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mad_about_books's review
4.0
MAIDS OF MISFORTUNE is a charming little murder mystery, set in Victorian San Francisco, with nary a strange steam engine in sight.
When you read Victorian, does London, shrouded in fog, come to mind first? Do you think of Whitechapel and Saucy Jack? In MAIDS OF MISFORTUNE, you will find yourself far from the British Isles in another city where the fog rolls in quite regularly, old San Francisco.
Annie Fuller is a strong female protagonist in a male dominated era in history. Her story is revealed over the course of the book as she embroils herself in the mysterious death of Matthew Voss. I found her story to be believable, and, in many ways, reflective of women's issues today.
I am finding that nearly every piece of fiction I have read over the past year or so contains the patina of current political issues. This is true even for books that were published well before the current situation. I think it is because every issue of equal rights and human rights is in the forefront of my mind. For example, the immigration issue, again front and center in American life, hasn't changed much since the 19th century. The nationality of distain in Victorian era San Francisco was Chinese; however, you only need substitute the social group under attack on any given day to see that we have not progressed very far.
When I review a book, I just don't do spoilers. I think it's bad enough that the description of many books does just that. I try not to read more than a word here and there in the descriptions myself. I delight in being surprised by what I read. I will, however, clarify what I mean by a charming little murder mystery. Many of today's mysteries are either cozies or hard-boiled and gritty. I would not classify MAIDS OF MISFORTUNE as either. The language invites reading by any and all age groups, and the story is told in such a way to highlight Victorian mores. I find this kind of writing to be quite refreshing.
M. Louisa Locke has created a well-rounded cast of characters, and I look forward to learning more about each of them. I found MAIDS OF MISFORTUNE to be an excellent introduction to a series that I have put off reading for far too long. If you enjoy a good mystery, you will probably find that this is just your cup of tea.
When you read Victorian, does London, shrouded in fog, come to mind first? Do you think of Whitechapel and Saucy Jack? In MAIDS OF MISFORTUNE, you will find yourself far from the British Isles in another city where the fog rolls in quite regularly, old San Francisco.
Annie Fuller is a strong female protagonist in a male dominated era in history. Her story is revealed over the course of the book as she embroils herself in the mysterious death of Matthew Voss. I found her story to be believable, and, in many ways, reflective of women's issues today.
I am finding that nearly every piece of fiction I have read over the past year or so contains the patina of current political issues. This is true even for books that were published well before the current situation. I think it is because every issue of equal rights and human rights is in the forefront of my mind. For example, the immigration issue, again front and center in American life, hasn't changed much since the 19th century. The nationality of distain in Victorian era San Francisco was Chinese; however, you only need substitute the social group under attack on any given day to see that we have not progressed very far.
When I review a book, I just don't do spoilers. I think it's bad enough that the description of many books does just that. I try not to read more than a word here and there in the descriptions myself. I delight in being surprised by what I read. I will, however, clarify what I mean by a charming little murder mystery. Many of today's mysteries are either cozies or hard-boiled and gritty. I would not classify MAIDS OF MISFORTUNE as either. The language invites reading by any and all age groups, and the story is told in such a way to highlight Victorian mores. I find this kind of writing to be quite refreshing.
M. Louisa Locke has created a well-rounded cast of characters, and I look forward to learning more about each of them. I found MAIDS OF MISFORTUNE to be an excellent introduction to a series that I have put off reading for far too long. If you enjoy a good mystery, you will probably find that this is just your cup of tea.
thebrownbookloft's review against another edition
4.0
More than 3 stars, less than 4 I opted for the higher end. It was a quick, enjoyable read. I liked Annie's plucky spirit.
wordsmithlynn's review against another edition
3.0
Cute clever mystery set in San Francisco in the 1800's.
carolmm's review against another edition
3.0
It was a good timewaster on a recent trip, but I wouldn't go seeking out the next installment unless I was really stuck for something to read.
applezing's review against another edition
3.0
The mystery was pretty interesting but the romance subplot was underwhelming. Thank you, Nate, next.
kkop12's review against another edition
2.0
This book just wasn't for me. I think part of it was that it was not a favorite genre for me (mystery). I thought perhaps the setting (late 1800's in San Francisco) would be of interest to me, but there was not a lot of time spent on setting since much of the book took place inside a house. The character development was alright, but overall the book was slow and too easy to predict. It was a freebie off of bookbub, so it was worth a shot :-)
rosemaryandrue's review against another edition
2.0
This is not a bad book. The characters are likable, the premise interesting, the setting immersive. The prose had its moments of loveliness, even if the dialogue got clunky on occasion.
But I'm giving it a low rating because the plot did not work very well. Our lady sleuth and the police alike went about their investigation in an exceedingly haphazard way, and the low quality of red herrings made it pretty clear to me who the killer was almost from the start. The uncompelling romance took up more than its fair share of the book, which didn't help matters.
Bottom line, read for the historical detail, not the crime.
But I'm giving it a low rating because the plot did not work very well. Our lady sleuth and the police alike went about their investigation in an exceedingly haphazard way, and the low quality of red herrings made it pretty clear to me who the killer was almost from the start. The uncompelling romance took up more than its fair share of the book, which didn't help matters.
Bottom line, read for the historical detail, not the crime.
laikiaroo's review against another edition
3.0
Excellent cozy mystery/historical romance. Very PG fluff that offers delightful escapism. Glad there is a whole series to return to when I need a read like this.
constant2m's review against another edition
5.0
Everything about this book was charming. I read it a while back but found the audiobook on sale recently, so it gave me the excuse I needed to reread it.
Annie Fuller, a trained financier who can find no work since she's not a man, masquerades as a fortune teller in order to earn an income. Unfortunately, near the beginning of the story, one of her favorite clients is found dead and she believes it's murder. Along with a lawyer who initially mistakes her boarding house as a brothel, Annie goes undercover to track down the suspect. And what a character Annie is. She is quite forward for her time, insisting on doing things her way and getting into plenty of scraps, but also getting herself out of those scrapes without needing a man to rescue her. Regardless, the growing relationship between Annie and her lawyer friend is sweet. There is also a Chinese servant who is a constant reminder of the stereotypes of Chinese at that time. He, like Annie, stands out from the stereotypes in many ways. I can't wait to continue rereading or listening to this series. I had forgotten how fun these books are.
Annie Fuller, a trained financier who can find no work since she's not a man, masquerades as a fortune teller in order to earn an income. Unfortunately, near the beginning of the story, one of her favorite clients is found dead and she believes it's murder. Along with a lawyer who initially mistakes her boarding house as a brothel, Annie goes undercover to track down the suspect. And what a character Annie is. She is quite forward for her time, insisting on doing things her way and getting into plenty of scraps, but also getting herself out of those scrapes without needing a man to rescue her. Regardless, the growing relationship between Annie and her lawyer friend is sweet. There is also a Chinese servant who is a constant reminder of the stereotypes of Chinese at that time. He, like Annie, stands out from the stereotypes in many ways. I can't wait to continue rereading or listening to this series. I had forgotten how fun these books are.