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Nellie Bly #1
The Alchemy of Murder
Paris, the capital of Europe and center of world culture. People have gathered to celebrate the 1889 World's Fair, a spectacular extravaganza dedicated to new industries, scientific discoveries, and global exploration. Its gateway is the soaring Eiffel Tower. But an enigmatic killer stalks the streets, and a virulent plague is striking down Parisians by the thousands.
The world's most famous reporter - the intrepid Nellie Bly - is convinced that the killings are connected to the epidemic. Hot off another sensational expose, she travels to Paris to hunt down the mysterious man she calls "the Alchemist." Along the way she enlists the help of a band of colorful characters: science fiction genius Jules Verne, notorious wit and outrageous rogue Oscar Wilde, and the greatest microbe-hunter in history, Louis Pasteur.
This dazzling historical adventure pits Nellie and her friends against one of the most notorious murderers in history. Together they must solve the crime of the century.
The world's most famous reporter - the intrepid Nellie Bly - is convinced that the killings are connected to the epidemic. Hot off another sensational expose, she travels to Paris to hunt down the mysterious man she calls "the Alchemist." Along the way she enlists the help of a band of colorful characters: science fiction genius Jules Verne, notorious wit and outrageous rogue Oscar Wilde, and the greatest microbe-hunter in history, Louis Pasteur.
This dazzling historical adventure pits Nellie and her friends against one of the most notorious murderers in history. Together they must solve the crime of the century.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2009
101 people are currently reading
1541 people want to read
About the author
Carol McCleary
12 books41 followersCarol McCleary was born in Seoul, Korea and lived in Hong Kong, Japan and the Philippines before settling in the USA. She now lives on Cape Cod in an antique house that is haunted by ghosts.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 167 reviews
August 25, 2011
Good premise, terrible writing. Using third person perspective to provide more information to the reader, the author completely failed to differentiate the voices. Picking any page at random, you would be unable to discern which character you were reading, and all of them spoke anachronistically. If I could believe the author was trying for wit in this, then I would not have been so frustrated and irritated to have slogged through the book, only to be thoroughly irked by a the final words of the villain, which were better suited to a die hard movie than a historic novel of Nellie Bly's exploits. The author did a prodigious amount of research, which would have read better in the "Devil in the White City"-type display. It thoroughly interrupted the pace of the novel. For subtle, interesting interleaving of historic research into a cracking good story, see Benjamin Black
April 23, 2020
Very enjoyable, and a clever intertwining of historical events and persons and fiction. But I do doubt that it does Nellie Bly full credit in her 'progressiveness'. [prtf]
May 15, 2014
I'm not sure why this book has gotten so many bad marks. I thought it was a fascinating portrait of several key individuals from literary history. Now while these things most likely could never happen and these individuals might not have ever known each other, the book I grabbed off the shelf was in the FICTION section! I see that individuals are irritated that historically this or that was incorrect but this was a work of fiction and therefore the author had liberty to do as she pleased...and I found it a page turner. Nellie Bly, # 2 is on my list... :)
May 30, 2013
I love a good Victorian era mystery - full of atmosphere, class struggles, newly discovered scientific methods of detection. Throw in a few "real" characters and you usually have a winner with me. In this debut novel featuring Nellie Bly on the trail of a killer, author McCleary misses the mark.
While covering a story at the insane asylum on Blackwell's Island, Nellie discovers that prostitutes are going missing. When a young prostitute that Nellie has befriended goes to meet a doctor, Nellie follows, only to find the woman dead and mutilated. Vowing to find justice, Nellie begins to track the killer to London and on to Paris.
The bulk of the novel is set is Paris, where the alchemy begins. The story mutates from a quest to find the "slasher" (as Nellie calls the killer) to a search for both an anarchist and the source of a deadly plague that is striking the poor of the city, including the prostitutes. Nellie enlists the help of Jules Verne and Oscar Wilde, with scientific assistance by Louis Pasteur.
Yup, it's that convoluted. In addition to the wild plot, the author throws in a couple of dozen of histories' most vaulted names; in addition to Verne and Wilde, there's Pulitzer (a given with Nellie Bly as the lead character), Toulouse Lautrec, Conan Doyle, Charles Dickens, Guy de Maupassant, Eiffel, Edison, Voltaire, Emile Zola, Van Gogh and many others. And so that no one forgets that the novel takes place in Paris, Le Chat Noir, Moulin Rouge, Notre Dame, Sacre Coeur and the World's Fair all make an appearance.
The beginning of the novel moved nicely as did the last 50 or so pages. Unfortunately, the bulk of the novel got bogged down in name dropping, descriptions of each and every cafe visited and Nellie's feeling for Verne. The premise was great, but the execution was disappointing.
While covering a story at the insane asylum on Blackwell's Island, Nellie discovers that prostitutes are going missing. When a young prostitute that Nellie has befriended goes to meet a doctor, Nellie follows, only to find the woman dead and mutilated. Vowing to find justice, Nellie begins to track the killer to London and on to Paris.
The bulk of the novel is set is Paris, where the alchemy begins. The story mutates from a quest to find the "slasher" (as Nellie calls the killer) to a search for both an anarchist and the source of a deadly plague that is striking the poor of the city, including the prostitutes. Nellie enlists the help of Jules Verne and Oscar Wilde, with scientific assistance by Louis Pasteur.
Yup, it's that convoluted. In addition to the wild plot, the author throws in a couple of dozen of histories' most vaulted names; in addition to Verne and Wilde, there's Pulitzer (a given with Nellie Bly as the lead character), Toulouse Lautrec, Conan Doyle, Charles Dickens, Guy de Maupassant, Eiffel, Edison, Voltaire, Emile Zola, Van Gogh and many others. And so that no one forgets that the novel takes place in Paris, Le Chat Noir, Moulin Rouge, Notre Dame, Sacre Coeur and the World's Fair all make an appearance.
The beginning of the novel moved nicely as did the last 50 or so pages. Unfortunately, the bulk of the novel got bogged down in name dropping, descriptions of each and every cafe visited and Nellie's feeling for Verne. The premise was great, but the execution was disappointing.
May 23, 2010
This was a fairly enjoyable romp through Paris during the World's Fair of 1889. Nellie Bly, investigative reporter, turns detective to try and catch a murderer who may be Jack the Ripper, a brilliant chemist, or an anarchist. And that's sort of where the problems start. While I enjoyed the book, the story, and the setting, there was an overabundance of characters who seem to be included just because the author could place them in the same city at the same time. At times it's a reach as to why these characters are even included in the story. Then there's the fact the book takes place at the World's Fair, but the main characters only visit once for a brief period of time. This was disappointing. Lastly, while women can understand the slights Nellie suffered in her efforts to be a liberated woman, she can be annoyingly arrogant as when she tells Toulouse Lautrec that he should paint flowers as his pictures will never sell. She's full of these observations throughout the book, and they become tiresome after awhile.
Although the story was somewhat convoluted, it was fun to read. I will give the author the benefit of the doubt as she is a first-time author, and I will probably read her next book in the series.
Although the story was somewhat convoluted, it was fun to read. I will give the author the benefit of the doubt as she is a first-time author, and I will probably read her next book in the series.
November 27, 2015
In theory this book should have been awesome - it attempts to combine elements as diverse as historical fiction, nineteenth century biological terrorism, romance, suspense and mystery - but it failed spectacularly. In my opinion, the biggest issue was the sub par writing and the superficial and underdeveloped characterizations. I really did want to like it and at times I thought the author was going to ramp up the tension/suspense and I'd really get into it, but that never happened. Not sure if I'll read the second one or not...
February 6, 2010
Great fun - a real pot-boiler. Based upon the character of Nellie Bly, this puts her together with Jules Verne, Louis Pasteur, Oscar Wilde, Henri Toulouse-Lautrec, and a few other interesting characters at the time of the Paris World's Fair early in the 20th C. I really enjoy fictional explorations of historical characters like this (cf. The Alienist). The writing is not exactly literary, but it rings true, and I did not want to put it down.
November 29, 2014
So so close. Love the premise and the idea of fictionalizing Nellie Bly. But the interweaving of the historical persons became quickly contrived. And I don't know how it's possible, but I didn't feel much connection to any of these characters. Kinda disappointed.
Visiting Wilde, Toulouse, Pasteur, etc. made for a very erratic plot and kinda read like a Love Boat episode. I felt kinda short changed with the ending, too.
And please don't get me started in the "Editors' Notes".
Visiting Wilde, Toulouse, Pasteur, etc. made for a very erratic plot and kinda read like a Love Boat episode. I felt kinda short changed with the ending, too.
And please don't get me started in the "Editors' Notes".
July 26, 2011
I picked this up at the library because something about the cover made it seem like the kind of book I like. I was right as I enjoyed this largely light-hearted romp through 1889 World Exposition Paris. The main character is Nellie Bly, intrepid newspaperwoman who is tracking down a crazed mass murderer.
The story is presented as if it is her own memoirs, recovered by editors and edited for spelling. Thus most of the book is in first-person. However sometimes the action shifts to follow other characters and I'm not sure how that is supposed to be explained if the central conceit is that Nellie wrote these notes. Is Nellie supposed to have recovered them on her own or are the Editors filling in sections for the reader?
Continuing on, Nellie meets many famous figures, most notably Jules Verne, Louis Pasteur, and Oscar Wilde who all play very important roles in the mystery. Verne and Wilde serve as aides for her investigation while Pasteur figures in with information about microbial killers. It seems as if someone is killing the poor of Paris with mysterious microbes that have kept the police baffled. I really liked seeing the famous figures and I hope, although I haven't researched this, that they would have been in Paris during this time.
Besides microbes, there is also someone killing prostitutes, a la Jack the Ripper and various anarchy plots. The latter is something I ought to have known but had never much considered. Therefore the discussions of all of those were most interesting to me. The role of women is also analyzed with Nellie determined to prove that women are not the weaker sex, no matter what gibes the police send her way.
As to the mystery, it was a bit confusing although I really should have pinpointed the murderer. I had an inkling about him but I was too trusting and thought he was only an associate instead of the mastermind. Someone who is more suspicious will probably finger him much sooner for the heinous crimes.
Overall: Despite the bleak topics presented, this is a largely light and often amusing story with a determined heroine and with the promise of sequels.
The story is presented as if it is her own memoirs, recovered by editors and edited for spelling. Thus most of the book is in first-person. However sometimes the action shifts to follow other characters and I'm not sure how that is supposed to be explained if the central conceit is that Nellie wrote these notes. Is Nellie supposed to have recovered them on her own or are the Editors filling in sections for the reader?
Continuing on, Nellie meets many famous figures, most notably Jules Verne, Louis Pasteur, and Oscar Wilde who all play very important roles in the mystery. Verne and Wilde serve as aides for her investigation while Pasteur figures in with information about microbial killers. It seems as if someone is killing the poor of Paris with mysterious microbes that have kept the police baffled. I really liked seeing the famous figures and I hope, although I haven't researched this, that they would have been in Paris during this time.
Besides microbes, there is also someone killing prostitutes, a la Jack the Ripper and various anarchy plots. The latter is something I ought to have known but had never much considered. Therefore the discussions of all of those were most interesting to me. The role of women is also analyzed with Nellie determined to prove that women are not the weaker sex, no matter what gibes the police send her way.
As to the mystery, it was a bit confusing although I really should have pinpointed the murderer. I had an inkling about him but I was too trusting and thought he was only an associate instead of the mastermind. Someone who is more suspicious will probably finger him much sooner for the heinous crimes.
Overall: Despite the bleak topics presented, this is a largely light and often amusing story with a determined heroine and with the promise of sequels.
August 17, 2015
This novel is the first in a series featuring Nellie Bly. Bly was a real person who in 1885 began her reporting career at the Pittsburgh Dispatch. Then she travels to New York seeking a journalist spot at the New York World and finally lands a job after selling the idea of going undercover as a woman committed to the notorious Blackwell’s Island Asylum for ten days to the newspaper mogul, Pulitzer. When she is committed to the asylum, she finds out that a Dr. Blum is murdering prostitutes that were committed there. She is almost murdered herself when she discovers him in the act. After her release from the asylum and writing an exposé about her experiences, she learns of a serial killer in Whitechapel London using the name Jack and connects him to Dr. Blum. She goes to London after the Ripper but fails to catch him which then leads her to Paris on the trail of a similar slasher. In Paris, she meets Jules Verne, Oscar Wilde, Louis Pasteur and Toulouse-Lautrec who end up assisting her in her search for the slasher. The World’s Fair with the Eiffel Tower is in progress while a black influenza is killing many of the poor in Paris. Overall, I thought this was a good historical mystery novel told by Bly as she hunts for a psychopathic killer on two continents. The novel also involves anarchists who are willing to take any steps for their cause of injustice to the downtrodden. The descriptions of Paris at the time are very well done and the reader gets a real feel for the city including the Moulin Rouge and the horrific conditions of the poor. This is the first in a series and I will probably seek out the next books.
May 26, 2019
2.5
I am so conflicted about this novel... I wanted to like it so much more, especially because I found the premise quite unique and intriguing. I am all for putting already existing historical characters into different situations and a brand new story. However, the novel disappointed me in quite a few areas.
Let's start out with the positives.
I thought that the crime story part was executed really well. We had a villain who had a plan and / or motivation and all the things the villain did was justified / made absolute sense and all the pieces of the puzzle fit together in the end, And on top of all that, this whole story was not wrapped up completely with a nice little bow on top, which was also nice.
It had a romance in it, which I did not enjoy a 100% if I want to be honest (I am going to talk about it a bit later), but I loved how the romance itself was forming. I liked that it was not an instalove thing and how these people started developing feelings for each other after getting to know the other person a bit.
I loved what the novel showed about the theme of deception, and how people react when they are deciving someone and then they realize they could not deceive the other one / they were deceived by someone, too. Also, it went quite deep in close topics of trust and betrayal.
I freakin' loved the character of Oscar Wilde. I want to believe he was justice here, because his character was awesome. He was charming, he was witty, he was flamboyant - but at the same time, he was really sensitive and also a lot smarter than he showed himself to be. Sort of like he used spuperficial wittiness to hide his deeper intellect - which helped the investigation a lot.
And then the negatives.
Story/writingwise:
-I don't mind multiple perspective novels, but I don't like it when one perspective is from a 1st person POV, and the other one is from a 3rd person POV. It is just confusing. Also, it did confuse the author as well, because in one of Nellie's chapters, which was supposed to be told by her about herself there was a sentence which talked about Nellie in 3rd person :D. I think the author should decide at a point if they want the readers to go along with 1st person perspectives and try to put the puzzle pieces together from different partial truths, or if they want to act like the "all-knowing" narrator. Or, if they want to mix the two types of POVs, there should be a better differentiation (like typographical ones or "genre" differentations, like one should be clearly a diary excerpt or something).
- I felt that the middle of the book was for the most part filler and could be condensed, and was used more for having some action (with Nellie going around in town getting information) and for the author to show how much she researched actual places and historical figures of 1889 Paris. And what is really strange for me is that even with this much of name dropping, the writing about the historically inspired part felt really superficial for me.
But thing that irked me the most was Nellie's character. I mean, I wasn't the most frustrated with her character in itself (even though it was pretty annoying), but with the fact that even for a revoluionary / rebellious woman in the 19th century, her tone and voice and how she thought about the world were way too modern. She acted just like a late 20th / 21st century "I'm not like the other girls, hence I'm better than the other girls" pseudo-sjw 14 year-old teenage girl. Her thoughts about how woman should live and what they should fight for was basically what we think nowadays and there was no differentation for me to tell that it is a woman who is trying to make changes to the norms... I was just missing the ambiance, the progress of smaller steps. Also I don't believe the real Nelly bly was this shallow. She is really like the "oh my god, I am so revolutionary and progressive because I chant about female rights, but on the other hand I am going to bash other women with backhanded comments because they are not like me" type of teenage girls of today. How should I believe someone being so totally progressive, when she constantly slutshame other women, even women who don't necessarily have a choice not behave promiscuously? (being virtuous because of choice / personality is one thing, making snarky remarks of someone is another) She was also full of herself and praising herself for everything she did, even if she did them quite in the wrong way. Like she is boasting about how she can pretend to be another type of person to get away with sneaking around, yet get angry and feel insulted when someone wants to have sex from her when she is pretending to be a prostitute... I mean, for me, it would have been an obvious hint that she is pretending to be someone else. I also don't understand how a character like her love interest fell head over heels with her, because he seemed to be a lot more reasonable and sensible. I mean, yes, he told that he likes her boldness, but I don't think that is enough for attraction...
I am so conflicted about this novel... I wanted to like it so much more, especially because I found the premise quite unique and intriguing. I am all for putting already existing historical characters into different situations and a brand new story. However, the novel disappointed me in quite a few areas.
Let's start out with the positives.
I thought that the crime story part was executed really well. We had a villain who had a plan and / or motivation and all the things the villain did was justified / made absolute sense and all the pieces of the puzzle fit together in the end, And on top of all that, this whole story was not wrapped up completely with a nice little bow on top, which was also nice.
It had a romance in it, which I did not enjoy a 100% if I want to be honest (I am going to talk about it a bit later), but I loved how the romance itself was forming. I liked that it was not an instalove thing and how these people started developing feelings for each other after getting to know the other person a bit.
I loved what the novel showed about the theme of deception, and how people react when they are deciving someone and then they realize they could not deceive the other one / they were deceived by someone, too. Also, it went quite deep in close topics of trust and betrayal.
I freakin' loved the character of Oscar Wilde. I want to believe he was justice here, because his character was awesome. He was charming, he was witty, he was flamboyant - but at the same time, he was really sensitive and also a lot smarter than he showed himself to be. Sort of like he used spuperficial wittiness to hide his deeper intellect - which helped the investigation a lot.
And then the negatives.
Story/writingwise:
-I don't mind multiple perspective novels, but I don't like it when one perspective is from a 1st person POV, and the other one is from a 3rd person POV. It is just confusing. Also, it did confuse the author as well, because in one of Nellie's chapters, which was supposed to be told by her about herself there was a sentence which talked about Nellie in 3rd person :D. I think the author should decide at a point if they want the readers to go along with 1st person perspectives and try to put the puzzle pieces together from different partial truths, or if they want to act like the "all-knowing" narrator. Or, if they want to mix the two types of POVs, there should be a better differentiation (like typographical ones or "genre" differentations, like one should be clearly a diary excerpt or something).
- I felt that the middle of the book was for the most part filler and could be condensed, and was used more for having some action (with Nellie going around in town getting information) and for the author to show how much she researched actual places and historical figures of 1889 Paris. And what is really strange for me is that even with this much of name dropping, the writing about the historically inspired part felt really superficial for me.
But thing that irked me the most was Nellie's character. I mean, I wasn't the most frustrated with her character in itself (even though it was pretty annoying), but with the fact that even for a revoluionary / rebellious woman in the 19th century, her tone and voice and how she thought about the world were way too modern. She acted just like a late 20th / 21st century "I'm not like the other girls, hence I'm better than the other girls" pseudo-sjw 14 year-old teenage girl. Her thoughts about how woman should live and what they should fight for was basically what we think nowadays and there was no differentation for me to tell that it is a woman who is trying to make changes to the norms... I was just missing the ambiance, the progress of smaller steps. Also I don't believe the real Nelly bly was this shallow. She is really like the "oh my god, I am so revolutionary and progressive because I chant about female rights, but on the other hand I am going to bash other women with backhanded comments because they are not like me" type of teenage girls of today. How should I believe someone being so totally progressive, when she constantly slutshame other women, even women who don't necessarily have a choice not behave promiscuously? (being virtuous because of choice / personality is one thing, making snarky remarks of someone is another) She was also full of herself and praising herself for everything she did, even if she did them quite in the wrong way. Like she is boasting about how she can pretend to be another type of person to get away with sneaking around, yet get angry and feel insulted when someone wants to have sex from her when she is pretending to be a prostitute... I mean, for me, it would have been an obvious hint that she is pretending to be someone else. I also don't understand how a character like her love interest fell head over heels with her, because he seemed to be a lot more reasonable and sensible. I mean, yes, he told that he likes her boldness, but I don't think that is enough for attraction...
April 24, 2013
more reviews on my blog
Ooof. This is gonna be... tricky.
McCleary uses the real life figures of Nellie Bly and Jules Verne in her Victorian Murder Mystery. There can be problems with using real people in this way. The main one is this: These were real people. They are inspirations to many, and many readers won't agree with your interpretation of their character, actions and history. Nellie Bly was a fascinating woman, who got herself incaracerated in a mental asylum in order to better report on the abuses suffered by the women trapped there. She was one of the first female journalists to report on 'serious' subjects. And I simply do not believe that she would behave in the way she does in this book. Of course, I don't know (any more than McCleary does) what her character was like, how she thought and what she would do in a situation like the one in The Alchemy of Murder, but that is the problem. When you write using characters you make up, you as the author can reasonably expect your readers to think you know the charcters better than they do. When you write using a real person, you can't.
Right. Ok. Done.
So, this is actually a pretty bad book. It's not written very well - there are constant, ham-fisted interjections of historical context, which would have been better had the author used some subtlety. It is clumsy, the prose is all over the place. The characters are interchangeable, they constantly use anachronisms and there is this irritating, nod-and-wink knowingness that keeps pointing out 'look these are famous people you know what's going to happen!'. I found the plot confusing and unbelievable.
But, oh. I consumed it. I ripped through it. I read it and then I read it again. I don't know why. It's so bad, but because it is bloody addictive I have to give it 3 out of 5 even if it doesn't deserve it.
Oh god I'm part of the problem.
Ooof. This is gonna be... tricky.
McCleary uses the real life figures of Nellie Bly and Jules Verne in her Victorian Murder Mystery. There can be problems with using real people in this way. The main one is this: These were real people. They are inspirations to many, and many readers won't agree with your interpretation of their character, actions and history. Nellie Bly was a fascinating woman, who got herself incaracerated in a mental asylum in order to better report on the abuses suffered by the women trapped there. She was one of the first female journalists to report on 'serious' subjects. And I simply do not believe that she would behave in the way she does in this book. Of course, I don't know (any more than McCleary does) what her character was like, how she thought and what she would do in a situation like the one in The Alchemy of Murder, but that is the problem. When you write using characters you make up, you as the author can reasonably expect your readers to think you know the charcters better than they do. When you write using a real person, you can't.
Right. Ok. Done.
So, this is actually a pretty bad book. It's not written very well - there are constant, ham-fisted interjections of historical context, which would have been better had the author used some subtlety. It is clumsy, the prose is all over the place. The characters are interchangeable, they constantly use anachronisms and there is this irritating, nod-and-wink knowingness that keeps pointing out 'look these are famous people you know what's going to happen!'. I found the plot confusing and unbelievable.
But, oh. I consumed it. I ripped through it. I read it and then I read it again. I don't know why. It's so bad, but because it is bloody addictive I have to give it 3 out of 5 even if it doesn't deserve it.
Oh god I'm part of the problem.
September 19, 2014
If I was to consider this a valid piece of literature, I would have given it 1-2 stars. On the other hand, my enjoyment of it was immense - If anyone asked me for a book that was "So bad it's good", this would be the first to spring to mind, and I lost track of the amount of times I had to put the book down to fully absorb just what was going on, or to go "Did the author really just make Jules Verne/Oscar Wilde/etc say that?". For these reasons I'm giving it four stars; it was truely a reading experience unlike anything I'd encountered before.
Nellie Bly is unfortunately reduced to a much blander character than her real-life counterpart, and several times I debated whether or not to give up reading. However, once the character of Oscar Wilde appeared, my opinion of the book shifted and I began reading it not as a historical novel, but as an over-the-top attempt at historical fiction with the characters ending up in one improbable situation after another. I still catch myself thinking about the scene where the Alchemist's identity is revealed and wonder if perhaps I dreamt the whole book up.
If you're looking for well-written historical fiction, this isn't it. But if you're willing to suspend disbelief and looking purely for an entertaining and unintentionally amusing romp through 19th century Paris, I'd recommend you give it a go.
Nellie Bly is unfortunately reduced to a much blander character than her real-life counterpart, and several times I debated whether or not to give up reading. However, once the character of Oscar Wilde appeared, my opinion of the book shifted and I began reading it not as a historical novel, but as an over-the-top attempt at historical fiction with the characters ending up in one improbable situation after another. I still catch myself thinking about the scene where the Alchemist's identity is revealed and wonder if perhaps I dreamt the whole book up.
If you're looking for well-written historical fiction, this isn't it. But if you're willing to suspend disbelief and looking purely for an entertaining and unintentionally amusing romp through 19th century Paris, I'd recommend you give it a go.
April 25, 2011
It would seem that I am constantly being thwarted in my search for satisfying historical fiction. While I appreciate the historical accuracy and the meticulous research McCleary did for this novel (as opposed to the OTHER historical that fell flat) I still found myself wanting something else. I did like the details surrounding the French Anarchists and the cafe society of Monmartre, mais le livre? Il ne m'etait pas satisfait. Pas de tout. Quelle domage.
As intrepid as the character of Nellie Bly was, I would have appreciated more intellect and less ridiculous buffoonery. Not knowing much about Bly herself, I can't make any judgement as to the accuracy of her voice in the novel. The author has definitely done her homework so I have to assume that the voice she gives Bly is one of accurate homage. If that is the case, I have to say I am not a fan of her discourse. I may read the second in the series to see if Bly comes into her own but this was still a bit fluffy for my taste.
As intrepid as the character of Nellie Bly was, I would have appreciated more intellect and less ridiculous buffoonery. Not knowing much about Bly herself, I can't make any judgement as to the accuracy of her voice in the novel. The author has definitely done her homework so I have to assume that the voice she gives Bly is one of accurate homage. If that is the case, I have to say I am not a fan of her discourse. I may read the second in the series to see if Bly comes into her own but this was still a bit fluffy for my taste.
December 12, 2010
The book starts off as a really fast paced and engrossing mystery. You will read through the first hundred pages completely absorbed in the story but then you start to slow about a third of the way in as the book becomes less about the story and more about how many historical people Ms. McCleary thought she could get away with using in her book. Oh yea and then there was that sex scene that would probably have made the real Nellie Bly blush.
Anyway if you can get through all of that it does have a satisfying twist at the end even if the ending does set it up for another novel.
It is to the authors credit though that the book felt historical even if most of it didn't really happen the ambience of 19th century Paris is there. The numerous footnotes also help to contribute the feeling of authenticity.
Anyway if you can get through all of that it does have a satisfying twist at the end even if the ending does set it up for another novel.
It is to the authors credit though that the book felt historical even if most of it didn't really happen the ambience of 19th century Paris is there. The numerous footnotes also help to contribute the feeling of authenticity.
May 28, 2012
Fiction about real historical figures is always risky, but this example is especially awful. The only reason I made it to page 26 is that the book doesn't start until page 11. The writing is horrendous and the exposition painfully heavy-handed - asides about the construction of the Eiffel Tower or the demographics of Montmartre are unnecessary and footnotes about the real Nellie Bly are just awkward, because she was probably way more interesting than this wooden character.
Also, anything that uses the phrase "private parts" three times and "bulging man parts" once in the space of 2 pages (all referring to the same guy) should be set aside immediately.
Also, anything that uses the phrase "private parts" three times and "bulging man parts" once in the space of 2 pages (all referring to the same guy) should be set aside immediately.
December 23, 2013
Amazingly bad. Plot is ridiculous. Writing is purely Gothic horrible. Central character is Nellie Bly. Her newly found diaries provide the basis for the story. Story is set in Paris where the fearless Nell chases down a murdering anarchist (who also happens to be Jack the Ripper). She meets Oscar Wilde, Louis Pasteur, Toulouse Latrec and even beds Jules Verne. Total nonsense. Might have been pretty funny if done with a sense of humor. But no. Waste of time. Don't know why I even finished reading it.
August 12, 2025
How incredible was this!!
Starting off with a fabulously engaging plot that made even the historical aspects and facts in the book interesting to read, and ending with the bravest role model-Nellie Bly, who herself is an extremely intriguing figure truly worth the recognition!
Starting off with a fabulously engaging plot that made even the historical aspects and facts in the book interesting to read, and ending with the bravest role model-Nellie Bly, who herself is an extremely intriguing figure truly worth the recognition!
April 11, 2011
I am a sucker for a good historical novel and I love strong female characters. Carol McCleary’s The Alchemy of Murder sets a new high standard for both historical novels and for a strong feminine character. That The Alchemy of Murder is a first novel is stunning and is hopefully prophetic about the talents of this new author. I believe it is.
McCleary brings to life, Nellie Bly from the dustbin of history giving us not only a grand novel heroine, but a flesh and blood woman that you will fall in love with. Bly is not a post modern woman’s feminist saint, but a strong independent free thinking individual who approaches her adventures with an investigate reporter’s instincts. But, she is wonderfully naïve as she is strong, determined and realistic. Unlike many adventure novel heroes such as Clive Cussler’s, Dirk Pitt, Nellie is a person who could exist in real life and not merely an alter ego of her author.
And indeed the fictional Nellie Bly is based on an historical woman who broke the gender barrier in journalism to not only become the first woman investigate reporter, but a reporter who was taken very seriously (although the good old boys of her era most definitely were a pain in her ass). Her life and work should be studied by all school aged children today.
She is definitely a role model I would want any daughter of mine to emulate. However, I would most likely cringe at the risks they would take with their lives. Nellie fakes insanity to get herself admitted to a notorious New York asylum which she exposes in her infamous, Ten Days in a Mad-House. This was her first assignment for Joseph Pulitzer, who she persuaded to hire after being penniless and nearly homeless.
McCleary artfully blends the historical realities of Nellie’s life and the events of the day with her story of Nellie tracking down an infamous killer who she suspects of planning a devastating attack at the Paris Worlds Fair in 1855. Nellie teams up with the grandfather of science fiction, Jules Verne, whom she actually met in her real life, Oscar Wilde and Louis Pasteur.
This odd grouping of friends find themselves navigating the winding streets of Paris’ bohemian districts and underworld hot on the trail of this insane madman. McCleary builds the suspense masterfully, but doesn’t neglect the development of the characters, all which are fleshed out and correspond realistically to their real world counterparts.
The author masterfully uses the characters to reflect the attitudes of the day and the politics of sex in the nineteenth century giving us a feel of life as it really was. Later on Nellie will attempt to beat the record of Jules Verne’s Phileas Fogg, by traveling around the work in 72 days. Verne baits her by telling her that 80 days was fast “as a man could do it.” The real life Bly actually made the record breaking trip (This provides the backdrop behind the author’s second novel)
The Alchemy of Murder is an entertaining and satisfying mystery well researched and intelligently executed. It is the thinking historical buff’s mystery. She offers us a killer who is one part, Jack the Ripper, one part mad scientist and one part anarchist revolutionary and pits him against a woman who is not only an intrepid reporter, but a fine compassionate human being. I love this book.
McCleary brings to life, Nellie Bly from the dustbin of history giving us not only a grand novel heroine, but a flesh and blood woman that you will fall in love with. Bly is not a post modern woman’s feminist saint, but a strong independent free thinking individual who approaches her adventures with an investigate reporter’s instincts. But, she is wonderfully naïve as she is strong, determined and realistic. Unlike many adventure novel heroes such as Clive Cussler’s, Dirk Pitt, Nellie is a person who could exist in real life and not merely an alter ego of her author.
And indeed the fictional Nellie Bly is based on an historical woman who broke the gender barrier in journalism to not only become the first woman investigate reporter, but a reporter who was taken very seriously (although the good old boys of her era most definitely were a pain in her ass). Her life and work should be studied by all school aged children today.
She is definitely a role model I would want any daughter of mine to emulate. However, I would most likely cringe at the risks they would take with their lives. Nellie fakes insanity to get herself admitted to a notorious New York asylum which she exposes in her infamous, Ten Days in a Mad-House. This was her first assignment for Joseph Pulitzer, who she persuaded to hire after being penniless and nearly homeless.
McCleary artfully blends the historical realities of Nellie’s life and the events of the day with her story of Nellie tracking down an infamous killer who she suspects of planning a devastating attack at the Paris Worlds Fair in 1855. Nellie teams up with the grandfather of science fiction, Jules Verne, whom she actually met in her real life, Oscar Wilde and Louis Pasteur.
This odd grouping of friends find themselves navigating the winding streets of Paris’ bohemian districts and underworld hot on the trail of this insane madman. McCleary builds the suspense masterfully, but doesn’t neglect the development of the characters, all which are fleshed out and correspond realistically to their real world counterparts.
The author masterfully uses the characters to reflect the attitudes of the day and the politics of sex in the nineteenth century giving us a feel of life as it really was. Later on Nellie will attempt to beat the record of Jules Verne’s Phileas Fogg, by traveling around the work in 72 days. Verne baits her by telling her that 80 days was fast “as a man could do it.” The real life Bly actually made the record breaking trip (This provides the backdrop behind the author’s second novel)
The Alchemy of Murder is an entertaining and satisfying mystery well researched and intelligently executed. It is the thinking historical buff’s mystery. She offers us a killer who is one part, Jack the Ripper, one part mad scientist and one part anarchist revolutionary and pits him against a woman who is not only an intrepid reporter, but a fine compassionate human being. I love this book.
October 22, 2010
A Victorian Paris Mystery Extraordinaire
Carol McCleary’s first installment of her new Nellie Bly mystery series comes out of the starting gate full gallop with a tour-de-force debut that will keep you up all night for one hell of a one-sitting read. Finely tuned polished writing and loveable characters will have historical mystery fans panting for more from this astoundingly accomplished new author.
Opening scenes of The Alchemy of Murder introduce the famous American female newspaper reporter Nellie Bly, landing her first journalist job at New York’s World office, hired by none other than Joseph Pulitzer. Seeing Nellie had an eye for a good story, talent for writing, and incredible guts to go undercover to get the nitty gritty and truth behind the scenes, he takes a gamble and wins, finding Nellie Bly to be a worthwhile asset to his newspaper.
Installing herself in an insane asylum, Nellie works in disguise to uncover the truth regarding the inhumane treatment women patients are receiving. While mingling with other ladies, pretending herself to be crazy, she befriends another women who bargains with Nellie to work together on escaping the horrors around them. While one night finding her friend missing, Nellie haunts the asylum searching for her and witnesses a frightening doctor doing experiments on the patients. Shocked, she realizes this mad physician has just murdered her friend. Determined to get the scoop, she is let out and there begins her first manhunt for a monster on the loose. Nellie then follows leads and other crime reports across the Atlantic to London, back home to New York, ending with a final journey to Victorian Paris where many sightings have been reported of a “slasher” mutilating and murdering women. He is called the Alchemist and is in hiding somewhere in the bowels and back alley slums of the rougher side of Paris.
Arriving in Paris a stranger and neophyte to the city, she makes friends fast and instigates connections with the city’s renowned celebrities. With fortitude, charm, and wit, Nellie enables her difficult investigation to be aided by a host of unique and intriguing characters such as the flamboyant Oscar Wilde, the father of science fiction Jules Verne, pioneer scientist Louis Pasteur, and the zany eccentric painter Toulouse Lautrec. The gang’s all here and what a wild ride and puzzling mystery this becomes. A host of delightful characters, murder, espionage, sarcasm and wit, action, history and a humorous romance, all create a well-rounded Victorian thriller you just can’t beat!
I absolutely loved this debut novel and give it high praise. All ingredients are well plotted out and executed fabulously. Historical mystery addicts are going to eat this up and count the days until the second book arrives early next year where it seems Nellie will travel to Egypt. Well done Carol McCleary, hats off to a stunning new book!
Carol McCleary’s first installment of her new Nellie Bly mystery series comes out of the starting gate full gallop with a tour-de-force debut that will keep you up all night for one hell of a one-sitting read. Finely tuned polished writing and loveable characters will have historical mystery fans panting for more from this astoundingly accomplished new author.
Opening scenes of The Alchemy of Murder introduce the famous American female newspaper reporter Nellie Bly, landing her first journalist job at New York’s World office, hired by none other than Joseph Pulitzer. Seeing Nellie had an eye for a good story, talent for writing, and incredible guts to go undercover to get the nitty gritty and truth behind the scenes, he takes a gamble and wins, finding Nellie Bly to be a worthwhile asset to his newspaper.
Installing herself in an insane asylum, Nellie works in disguise to uncover the truth regarding the inhumane treatment women patients are receiving. While mingling with other ladies, pretending herself to be crazy, she befriends another women who bargains with Nellie to work together on escaping the horrors around them. While one night finding her friend missing, Nellie haunts the asylum searching for her and witnesses a frightening doctor doing experiments on the patients. Shocked, she realizes this mad physician has just murdered her friend. Determined to get the scoop, she is let out and there begins her first manhunt for a monster on the loose. Nellie then follows leads and other crime reports across the Atlantic to London, back home to New York, ending with a final journey to Victorian Paris where many sightings have been reported of a “slasher” mutilating and murdering women. He is called the Alchemist and is in hiding somewhere in the bowels and back alley slums of the rougher side of Paris.
Arriving in Paris a stranger and neophyte to the city, she makes friends fast and instigates connections with the city’s renowned celebrities. With fortitude, charm, and wit, Nellie enables her difficult investigation to be aided by a host of unique and intriguing characters such as the flamboyant Oscar Wilde, the father of science fiction Jules Verne, pioneer scientist Louis Pasteur, and the zany eccentric painter Toulouse Lautrec. The gang’s all here and what a wild ride and puzzling mystery this becomes. A host of delightful characters, murder, espionage, sarcasm and wit, action, history and a humorous romance, all create a well-rounded Victorian thriller you just can’t beat!
I absolutely loved this debut novel and give it high praise. All ingredients are well plotted out and executed fabulously. Historical mystery addicts are going to eat this up and count the days until the second book arrives early next year where it seems Nellie will travel to Egypt. Well done Carol McCleary, hats off to a stunning new book!
May 20, 2011
The Alchemy of Murder by Carol McCleary is the first book in the Nellie Bly mystery series. McCleary presents this story as the long-lost record of Bly's search for a murderer that led her from a mental institution in New York to London to Paris' World Expo. While Nellie did her famous stint in Blackwell's Island, an infamous mental asylum for women, she became friends with a prostitute named Josephine who disappeared after a doctor offers her a way off the island if she will help him with an experiment. When Nellie tries to follow Josephine, she discovers the hideous remains of her friend and is attacked by the doctor before he burns down his laboratory during his escape. When the Jack the Ripper murders hit the news, Nellie heads to London to try and prove that the perpetrator is the same man, and she follows him again to Paris where she meets Jules Verne, Oscar Wilde, and Louis Pasteur in her investigation. McCleary does a terrific job with this new series. Nellie is a delightful heroine, quick with a lie, unafraid to stand up for herself, and courageous in her quest to find her friend's killer. The dark days when anarchy and assassinations were popping up all over Europe come to life and keep the tension high. McCleary keeps the readers hearts pounding by revealing fairly quickly that Nellie is trusting absolutely the wrong person, but a revelation in the climax is truly unexpected. Fans of Rhys Bowen and Laurie R. King will enjoy the taut mystery with touches of humor, romance, and darkness.
August 18, 2016
I enjoyed this fictional representation of Nellie Blye. There was a great blend of mystery, suspense, humor and yes, even a bit of a love story, for those who are so inclined. I found myself having to put the book down periodically to take a breath from the suspense, but that in itself is enjoyable.
I did struggle with the switching of tenses on a literary plane but not enough to spoil the story.
I did struggle with the switching of tenses on a literary plane but not enough to spoil the story.
January 25, 2014
I thought the character of Nellie needed more depth. I did enjoy learning about the prevalence of anarchism at this point in history, as well as seeing the famous people of the day tied in to the story--which is why I did not stop reading, even after encountering a good number of jarring word-usage errors. I hope the author finds a real editor, but I will not read any more of this series.
June 8, 2014
The ideas and characters were good, and the mystery and culprit were well done. It had a lot of flaws though- tense issues, subject-verb agreement, info dumps, repetition, abrupt segues..... I'm hoping most of those issues are because this was her debut novel; I want to read the next one, but if those issues aren't resolved, I'll have to give up on her.
June 23, 2010
At first I really liked this book, but it soon lost my interest and I gave up on it. Maybe I will try it again sometime soon.
March 4, 2022
This book tries to do so much. Set in Paris in 1889, with the backdrop of the World Fair, anarchists frequenting cafes and bombing streets, and a deadly disease infecting only the poor, we follow our protagonist Nellie Bly as she tries to avenge a friend’s murder.
Yes, that Nellie Bly.
Historical fiction following real people can be done well and be wonderful books. I’m quite fond of the genre. But wow. Somehow we meet every famous person in 1889 Paris in the course of this book. Jules Verne is our live interest (a married man, twice Nellie’s age), we spend time with Oscar Wilde and Toulouse, meet Louise Michel, and even enlist Dr. Louis Pasteur’s help. It’s all good fun, but at about the halfway mark started to feel tedious as more and more famous people appeared in the story.
And gosh, the amount of historical facts and nuggets and side stories wedged in was exhausting. I mean we have footnotes from a fictional editor. And characters who go on long tangents about the goings on of the day. And sure, as a newspaper reporter, it’s Nellie’s job to be knowledgeable, but relating every single thing she sees to books or plays or events is not necessary.
The POV switches along with switches between first and third person narration was an interesting choice by the author.
The story is… fine. It’s fine. We have a murderer who is a) The Haymarket bomber in Chicago, b) a doctor at Blackwell’s Island insane asylum, c) Jack the Ripper, d) an explosives manufacturer for a French warmonger, d) an anarchist and e) infecting the city with biological weapons. See what I mean? Too much.
And the reader knows who he is the whole time. Not my favorite way to write a mystery.
The only thing truly “wrong” with the book was Nellie knowing that the slasher was connected to the Haymarket bombings before she was told that piece of information by Chekov.
The book does have some redeeming qualities though. We’ve got a feminist main character. It doesn’t shy away from the racism, sexism, and homophobia of the time, and does so in a way that feels like a natural way of setting the scene. The setting is fun. There’s social commentary on classism, capitalism, greed, empathy, elitism, and long held beliefs getting in the way of progress.
But yeah, not my cup of tea, or should I say cafe au lait? I don’t much like the character of Nellie. She does the classic “get angry and storm off into a worse situation” one too many times. She’s pretty narrow minded even if she is feminist. And she pursues a married man twice her age. Ick.
And the constant commentary on “newfangled inventions” and how they’ll never become popular is exhausting. I guess if I could summarize this book on one word, it would be tiresome.
2.5 stars
July 20, 2017
Book Description
The world’s most famous reporter, the intrepid Nellie Bly, teams up with science fiction genius Jules Verne, the notorious wit and outrageous rogue Oscar Wilde, and the greatest microbe-hunter in history, Louis Pasteur. Together, they must solve the crime of the century.
They are all in Paris—the capital of Europe and center of world culture—for the 1889 World’s Fair. A spectacular extravaganza dedicated to new industries, scientific discoveries, and global exploration, its gateway is the soaring Eiffel Tower. But an enigmatic killer stalks the streets and a virulent plague is striking down Parisians by the thousands. Convinced that the killings are connected to the pandemic, Nellie is determined to stop them both... no matter what the risks.
My Review
This was an interesting historical fiction account of Nellie Bly, feminist newspaper reporter, who was in search of a killer similar to Jack the Ripper who killed prostitutes. I enjoyed reading about the historical characters that Nellie met in Paris, such as; Louis Pasteur, Oscar Wilde and Jules Verne. Louis Pasteur was hunting microbes in order to help with a cure for the Black Plague. Oscar Wilde became of friend of Nellie and helped her in the search of the killer of the prostitutes. In the book, she had a relationship with Jules Verne which was rather interesting. She decided to prove to Jules Verne that woman can do whatever men can do and took up the challenge to do a record-breaking trip around the world in 72 days and beat Phileas Fogg's time from the infamous book by Verne, Around the World in 80 days. She was a pioneer in her field, and launched a new kind of investigative journalism and wrote an exposé in which she faked insanity to study a mental institution from within. I look forward to reading the next book in the Nellie Bly series in order to see what Nellie is up to as I really enjoyed her adventures in the first book. I would highly recommend this book to those who like historical fiction about famous people.
The world’s most famous reporter, the intrepid Nellie Bly, teams up with science fiction genius Jules Verne, the notorious wit and outrageous rogue Oscar Wilde, and the greatest microbe-hunter in history, Louis Pasteur. Together, they must solve the crime of the century.
They are all in Paris—the capital of Europe and center of world culture—for the 1889 World’s Fair. A spectacular extravaganza dedicated to new industries, scientific discoveries, and global exploration, its gateway is the soaring Eiffel Tower. But an enigmatic killer stalks the streets and a virulent plague is striking down Parisians by the thousands. Convinced that the killings are connected to the pandemic, Nellie is determined to stop them both... no matter what the risks.
My Review
This was an interesting historical fiction account of Nellie Bly, feminist newspaper reporter, who was in search of a killer similar to Jack the Ripper who killed prostitutes. I enjoyed reading about the historical characters that Nellie met in Paris, such as; Louis Pasteur, Oscar Wilde and Jules Verne. Louis Pasteur was hunting microbes in order to help with a cure for the Black Plague. Oscar Wilde became of friend of Nellie and helped her in the search of the killer of the prostitutes. In the book, she had a relationship with Jules Verne which was rather interesting. She decided to prove to Jules Verne that woman can do whatever men can do and took up the challenge to do a record-breaking trip around the world in 72 days and beat Phileas Fogg's time from the infamous book by Verne, Around the World in 80 days. She was a pioneer in her field, and launched a new kind of investigative journalism and wrote an exposé in which she faked insanity to study a mental institution from within. I look forward to reading the next book in the Nellie Bly series in order to see what Nellie is up to as I really enjoyed her adventures in the first book. I would highly recommend this book to those who like historical fiction about famous people.
March 6, 2019
"You have an incredible range of knowledge . . . and completely unsupported opinions."
So Jules Verne tells Nellie Bly on page 160, and it's one of the primary reasons I enjoyed this book. Intrepid reporter Bly, as fictionalized here, is a wonderfully nuanced and realistically flawed character. She's intelligent and strong-willed and independent and take-charge, but she also jumps to conclusions and makes poor decisions as a result. Often the protagonists of mysteries/thrillers are too perfect and pulled together and that's why they're unstoppable. Bly is unstoppable simply because she refuses to stop, even when she should. I loved her tenacity even as I was yelling at her not to do or say something.
This novel is a packed with several real historical characters in one of those magical moments of history in which they all converge at the same time in the same place - which often seems to be Paris (mais oui!). I was impressed with the amount of research that went into writing this book; lest you think McCleary made up a too-convenient fact or meeting, the "editors" of Nellie Bly's notebook have a footnote to inform you of just how true each event was.
I found this book to be more a thriller than a whodunit mystery; in fact, there really is only one suspect and I kept wondering why it took so long for everyone to figure it out. Perhaps the reason was the book is a little long as it seems McCleary wanted to include *every* coincidence during the 1889 World's Fair, many of which meant one of the characters (usually Oscar Wilde got the job) had to spout a lecture about the history and meaning of said item. I think that several of these could have been cut to create a tighter narrative. Of course, the way the crimes were performed and the way the killer was caught are completely preposterous and unrealistic, but this is also a book in which Louis Pasteur and Toulouse-Lautrec appear together, so that tracks.
So Jules Verne tells Nellie Bly on page 160, and it's one of the primary reasons I enjoyed this book. Intrepid reporter Bly, as fictionalized here, is a wonderfully nuanced and realistically flawed character. She's intelligent and strong-willed and independent and take-charge, but she also jumps to conclusions and makes poor decisions as a result. Often the protagonists of mysteries/thrillers are too perfect and pulled together and that's why they're unstoppable. Bly is unstoppable simply because she refuses to stop, even when she should. I loved her tenacity even as I was yelling at her not to do or say something.
This novel is a packed with several real historical characters in one of those magical moments of history in which they all converge at the same time in the same place - which often seems to be Paris (mais oui!). I was impressed with the amount of research that went into writing this book; lest you think McCleary made up a too-convenient fact or meeting, the "editors" of Nellie Bly's notebook have a footnote to inform you of just how true each event was.
I found this book to be more a thriller than a whodunit mystery; in fact, there really is only one suspect and I kept wondering why it took so long for everyone to figure it out. Perhaps the reason was the book is a little long as it seems McCleary wanted to include *every* coincidence during the 1889 World's Fair, many of which meant one of the characters (usually Oscar Wilde got the job) had to spout a lecture about the history and meaning of said item. I think that several of these could have been cut to create a tighter narrative. Of course, the way the crimes were performed and the way the killer was caught are completely preposterous and unrealistic, but this is also a book in which Louis Pasteur and Toulouse-Lautrec appear together, so that tracks.
January 17, 2018
I really liked this book and I certainly wasn't expecting the ending that is for sure. I liked all the footnotes throughout the book telling of the real things that happened to Nellie Blye. This is the first book that I have read about this wonderful lady even though it was fiction.
The bulk of the book takes place in France during the late 1800's and Oscar Wilde, Jules Verne and Louis Pasteur are helping to find the "slasher". The author made Jules Verne a very interesting character in this book and he is the one that works mainly with Nellie Blye.
There are some humorous things in this book even though this is really a mystery. I wouldn't classify this as a cozy though as it discussed some serious things. Anarchy, communism, revolution and other nasty things.
I would have liked this story to move at a little faster pace as about mid-way I thought it bogged down a bit. For a first book I am impressed. I especially like the picture of the author at the grave of Nellie Blye in the back. I am giving this 4 out of 5 stars and would like to read the rest of this series.
The bulk of the book takes place in France during the late 1800's and Oscar Wilde, Jules Verne and Louis Pasteur are helping to find the "slasher". The author made Jules Verne a very interesting character in this book and he is the one that works mainly with Nellie Blye.
There are some humorous things in this book even though this is really a mystery. I wouldn't classify this as a cozy though as it discussed some serious things. Anarchy, communism, revolution and other nasty things.
I would have liked this story to move at a little faster pace as about mid-way I thought it bogged down a bit. For a first book I am impressed. I especially like the picture of the author at the grave of Nellie Blye in the back. I am giving this 4 out of 5 stars and would like to read the rest of this series.
December 17, 2017
I genuinely don't understand the bad reviews this book has gotten and am so glad I didn't let them scare me off. Nellie Bly, an actual historical figure I'm sorry to say I'd never heard of, sets off on an adventure in this debut novel to track down a slasher she stumbled upon while writing an expose about the terrible conditions at Blackwell Island, a women's asylum. She spends years tracking him, only for him to continue to elude her, until she hears from another journalist that murders were occurring in Paris that were eerily similar to what she saw at the Island. She encounters multiple historic figures from there, Wilde, Pasteur, Verne, just to name a few. The plot does get a bit convoluted in the middle, but nothing that diminished my enjoyment of the book. I'm also very happy to report that this is the first of a series!
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