The Whispering Women by Trish MacEnulty Book Review - Blog Tour

Publication Date: 09/06/22
Publisher: Prism Light Press
Page Length: 387
Series: Delafield & Malloy Investigations #1
Genre: Historical Mystery, Women’s Fiction

Synopsis

Louisa Delafield and Ellen Malloy didn’t ask to be thrown together to bring the truth to light. But after Ellen witnesses the death of a fellow servant during an illegal abortion, Louisa, a society columnist, vows to help her find the truth and turn her journalistic talent to a greater purpose.

Together, these unlikely allies battle to get the truth out, and to avenge the wrongful death of a friend.

What will our heroes do when their closest allies and those they trust turn out to be the very forces working to keep their story in the dark? They’ll face an abortionist, a sex trafficking ring, and a corrupt system determined to keep the truth at bay.

My Thoughts

Louisa Delafield is a society column reporter for a local newspaper. Once a part of the high society she writes about, her father's death and the bad investments he made caused a dramatic change in her family's circumstances. Now she works to support her mother and Suzie, their help. Marriage would have been the answer to her problems; however, with the family's reputation in tatters, Louisa is not considered the catch she once was. Besides, she prefers a career to marriage, but that is not to say she rejects romance entirely. Although she still attends high society events, as a reporter she is no longer one of them and some have great pleasure in reminding Louisa of that fact.

Ellen Malloy, destined for Hell according to her former parish priest, has left behind her family and an unwanted marriage proposal in Ireland. She is employed as a lady's maid by the Garretts, a prominent New York family. After witnessing an illegal abortion performed by a well-known society doctor that ended in tragedy for another servant from the Garrett household, Ellen's life is threatened. Finding it too dangerous to return to the home of her employers, she seeks help from the police. To Ellen's dismay, a safe haven is found for her with the Delafields, once close friends of the Garretts and with whom Louisa is still in contact.

When Ellen recounts her story and reveals who is responsible for the pregnancy which led to the death of her colleague, Louisa is shocked and reluctant to believe her. Ellen fears that Louisa's loyalty is to her class and will divulge her whereabouts to the Garretts, but Louisa has promised to keep this information to herself.

Still in pursuit of a good story to prove that she is able to write more than a society column and with Ellen's help, Louisa launches her own investigation into the murder of a policewoman who had been on the trail of an abortonist at the time of her death. This leads them into danger and reveals more to the naive Louisa of life and the questionable behaviour of the upper echelons of society

Louisa and Ellen are a great partnership. Both are courageous and sensible, and gradually come to trust each other despite their different backgrounds and experiences.

An added bonus is that Louisa's submissions to the newspaper: her society pieces and her more grittier stories, are included in the narrative.

The Whispering Women is an excellent introduction to this series set during a time when New York was changing socially and politically, but not so much for women of the era. This novel raises many issues relevant to their lives: employment, marriage, same sex relationships, abortion, prostitution, and briefly, the suffragist movement. It also explores government corruption and organised crime, the changing city scape as more opulent buildings are added and the disparity between the poor, immigrants and the wealthy.

The author provided strong characters and a rich historical background against which this mystery unfolded and I'm hoping that the second book in the series, The Burning Bride, will be similarly informative and exciting.

Where to Purchase

The books in this series are available to read on Kindle Unlimited.

Universal Link : Amazon AU : Amazon CA : Amazon UK : Amazon US : Barnes and Noble

Meet the Author

Trish MacEnulty is a bestselling novelist. In addition to her historical fiction, she has published novels, a short story collection, and a memoir. A former Professor of English, she currently lives in Florida with her husband, two dogs, and one cat. She writes book reviews and feature articles for the Historical Novel Review. She loves reading, writing, walking with her dogs, streaming historical series, cooking, and dancing.

Connect with Trish: Website : Twitter : Facebook : Instagram : Book Bub : Amazon Author Page : Goodreads


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