Fiction Based on Strange, But True, History True, riveting stories of American criminal activity are explored through a unique stories of historical romantic suspense. Collect them all and be inspired by the hope that always finds its way even in the darkest of times. When Harriet Peters came to Boston in 1882, the Robinson family took her in like one of their own, and Harriet became closer to … Harriet became closer to Lizzie Robinson than her own siblings. Now, four years later, Lizzie is deathly sick, failing quickly just like several others in her family have done over the past few years. How can so many in one family die from the same mysterious illness? Harriet doesn’t have answers, but she is determined to help the family, bringing in a new-to-the-neighborhood doctor, Michael Wheaton.
As Harriet and Michael close in on the answer, putting their own lives at risk, can the cause be found before anyone else dies?
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This book will keep you on the edge of your seat! It is full of drama, suspense and mystery that will keep you guessing until the end. If you like christian historical suspense, you will love this book. I highly recommend this book. Thank you Barbour Publishing via NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
Something is amiss, perhaps even sinister, at the Robinson house on Holland Street in Somerville, Massachusetts, in 1886. Family members are dropping like flies! Who will be the next victim? Mysterious illness, whispered conversations, and bizarre behavior along with misplaced loyalties, insanity, and self-doubt combine to make a compelling page-turner.
In a suspenseful plot that twists and turns revealing multiple suspects, Dr. Michael Wheaton struggles to uncover the truth and to protect his love, Harriet Peters, who resides with the Robinsons. The romance between Michael and Harriett develops slowly with many ups and downs. The thread of faith is meaningfully woven throughout the narrative.
The Green Dress is part of the True Colors Historical Stories of American Crime series. Most of the characters are real-life, and the author skillfully meshes the real-life characters with the fictional ones which are well-developed and memorable. Ms. Tolsma is a new author to me, and I will definitely be reading her other book in this series, The Pink Bonnet, and other of her works. I highly recommend this book and this series.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via netgalley but am under no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.
The Green Dress is the second of four books written by Liz Tolsma in the multi-author True Colors series. Based on the true story of Sarah Jane Robinson, arrested in 1886 after poisoning various family members including her own children, The Green Dress blends true events and characters into a story of suspense with a romance between the fictional main characters.
Called to give a second opinion on a young woman with a mysterious illness that has taken many in her family, Doctor Michael Wheaton soon feels that there is something altogether more sinister going on. He is dismayed when, bound by a deathbed promise, Harriet Peters moves into the Robinson family home to care for the younger sister and cousin of her best friend. Despite his urgings and a voice inside telling her to leave, she gives in to the manipulations of Mrs. Robinson and her love for the children along with feelings of guilt and obligation.
Though he faces ridicule and the specter of childhood bullying over his mother’s insanity, Michael refuses to give up or to leave Harriet to her fate. And as another death occurs, Harriet refuses to be complacent as well, even at the risk to her own life.
With The Green Dress, author Liz Tolsma strikes just the right notes of light horror within a Romantic Suspense story, allowing the reader to understand motivations while also wanting to say “no, don’t do that” or “even the chief of police is suspicious, don’t go back!” My appreciation for the choices made in writing this story increased with the Author’s Note as it explains why one of the victims was not mentioned and how facts were altered to accommodate the fictional story arc for Michael and Harriet while keeping close to the historical record. If you enjoy Historical Inspirational Romance with suspense and true crime, this is a series to explore and The Green Dress is a fine place to start.
This review refers to a temporary digital galley I voluntarily read via NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher. A positive review was not required and these are only my own, honest opinions.
Accepted into the fold of the Robinson family in 1882, Harriet Peters later grieves the lost of her best friend, Lizzy Robinson, who dies a quick, painful death.
But Lizzy was not first in her family to pass from unexplained circumstances. Her father went before her, and when a sibling of Lizzy’s dies with similar symptoms, Harriet puts her trust in Dr. Michael Wheaton. Together they look for answers. But will they find the answers before another Robinson dies?
Is the culprit some strange disease afflicting only the Robinson family, or is it something much more sinister?
Told in an easy to read fashion, The Green Dress is based on a true story, strange but true.
My thoughts:
I enjoyed the book, but by the second chapter I had it figured out. I wish more effort would have been used to hide where the story was going.
I tend to like books that are poetic in nature or contain wit. I can’t complain about the author’s solid writing style, but nothing endeared me to it either.
From the very beginning of the book, I liked Harriett. Her backstory was intriguing and seeing that she had risen above her circumstances to succeed offered hope. I felt her struggle throughout the book between keeping her promise to her friend and wanting to hold on to the one area where her life was her own. I anticipated who the killer was early on within the story. I was curious, however, to see if I was correct or if there would be a twist near the end. I did struggle though with sticking with the book. There wasn’t much action, or even any kind of hook that kept me wanting to turn the pages. I felt that the romance between Harriett and Michael could have been fleshed out a bit more. I did gasp though when the purpose of the green dress was revealed in the end. While this one missed the mark for me, I think the remainder of the reviews show that not every book is for every reader as others have clearly enjoyed it. If you like true crime and don’t mind if the story is a bit predictable, give this one a shot. I have enjoyed the series overall.
I have enjoyed and loved the True Colors series. The Green Dress does not disappoint. This is Liz Tolsma’s second contribution to the series. She such a talented storyteller and I love how she is able to bring about a based on true events tale. I was intrigued with the vivid historical details within the pages. She did a great job making me feel as though I was right there. Harriet’s story was one that kept me engaged from start to finish. I had no problem reading the whole book in one sitting. There was some suspense and mystery with a few twists and turns I could not have predicted it. I never knew what was going to happen next.
I am giving The Green Dress a very well deserved five plus stars. I highly recommend it for readers who enjoy books based on true stories in American history. Great read!
I received this book from the publisher. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.
I have read several of Liz Tolsma’s WWII books in the past and have enjoyed her ability to weave a beautiful story around tragic events. While this book is a departure from that particular era, I found this true crime novel to be not as far a leap as I thought; this story also deals with people’s cruelty and strange events that seem impossible yet remain based in truth.
Harriet is a likeable character for whom the reader is able to feel immediate sympathy. She has lost so much, and now stands to lose her best friend to a mysterious and painful illness. This brings her to Michael’s door, seeking help for Lizzie from the doctor just down the block from her own millinery shop. But the illness proves to be a different kind of danger than either is expecting.
The suspense ratchets up quickly, and having my own suspicions from the beginning, I couldn’t help but worry for Harriet and Michael both. Clues are hidden in plain sight, becoming clear as the tale continues, with a few instances of suspicion proving misplaced from early assumptions on my part. The author does a good job of giving enough information to keep the reader engaged, but without giving everything away from the outset.
I recommend this book for those who are interested in true crime stories but who don’t want foul language or gory details to be part of the content. This book does a good job of navigating a balance between reality and remaining clean, while still delivering a chilling story of suspense and man’s often inhumane treatment of others.
I received a copy of this book through Celebrate LIt but was under no obligation to post positive remarks. The opinions expressed are both honest and my own.
Author Liz Tolsma has written a chilling tale of a serial killer of the worst kind: a wife and mother who killed her husband, several children, and other family members, apparently to benefit from their life insurance policies. The Green Dress would seem to be the product of an author’s active imagination but it is actually based on the true criminal case of Sarah Jane Robinson, a woman who killed eight people over a course of five years before she was finally stopped. Tolsma weaves the historical aspects of the Robinson case into a fascinating story that has two fictional characters trying to discover just what is happening in this household. Harriet Peters and Dr. Michael Wheaton are the people who begin to suspect that these illnesses, and eventual deaths, might be more than just coincidence or a family curse.
Tolsma offers a tantalizing glimpse of the sick mind behind such unthinkable acts and even though the details of the illnesses and deaths are disturbing, this story has so much more. Readers are also given a message of faith, hope, and the sweet promise of a happy future for Michael and Harriet. The Green Dress is an intriguing combination of fact and fiction and a wonderful addition to the True Colors True Crime series. I recommend it to all who enjoy historical Christian romance and I especially enjoyed how Tolsma used the green dress in the title to create another shocking revelation to this story!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author via Celebrate Lit. There was no obligation for a positive review. These are my own thoughts.
An evil house and a green dress, what more could one want? I’ve read everyone of these True Colors stories of actual crimes interspersed with a bit of fiction. Many of the characters are real people you can Google and read more about, but a few are also fictionalized to make a more compelling story. I also like that each book is written by a different author. I am able to get to know the writings of new as well as familiar authors with each new True Colors story.
The Green Dress gave me many goosebumps and chills. A mother, Sarah Jane Robinson, birthed eight children but also held greed as more advantageous. One by one, members of her family are dying a horrible death attended by a Dr. Charles Beers. This illness seems to be contained within this house only. Is this a genetic problem or something else?
Harriet Peters is taken in by the Robinson family and cared for after finding her destitute and hungry on the streets of Boston. She feels an obligation to them even though she’s treated like a babysitter and housemaid. She meets Dr. Michael Wheaton and together they try to find out the reasons for so many deaths in the Robinson family. I was held captive to this story and read it in record time. Even though True Colors is a series, each one may be read as a stand-alone. But I highly recommend reading them all. I’ve learned so much about these strange but true crime histories.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through Celebrate Lit but was not required to write a review.
Another good story in the True Color Series, author Liz Tolsma writes a tale that gripped me from the beginning, as I tried to figure out “who dun it.” It could have been any number of people, or maybe it was the person I least expected. I read this book quickly so I’d know the answer! I’m not going to lie, this book was a bit creepy but it wasn’t horribly graphic.
The characters in this story, almost all who were real people, were very interesting. Besides the fact that people were mysteriously dying, they each had to deal with their own issues. Harriet was loyal to a fault and couldn’t see the reality of what was going on. Michael was wrestling with his past and needed to deal with it. But will he be able to? And can Harriet accept it? A light romance adds to the story.
I appreciated the subtle Christian overtones. There are some great discussions about death and how a person gets to Heaven.
This was a good book and if you enjoy mysteries you’ll enjoy The Green Dress.
I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.
Get out of the house.
There’s a fine line between providing enough detail and delving into the realm of the macabre when relating a horror story, especially when that story is true. The True Colors series by Barbour Publishing focuses on historical tales of true American crime, written as fiction but based on actual events. Often the main character is invented by the author to serve as an eyewitness to the crime, which makes for an interesting interpretation because while the narrative becomes biased according to that character’s viewpoint, it also increases the mystery as readers experience everything alongside the protagonist.
This was certainly the case for me as I read Liz Tolsma’s “The Green Dress.” So far, this is the only book in the series about a crime that I was not at least somewhat familiar with already, which was exciting in and of itself. I will admit that I figured out the crime and the whodunit by chapter two, and I was concerned that I would lose interest, wondering how the book could go on for 26 more chapters. However, my fears were unfounded, and I read almost all of it in one sitting. Tolsma’s talent shines through in this fact alone, as well as in the necessarily redundant nature of the tale’s occurrences. I was never once bored! I did, though, want to shout at the characters a few times so that they would see things that seem blatantly obvious to us as vicarious readers.
What I appreciated most about this story is how Tolsma weaves together the historical truth, the faith element, and the color theme into one seamless tapestry. Everything coalesced and worked together well, which is no easy task when writing with so many elements already fixed in place from the outset according to the series parameters. One particularly touching moment in the story addresses Harriet’s concern about whether she is good enough to go to heaven, to which Michael replies, “Did He love you enough to send His Son for you? He did, didn’t He? Then that’s all you need to know. No more fear. Because, though I pray the Lord gives you many more years here, when it is your time to leave this earth, you can have assurance of where you will spend eternity. It’s not what you did. It’s what He did.” I love that this is included in the story because so often we forget that we are saved by grace, not by anything that we do. May our faith, like Harriet’s, grow and increase as we experience the magnificent power of the Savior’s love.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Celebrate Lit and was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.
The True Colors series has been fascinating so far. It’s interesting to read a story built around true crimes in history that each author puts their voice into.
The Green Dress is a little bit slower read than the previous books because it’s apparent who the culprit is fairly early in the book. Yet, through the eyes of Harriet Peters, readers get an insider’s look at the Robinson family and the dastardly occurrences in happening in their household.
Harriet is loyal to this family for believable reasons and her friendship with the young doctor adds a nice romantic element.
Every one of the books in this series has driven me to research more about these crimes, and The Green Dress is no exception.
Disclosure statement: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.
Disturbingly intriguing. That description best fits this book—or, rather, the Robinson family. I am always interested to know how much is history and how much is fiction. In this case, quite a bit of the story was based on fact. The deaths that happened in these pages really did happen, and that’s the disturbing part.
It is a dark story. Especially when you realize the magnitude of deaths (of all ages) were really murders. There isn’t really gore mentioned—descriptions of the pain each victim had before death was described, but it definitely wasn’t gory.
Some would find the killer disturbing beyond reason—which is true. In that sense, Liz Tolsma did a great job capturing the craze of a narcissist. What is sickening is how “the will of God” was blamed. But it was clearly portrayed as coming from a warped mind (by the time the whole story wrapped up).
With so much death, the emphasis on heave and being ready to die was brought out vividly. I appreciated the message that one is not “good enough” to go to heaven, but rather that one has to accept the price Jesus paid. It did at times seem to portray that everyone went to heaven, but I think that was more or less just the characters coping. I was specifically looking to see if the question of “earning heaven” was answered in a Biblical fashion, and I do think it was.
The romance was obvious, with hugs, desire to kiss, and noticing each others’ looks, but it didn’t feel overdone or overemotional until about 60% in. Then, a switch seemed to flip and they both leaned on each other more. Honestly, my main thought has nothing to do with impropriety, as it didn’t seem to go too deep, but more that the chemistry felt a little forced to me.
This could be handed to a teen solely based on how that particular teen can handle disturbing plots. As far as romance goes, I didn’t really find the romance too heavy personally. It was definitely way less of a focus than the mystery.
As far as storyline goes, I found it fascinating and one I’d like to reread sometime. I read it mainly on nights when I was both tired and editing my own writing, so overall I felt like the dialogue and chemistry was stiff and at times the characters felt a little stupid because it was super clear that the family was being poisoned and even who was doing it; but that could have totally been my brain working overtime.
*I received this book from the publisher and happily provided my honest review*
Each and every book I have read from the True Colors series has been excellent. I have enjoyed the historical tales based on true American crimes. Some of them are almost too strange to believe but it is obvious that the authors have researched their chosen subjects well.
The Green Dress is a somewhat disturbing addition to the series. The story itself is very good with well developed, three dimensional characters who practically leap off the pages of the book. Even the villains of the story showed more than one side of their personalities. The disturbing thing is the very idea that such evil people exist in our world and the depths of their lack of conscience and depravity. The fact that the story is based on a true crime is indeed unthinkable.
I tend to enjoy suspenseful novels. The Green Dress contained just the right touch of mystery and suspense to hold my interest and keep me turning the pages. I found Harriet and Michael to be perfect heroes with their loyalty, determination to find the truth, and resolve to help. It was not too much of a surprise when the truth was exposed but satisfaction that the horror had been stopped. I found it particularly interesting when the role of the green dress was revealed.
I highly recommend The Green Dress as well as the entire True Colors series. I don’t intend to miss a single book in the series.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Celebrate Lit. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
This series!! What horrific tales!!! The depravity of man exposed in a “palatable” fashion—fiction, with fictional characters woven deftly through the fabric of the story.
Ms. Tolsma opens her story with a chilling scene, dousing the reader immediately with high drama and tension. As Lizzie fades away and Harriet struggles with the loss, Mrs. Robinson stands out as either a suffering mother and victim herself—or a sinister and wicked woman.
I was fond of Harriet and appreciated her devotion to the Robinson family. But I questioned her willingness to be manipulated; it happens of course, but Harriet was clever and quite tenacious at times, too.
While the story was gripping—who was the guilty party and why—I felt that it rather dragged on somewhat. The dialogue was, for this reader, dry and bland. And though Mrs. Robinson was a seamstress, there was (if memory serves) only one vague reference to a green dress with a subtle implication that it presaged Harriet’s death, which begged the question of the purpose of the title.
Still, as the story built, and more people died, the more I kept turning the pages to find out the answers.
ROBIN’S FEATHERS
THREE FEATHERS
I received a complimentary copy of this book, but was under no obligation to read the book or to post a review. I offer my review of my own free will. The opinions expressed in my review are my honest thoughts and reaction to this book.
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