A review by thelittlerusticreader
Gray Chamber by Grace Hitchcock

4.0

Ms. Hitchcock shines a light on a part of history that absolutely appalls me every time I read about it. In an unfortunate and enlightening tale that looks at how women were considered no more than a disposable possession, the author tackles the disgusting conditions of historical lunatic asylums and how money could pave the way for anyone to be incarcerated for their eccentricities, non-conformity, or for being considered problematic. The inclusion of undercover reporter Nelly Bly in the plot was an added bonus. I quite enjoy the True Colors: Historical Stories of American Crime series and enjoy them even more for illuminating strange but true fact-based history in a well-developed fictional work. Enjoyable, yet atrocious - not in how it's written, but in the topics dissected. Thankfully, each fictional encounter results in a happy ending that often wasn't the case in the actual events, and The Grey Chamber was no different. Well done, well rounded historical true-crime fiction.

I was provided with a complimentary copy of this title. All opinions are my own.