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A Victorian San Francisco Mystery #7
Lethal Remedies
Annie has a problem. She has a beautiful child, a loving husband, a well-run boardinghouse with a supportive circle of friends and family, but she’s feeling restless and unhappy.
Dr. Charlotte Brown, the doctor who delivered Annie’s baby, has a different problem. The Pacific Dispensary for Women and Children, the clinic and hospital she co-founded, is being threatened by financial and legal difficulties caused by the mysterious illness of a former patient.
When Annie takes up the challenge to help Dr. Brown and the dispensary, she will discover that getting back into the business of investigating crimes is exactly the remedy she requires.
Lethal Remedies is the seventh novel in the USA Today best-selling cozy, historical, Victorian San Francisco Mystery series and comes after Scholarly Pursuits.
Dr. Charlotte Brown, the doctor who delivered Annie’s baby, has a different problem. The Pacific Dispensary for Women and Children, the clinic and hospital she co-founded, is being threatened by financial and legal difficulties caused by the mysterious illness of a former patient.
When Annie takes up the challenge to help Dr. Brown and the dispensary, she will discover that getting back into the business of investigating crimes is exactly the remedy she requires.
Lethal Remedies is the seventh novel in the USA Today best-selling cozy, historical, Victorian San Francisco Mystery series and comes after Scholarly Pursuits.
406 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 19, 2020
143 people are currently reading
165 people want to read
About the author
M. Louisa Locke
30 books486 followersAfter being a professor of history for over 30 years, I am now retired and writing full time. The books in my Victorian San Francisco Mystery series are based in part on my dissertation research on women who worked in the Far West at the end of the Nineteenth Century, and they feature Annie Fuller, a young widow who gives domestic and business advice as the clairvoyant, Madam Sibyl. She is aided in her investigations into crime by Nate Dawson, a local lawyer, and the residents in the boarding house she owns.
Maids of Misfortune, the first in the series, finds Annie investigating a murder by going undercover as a domestics servant. In Uneasy Spirits, she is asked to investigate a fraudulent trance medium, and in Bloody Lessons, she is asked to find out who is attacking local public school teachers. The fourth book, Deadly Proof is set in the printing industry in San Francisco, and in the fifth book, Pilfered Promises, Annie and Nate investigate theft and murder in a modern department store.
Book six in this collection, Scholarly Pursuits, takes Laura Dawson and her friends (introduced in Bloody Lessons) across the Bay to Berkeley to attend the university where unexpected skulduggery is afoot. In Lethal Remedies, Annie is tasked with uncovering who is trying to ruin a clinic run by and for women, and in Entangled Threads it is a woolen factory that is the site of her investigations.
Volume One of my collection of short stories about minor characters, Victorian San Francisco Stories, are free to anyone who signs up to my newsletter. (see my website for sign up at http://mlouisalocke.com)
Not content with just writing about the past, under the pen name Louisa Locke, I have now turned to the future with a new science fiction series set in the collaborative world of the Paradisi Chronicles.
As an indie author I absolutely depend on the readers who have read and liked my cozy historical mysteries and spread the word. This second career has turned out to be more fun and rewarding than i ever thought possible. So thanks to all of you!
Maids of Misfortune, the first in the series, finds Annie investigating a murder by going undercover as a domestics servant. In Uneasy Spirits, she is asked to investigate a fraudulent trance medium, and in Bloody Lessons, she is asked to find out who is attacking local public school teachers. The fourth book, Deadly Proof is set in the printing industry in San Francisco, and in the fifth book, Pilfered Promises, Annie and Nate investigate theft and murder in a modern department store.
Book six in this collection, Scholarly Pursuits, takes Laura Dawson and her friends (introduced in Bloody Lessons) across the Bay to Berkeley to attend the university where unexpected skulduggery is afoot. In Lethal Remedies, Annie is tasked with uncovering who is trying to ruin a clinic run by and for women, and in Entangled Threads it is a woolen factory that is the site of her investigations.
Volume One of my collection of short stories about minor characters, Victorian San Francisco Stories, are free to anyone who signs up to my newsletter. (see my website for sign up at http://mlouisalocke.com)
Not content with just writing about the past, under the pen name Louisa Locke, I have now turned to the future with a new science fiction series set in the collaborative world of the Paradisi Chronicles.
As an indie author I absolutely depend on the readers who have read and liked my cozy historical mysteries and spread the word. This second career has turned out to be more fun and rewarding than i ever thought possible. So thanks to all of you!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
February 20, 2022
Annie Dawson has been asked to use her financial acumen to sort out some sloppy bookkeeping at a women's medical clinic, and soon discovers there's more going on than just some unpaid bills. The clinic is run by and for women, as a non-profit ... and there are plenty of people in San Francisco's medical community who don't approve of female doctors.
Before long, it's apparent that both the clinic and one of its more socially prominent patients are in danger. Then, one of the clinic's most prominent male physician supporters is murdered.
There were numerous characters, some of them historical and some of them fictional, in this book. I confess that I sometimes had difficulty keeping who was who straight in my mind. The same thing happened with point-of-view changes. I had to pay close attention to chapter headings that gave a location in those instances. It didn't distract me from the story, but it did happen.
All in all, this was a fair play puzzle and an entertaining mystery. I like this series a great deal and look forward to another installation.
Before long, it's apparent that both the clinic and one of its more socially prominent patients are in danger. Then, one of the clinic's most prominent male physician supporters is murdered.
There were numerous characters, some of them historical and some of them fictional, in this book. I confess that I sometimes had difficulty keeping who was who straight in my mind. The same thing happened with point-of-view changes. I had to pay close attention to chapter headings that gave a location in those instances. It didn't distract me from the story, but it did happen.
All in all, this was a fair play puzzle and an entertaining mystery. I like this series a great deal and look forward to another installation.
November 17, 2020
Annie owns a boarding house in 1880’s San Francisco. She’s also a new mom who misses working, so when she’s asked to look over the books at a local charity facility for needy women and children, she readily agrees. There is a lot more going on than accounting, however: someone is trying to sully the clinic’s reputation. Is it the disgruntled husband of a former patient? Or perhaps a bitter homeopathic physician who holds a grudge? If you enjoy well researched historical mysteries with strong female characters, you might like this series as much as I do.
June 7, 2020
Reading this most recent installment of M. Louisa Locke’s “Victorian San Francisco Mystery Series” is like revisiting an old friend. You know the characters, you know their personality quirks, and you know what kind of trouble they are likely to find themselves. Kinda like a warm hug. Kinda.
Women doctors in San Francisco in the 1880s faced their own set of challenges. “Regular” doctors vs. homeopathic doctors, poison, and A LOT of hand washing with carbolic soap set the stage for a great mystery. As always Locke shows women breaking into new roles, blazing a path, and sharing their knowledge with other women. These same women had few rights and could not even vote, yet they worked tirelessly for what they believed. Reading this in 2020 amidst the Covid-19 pandemic made me think; it was true then, and it is true today, “...medical professionals are bravely risking their lives...to save patients.” (author's notes)
Women doctors in San Francisco in the 1880s faced their own set of challenges. “Regular” doctors vs. homeopathic doctors, poison, and A LOT of hand washing with carbolic soap set the stage for a great mystery. As always Locke shows women breaking into new roles, blazing a path, and sharing their knowledge with other women. These same women had few rights and could not even vote, yet they worked tirelessly for what they believed. Reading this in 2020 amidst the Covid-19 pandemic made me think; it was true then, and it is true today, “...medical professionals are bravely risking their lives...to save patients.” (author's notes)
December 23, 2020
3.5 stars rounded down
Annie Dawson should be as happy as can be. Her beautiful baby daughter is thriving and Nate's law practice is really taking off. Beatrice, Kathleen and Tilly run the boarding house smoothly and there's nothing more for Annie to do than take care of baby Abigail (now 9 months) and occasionally advise wealthy women on how to spend their money. Therein lies the problem! Annie is bored and depressed. When Dr. Brown, the lady doctor who delivered Annie's baby, shares her tale as a working mother and gives her permission, as a fellow woman and mother, to Annie to go back to work, Annie perks up. In fact, Dr. Brown wants Annie to perform an audit on the finances of her charity, The Pacific Dispensary for Women and Children, a clinic providing high quality healthcare to women and children regardless of ability to pay. When Annie discovers a Mr. Truscott refuses to pay his wife's bill and threatens he might sue for malpractice, Annie is shocked. Malpractice usually means abortion, which is illegal and something the clinic does NOT do. Mrs. Truscott has surgery to remove one ovary after suffering from cysts. She developed a slight infection and recovered well but somehow Mrs. Truscott is not feeling better. Her medical doctor, Dr. Harry Granger, M.D. is refused admittance to the house. Dr. Blair, the resident in charge of the dispensary while Dr. Brown and Dr. Wanzer are away, is also denied admission. Mrs. Truscott is now in the care of a Dr. Skerry , a homeopath and enemy of Dr. Granger and Dr. Brown. When Mrs. Truscott's maid is able to speak with Dr. Blair, she confesses she's worried Mrs. Truscott is being poisoned! Certainly her symptoms seem consistent with poisoning rather than an ovarian cysts or infection but is she being poisoned accidentally by homeopathic medicine or on purpose? If on purpose, by whom? Dr. S, Mr. Truscott or his aunt Ruby? Adding to Dr. Blair's concerns is the mystery of the pregnant girl Hilda, who tried to terminate her pregnancy and nearly died. No one can find out when she was impregnated or who the father might be. This is a job for Annie's maid Kathleen! When a mysterious thuggish man is seen lurking around the clinic, Dr. Blair is terrified he's a reporter trying to bring down the clinic. Nate's friend Mitchell, a medical student, is ready to stand by as bodyguard in spite of Dr. Blair's negative feelings towards him. Can Dr. Blair untangle the mess before the board meeting in a few weeks?
This is a long, complicated story. The clinic is a fascinating place and says a lot about healthcare and the state we're in today. My dad actually worked at a clinic at the hospital that did the same thing and my oldest niece was a patient there in her baby and toddler years. Dr. Brown is doing great work. I can see why she wouldn't want to risk being shut down and causing a scandal performing abortions but oh my gosh is that service ever needed! They could do so much good helping girls like Hilda safely so the girls don't die! If you don't agree, read the story and find out about Hilda. Keep in mind in the 1880s adoption of a poor woman's child by someone with the means to care for that child as their own is highly unlikely. There were so many unwanted orphans on the east coast they were sent went on orphan trains where most of them became farm workers. If Dr. Brown won't do it, girls like Hilda will turn to a neighbor or friend for "pansy juice" and possibly accidentally kill themselves. This is not intended to be a political discussion for modern times, just a rant about women's bodies in the 19th-century! /end rant
There are three mysteries to be solved in this very long book. One of them was very plainly obvious, one they knew who was involved and the resolution to that one was soooo obvious. Some red herrings distracted me from the murder, which seemed like an afterthought. The murder doesn't happen until late in the novel. A good person was killed and I don't like that.
In this book Annie's problems are very modern. She has come a long way since her first marriage and feels comfortable arguing with Nate over her return to work. She calls him on his hypocrisy and rightfully so but I didn't enjoy this conversation. I don't like trouble in paradise and it sounded almost word-for-word like a conversation the author may have had with her husband when her children were young. It probably was. This problem hasn't gone away, sadly. I like how Nate reflects back on his childhood and comes to understand WHY Annie needs to work. Spending an afternoon in her shoes helps. That too sounded like a scene the author must have been remembering from her child rearing days! There was WAAAYYY too much baby in this story. Skip the opening paragraphs and some of the epilogue if you hate babies as much as I do. Baby checkups are the same no matter whether the 1880s or 2000s. Snooze. Blech. Yuck.
I like Dr. Brown. She's intelligent, sensible and trying to do good for the right reasons. Too bad she's absent for most of the novel. Dr. Ella Blair is young and nervous. She's just starting her career and doesn't have a lot of confidence. She has a lot of problems put on her young shoulders and tries to bear the burdens alone. She is a very serious young woman and needs a personal life to balance out her career. I like her character development and hope we see more of her. Enter Mitchell!
There are two Dr. Grangers who work with the dispensary. There's Dr. Harry Granger, the elder of the two. He's a jovial older man, very kind and a good doctor. I think he's too familiar with Dr. Blair and treats her more like a daughter than a colleague. He isn't perfect- he allows his eldest daughter to be a drudge for him. She's nothing more than a housekeeper and nurse- unpaid, of course. He's bemused by his youngest daughter's art career but doesn't seem to take her seriously. Then there's his son, Dr. Harrison Granger. Dr. Granger, Jr. is uptight, snooty and rude even to his father. I suspect he is eager to take over his father's prestigious position as medical school dean and wants the salary too. I don't think Dr. Harrison Granger is a doctor for the right reasons. He's also very conservative in his treatments but really, Phoebe's choice was die from an infection after surgery or die without it!
Dr. Skerry should be named Dr. Sketchy or Dr. Scary! She treats people with diluted poisons! As is, they don't do any good whatsoever and not used correctly, they could kill. She's rude and holds a grudge against everyone she's jealous of. Dr. Skerry loves to listen to gossip and malign everyone she hates. She is the queen of poison pen letters. I don't trust her at all and think she may be trying to kill Phoebe in order to make the dispensary look bad.
The doctors, as much as I like them, in this story constantly violate patient confidentiality and break all kinds of ethical laws to further the story. This was not well done of the author.
Argenta Branting, the treasurer, resigns in a flurry without much notice. Her organization of records left a lot to be desired. She needed a records manager or archivist to help her. She does not seem like a nice lady or very sympathetic to the work the dispensary does. Mrs. Branting is all about financial gain. Even though she's wealthy, she's cheap. I wonder if she is deliberately trying to sabotage the dispensary? She's politically connected and there seems to be a lot of politics and political feuds going on in San Francisco at this time, similar to the politics in New York.
I didn't like any of the Prescotts. At first Phoebe seemed like a child bride, nervous, silly and naïve. Her character growth is excellent and she grew on me. Her husband, on the other hand, is a jerk. He's controlling and caring at the same time. I think there's a difference between what he SAYS and what he DOES. Is he a weenie under the thumb of his Aunt Ruby or is he devious? Phoebe is a very wealthy woman and if she dies, her money would go to her husband. Aunt Ruby is smothering. She never visited Phoebe in the dispensary but sent love and care packages, endearing her to Phoebe. Aunt Ruby sacrificed everything to raise her nephew after her sister's death. She sees herself as a mother to Richard and therein lies the problem. She can't let go. She lives with her nephew and runs the household. The servants consider Aunt Ruby the mistress not Phoebe. I think Aunt Ruby sees Phoebe as a rival for her nephew's affections and therefore, Phoebe must go. Whether she's deliberately poisoning Phoebe or if she's just pushing her own homeopathic doctor on her new niece in hopes the treatment doesn't work, I can't say.
Another villain is Charlie McFadyn, a bully and thug. He's truly an evil man. Charlie is protected because he's a white male and also connected to a political party boss. He's nasty and evil.
Patients at the dispensary include Jocko, a newsie with a broken femur in need of surgery. While he's too old to really be considered a child, he has nowhere else to go. I admire the young man's determination to better himself and get an education any way he can. His newsie friends coming in and out serve as a device for getting outside gossip to the main characters. This seemed a bit too contrived for me and Jocko's story bogs down the plot. Hilda Putki plays a larger role in the plot. One of the mysteries centers around her. A young pregnant woman in poor health, she was rescued from near death by Dr. Granger's daughter and brought to the dispensary. No one knows her story but she says she was in service in a private home. *sigh* I suspect it's the age old story and my heart just breaks for her. The older women keep commenting on how young she is and I'm guessing she's under age from the commentary. This just makes me sick. Someone took advantage of her because she's young, naïve, an orphan and vulnerable. It's simply horrendous that she went unprotected and a man was allowed to take advantage of her just because women, especially poor women, didn't have rights. That is my least favorite aspect of the 19th-century. The need for better laws protecting women and the need for respect is hammered home in this novel.
Secondary characters from previous books reappear. Kathleen has been promoted to nursemaid in addition to her regular duties. She seems to enjoy it but I'd never agree to all that work. "Little" Tilly, the Irish maid is a bit less shy now. She works hard and learns quickly. I suspect she has become devoted to Annie in the same way Kathleen is. Laura, Nate's sister, pops in and out. Her friends are a larger part of the story, Caro Sutton, a wealthy female medical student is serious about her studies. She seems frivolous at first because she's wealthy but she's not. She doesn't like babies and isn't interested in OB/Gyn care (THANK YOU!!!!) I can relate! Caro is a great friend and will make a wonderful doctor. She's really there when she's needed. Mitchell, Nate's friend, is also in medical school. He's not wealthy and resents the fact he has to work three jobs while Dr. Blair has been given a lucrative residency he isn't eligible for. He doesn't hold a grudge though and instead tries to tease Dr. Blair into lightening up. I think he has a crush on her because he acts like a schoolboy whenever she is around, teasing her, trying to get her to smile. I think they'd make a cute couple, like Ruth and Marty Ginsberg! I hope to see more of him in future books.
I liked this story a lot but it could have used some editing to tighten it up and cut out most of the disgusting baby stuff. Most adults know someone with babies or have had them themselves so we know what it's like to have a baby in the house. I would have preferred more focus on the residents of the boarding house. Emmaline is mentioned but not really in the story. I need some follow up! (I know I skipped a book. It wasn't available.)
Annie Dawson should be as happy as can be. Her beautiful baby daughter is thriving and Nate's law practice is really taking off. Beatrice, Kathleen and Tilly run the boarding house smoothly and there's nothing more for Annie to do than take care of baby Abigail (now 9 months) and occasionally advise wealthy women on how to spend their money. Therein lies the problem! Annie is bored and depressed. When Dr. Brown, the lady doctor who delivered Annie's baby, shares her tale as a working mother and gives her permission, as a fellow woman and mother, to Annie to go back to work, Annie perks up. In fact, Dr. Brown wants Annie to perform an audit on the finances of her charity, The Pacific Dispensary for Women and Children, a clinic providing high quality healthcare to women and children regardless of ability to pay. When Annie discovers a Mr. Truscott refuses to pay his wife's bill and threatens he might sue for malpractice, Annie is shocked. Malpractice usually means abortion, which is illegal and something the clinic does NOT do. Mrs. Truscott has surgery to remove one ovary after suffering from cysts. She developed a slight infection and recovered well but somehow Mrs. Truscott is not feeling better. Her medical doctor, Dr. Harry Granger, M.D. is refused admittance to the house. Dr. Blair, the resident in charge of the dispensary while Dr. Brown and Dr. Wanzer are away, is also denied admission. Mrs. Truscott is now in the care of a Dr. Skerry , a homeopath and enemy of Dr. Granger and Dr. Brown. When Mrs. Truscott's maid is able to speak with Dr. Blair, she confesses she's worried Mrs. Truscott is being poisoned! Certainly her symptoms seem consistent with poisoning rather than an ovarian cysts or infection but is she being poisoned accidentally by homeopathic medicine or on purpose? If on purpose, by whom? Dr. S, Mr. Truscott or his aunt Ruby? Adding to Dr. Blair's concerns is the mystery of the pregnant girl Hilda, who tried to terminate her pregnancy and nearly died. No one can find out when she was impregnated or who the father might be. This is a job for Annie's maid Kathleen! When a mysterious thuggish man is seen lurking around the clinic, Dr. Blair is terrified he's a reporter trying to bring down the clinic. Nate's friend Mitchell, a medical student, is ready to stand by as bodyguard in spite of Dr. Blair's negative feelings towards him. Can Dr. Blair untangle the mess before the board meeting in a few weeks?
This is a long, complicated story. The clinic is a fascinating place and says a lot about healthcare and the state we're in today. My dad actually worked at a clinic at the hospital that did the same thing and my oldest niece was a patient there in her baby and toddler years. Dr. Brown is doing great work. I can see why she wouldn't want to risk being shut down and causing a scandal performing abortions but oh my gosh is that service ever needed! They could do so much good helping girls like Hilda safely so the girls don't die! If you don't agree, read the story and find out about Hilda. Keep in mind in the 1880s adoption of a poor woman's child by someone with the means to care for that child as their own is highly unlikely. There were so many unwanted orphans on the east coast they were sent went on orphan trains where most of them became farm workers. If Dr. Brown won't do it, girls like Hilda will turn to a neighbor or friend for "pansy juice" and possibly accidentally kill themselves. This is not intended to be a political discussion for modern times, just a rant about women's bodies in the 19th-century! /end rant
There are three mysteries to be solved in this very long book. One of them was very plainly obvious, one they knew who was involved and the resolution to that one was soooo obvious. Some red herrings distracted me from the murder, which seemed like an afterthought. The murder doesn't happen until late in the novel. A good person was killed and I don't like that.
In this book Annie's problems are very modern. She has come a long way since her first marriage and feels comfortable arguing with Nate over her return to work. She calls him on his hypocrisy and rightfully so but I didn't enjoy this conversation. I don't like trouble in paradise and it sounded almost word-for-word like a conversation the author may have had with her husband when her children were young. It probably was. This problem hasn't gone away, sadly. I like how Nate reflects back on his childhood and comes to understand WHY Annie needs to work. Spending an afternoon in her shoes helps. That too sounded like a scene the author must have been remembering from her child rearing days! There was WAAAYYY too much baby in this story. Skip the opening paragraphs and some of the epilogue if you hate babies as much as I do. Baby checkups are the same no matter whether the 1880s or 2000s. Snooze. Blech. Yuck.
I like Dr. Brown. She's intelligent, sensible and trying to do good for the right reasons. Too bad she's absent for most of the novel. Dr. Ella Blair is young and nervous. She's just starting her career and doesn't have a lot of confidence. She has a lot of problems put on her young shoulders and tries to bear the burdens alone. She is a very serious young woman and needs a personal life to balance out her career. I like her character development and hope we see more of her. Enter Mitchell!
There are two Dr. Grangers who work with the dispensary. There's Dr. Harry Granger, the elder of the two. He's a jovial older man, very kind and a good doctor. I think he's too familiar with Dr. Blair and treats her more like a daughter than a colleague. He isn't perfect- he allows his eldest daughter to be a drudge for him. She's nothing more than a housekeeper and nurse- unpaid, of course. He's bemused by his youngest daughter's art career but doesn't seem to take her seriously. Then there's his son, Dr. Harrison Granger. Dr. Granger, Jr. is uptight, snooty and rude even to his father. I suspect he is eager to take over his father's prestigious position as medical school dean and wants the salary too. I don't think Dr. Harrison Granger is a doctor for the right reasons. He's also very conservative in his treatments but really, Phoebe's choice was die from an infection after surgery or die without it!
Dr. Skerry should be named Dr. Sketchy or Dr. Scary! She treats people with diluted poisons! As is, they don't do any good whatsoever and not used correctly, they could kill. She's rude and holds a grudge against everyone she's jealous of. Dr. Skerry loves to listen to gossip and malign everyone she hates. She is the queen of poison pen letters. I don't trust her at all and think she may be trying to kill Phoebe in order to make the dispensary look bad.
The doctors, as much as I like them, in this story constantly violate patient confidentiality and break all kinds of ethical laws to further the story. This was not well done of the author.
Argenta Branting, the treasurer, resigns in a flurry without much notice. Her organization of records left a lot to be desired. She needed a records manager or archivist to help her. She does not seem like a nice lady or very sympathetic to the work the dispensary does. Mrs. Branting is all about financial gain. Even though she's wealthy, she's cheap. I wonder if she is deliberately trying to sabotage the dispensary? She's politically connected and there seems to be a lot of politics and political feuds going on in San Francisco at this time, similar to the politics in New York.
I didn't like any of the Prescotts. At first Phoebe seemed like a child bride, nervous, silly and naïve. Her character growth is excellent and she grew on me. Her husband, on the other hand, is a jerk. He's controlling and caring at the same time. I think there's a difference between what he SAYS and what he DOES. Is he a weenie under the thumb of his Aunt Ruby or is he devious? Phoebe is a very wealthy woman and if she dies, her money would go to her husband. Aunt Ruby is smothering. She never visited Phoebe in the dispensary but sent love and care packages, endearing her to Phoebe. Aunt Ruby sacrificed everything to raise her nephew after her sister's death. She sees herself as a mother to Richard and therein lies the problem. She can't let go. She lives with her nephew and runs the household. The servants consider Aunt Ruby the mistress not Phoebe. I think Aunt Ruby sees Phoebe as a rival for her nephew's affections and therefore, Phoebe must go. Whether she's deliberately poisoning Phoebe or if she's just pushing her own homeopathic doctor on her new niece in hopes the treatment doesn't work, I can't say.
Another villain is Charlie McFadyn, a bully and thug. He's truly an evil man. Charlie is protected because he's a white male and also connected to a political party boss. He's nasty and evil.
Patients at the dispensary include Jocko, a newsie with a broken femur in need of surgery. While he's too old to really be considered a child, he has nowhere else to go. I admire the young man's determination to better himself and get an education any way he can. His newsie friends coming in and out serve as a device for getting outside gossip to the main characters. This seemed a bit too contrived for me and Jocko's story bogs down the plot. Hilda Putki plays a larger role in the plot. One of the mysteries centers around her. A young pregnant woman in poor health, she was rescued from near death by Dr. Granger's daughter and brought to the dispensary. No one knows her story but she says she was in service in a private home. *sigh* I suspect it's the age old story and my heart just breaks for her. The older women keep commenting on how young she is and I'm guessing she's under age from the commentary. This just makes me sick. Someone took advantage of her because she's young, naïve, an orphan and vulnerable. It's simply horrendous that she went unprotected and a man was allowed to take advantage of her just because women, especially poor women, didn't have rights. That is my least favorite aspect of the 19th-century. The need for better laws protecting women and the need for respect is hammered home in this novel.
Secondary characters from previous books reappear. Kathleen has been promoted to nursemaid in addition to her regular duties. She seems to enjoy it but I'd never agree to all that work. "Little" Tilly, the Irish maid is a bit less shy now. She works hard and learns quickly. I suspect she has become devoted to Annie in the same way Kathleen is. Laura, Nate's sister, pops in and out. Her friends are a larger part of the story, Caro Sutton, a wealthy female medical student is serious about her studies. She seems frivolous at first because she's wealthy but she's not. She doesn't like babies and isn't interested in OB/Gyn care (THANK YOU!!!!) I can relate! Caro is a great friend and will make a wonderful doctor. She's really there when she's needed. Mitchell, Nate's friend, is also in medical school. He's not wealthy and resents the fact he has to work three jobs while Dr. Blair has been given a lucrative residency he isn't eligible for. He doesn't hold a grudge though and instead tries to tease Dr. Blair into lightening up. I think he has a crush on her because he acts like a schoolboy whenever she is around, teasing her, trying to get her to smile. I think they'd make a cute couple, like Ruth and Marty Ginsberg! I hope to see more of him in future books.
I liked this story a lot but it could have used some editing to tighten it up and cut out most of the disgusting baby stuff. Most adults know someone with babies or have had them themselves so we know what it's like to have a baby in the house. I would have preferred more focus on the residents of the boarding house. Emmaline is mentioned but not really in the story. I need some follow up! (I know I skipped a book. It wasn't available.)
June 5, 2020
i knew it was her.
i said it to myself in the second chapter. still, the path to the solution was pretty well done. i would have enjoyed more medicine stuff, but i am a nurse so i am more interested in medicine in the 1880s than most readers. a nice light read (murder not withstanding)
i said it to myself in the second chapter. still, the path to the solution was pretty well done. i would have enjoyed more medicine stuff, but i am a nurse so i am more interested in medicine in the 1880s than most readers. a nice light read (murder not withstanding)
May 28, 2020
Another brilliant book!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book with its quite detailed look at women physicians and medicine in the 1880’s and its double whodunnit. The struggles between Annie and Nate and the Truscotts are timeless and still go on between couples today. I especially appreciate the atmosphere of the book, making me feel as though I had taken a step back in time to visit 1882. I also enjoyed the details of raising a baby and the role Kathleen played both with the baby and with a young patient. Finally, I enjoyed the details of San Francisco itself. Having lived there for 10 years, it is fun getting this glimpse into Victorian life there, imagining what this very different life was like.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book with its quite detailed look at women physicians and medicine in the 1880’s and its double whodunnit. The struggles between Annie and Nate and the Truscotts are timeless and still go on between couples today. I especially appreciate the atmosphere of the book, making me feel as though I had taken a step back in time to visit 1882. I also enjoyed the details of raising a baby and the role Kathleen played both with the baby and with a young patient. Finally, I enjoyed the details of San Francisco itself. Having lived there for 10 years, it is fun getting this glimpse into Victorian life there, imagining what this very different life was like.
October 4, 2020
I have liked the whole series and read them all. However, in order for the plot to work the author has a homeopathic kit where the vials have the original, not the diluted versions of remedies. There is simply no way this is possible. People were not given poisons and told to do the dilutions themselves. Even the original kits from the late 1700's are the diluted and safe versions of remedies.
What I love is the same stuff still going on. The FDA now wants to ban homeopathic remedies as made from dangerous materials while saying for years they didn't work because they don't have material content. And when did this happen, when homeopathic remedies became popular enough to make big money. They are energy patterns and that is what the body reads.
Why do I care? Because I was cured of migraines I had for 40 yrs by a remedy and my lupus has been in remision for twenty years thanks to another remedy.
What I love is the same stuff still going on. The FDA now wants to ban homeopathic remedies as made from dangerous materials while saying for years they didn't work because they don't have material content. And when did this happen, when homeopathic remedies became popular enough to make big money. They are energy patterns and that is what the body reads.
Why do I care? Because I was cured of migraines I had for 40 yrs by a remedy and my lupus has been in remision for twenty years thanks to another remedy.
January 5, 2021
I have almost finished reading the whole series, with the exception of #6 and the novellas.
Annie and Nate are great characters and after a shaky start, Nate has learned to think before he opens his mouth lest upsets Annie! Both characters are insightful enough to analyse their beliefs and actions and make appropriate changes to allow their relationship to grow.
Annie is struggling with being a mother and a busy husband. Nate is trying to make more money and has work thrown at him. He loves his wife and daughter and cherishes those stolen moments with them.
Annie has lost her sense of identity and what is expected of her as a mother. Once she gives herself permission to take up work again, she bounces back.
Thus starts another mystery upon a mystery. Interwoven with these mysteries, there are relationships and marriages being worked through the lens of how women are being treated or viewed in society.
Issues such as relatives/friends giving advice, couples not being alone, but being influenced come under the microscope in this book.
These mystery books are definitely well worth the read.
Annie and Nate are great characters and after a shaky start, Nate has learned to think before he opens his mouth lest upsets Annie! Both characters are insightful enough to analyse their beliefs and actions and make appropriate changes to allow their relationship to grow.
Annie is struggling with being a mother and a busy husband. Nate is trying to make more money and has work thrown at him. He loves his wife and daughter and cherishes those stolen moments with them.
Annie has lost her sense of identity and what is expected of her as a mother. Once she gives herself permission to take up work again, she bounces back.
Thus starts another mystery upon a mystery. Interwoven with these mysteries, there are relationships and marriages being worked through the lens of how women are being treated or viewed in society.
Issues such as relatives/friends giving advice, couples not being alone, but being influenced come under the microscope in this book.
These mystery books are definitely well worth the read.
August 19, 2022
Another cozy series done and this one was very well written, researched and quite enjoyable! I loved all the historical San Francisco references throughout all 7 of the books and hope Locke decides to continue it at a later date. There are several novellas within the series that I didn't read and may still go back to, however normally I pass when authors throw these into their series'. Characters were great and each book represented another strong woman engaged in a profession considered groundbreaking or not the norm for the 1800's. Some of these women turned out to be the heroes of the story, others were the villains. Each book was well written, exciting and steeped in historical detail. Easy to read, humorous at times and always a good mystery, just what I expect in my cozies! Enjoy historical cozy mysteries? "A Victoria San Francisco Mystery" series would be a great choice! Happy Reading!
September 1, 2020
I enjoy this cozy series. Annie is a strong, independent woman that stands up for herself. Against convention, she is beginning to return to work after having her first baby. She is asked to investigate and prepare the books for a non-profit woman's health clinic. One large bill has not be paid and the husband refuses, claiming that they harmed his wife. Determined to get to the bottom of the threats, Annie and friends investigate the world of female doctors in the 1890s and the impact of homeopathic medicine on the health of others.
Good story although not quite the usual mystery. Look forward to #8!
Good story although not quite the usual mystery. Look forward to #8!
August 21, 2022
Annie loves her life as wife and mother but feels like she's missing something. She is asked to look at the books at the doctors dispensary where her doctor is. The dispensary has women doctors and the consultation of a favored male doctor. He is getting up in years, but is beloved by his patients and colleagues. A wealthy woman's husband refuses to pay for his wife's treatment at the dispensary when she becomes ill again after her surgery. Her ladies maid believes she is being poisoned, so Annie uses her skills to help solve the case.
I love these books, it's always like visiting friends.
I love these books, it's always like visiting friends.
February 22, 2022
Another Victorian lesson
We often forget how much modern medicine has developed since the Victorian era, along with the conveniences (like telephones) we enjoy that bring assistance quickly when needed in emergencies. I enjoyed this book #7 as much as any of its predecessors.
My only gripe is the usual one with today's authors...neither they nor their editors know the difference and proper use of the words "bring" and "take"...." Take" is hardly ever used anymore, and "bring" is used instead, in many cases, incorrectly.
We often forget how much modern medicine has developed since the Victorian era, along with the conveniences (like telephones) we enjoy that bring assistance quickly when needed in emergencies. I enjoyed this book #7 as much as any of its predecessors.
My only gripe is the usual one with today's authors...neither they nor their editors know the difference and proper use of the words "bring" and "take"...." Take" is hardly ever used anymore, and "bring" is used instead, in many cases, incorrectly.
July 11, 2022
This was a really interesting mystery in this series that involves a real philanthropic clinic for women and children that operated in San Francisco. It was run by women with female doctors. The mystery concerns a young woman operated on for ovarian cysts. She is recovering well at the home of her husband, his aunt and herself. However, she becomes ill again but not with an infection. I did suspect the person at the root of her problems, but not the why. I enjoy this series mostly because of the interesting and realistic people as well as its interesting mysteries.
May 26, 2020
I like this series and have really enjoyed the story lines of the characters. However, at least to me, this one seemed to move slower than the previous ones. I felt like there was quite a bit that could have been removed or explained more concisely.
Another issue I had was there were many errors, whether it was spelling or content. I'm not sure if that had to do with having an e-book copy, but the editing wasn't very good.
Another issue I had was there were many errors, whether it was spelling or content. I'm not sure if that had to do with having an e-book copy, but the editing wasn't very good.
June 4, 2020
Excellent as always! I so enjoy the development of the characters and the twists and turns of the plot. I especially value the exploration of the various women's roles in society of the 1880's. So often these roles have gone unexplored by conventional history writers. So refreshing to have some insight on the influence of women on our contemporary world. Keep up the good work and good writing - thank you for you contributions.
July 18, 2020
Not the best
On or around chapter six I was ready to toss this book. It dragged on and on circling around Dr Ella Blair. I understand she may be a new character with her own upcoming book, but it was too much. On top of that, the typos were irritating. I stayed with the book ONLY because of my enjoyment with the series prior to this book. And I’m glad I did, which is why I gave it three stars instead of two.
On or around chapter six I was ready to toss this book. It dragged on and on circling around Dr Ella Blair. I understand she may be a new character with her own upcoming book, but it was too much. On top of that, the typos were irritating. I stayed with the book ONLY because of my enjoyment with the series prior to this book. And I’m glad I did, which is why I gave it three stars instead of two.
December 14, 2020
This segment of the Victorian San Francisco Mystery collection is focused on medical practices of the 1880's, and in particular on the women who were determined enough to get into medical schools and practice medicine. At that time it took determination indeed, to survive not only the rigors of medical school, but also the prejudices against female doctors by both other physicians and the public. And there are a couple of great mystery stories as usual, with some surprising endings.
July 1, 2020
Lethal Remedies, cures book boredom
Another great book by M. Louisa Locke. This is such a great series and this book doesn't disappoint. Even though it's set during the Victorian era the parallels between that time and today are far reaching. I highly recommend this series and this book. Looking forward to the next one.
Another great book by M. Louisa Locke. This is such a great series and this book doesn't disappoint. Even though it's set during the Victorian era the parallels between that time and today are far reaching. I highly recommend this series and this book. Looking forward to the next one.
August 27, 2020
Seat - Gripping Entertainment!
It seems motherhood and guilt existed even in Victorian times. Luckily this does not get in the way of Annie's crime solving abilities. Locke's mysteries are such fun to read! And this one had me on edge until the end. When is the next instalment please!
It seems motherhood and guilt existed even in Victorian times. Luckily this does not get in the way of Annie's crime solving abilities. Locke's mysteries are such fun to read! And this one had me on edge until the end. When is the next instalment please!
October 26, 2020
Excellent and timely.
I have read most of The Victorian San Francisco Mystery books. They are well written and allow the reader to get into the story and try to figure out where the plot may lead, allow us, the reader to keep the different plot twists, from getting all muddled up together
I have read most of The Victorian San Francisco Mystery books. They are well written and allow the reader to get into the story and try to figure out where the plot may lead, allow us, the reader to keep the different plot twists, from getting all muddled up together
February 13, 2023
I see I have reached the end of this nice little series, I hope there will be more! The author's notes are as good as the stories are - she describes the process and the inspirations in nice detail, and knowing that she is a history professor you can trust that she did her research well. Very pleasant reads, more people should be reading them!
May 31, 2020
Another winning book by Dr. Locke. The story was well crafted and entertaining. The book lost a star for two reasons. First, there are a lot of characters and keeping all of them straight was sometimes difficult. Second, I did not feel Anne was involved in this story as she has been in the past.
June 6, 2020
I’ve enjoyed this series and this book did not let me down. It’s a bit longer than the other books, but all of the series regulars are in it. Annie was again gets involved with a mystery, but with a new baby, will she be able to do everything. I do like learning about this time period!
October 22, 2020
Enjoyable mystery
I’ve found it easy to solve each mystery, usually early in the story. I still find the stories charming and an enjoyable read. The author’s attention to detail regarding the time period an enjoyable addition.
I’ve found it easy to solve each mystery, usually early in the story. I still find the stories charming and an enjoyable read. The author’s attention to detail regarding the time period an enjoyable addition.
May 27, 2020
Another fun mystery set in historical San Francisco and featuring women.
May 27, 2020
Another solid entry in a great series.
June 5, 2020
Satisfying
Locke’s novels are equal parts history and mystery in an impressive and fun group of continuing characters. Visiting with them during each novel is a joy.
Locke’s novels are equal parts history and mystery in an impressive and fun group of continuing characters. Visiting with them during each novel is a joy.
June 19, 2020
Another great addition to the to the series
My favorite so far. I have become so familiar with the characters they are like old friends. I can't wait for the next story.
My favorite so far. I have become so familiar with the characters they are like old friends. I can't wait for the next story.
June 21, 2020
Enjoyable read
Very engaging characters. Locke continues to write well crafted books which bring to life the time period as well as exploring the issues of the day.
Very engaging characters. Locke continues to write well crafted books which bring to life the time period as well as exploring the issues of the day.
June 27, 2020
Enjoyable and Educational
Love this series! Well written, engaging characters and the ability to learn about facts of history from this time period. A thoroughly good read!
Love this series! Well written, engaging characters and the ability to learn about facts of history from this time period. A thoroughly good read!
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