This is a very good Victorian mystery. The author did a lot of research on Victorian era working women . A widow who has excellent business sense has to pretend to be a clairvoyant because women are not supposed to know about finances. When a client is killed, she tries to find the murderer. The style of shoes and dress, the fact that she is not allowed to go to certain places unaccompanied, and the idea that it is unseemly to ask questions or have opinions make it very difficult to solve this mystery. You also see how truly difficult the life of a maid is during those times. I recommend this book. I have read three of these victorian San Francisco mysteries. I enjoyed every one. The pace is slow, and I read them in small bits, but it felt like a good friend waiting for me at the end of the day that I couldn't wait to catch up with. The chapters are quite small, the characters engaging, the plot intriguing. The heroine, Annie Fisher, owns and runs a boarding house, but supplements her income by acting as Madam Sybil, dispenser of financial wisdom and common sense. In the nineteenth century a woman's ideas were given greater gravitas if she claimed extraordinary powers than relying on her own intellect. The books are fun to read in an engaging historic setting. The three mysteries came in a set, and I will be looking for other titles in this series.
What do You think about Dienstmädchen Im Unglück (2009)?
Cute little mystery. Wished it would have started as strong as it ended, but I enjoyed it.
—Brandie_J
a good mystery which depicts attitudes toward strong women in the 1870s
—rashaleeswaggerific
Liked the characters, can't wait to read more!
—diamonia
