– I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review. –

To be published by Minotaur Books on 02 Oct 2018
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Rose Gallagher might dream of bigger things, but she’s content enough with her life as a housemaid. After all, it’s not every girl from Five Points who gets to spend her days in a posh Fifth Avenue brownstone, even if only to sweep its floors. But all that changes on the day her boss, Mr. Thomas Wiltshire, disappears. Rose is certain Mr. Wiltshire is in trouble, but the police treat his disappearance as nothing more than the whims of a rich young man behaving badly. Meanwhile, the friend who reported him missing is suspiciously unhelpful. With nowhere left to turn, Rose takes it upon herself to find her handsome young employer.

The investigation takes her from the marble palaces of Fifth Avenue to the sordid streets of Five Points. When a ghostly apparition accosts her on the street, Rose begins to realize that the world around her isn’t at all as it seems―and her place in it is about to change forever.

I chose this book because…

Anticipating my move to NYC, I’ve all of a sudden developed a new fascination with how NYC is portrayed in novels, films, and other media. This historical murder mystery seems like another fun way to dive into that. Y’all know much I love plowing through thrillers/mysteries! But wait, a ghostly apparition? The world changing forever? A suspicious friend? Is that not a premature hint? I need to know how it all goes down! This novel also reminds me of The Crowns of Croswald by D.E. Night (following a kitchen maid turned magic person), which I read recently and enjoyed, so I’m looking forward to this one.

Upon reading it…

Mr. Wiltshire’s disappearance was only the tip of the iceberg. As Rose uncovers the mystery, more and more secrets are revealed about NYC’s most wealthy. It’s hard to fathom that there exist people as rich and powerful as NYC’s elite, so it’s fun to muse about how they come about it (even if we know it isn’t true). I was just as eager as Rose to get to the bottom of it all, and had the pleasure of reading from the sidelines as she did all the heavy work.

Rose is intelligent, observant, headstrong, and stubborn. But it always irks me when the strong female lead has a weakness for a man. Why is it always like that?? You can probably guess from the blurb that Rose and Mr. Wiltshire may or may not have a thing. I don’t mind people having innocent crushes on each other, but the way this thing happened felt like a Disney plot line. I think the development of their relationship could have been more compelling if there was more tension and a more nuanced regard to the power structures of those times, especially since Five Points vs. Fifth Avenue is already a theme in the novel.

Then again, I’ve always been critical of relationships (especially in YA novels). I’ve gotten used to overlooking this aspect in most novels I read, and anyways, there was enough adventure to keep me preoccupied!

★★★★☆

Funny, isn’t it, how the days that change your life forever start out like any other?

I couldn’t help feeling that adventure had found me at last. I was yet young and foolish enough to relish that.

When your world is as small as mine, it doesn’t take much to go beyond the limits of your experience.

I daresay life is a good deal simpler not knowing.