It’s the summer of 1879, and Annie Fuller, a young San Francisco widow, is in trouble. Annie’s husband squandered her fortune before committing suicide five years earlier, and one of his creditors is now threatening to take the boardinghouse she owns to pay off a debt.
Annie Fuller also has a secret. She supplements her income by giving domestic and business advice as Madam Sibyl, one of San … of San Francisco’s most exclusive clairvoyants, and one of Madam Sibyl’s clients, Matthew Voss, has died. The police believe his death was suicide brought upon by bankruptcy, but Annie believes Voss has been murdered and that his assets have been stolen.
Nate Dawson has a problem. As the Voss family lawyer, he would love to believe that Matthew Voss didn’t leave his grieving family destitute. But that would mean working with Annie Fuller, a woman who alternatively attracts and infuriates him as she shatters every notion he ever had of proper ladylike behavior.
Sparks fly as Anne and Nate pursue the truth about the murder of Matthew Voss in this light-hearted, cozy historical mystery set in the foggy gas-lit world of Victorian San Francisco.
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This is an author I had not previously read, but since it was free and of a genre I frequently enjoy, I thought I would give it a try. The author is a history professor, so the setting in nineteenth century San Francisco was well researched and felt very real. It was a charming mystery that kept me guessing as well as rooting for out heroine, …
4 stars to M. Louisa Locke’s Maids of Misfortune, the first book in the “Victorian San Francisco” mystery series and a great blend of murder mystery charm and historical shenanigans. I found the book on Amazon as a free Kindle e-read and thought it would be something slightly different… and it was a welcome read I recommend for anyone looking …
This is a charming, delightful adventure in Victorian San Francisco. You walk right into the past in Annie Fuller’s parlor and live alongside her through some very difficult days! The setting is vividly recreated, the characters are full-bodied people you’ll want to spend lots more time with, and the lively plot keeps it all rolling. Highly …
I love this writer’s insight into whatever era she is writing about, and the daily life of the people who lived then. Great researcher.
I enjoyed this book. The female lead is strong and does unconventional things for the time period. The conversations are full and robust going through all the possible reasons someone could have committed the crime, but then moves on to others who are suspicious. Near the last third of the book, i did feel the conversations got a bit …
I just can’t get enough of her books during this time period in San Francisco
Annie Fuller runs a boardinghouse and makes extra money as Madam Sibyl, a clairvoyant who provides business advice. When a client dies, she decides to investigate. She is helped by Nate Dawson, a lawyer who kindles a romantic attraction. The story excels in presenting the limits of class and gender during the period and in depicting historical San …
Very well written and captured the period.
Assume accurate historically. describes well know are which were completely different to today. Had read later books in series and akthough knew the likely outcome this was most enjoyable.
I really like the information at the beginning of each section.
this is a great cozy mystery with a historic twist. i really enjoyed the characters and the feisty, ingenuitive attitude of the main character. the prim and proper of the era meets do what it takes and creative solutions. this series is definitely on my wish list.
I enjoyed the story and the strong female character. Easy to read, forgettable, but fun. It was free, so I’m happy.
I have read others in the Victorian San Francisco Mystery Series, but never the first one in the series. The mystery itself was entertaining, with all the twists and turns you’d like to see. The late 19th century San Francisco setting is interesting. The character development, especially Annie and Nate and their budding relationship, was …
The first of many books I enjoyed reading in Ms Locke’s series!
good mystery story 🙂
They bill it as a Victorian San Francisco Mystery. I enjoyed getting to know about that place and time period. It makes me appreciate contemporary Midwestern life all the more! Sometimes the discussions trying to figure out who did it get a little tedious, but I enjoyed the book and was surprised by the ending.
This is was a refreshing read. I enjoyed the mystery, the original heroine, the storyline and the humor. Well done.
I throughly enjoyed this book. The characters are well developed and interesting. I found myself eager to know “what happened next” when the book was finished.
Set in San Francisco starting before the 1906 quake.
Set in Victorian San Francisco, the women in the book face different challenges because of their economic situations and society’s norms. The mystery is not that difficult to solve..