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Mob Queen by Erin Bledsoe

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  Who was Virginia Hill? What made her become part of Chicago Mob? This story explores briefly Virginia’s childhood and her abusive marriage at very young age, giving an understanding what might have led her to become one of the mobsters. Set in 1930s Chicago, Virginia’s path to the Mob starts with her search for her missing friend who disappeared in New York. But when you deal with a mafia, once you’re in, there is no way out. In order to be sent to New York, Virginia has to prove that she can be trusted. She is put at racetracks and told on which horse to bet money. At the racetrack, she meets charismatic Ben (Bugsy Siegel), and that’s when things take a turn, and she feels her trust is being tested. Her path also crosses with Velma Capone who taches Virginia how to rise in popularity and reputation as Virginia is told to create a new persona. Virginia goes from racetracks to money laundering and along the way discovering mafia’s involvement in things she didn’t expect....
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Not They Who Soar by Amanda Flower

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  Not They Who Soar is book 2 of historical mystery series that gives center stage to Katharine Wright, the sister of the legendary Wright Brothers. Set in the early 20 th century, at a time when Wilbur and Orville Wright already had their first flight and were working on improvements. Thus, were not ready to attend the St. Louis Exposition in Missouri. Instead, Katharine attends it where she reunites with her best friend from Oberlin College. As Katharine arrives in St. Louis, right at the train station, she encounters a mystery woman who has been attacked. Katharine is unable to help the woman, but as she encounters her the second time, her last words are - aeronautics competition. Unable, to forget the mystery woman, Katharine convinces her best friend to join her investigation. Katharine is a curious, tenacious and likeable character. The premise is fascinating, giving Katharine space to shine as she lived in the shadow of her brothers. She was an educated woman, forwa...
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The Girls of Good Fortune by Kristina McMorris

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  The Girls of Good Fortune explores the complexity of family and identity set in the era troubled with anti-Chinese sentiment. Portland, end of 19th century. Celia’s family escaped China for America, a place advertised as the Golden Mountain, only to face a new set of hardship. As Celia’s father works at a coal mine, she works as a maid for mayor’s family, where she falls in love with the mayor’s son. It’s a challenging situation for both of them, and they’d have to move to Washington Territory for their marriage to be legal. The story begins with a romance which has dire consequences for Celia. It is further intertwined with her abduction and stark reality for Chinese immigrants, and scary underground world of the Portland’s Shanghai Tunnels. The story tangles between two timelines. It takes time to make sense and get connected with the present timeline, which is abduction. Once, present timeline makes more sense, then the story becomes more engrossing in its entirety. Celia, hal...
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The Blackbirds of St. Giles by Lila Cain

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  The Blackbirds of St Giles brings a perilous journey of two siblings, Daniel and Pearl, who escape a slave rebellion in Jamaica in 1768. Their journey takes them to New York where in 1776, Daniel answers king’s call to join His Majesty’s Troops during the struggles to retain America in exchange for freedom. While picking up the arms, Daniel saves a Major’s life in a battle. He is rewarded with the man’s inheritance. Thus, the journey takes him and his sister to London. But promises are not always kept. What was supposed to be a rewarding life turns into a misery and another fight for survival. The siblings are thrown into the streets of dark parts of London brimming with poverty and cruelty. This poignant story vividly paints the terrifying streets of 18 th century London, the treacherous realities and persistence of two siblings exposing their hopes and despairs. It’s charged emotionally, and the bond between two siblings is deep and at times overprotective. It’s the stor...
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The Fisherman's Gift by Julia R. Kelly

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  Set in 1900 Skerry – a small Scottish fishing village, where a child’s arrival, washed up at shore, shakes this tight-knit community. Dorothy takes the temporary care of the child. Despite the resemblance, she knows it can’t be her child lost to waters years earlier, same age as this boy now.   The story goes back in time, and at first, is narrated between two women. Dorothy when she comes to this tiny village as a teacher and how she is mocked by other women for no reason and how isolated she feels. And Agnes, who has her eyes on Joseph, but Joseph has his eyes on the newcomer.   The past narrative of Dorothy and Joseph reveals touchingly the story of Moses, Dorothy’s son, and who the father is. The present narrative uncovers the story of the mysterious boy. There is much more to the storyline, uncovering human relationships, how we assume things, instead of asking questions. How those assumptions can lead to wrong decisions, lasting lifetime. There is also mot...
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The Pretender by Jo Harkin

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 The Pretender imagines the story of Lambert Simnel, a pretender to the throne of England and a threat to the newly established reign of Henry VII. He was the figurehead of a Yorkist rebellion against the House of Tudor. The story begins in 1480s England with John growing up in a village, believing that his father is Will Collan, but everything changes when he is told that a rich man wants to pay for him to study. When the rich man arrives, he’s accompanied by a younger man and introduced as Maister Richard Simons, a scholar and priest, who is to take over John’s education. Not only that, Maister Richard informs John that he was John Collan, and now, he is Lambert Simnel – something that, of course, makes no sense to John. It is then explained that he is actually the son of George, the Duke of Clarence. By title, he is the earl of Warwick, meaning next in line to the throne. Nothing makes sense to the boy who thinks of himself as a peasant. Oxford becomes his new home, but it’s far...
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The Saint Laurent Muse by C.W. Gortner

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  The Saint Laurent Muse brings to life the Paris of the 70s with the greatest names in fashion, their rivalry, nightlife, glamour and vanity. Loulou de la Falaise comes from aristocratic family. Her childhood wasn’t nurturing. It involved divorced parents, foster families, boarding schools, and unloving grandparents. It led her into unhappy marriage at young age, followed shortly by divorce. But there was one crucial lesson which her mother, Maxime, instilled in her that it was important to create one’s existence. Her mother always looked forward, never backwards, and understood that the key to happiness was to find something you love to do. For Maxime, it was fashion collections in Paris where she also took Loulou who was mesmerized by the clothes. Loulou’s career path takes her from assisting at in-store fashion shows in Europe to some odd fashion jobs in NYC. While visiting a friend in Paris, she is invited to a Saint Laurent couture fashion show. And that’s when everything...
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