Three Lives of Mary Sutton is not a Belle Epoque romance. It is the gritty side of real life and the real problems faced by both women and men who had to work to live. You will walk the streets of New York, breathe the air as you take the ferry across the Hudson river and hear the sounds through the boarding house walls along with Mary as she seeks her own way to balance freedom with security.
Mary Sutton has a strong sense of self.
She is not always far-sighted; her upbringing is bounded by ignorance. She is not what you might call well-balanced; she has a sharp tongue and some serious hang-ups. But she is forceful. Mary Sutton does what she needs to do in the moment, even if it might not be the most carefully thought out thing she could do.
Mary’s story is that of an ordinary family living in New York at the end of the nineteenth century, a family whose horizons are physically limited by the streets immediately around their home and culturally limited by their restrictive father and their church going. Mary breaks out in her own way, her sister Lizzie in another and her brother Jackie in yet another.
The Three Lives of Mary Sutton is not a Belle Epoque romance. It is the gritty side of real life and the real problems faced by both women and men who had to work to live. You will walk the streets of New York, breathe the air as you take the ferry across the Hudson river and hear the sounds through the boarding house walls along with Mary as she seeks her own way to balance freedom with security.
Did Not Finish
October 28, 2026Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book. The opinions in this review are my own. Unfortunately, at 20%, I have to mark this as a DNF. This book is marketed as for fans of Marie Benedict, and I am an avid reader of historical fiction. This book’s description of two sisters pursuing different paths in Gilded Age New York intrigued me, and I applaud the author taking on the task of telling the story of her great-grandmother. I’ve read several debut novels and I know it’s possible to write a well-written first novel. However, this book falls terribly short in comparison to much of the historical fiction available over the last couple of decades. The writing is decidedly unpolished, with simplistic prose lacking in depth of description and world-building; much of the narrative is told and not shown. The pacing is awkward, with scene changes and major events happening abruptly. Likewise, the characters are undeveloped. By 1/5th of the way through the book, the reader doesn’t really know who Mary really is, what motivates or frightens her, or what her aspirations are. The writing, storytelling, and characterizations all felt underdeveloped when compared to other books within the genre, and I think the quality of this work will disappoint frequent readers of historical fiction.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced reader copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review.
At the turn of the century, Mary (Mame) Sutton lives with her family in New York City. Her responsibilities of caring for her widowed father and siblings has made her confident in her skills as a good homemaker. However, a new, domineering stepmother has forced Mary and her other older siblings to abandon their home, each going in a different direction. Mary, smitten with a charmer who works as a stage hand in the theater now shares her new home with a troupe of actors. She soon learns that she has exchanged her role of "daughter" to that of "wife" and not in the best sense. She feels trapped.
I really enjoyed reading about Mary and her sister Lizzie as they navigated their lives during a time where women had little to no freedom. The character development was well thought out and I never felt that the story lagged. The descriptions of New York and daily life during that time felt true and never felt awkward.
At the turn of the century, Mary (Mame) Sutton lives with her family in New York City. Her responsibilities of caring for her widowed father and siblings has made her confident in her skills as a good homemaker. However, a new, domineering stepmother has forced Mary and her other older siblings to abandon their home, each going in a different direction. Mary, smitten with a charmer who works as a stage hand in the theater now shares her new home with a troupe of actors. She soon learns that she has exchanged her role of "daughter" to that of "wife" and not in the best sense. She feels trapped.
I really enjoyed reading about Mary and her sister Lizzie as they navigated their lives during a time where women had little to no freedom. The character development was well thought out and I never felt that the story lagged. The descriptions of New York and daily life during that time felt true and never felt awkward.
October 28, 2026
The Three Lives of Mary Sutton is a historical fiction novel that took me back into a stitch of time—the Gilded Age. I was drawn into its fabric from the very first page. The author’s descriptive and engaging writing style weaved a story that made me feel completely invested in the characters. The plot beautifully follows Mary through the everyday, working-class world of the Gilded Age, a time when women faced suppression and had no legal rights. The contrasting paths of Mary and her sister were sewn into the plot seamlessly and made the story flow smoothly.
Reading as Mary navigates her "three seasons" of life showed her strength to repair and rebuild her own life. While the ending left me wanting to know more about what the future held, I was filled with very hopeful thoughts of her next chapter.
Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. No spoilers!
Reading as Mary navigates her "three seasons" of life showed her strength to repair and rebuild her own life. While the ending left me wanting to know more about what the future held, I was filled with very hopeful thoughts of her next chapter.
Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. No spoilers!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Three Lives of Mary Sutton is a compelling story about an eldest daughter who tries to find her independence in 1870's New York City.
Mary "Mame" Sutton is the eldest of 4 children in a family with a deceased mother and a tyrant baker father. She develops a friendship with a young man that she begins to take walks with every Sunday. As her life closes in around her at home, is this young man her ticket to finally getting the life she wants?
Author Allyson Johnson does a splendid job of telling the story of Mame Sutton. You feel her fears, hopes, and frustrations. You root for her, and find yourself yelling advice to her through the pages.
This story is well-written, well-paced, and a treat for historical fiction lovers who enjoy books with strong female characters finding their way in life. I would recommend this book!
Mary "Mame" Sutton is the eldest of 4 children in a family with a deceased mother and a tyrant baker father. She develops a friendship with a young man that she begins to take walks with every Sunday. As her life closes in around her at home, is this young man her ticket to finally getting the life she wants?
Author Allyson Johnson does a splendid job of telling the story of Mame Sutton. You feel her fears, hopes, and frustrations. You root for her, and find yourself yelling advice to her through the pages.
This story is well-written, well-paced, and a treat for historical fiction lovers who enjoy books with strong female characters finding their way in life. I would recommend this book!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Set in 1880s New York, this novel explores the lives of two sisters navigating marriage, societal expectations and the search for independence in a world largely shaped by men.
I found the premise intriguing, particularly the contrast between the sisters’ experiences and the different paths they take in life. It was interesting to see how their circumstances shaped their choices, and how the expectations placed on women could make something as simple as pursuing a life of their own feel like such a struggle.
A lovely read for anyone who enjoys historical fiction with strong female characters and a focus on family relationships.
I found the premise intriguing, particularly the contrast between the sisters’ experiences and the different paths they take in life. It was interesting to see how their circumstances shaped their choices, and how the expectations placed on women could make something as simple as pursuing a life of their own feel like such a struggle.
A lovely read for anyone who enjoys historical fiction with strong female characters and a focus on family relationships.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Net Galley for an advance copy.
Grittier side of the Gilded Age.
Character-driven story about difficult lives in the 1880s New York. I enjoyed the aspects with the backstage life of a theatre workers, though there is a fair bit of misery just reflecting on the limited choices women had in those times.
The story came together nicely at the end with the sisters finding their path.
Great for fans of historical fiction that isn't all parties and high drama.
Grittier side of the Gilded Age.
Character-driven story about difficult lives in the 1880s New York. I enjoyed the aspects with the backstage life of a theatre workers, though there is a fair bit of misery just reflecting on the limited choices women had in those times.
The story came together nicely at the end with the sisters finding their path.
Great for fans of historical fiction that isn't all parties and high drama.
October 21, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.
The Three Lives of Mary Sutton is loosely based on the author’s great-grandmother, an independent woman faced with difficult choices as she works to escape abusive situations and create her own destiny. The characters were believable and I felt fully immersed in Mary’s journey. Highly recommend.
The Three Lives of Mary Sutton is loosely based on the author’s great-grandmother, an independent woman faced with difficult choices as she works to escape abusive situations and create her own destiny. The characters were believable and I felt fully immersed in Mary’s journey. Highly recommend.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book. The story started out really good, it was Mary’s life during 3 different stages: at home with her father & siblings, her mom passed away during childbirth; her married life; life after marriage. I enjoyed reading about every stage but when we got to the end I feel it was rushed & let a lot unsaid.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Wonderfully written historical fiction based on the author's great-grandmother. Our heroine is Mary Sutton who strives throughout her life to deal with an overly strict father, running away with a young man who is entirely too charming to all women, and then finding her way as a young mother to find a career in nursing. Mary struggles to find her own path. An enticing read.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I went in with high expectations, particularly given the comparison to Marie Benedict, and the timeline, but I found this one didn't quite deliver the same depth or character development I enjoy in historical fiction. The premise was interesting, but I never felt fully drawn into the story, and the ending felt rushed. While there were elements I appreciated, I ultimately found it an okay read rather than one that really stayed with me.
Thank you #NetGalley for the advanced copy of #TheThreeLivesofMarySutton in exchange for my honest opinion.
Thank you #NetGalley for the advanced copy of #TheThreeLivesofMarySutton in exchange for my honest opinion.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
A fascinating look at an important historical time, with the personal insight into the world that makes it an enjoyable read.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thankyou NetGalley & She Writes Press for the arc!
Honestly, it was very good. I quite enjoyed it. Without reading the summary, which made my reading experience incredible.
Honestly, it was very good. I quite enjoyed it. Without reading the summary, which made my reading experience incredible.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Review coming soon
October 12, 2026
Advance Reader Copy received by NetGalley!
Very well written and loved the storyline. Kept me wanting for more at the end! Could not put down this book and I find myself thinking often of Mame!
Very well written and loved the storyline. Kept me wanting for more at the end! Could not put down this book and I find myself thinking often of Mame!
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews