It is November of 1880, and the future looks promising for Annie and Nate Dawson. Nate’s law practice is taking off. Annie has made the transition from pretend clairvoyant to a successful financial consultant, and as a couple, they are looking forward to spending their first Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays together.For Robert Livingston, the owner San Francisco’s newest grand emporium, the … emporium, the holidays are shaping up to be a dismal failure if he can’t figure out how to stop whoever is stealing from his department store, the Silver Strike Bazaar. When he hires the Dawsons to investigate, Annie and Nate discover that behind the doors of Livingston’s “Palace of Plenty,” nothing is quite what it seems.
Pilfered Promises, by USA Today bestselling author, M. Louisa Locke, is the fifth full-length historical mystery in the cozy Victorian San Francisco mystery series featuring Annie and Nate Dawson and their friends and family in the O’Farrell Street boarding house. Locke’s shorter works, found in Victorian San Francisco Stories and Victorian San Francisco Novellas, feature minor characters from the series.
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I am not normally a reader of historical fiction, but I really enjoy this series of Victorian San Francisco mysteries. Pilfered Promises is the 5th installment, and although each can stand alone it is really nice to get to know the characters. By this time Annie has given up working as a fake clairvoyant and is giving business advice and solving mysteries. She is a strong independent female character, one of the reasons this series is so appealing. This time Annie has to solve the problem of shoplifting in the Silver Strike Department Store. Great descriptions of victorian life, with likeable characters and a mystery to solve.
Great mystery with a wonderful history lesson included. I LOVE all of M. Louisa Locke’s books. She really researches her material so I feel like I am studying history in a fun way. The mysteries are cozy and keep me guessing.
This cozy mystery is an easy read and lacks action, violence and language which is a plus for some readers. The story is more about the boarding house characters than the overlapping crimes. The winning element is the historical setting, San Francisco 1880, and the newspaper quotes that start each chapter reflecting life, at that time, and an element featured in the story. Female servants and those who employ them but struggle to stay independent are faced with the barriers of the age as they solve the mysteries The characters are eccentric and charming.
Different
I love reading about this strong woman and the realistic struggles of women in the late 19th century
A great Christmas read
The author did a lot of research to create the world of 1880 and shared details about the lifestyle to transport the reader into the story. The characters, especially Annie and Nate, were fully crafted and endearing with just enough backstory to make the reader root for them. This was the fifth book in the series but made me want to read the earlier stories.
Ms Locke never fails to entertain. Wonderful Book!
This whole series is a fun read mostly because of the characters. Once you get to know them, you want to know what they are up to now. Each of the books in this series have been a fun read. Give them a try.
I have read other books by this author and have always enjoyed them.This was was no exception. I like how she introduces new characters but keeps the same other characters from different stories in her books.I always feel like I am part of her extended family because I know so many of them. I will continue to read this series.
I love this author and anything that she writes. I like the time period that she writes about and her representation of women’s abilities and role in the early years of San Francisco.
No love him / hate him with the main characters. They are all wonderful all the time. Lighthearted and smile worthy
Just an easy Sunday read, based on a historic time in the 1800’s. There are several books in this series, and I’ve enjoyed them all.
I love this series. There are a lot of story lines but well written so that all are entertaining to follow. I love to read about SF in that time period.
Another addition to a wonderful series.
Love this series!
The story line was enjoyable, and it held together well. The characters were all very interesting.
Second of the series I’ve read and very much enjoyed falling into the time period and the murder mystery.
Feminist
I love historicall fiction, in this book Annie is hired by a department store to check where a money shortage and inventory shortage is occurring. She finds numerous fraud schemes going on plus a murder.