In Victorian England, flower seller Constance Piper goes searching for the truth behind a new rash of murders in London’s East End . . . In November 1888, the specter of Jack the Ripper instills fear in every woman who makes her living on the streets of London. But there are other monsters at large, those who shun fame and secretly claim their victims from among the city’s most vulnerable . . . … city’s most vulnerable . . .
Options are few for unmarried mothers in Victorian England. To avoid stigma, many find lodging with “baby farmers”—women who agree to care for the infant, or find an adoptive family, in exchange for a fee. Constance Piper, a flower seller gifted with clairvoyance, has become aware of one such baby farmer, Mother Delaney, who promises to help desperate young mothers and place their babies in loving homes. She suspects the truth is infinitely darker.
Guided by the spirit of her late friend, Emily Tindall, Constance gathers evidence about what really goes on behind the walls of Mother Delaney’s Poplar house. It’s not only innocent children who are at risk. A young prostitute’s body is found in mysterious circumstances. With the aid of Detective Constable Hawkins, newly promoted thanks to Constance’s help with his last case, Constance links the death to Mother Delaney’s vile trade. But the horror is edging closer to home, and even the hangman’s noose may not be enough to put this evil to rest . . .
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The Angel Makers by Tessa Harris is the second A Constance Piper Mystery. Constance Piper is a flower seller in 1888 London where Jack the Ripper is making his presence known. Constance is out with her sister, Florence and their friend, Cath. Cath is still reeling from the death of her daughter, Evie a year earlier. She left her with baby farmer who promised to find Evie a good home. Cath changed her mind the next day only to be told that Evie died overnight. The next morning Cath is found dead in Clark’s Yard from strangulation. Constance with the aid of her ghostly friend, Emily Tinsdall sets out to find who harmed her friend. The police are not going to look to deeply into a prostitute’s murder. Constance begins her investigation by gathering intel on the woman who took in Cath’s daughter, Mother Delaney. There seems to be something sinister going on in that Poplar household. As the evidence mounts up, Detective Sargeant Hawkins joins Constance on the search for truth and justice.
The Angel Makers has an intriguing premise. I had not heard about baby farmers prior to this book. These poor women trusted an individual to watch their child (for a fee) or to find a loving and caring family to adopt their child. Unfortunately, it was a different era without the proper protections in place for the mothers and their children. The Angel Makers is based on an actual case. The author provides details at the end of the novel on Ameila Dyer and her misdeeds. While the mystery was interesting, I had a hard time wading through The Angel Makers. Tessa Harris’ descriptions of the area, the clothing, and their speech were accurate for the time period. The descriptions allowed me to visualize the scenes. The author included historical details that enhanced the book. You can tell that Ms. Harris did her research for this series. I found it difficult, though, to get into the story. The POV switches between Constance and Emily Tindall which leads to a disjointed book. I would get involved in Constance’s story and it then switches to Emily. So I switch gears and find out what Emily is up to. Just as you get involved in the scenario, it switches again. I found the writing awkward, formal and stilted. The pace of the book was slow (I think snails move faster than the storyline). I believe The Angel Makers would have been better if it had been written from the third person. While the mystery is complicated, I found it a simple matter to pinpoint the guilty person. The Angel Makers can be read alone. Details from The Sixth Victim are included. My rating for The Angel Makers is 2 out of 5 stars. While The Angels Makers was not a hit with me, that is not true for other readers. I suggest you obtain a sample to see if this The Angel Makers is the right fit for you.