Borrowing Death

Charlotte Brody Mystery #2

by Cathy Pegau

Suffragette and journalist Charlotte Brody is bracing herself for her first winter in the frontier town of Cordova in the Alaska Territory. But the chilling murder of a local store owner is what really makes her blood run cold. . .

After three months in Cordova, Charlotte is getting accustomed to frontier life. She is filing articles for the local paper--including a provocative editorial against Prohibition--and enjoying a reunion with her brother Michael, the town doctor and coroner. Michael's services are soon called upon when a fire claims the life of hardware store owner Lyle Fiske. A frontier firebug is suspected of arson, but when Michael determines Fiske was stabbed before his store was set ablaze, the town of Cordova has another murder to solve.

Her journalist's curiosity whetted, Charlotte begins to sort through the smoldering ruins of Lyle Fiske's life, only to discover any number of people who might have wanted him dead. As the days grow shorter, Charlotte's investigation turns increasingly complex. She may be distant from the trappings of civilization, but untangling the motives for murder will require plumbing the very depths of Charlotte's investigative acumen. . .

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Historical Mystery, Historical, Fiction, Cozy Mystery, Cozy

232 pages, Paperback

First published June 28, 2016

Reviews

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pegau has a real winner in her Charlotte Brody historical murder mystery series: great Alaskan setting, wonderful historical detail (cue Prohibition AND women's suffrage), sympathetic protagonists and well-drawn secondary characters, and a lovely burgeoning romance between amateur sleuth and journalist heroine Charlotte and the charming Deputy Marshal James Eddington. Though the "whodunnit" kept me guessing, it was revelations of the characters inner worlds and motivations that captured me so much more. If you'd like to read an extensive review, please follow the link:

https://missbatesreadsromance.com/201...

I received an ARC of Borrowing Death from the author.

[Clare O'Beara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this tale of a Suffragette and journalist working in Cordova, Alaska. When a store owner dies in a burning building, Charlotte and others get involved in finding out what happened. There are plenty of local characters and issues which are fairly specific to Alaska. We also see the work of producing a newspaper at that time. A very understated romance is threaded through but this is a mystery first and foremost.

Due to some of the content I recommend the book for mature teens and adults.

I was sent an ARC and this is an unbiased review.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this second book in the series. I love Charlotte's spunk and the supporting characters are great too. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

[Kristina Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Borrowing Death by Cathy Pegau is the second book in A Charlotte Brody Mystery novel series. Charlotte Brody is a reporter in Cordova, Alaska working at the Cordova Daily Times (how can they have enough news for a daily paper). She also does freelance articles for The Modern Woman Review in New York. Charlotte is experiencing her first winter in Alaska, and it is extremely cold. A fire breaks out at Fiske’s store, and Charlotte rushes over to get the story. When the fire is put out they find the body of Lyle Fiske (store owner). After he is examined by Dr. Michael Brody (Charlotte’s brother as well as the local doctor and coroner), it is determined that Lyle was stabbed. The fire was set to cover the crime (the arsonist botched the job). Charlotte is quick to insert herself into the investigation. Deputy Marshall James Eddington is dating Charlotte, and he does not want Charlotte sticking her nose into the investigation. But Charlotte is stubborn, tenacious, and curious. She runs around town talking to various people (as well as some late night snooping) to find the culprit. Charlotte is also stirring up trouble with her editorial on prohibition (she is against it). The local temperance society ladies are not happy with her point-of-view. Trouble is brewing for Charlotte, and she had better be careful or she will get burned!

Borrowing Death was just okay. Charlotte has her strengths and her weaknesses. I like the she is independent and has her own voice (point-of-view). But Charlotte reminds me of a dog with a bone when she is in pursuit of information. I found some information (about Charlotte’s past boyfriend and personal issues) repeated a few times which is unnecessary. Charlotte’s personal life seemed to dominate Borrowing Death (her past one with Richard and her current romance with James). I liked the mystery (it had depth), though it was easy to figure out the killer. The murder happened too early in the book and the pace of the novel was extremely slow. I give Borrowing Death 3 out of 5 stars. I was hoping that this book would be better than the first one in the series. I was disappointed (yet again). I will not be continuing with the series. This book just did not hold my interest (I was bored).

I received a complimentary copy of Borrowing Death from NetGalley in exchange for an honest evaluation of the novel. The opinions and comments expressed are strictly my own.

[Rhonda · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars

I like this series. Charlotte Brody is a smart, strong character.and follows her own path. Though I find that I am more like the Chrurch ladies than her on issues.

Charlotte has come to Cordova in Alaska Territory to get away from home and visit her brother. She writes for local newspaper and articles she sends back to the States. She is fighting for ending prohibition, right to abortion and women right to vote.

She likes the deputy but has only flirted with him and shared some kisses. Charlotte wants to figure out who killed a local businessman. Along the way she gets into some trouble.

This is set in Territory of Alaska.

It is a good cozy mystery. Lots of interesting facts about life during that time. Interesting ending and want to see how that will work out in the future..

I look forward to reading more from Cathy Pegau in the future.

I was given this ARC to read for free from NetGalley and Kensington Books. I agreed to give a honest review of Borrowing Death.

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Winter is approaching in Cordova, Alaska and Charlotte has settled to spend winter there. She is house sitting for friends and working as a reporter and helping print the paper. An explosion and fire occur at the hardware store, tho owner, Lyle Fiske is found in the ruins. Of course, Charlotte's curiosity takes over and she helps in the case. A piece about prohibition angers the Women's League. More on information on Charlotte's and sheriff deputy backgrounds emerge. The changes that place will keep you reading. I recommend this book.

Disclosure: I received a free copy from Kensington Books through NetGalley for an honest review. I would like to thank them for this opportunity to read and review the book. The opinions expressed are my own.

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sleuth still has some good points. She takes all evidence to the cops and is fairly smart.

But she also does really stupid things, including breaking and entering, and all just because she's nosy. The writing seemed to go downhill in this one, and the characterizations flatlined.

The plot was extremely obvious, and I don't normally feel that way.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three months later and Charlotte Brody is still in Cordova and becoming very accostomed to the Alaskan frontier life. She is working for the local paper, enjoying time with her brother Michael, her friendship with Brigit, and is on tenuous feet with James Eddington. Other than stirring up the Temperance Ladies with her editorial against the Olmstead Act, all seems to going well until a fire claims the life of the hardware store owner, Lyle Fiske.

The hardware store explodes in the middle of the night, only to have the firemen discover that someone is in the middle of the store. However, the fire is put out enough to get the body out only to discover that Mr. Fiske was murdered and not killed by the fire. The fire was arson.

Charlotte does not volunteer this time to help Michael with the autopsy, instead she begins to ask around as to why the fire was arson. Why the Fiskes lived so well, and who would have wanted Lyle Fiske dead.

The characters of Charlotte, Brigit, Michael, and James are further established. The town of Cordova is better described (although the author does state it is fictional), more residents of the town are introduced, and the story begins to fill out.

This story begins to show the cost of living in Alaska, the lengths that some people go to take advantage of their good fortune and other's bad fortune. Which could be the very reason for Lyle Fiske's murder. More information on Charlotte's work at the paper is shown and in general the characters and town are flushed out as the story grows.

I enjoyed the story of life on the frontier of Alaska, the investigation into the murder, and the little insights of what could have gone on during this time period.

Once again, I had no problems with the book, but pure cozy readers may not want to read it.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This the second book in the Charlotte Brody mysteries. I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway. When it arrived and realized it was the second in the series I checked the first one out from my library. After reading this one I decided it wasn't necessary to read the first one. I would have been able to follow along just fine without it. The characters are interesting and the story was good, but I did find that it dragged at times. The central story revolves around solving an arson and murder in the town. I love when books make me want to learn more about a time, place or thing. This book did that. Charlotte works for a newspaper and uses a linotype machine to create the paper. I had never heard of this type of printing press. I took the time to look up more on these machines. I love when books make me want to learn more about a time, place or thing.
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway, but the opinion is all my own.

[Sheila · Rating 3 out of 5]

The second in the series involving Charlotte Brody, a young woman who moved to Alaska following a failed relationship in Boston. She is working as a journalist at the local newspaper while sending articles back to her home town on frontier experiences of women in the north. Her brother, Michael is a local doctor and the coroner. When a fire breaks out at the local hardware store, she is drawn to the scene. The fire department and her boyfriend, Deputy Marshal, James Eddington soon discover a body among the ruins and murder is suspected.
Not willing to leave the investigation to the authorities, she begins to try to discover on her own, who might have wanted Lyle Fyske dead.
The story gives a glimpse of how life might have been in the early 1900's in a small town in Alaska. I thoroughly enjoy this series and look forward to reading the third book written by this author.

[Sharon Gallup · Rating 5 out of 5]

this series of mystery's take place in the 1920 during the prohibition and women fighting for their rights. the main character of this series leaves her problems behind her and goes to alaska to visit her brother. Being a journalist she is always looking for a story. She gets a job working for the one and only newspaper in this town and she loves to stir up subjects and get people interested in the worlds news. There is a fire in the town and a man found burned to death. As she searches for a the story she finds mystery and another mystery.

[Amy Kilbride · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this light historical mystery, which was easily solved, but threw out a lot of unexpected feminist issues, and I thought that was excellent. The writing was good enough and the characters engaging enough that I’d read more of the series. This was the second book in the series and I wish I’d read the first one first because it was referenced in this one, though not so much that it spoiled the plot for readers like myself who came in at the second act.

[BRT · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good second in this series about a journalist who heads to the wilds of Alaska to escape heartache. When the local hardware store owner is found dead in his burned out store, Charlotte Brody is on the scent of the story and the murderer. Interesting setting, good characters, and mysteries with secrets. It does annoy a bit how little respect she has for following rational police procedure, often endangering herself, others, and the case by her bullheadedness.

[Coleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very light-weight 'murder' mystery with the plot simple and the result obvious. The characters are decently portrayed and the author writes well, but in my opinion, the very best thing of the book is the location -- ALASKA! I love Alaska so that kept me reading.

I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.

[Andria Potter · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 out of 5 stars.

While I enjoyed this book rather a lot, I had issues with James. I still love the character Charlotte, and the story read quite nicely but...it just didn't have the same flare as book one.

I'm still interested in continuing the series, because I do enjoy it, however.

I hope book three proves better in regards to certain characters.

[Elizabeth Dodd · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent follow-up to the first book in this series.
Fascinating location and characters. An interesting point is made that people come to Cordova to get away from things and others leave there for the same reasons.
Charlotte is revealing layers of herself and her history, slowly and selectively.
Great depth of characters and motivations.

[Stacie Haden · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first was much better. This one had too much repetition and continually stated the obvious, to the point of eye rolls. I like the setting of 1920's Alaska, so I'll eventually read the next, hoping for an improvement.

Oh, and that cover. Yuck.

[Amy K. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another enjoyable entry in Pegau's Cordova series, Borrowing Death delivers on the characters we got to know in the first book and offers an intriguing mystery, deepening relationships, and further development of our intrepid heroine. This is a comfortable and enjoyable read.

[Janifowose · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute series will not take you long to read.

[Susan Yetka Sokolowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

An fun book to read in the bathtub!

[David Fox · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Detective is Born


Charlotte Brody made her first appearance in Cathy Pegau’s opening mystery novel, Murder on the Last Frontier (see Anchorage Press review, February 4, 2016). Brody had just arrived in Cordova to visit her brother, the local doc, when she got involved in the investigation of the murder of a sporting girl. The murder and ensuing chase for the killer did not scare her away and now she’s back in Pegau’s second installment of the series, ready to rile the conservative, social order and of course, solve a mystery or two.

The actual premise for her murder mystery is simple and direct. The local hardware store catches fire. Arson is suspected. Within the smoldering building a body is discovered. It’s Lyle Fiske, the owner and he’s very dead – but, not as a result of the flames or smoke inhalation. He’s been murdered. Someone jammed a knife in his chest and shoved it up into his heart. Then the murderer set the place on fire, apparently, hoping to cover up the crime. No such luck. Before we know it, Cordova’s newest journalist is hot on the trail, eager to learn who committed this heinous act.

This new crime gives Brody’s character the latitude to expand. In her first outing she was more the amateur sleuth motivated by her social convictions. Now, we see a young woman who enjoys flirting with the titillation of detective work. At one point, following a lead, she realizes if she wants access to the evidence she’ll need to push the envelope, test the legal boundaries. Pegau sheds some light on Brody’s logic: “…she’d never broken into a home before. Though it wasn’t exactly breaking in if the door was unlocked, was it? Besides, if one of the … was involved with Lyle’s death, there might be evidence or something… Or there might not, a little voice said in her head.” She chose to ignore that voice of reason. Brody excuses her risky behavior as calculated acts of journalism – even if they do more than skirt the perimeters of the law. This foray into the realm of tinkering with the system’s laws is only the beginning. In no time at all she convinces herself to do things her younger self (all of three months) would not have had the gumption to contemplate. She tells little, white lies, then, when trapped, tells big whoppers. While she knows she’s crossed the line, she justifies her actions by telling herself she’s doing it to catch a murderer. Maybe. Pegau hints she’s engaged in surreptitious behavior because she savors the thrill. She’s beginning to enjoy playing detective under the guise of her journalistic cover, regardless of personal jeopardy.

Laminating her character with more classic private eye mannerisms appears to be a conscious decision to move Brody beyond the scope of her earlier incarnation – socially conscious gadfly. In Brody’s debut, Pegau adroitly used Brody’s concern about the fair treatment of women who worked in brothels as a literary device to advance the narrative. In Borrowing Death, her angst with the Eighteenth Amendment (prohibition of alcohol) becomes the cause célèbre. The mystery opens with her putting the finishing touches to an editorial she’s writing for the Cordova Daily Times (this daily paper did exist in 1920) excoriating those who support this amendment. She relishes the fact that it will “give the ladies of the local Women’s Temperance League something to grouse about.” However, Pegau does not link this politically charged controversy as close to the story’s development as she did with prostitution in her nascent mystery. Instead, it’s time to establish Brody’s street creds as a serious investigative reporter with a nose for sniffing out and solving murders. Though Prohibition was rife with exploitive possibilities, it ends up playing second fiddle to Borrowing Death’s main emphasis – the launch of Cordova’s first female detective.

Now, some may fault Pegau for straying from Brody’s roots as primarily a politically inspired activist who happened to stumble upon a situation requiring her intervention. This line of reasoning suggests this new, more entrepreneurial Brody is less compelling than the suffragette we first met. Now, she’s just another in a long line of female sleuths (think Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Millhoune). Or, one could take another perspective; what we’re witnessing is the quite natural evolution of a woman who has found her calling, who now knows without a doubt, what her life is all about. And for us, well, we’ve been privy to the birth of a detective.
Review originally appeared in Anchorage Press on August 13, 2016.
 

[Anna Bergmark · Rating 2 out of 5]

Felt the first installment lacked the good old je ne sais quoi. You know... an unknown pleasing quality. I called it wit at the time and unfortunately it's still just as witless. I called it dull and it sure hasn't gotten any sharper.

Shall we blame it on the harsh Alaskan weather conditions? Perhaps. Because it sure seems hard to write sparkling repartee with mittens on or think bright and dazzling thoughts under a wooly hat.

[Ren · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing. I really wanted to like this series, but after two books I'm forced to conclude that Pegau's style just doesn't work for me.

One of my favourite things about mysteries is the "aha!" moment when realizing that a seemingly irrelevant detail is really a clue. This book didn't have any of that. Instead, there are a lot of awkward sentences that I just knew had to be clues, because the author kept clumsily drawing attention to background elements.

Also aggravating: the heroine. I desperately wanted to like Charlotte, because she has so much potential, but she kept acting like an idiot! I generally sympathise with amateur sleuths when law enforcment tells them to stay out of the case, because of course I know that law enforcment needs their help to solve the murder, but in this book I just wanted Charlotte to stop causing trouble for herself and others. Both Charlotte and the Deputy Marshall acted irresponsibly, so much that it broke my suspension of disbelief.

And then, that ending! It was so unsatisfying because Charlotte never solved anything, she just happened to be talking with the murderer and they cracked down and confessed. Such a letdown. I really love the setting, and I think in the hands of a different writer I would have enjoyed this series. Unfortunately, it's not for me.

[Kris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Borrowing Death by Cathy Pegau is book two in the Charlotte Brody series. Charlotte Brody is a single woman, working as a journalist in a small Alaskan town of Cordova just prior to prohibition. Charlotte is progressive and fully backs women's rights and the suffragette movement, and she also likes to solve mysteries. In Borrowing Death Charlotte attempts to figure out who killed a business man in town and then tried to cover up the murder by burning down the building.
Not having read the first book in the series, I found Borrowing Death okay. At times Charlotte was quite interesting, but her love interest with the Marshal James Eddington was a bit annoying. James tended to say he supported a strong woman, but then wanted her out of the way most of the time. He also had no qualms about using any information Charlotte found out about the murder, while at the same time criticizing her for getting in the way. I could have happily lived without the romantic overtones in the book.
As for the mystery, it was quite basic. Within pages of the book the reader knows who the arsonist is and within another few more pages you know who the murderer is; there are no great leaps of logic or any surprising twists.
The book is fine for an airport read or a beach read when you just want something simple and harmless.

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Veronica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Borrowing Death is the second book in this historical mystery series that features Charlotte Brody as a writer/reporter in 1920s Alaska. The book picks up roughly three months after the first book (when Charlotte retreated to Cordova, Alaska to lick her emotional wounds) and sees Charlotte firmly ensconced in the offices of the local town paper. When a prominent local business man is found dead at the scene of a fire, Charlotte's investigative instincts are once again set into motion.

I'm a little on the fence about this book and this series. I mostly like Charlotte as a character. Her career as a journalist makes for solid justification for poking around in other people's business - a tricky feat to accomplish in most mysteries that feature amateur sleuths - and I do like that she doesn't ever seek to hold back pertinent information from the local law enforcement (a real pet peeve of mine in this genre). That said, there are still moments when she crosses the line into busybody territory, though at least she has some self-awareness on this score. I also like the 1920s setting when the country was on the verge of passing the Volstead Act and the suffragette movement was starting to see the payoff to all its hard work. The ramifications of both were felt in this story.

But there are two things that make me wary of moving forward with this series. The first involves an issue that I thought was already dealt with in the first book. I agree with Charlotte's stance on it but even so it's starting to feel a little preachy and overwrought to me. I'd hope to be done with this particular issue but given that one person of importance to Charlotte still doesn't know makes me skeptical that this is the last we hear of it. The second issue involves the introduction of a new character. I typically don't enjoy the introduction of children in the early stages of a series. I find they tend to limit the protagonist's activities and options. It's fine later in a series when things are winding down but at this point Charlotte is still getting settled into her new environment, still trying to sort herself out, and still trying to decide what she wants her relationships with those around her to look like. Plus, given Charlotte's history it seems a bit of a work-around cheat.

At this point, I think I'm going to adopt a "wait and see" approach to any future books.

[Cornerofmadness · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won a copy from a Goodreads Giveaway which in no way influenced my review. I have a love of historical mysteries and this one had a little something extra, set in Alaska around 1917. Charlotte Brody came to Cordova Alaska I assume in book one (this is #2) because of her brother who is a doctor there. During her first go around as a sleuth she partnered up fairly well with Deputy James Eddington as they have a good working relationship which seems to be turning into something more.

In this one, Charlotte, busy working as a journalist for the local paper stirs up trouble by taking on the Temperance League, pointing out the growing crime rates in dry counties (as the 18th amendment isn’t a thing yet). She’s quickly distracted from that by a fire at the local hardware store. Mr. Fiske, the owner is found inside, dead but not from the flames. Charlotte learns from her closest female friend in town, Brigit, the local madam (I do have to wonder what her brother, the deputy and her boss think of this as it’s not really addressed) that Fiske liked to step out with her girls and that his wife had a lover.

Convinced she needs to find out the truth, Charlotte starts looking for Caroline Fiske’s lover and has to wonder if the local arsonist James was hunting is behind this or is this something different? She believes it’s something different. Charlotte is also distracted by her budding romance with James which is complicated by her coming off a bad relationship back east (that resulted in an abortion so keep that in mind if that bothers you. There is a lot about dealing with the aftermath and a woman’s right to choose which seems to have bothered a few readers who think they have the right to tell others what should happen with their bodies) and his ending marriage that she knew nothing about.

Also in the mix is a young girl, Rebecca whose mother was the Fiskes’s maid before she died and Rebecca’s older brother who has been in trouble with the law and has a chip on his shoulder. They’re mixed race, White and Native which means no end of prejudice for them to fight. Charlotte doesn’t want to see the girl, who is bright and ambitious, be forced out of school because she has to work to stay alive.

I really enjoyed the characters and the story but I was disappointed by the ending. Still I’m looking forward to more.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in 1920s Alaska, this second volume in a series finds Charlotte Brody in November and finding it even colder than when she arrived in August. She has gotten a job with the local newspaper and continuing to make local friends and unfortunately, enemies as well.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I still really enjoy this series and especially love the unique setting (early 1900's Alaska). Like Book 1 in the series, Borrowing Death contained interesting historical details, such as the impending Volstead Act enactment and the mechanics of early printing presses. Charlotte and James Eddington are back, this time faced with solving the apparent murder of Lyle Fiske, the local hardware store owner. Initial suspicions point to the serial arsonist who has been striking the town, though previously without injuring anyone. As Charlotte digs deeper, she uncovers a black market and other shady dealings among the town's citizens that change how she views her neighbors.

Having gained some confidence after her first investigation and found her footing in the community, Charlotte investigates the murder with less concern for ruffling feathers or the consequences of her actions. At times, she reminded me of Phryne Fisher, with Eddington playing the long-suffering but ultimately supportive Inspector Jack Robinson. We only get brief glimpses of her brother, Michael, and scandalous friend, Brigit, in this entry but hopefully they will feature more prominently in the next book. The addition of Rebecca Derenov was interesting to see another side of Charlotte, but I'll reserve judgment until we see how it plays out in future stories.

My main critique of Borrowing Death is that the story doesn't feel like is goes anywhere. It seemed much shorter than Murder on the Last Frontier and had a smaller cast of characters and scope of the mystery. I preferred the in depth look at Alaskan society in book 1, and it was largely missing from this aside from Charlotte's interactions with irate women concerning her anti-prohibition stance. That said, I still think Borrowing Death is well worth reading and the series as a whole is a breath of fresh air in the increasingly homogenous historical mystery genre.

Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington for providing an e-ARC for review!

[Linda Baker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Borrowing Death opens shortly after the close of Murder on the Last Frontier. Charlotte Brody has decided to extend her stay in Cordova, a small town on the Alaska frontier. She has found a job reporting and typesetting at the local newspaper and is still sending her serial about frontier women to be published back east. She likes her job, the people of Cordova and seeing her brother, Michael, the town doctor, on a regular basis. She especially likes the handsome Deputy Marshal, James Eddington.

The novel opens with Charlotte's editorial about the Volstead Act, which would establish National Prohibition. Charlotte, as a free-thinking suffragette, thinks it is a very bad idea which will open the doors to all sorts of crime. She expects her editorial to stir up controversy in the town. It indeed does, but is eclipsed by a fire that guts the town hardware store and takes the life of its' owner, Lyle Fiske. Cordova has recently had a series of arson fires, but none have caused such property damage, much less loss of life. It is soon clear that it was not arson, but murder. Lyle Fiske and his wife, Caroline, have many secrets, but which of those secrets would lead to murder? Charlotte wants to find out and get the story.

The Charlotte Brody Mysteries are a nice mixture of history, mystery and just a little romance. I particularly enjoy the portrayal of the characters and setting. The social issues of the day have not changed very much in the ninety plus years since the era of the novel. Prejudice and discrimination are still with us, as well attempts to legislate morality and limit the rights of women. Despite the admitted failure of National Prohibition that Charlotte predicts in her editorial. Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington Books for an advance digital copy in return for an honest review.

RATING- 3 Stars