True Colors: Historical Stories of American Crime Fiction Based on Strange, But True, History Will Edyth prove her sanity before it is too late? On Blackwell’s Island, New York, a hospital was built to keep its patients from ever leaving. With her late parents’ fortune under her uncle’s care until her twenty-fifth birthday in the year 1887, Edyth Foster does not feel pressured to marry or … year 1887, Edyth Foster does not feel pressured to marry or to bow to society’s demands. She freely indulges in eccentric hobbies like fencing and riding her velocipede in her cycling costume about the city for all to see. Finding a loophole in the will, though, her uncle whisks Edyth off to the women’s lunatic asylum just weeks before her birthday. And Edyth fears she will never be found.
At the asylum she meets another inmate, who upon discovering Edyth’s plight, confesses that she is Nellie Bly, an undercover journalist for The World. Will either woman find a way to leave the terrifying island and reclaim her true self?
Also Look for:
White City by Grace Hitchcock (March 2019)
Pink Bonnet by Liz Tolsma (June 2019)
Yellow Lantern by Angie Dicken (August 2019)
Blue Cloak by Shannon McNear (March 2020)
Oh boy. Hang on for a ride! This book is intense. It’s so hard to believe these things really went on. That a woman could be institutionalized on the whim of her guardian is incredible. And the horrible way they were treated made me furious. Yet God used this time to bring about some necessary changes both in Edyth and in the system.
Fictional character Edyth Foster really irritated me sometimes. Way too trusting, and too willing to openly flaunt societal norms, she made a lot of trouble for herself. Yet with such a warm heart that you can’t help but love her. And her fencing master was a true, swoonworthy hero.
This is a compelling read with a romance that will leave you breathless. It also left me with a desire for honest journalism once again. I highly recommend it!
I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.
Edyth is an immediately endearing character who exudes kindness, wit, and an adventurous spirit. I especially admire her independent nature and generosity. Edyth’s bright personality and sharp mind intensify the stark disparity of her abruptly altered circumstances. My heart aches for the many victims of such asylums.
The Gray Chamber is every bit as chilling as its cover yet, as all proper romance novels should, this story also possesses a satisfying happily ever after. I highly recommend this book for its historical value and heartfelt plot.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and was under no obligation to post a review. The opinions expressed are my own.
They say she’s crazy…but is she really…?
I’ve seriously been getting into the True Colors series and The Gray Chamber was no exception. Grace Hitchcock’s second offering in the series was exciting, romantic, and creepy. Really, did you think you could have a book partially set in the women’s lunatic asylum on Blackwell Island and not have some creep factor going on?
One of the most shocking things about the 1800s is just how little it took for a woman to be committed to a mental asylum. No joke, more than one woman was committed for reading novels. Good thing I didn’t live back then! Journalist Nellie Bly went undercover as patient at Blackwell Island and big changes were made at the facility because of her testimony as to what went on. My school history book mentioned Nellie Bly’s work, but, as so often happens with fiction, The Gray Chamber really brought the whole dark business home.
Grace Hitchcock has a winner in The Gray Chamber. I very much enjoyed reading it, from the quirky antics of the heroine to the danger in the asylum to the final showdown with the villain. If you are into historical fiction based on real history you should check out this book from Grace Hitchcock, as well as the rest of the books in the True Colors series…
(I received a copy of this book from the author. All opinions are entirely my own.)
This one was a hard read. Going into it I knew that it could be a tough one. It was a very interesting story idea. Don’t let the darkness of the circumstances in this book drown out the hope and love that is also in this book. I had heard of Nellie Bly before this, so it was interesting to read more about her. I just want to caution readers that the violence in this book may be a trigger to some. Other than that, it was a pretty interesting book.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
Grace Hitchcock has penned another compelling novel that I read in one day. I loved everything about this book from her thorough research to her incredible characters. The Gray Chamber is a heart wrenching story of fictional character Edyth Foster who was placed in a very real and horrible asylum on Blackwell Island, New York.
Edyth is such a free spirited young lady who enjoys her life as a single lady of leisure would do but unfortunately her relatives saw that as an opportunity to have her committed. The horrible treatment she and the other ladies placed there experience will break your heart. It’s hard to imagine that people were institutionalized in some cases because families couldn’t deal with them or for more nefarious reasons.
I loved seeing the appearance of Nellie Bly an undercover journalist and the work she did to help expose the atrocities the patients suffered, but what I loved most of all was the caring people in Edyth’s life.
True Colors written by various authors has been one of my favorite series and has jarred my memory on historical events that I had forgotten about.
If you love Historical Stories of Romance and American Crime then you’ll definitely want to read this series. They are all standalone novels which I love.
Overall, I thought The Gray Chamber was a fast paced, heart-pumping read. It kept me engaged from beginning to end which is why I highly recommend it.
I received a complimentary copy. All opinions are completely my own.
What frightening things does the Gray Chamber hold? Edyth Foster is about to find out.
Grace Hitchcock weaves a tale based on the awful truth of women residing in the dreadful Blackwell Island Insane Asylum in New York in 1887. Ms. Hitchcock handles the facts admirably as she unfolds the barbarous treatment of women who may or may not be insane. Her research is extensive and includes first hand accounts of Nellie Bly who went undercover to write about and expose these injustices.
But not all is gloomy. We are introduced to the unconventional Miss Edyth Foster, an heiress who has her quirks. Her habits include riding a Velocipede and fencing. She may have madcap ideas but she is funloving and has great faith. We meet our hero, Bane, at the fencing club he owns and where she has been a longtime member. Ms. Hitchcock gives us likable protagonists and a dastardly villain or two. The excitement grows as the story plays out. I especially liked the quotes at the beginning of each chapter by renowned artists such as Paul Cezanne: “We live in a rainbow of Chaos.” And Pierre August Renoir: “ The pain passes, but the beauty remains.” The author infuses hope through a secondary character,Polly, whom Edyth befriends in the asylum.
I recommend this book for those who like to see fiction uncover the real story behind historical crimes.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishers on behalf of the author. I was not required to give a favorable review. All opinions are my own.*
This story is full of page-turning suspense. I fairly inhaled this story as I couldn’t put it down and didn’t want to look away! There were several twists and turns I wasn’t expecting and that really made for an exciting story.
Right from the beginning, I was pulled into the story and felt like I was right there walking through the events hand-in-hand with Edyth. I was part of the story, every high and low. I often found myself holding my breath and trying to not skip lines to see what would unfold next.
If you enjoy suspenseful stories that keep you glued to the book as you live it with the characters, then do yourself a favor and snag a copy of this book!
Note: Each of the books in the True Colors Collection is a stand-alone story.
(I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher. I am not required to write a positive review. My thoughts and opinions are my own.)
The Gray Chamber True Colors: Historical Stories of American Crime by Grace Hitchcock is a Christian Historical Romance Thriller Fiction set in 1887. Ms. Hitchcock ́s newest book is based on the real crimes of committing unwanted family members to asylums. She explores the various reasons for committal, treatments and many abuses. Nellie Bly the famous journalist even makes an appearance. I found this book interesting, exciting and somewhat terrifying to think these crimes could happen. I thought the characters were at times not completely believable but at the same time very likable. There was an excellent Christian message throughout about trusting God in all things.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I appreciate the opportunity and thank the author and publisher for allowing me to read, enjoy and review this book. 4 Stars
The Gray Chamber by Grace Hitchcock is historical fiction. Edyth Foster is an eccentric young woman living in New York. Her uncle is her guardian and has control of her inheritance until she is twenty-five years old. Edyth is not rushing to get married or bow to the conventions of society and is very trusting. However, when her uncle remarries things begin to unravel for Edyth. Edyth’s fortune reverts to her uncle if she dies or is declared insane. There is an insane asylum on an island off the coast of New York. The story goes that once you are checked in you don’t come out. Edyth hopes that her friends will wonder what has happened to her and somehow help her escape. Meanwhile, living conditions are deplorable. Edyth’s roommate turns out to be Nellie Bly who is in the asylum to do an undercover expose on the institution. The big question is will they ever escape and be free women again. Very interesting reading. I would recommend it.
Possibly the best of all of the True Crime Series (it’s a daily toss-up on that), The Gray Chamber offers a realistic look into the seedy side of late nineteenth and early twentieth-century mental institutions and how corrupt they were. Seeing the story of Nellie Bly, reporter, through the eyes of a semi-fictional character is done with honesty, brilliance, and compassion.
I sat on the edge of my seat the whole way through. I’d purchased an ebook copy of the book to read for my podcast, but after reading it, I knew I had to have the paperback for my personal collection. Excellent characterization, no anachronisms that I recall, and spiritual content that tugged at your heart. A five-star read for sure.
(3.5 / 5)
I enjoyed this book for the most part. The characters were mostly interesting, though this is the type of case where I liked some of the side characters more than the main characters. The way the plot unfolded was fairly predictable, but there were enough surprises to keep it interesting.
This is the second book I have read in the True Colors series, and like the other one, despite being written by a different author, this one was far more focused on the romance than on the true crime plot line. Edyth’s plight to escape the asylum and her uncle’s grasp wasn’t just a vehicle for the romance, fortunately, but I still felt that the crime part of this book could have been stronger. I think this is further reflected in the fact that Edyth was not at the asylum long enough for her to be quite how she was later in the book (trying to be vague to avoid spoilers). This particular issue really may have just been my own opinion, and I am not saying that what she did suffer in the asylum would have been easy to handle. It just didn’t seem to be as severe as it was portrayed later.
I enjoy a good romance, especially if it’s clean and sweet. I prefer subtle, but with a romance-genre book, I rarely get that. This, however, is barely billed as a romance, yet was so far the opposite of a subtle romance plot, I got to a point where I didn’t care that much about the relationship between Edyth and Bane. It was so over-the-top sappy sweet, and just about all either of them seemed to ever think about was each other…it was just too much for me.
The official synopsis mentions a woman that Edyth meets in the asylum and her true identity, which frankly, I think was a mistake to explain in the synopsis. Her true identity is revealed so late in the story that it makes little sense to me that I knew it the entire time, simply because of the synopsis. This kind of thing always bugs me, but maybe it’s just a pet peeve.
As I said at the beginning of the review, the book wasn’t bad. I ended up scanning through some of the repetitive declarations of feelings between the two lead characters and didn’t feel like I missed much. The ending did drag on a bit, but I enjoyed it enough to say that I can recommend it for fans of Christian romance (heavy on the romance), but I wouldn’t recommend it too strongly for fans of crime novels.
Thank you to Netgalley and Barbour Publishing, Inc. for providing me a copy of this book to review.
what an awesome book! Suspenseful and inciteful into the horrors of throw away people. How horrible this tale was about Edyth! A must read!
What a combination – historical romance and true crime! The true crime is based on Nelly Bly’s secret admission to an insane asylum in the late 1800s to reveal the truth behind the conditions and how women were treated. Let’s just say I’m glad I didn’t live during that time frame because men really thought women were fragile and not sane. Frightening is really the word.
When this book first starts, it is like most other romances. Edyth is a woman of means despite the fact that her Uncle controls the pursestrings. She is in love with her fencing instructor and has been for many years. He doesn’t see her as more than a friend until a party when her cousin helps her dress for a ball and is a sight to behold. This is where the story gets interesting. Edyth and Bane admit their attraction for one another and Bane has decided to court her. Her Uncle has discovered a loophole in her parent’s will and decides that Edyth needs to be diagnosed as insane. What happens from there is where the story really gets interesting. Edyth tries to escape the asylum with the help of a few friends. Bane is trying to find her because she has just vanished and he doesn’t believe the stories he is being told by her Uncle.
I found the story to be engaging and fascinating and I liked the tie to an actual event in history. The author even discusses what she changed to make it fit the actual events. I”m now intrigued to read the book about Nelly Bly’s time in the asylum and what she encountered. I can’t believe women were treated this badly a century and more ago, but I know it did happen. It makes me appreciate what I have now in this time and how far women have come in this world.
We give this 4 paws up.
The Gray Chamber is part of the True Colors historical fiction series. I read one other book by a different author in that series and hoped this one would be as good. I was not disappointed! Inspired by a true story, Ms. Hitchcock skillfully blends real-life characters and events with the fictional ones. This book set in 1887 chronicles the story of a fictional heiress Edyth Foster who is unjustly committed to the Women’s Lunatic Asylum on Blackwell’s Island by her Uncle in an attempt to gain control of her fortune and Raoul “Bane” Banebridge her long- time friend and fencing instructor who comes to realize his true feelings for Edyth just before she suddenly disappears.
The suspenseful plot twists and turns with deception and betrayal along side perseverance, faith, and love and flows at a suitable pace. The events at the asylum are depressing and disturbing but are handled in a tasteful manner. The characters are well-developed and memorable and vivid descriptions add life to the story. The faith element permeates the story with scripture and prayers as Edyth’s confinement grows her faith despite the circumstances. Edyth says, “This place has stripped away the layers of thick skin, and I am raw, for I have had no one or nothing to lean on here but the Lord.”
This was a page-turning, can’t-put-down, finished -in-one-day read for me, and I highly recommend it.
Ms. Hitchcock is a new author for me, and I look forward to reading her other book in this series The White City and her novellas.
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.
Edyth Foster is committed to a terrifying asylum on Blackwell Island in 1887. This story is fictional yet based upon a true story. Oh my, for a wonderful, exciting life to.. committed… Her Uncle found a Dr. that would commit her and he then would inherit what was to be hers. The asylum was horrible and the author takes you into the darkness Edyth has to endure. This is not a story I will soon forget. I was delighted at the ending! I was gifted a copy, no review was required, my review is voluntary.
This story was so well done. I couldn’t put it down. I was outraged to think that people could so easily be committed to an asylum, that doctors would willingly conspire with family to do so, and that those patients would then be treated so horribly. But the story wasn’t told in a heavy way that left me feeling hopeless. There were characters determined to stand up for what was right and change things. There was also some lighthearted moments that endeared the characters to me right from the start. This book does an excellent job of educating as well as entertaining the reader.
Being unique could give a woman the kind of trouble she never wanted.
The Gray Chamber is the second book I have read by Grace Hitchcock in this True Colors series and I was just as riveted this time as I was for The White City. Her talent at crafting such a menacing and heart-stopping story is punctuated by her ability to craft well rounded characters.
Edyths’ uncle gave her only two choices. One would leave her near destitution and the other would put her in an institution. That sure doesn’t leaver her with many options. And just when her life was about to change for the better. My heart sank as he stood over her, insisting that she decide which hell she would choose.
As I read this story, I was reminded of how far we have come as women. We forget that they would institutional size a woman for being depressed, eccentric, bold, out spoken, and every other “unflattering” personality but for being crazy. If we think for one second we have it bad now, be thankful we don’t live in the late 1800’s
If you are looking for a chair gripping, page turning, time consuming suspense that will break your heart while bringing you joy, The Gray Chamber by Grace Hitchcock is the book for you.
***I was given a copy of this book by the publisher though CelebrateLit. The views expressed are my own and a positive review was not required. (But definitely given.)
I cannot get enough of this series! Every single story is full of captivating characters, eerie situations (yes they creep me out a little!), suspense, and amazement. The Gray Chamber is no exception to that. Hitchcock had my attention from the very first line, and didn’t lose it until the end.
Edyth was such an interesting character. I loved her attitude about things. I mean, in the very beginning scene she is riding her velocipede (which I did look up by the way because I wanted to see a picture of it), not caring what the world thinks of her, or if society might look at her in disgust. That’s just how she wants to travel and therefore that’s how it’s going to be! Honestly, as the story started to unfold of her being forced to the asylum, I liked her even more. She was strong, courageous, and not willing to back down. I love strong heroines like that.
The inclusion of Nellie Bly was a fantastic idea, and really brought the story to life even more! And Nellie wasn’t there to steal the show, which I have to admit I was a little worried about. But no, the focus remained on Edyth and the truth she was trying to uncover. And honestly, Hitchcock made me feel as if I was right there along the journey. I love it when an author is able to include you in the story. It just adds to the whole experience!
Hitchcock has written a brilliant story here, one that readers will find themselves devouring in one sitting. I cannot wait to see what comes next in this fantastic series! I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The Gray Chamber is part of the True Colors series. I thought it was a pretty good read that is based on true events. I was really sad for Edyth Foster and what she had to endure. I have never heard Blackwell Island. It truly is amazing what people had to go through back in the nineteenth century in America. I rooting for Edyth from the start and admired her bravery, courage and her fight to live. I was amazed to see the addition of the character of Nelly Bly. The two become quite the team.
I am giving The Gray Chamber five plus stars. My favorite part was the author’s notes at the end of the book. Grace Hitchcock has shown that she is a talented writer and one that writes historical suspense. I loved this one and hope she will have another addition to the True Colors series.
I received this book from the publisher. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.
Sometimes it’s difficult to write that Five Star Review, because honestly, all I want to do is tell everyone they need to go out and buy this book.
So, that’s what I’m doing. Hey, Everyone?!? Go out and buy this book!
The Gray Chamber is a gripping page-turner! This book has it all – romance, intrigue, suspense, charming lead characters and superbly written bad guys!
I couldn’t put it down!
This is the first story I’ve read by Grace Hitchcock. It definitely will not be my last!
The Gray Chamber is available NOW – visit Christian Book to purchase your copy!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was not obligated to leave a review.
The Gray Chamber is the fourth book in the True Colors – Historical Stories of American Crime. This is a completely stand-alone novel.
Content Note: [While key scenes were written as delicately as possible, those sensitive to physical and mental abuse may wish to proceed with caution. (hide spoiler)]