This USA Today bestseller brings together the first four books in the romantic and suspenseful Victorian San Francisco Mystery series: Maids of Misfortune, Uneasy Spirits, Bloody Lessons, and Deadly Proof. Maids of Misfortune (over 3400 reviews, 4.2 stars) introduces Annie Fuller, a young widow who runs the O’Farrell Street boardinghouse and supplements her income by giving financial and domestic … and domestic advice as Madam Sibyl. When one of Madam Sibyl’s clients dies in mysterious circumstances, Annie goes undercover as a domestic servant to find out the truth about his death. Against his better judgment, Nate Dawson, the Voss family lawyer, finds himself drawn into helping in her investigations, alternatively fascinated and frustrated by Annie’s independent nature.
Uneasy Spirits (over 1000 reviews, 4.4 stars) finds Annie Fuller and Nate Dawson, assisted by the boardinghouse maid, Kathleen, delving into the world of 19th century Spiritualism in order to expose a fraudulent trance medium. They will soon find there are as many secrets as there are spirits swirling around the séance table and some of those secrets will threaten the foundation of Annie’s career as Madam Sibyl and the future of her relationship with Nate Dawson, and, in time, they will threaten her very life itself.
In Bloody Lessons, (over 800 reviews, 4.4 stars) Annie Fuller has been asked by her beau, Nate Dawson, to find out who has been sending poison pen letters to tarnish the reputations of San Francisco public school teachers. The case becomes personal when they discover that Nate’s sister Laura may be one of the teachers being targeted.
In Deadly Proof, (over 800 reviews, 4.3 stars) first place winner of Chanticleer’s 2018 Mystery and Mayhem historical mystery award, Annie helps her fiancé, Nate Dawson, with a troubling case—defending a female typesetter who is accused of killing her employer. Complicating matters, Nate’s sister Laura decides to take the investigation into her own hands.
This boxed set of four cozy, historical mysteries, set in late nineteenth-century San Francisco, are appropriate for teens to adults, and it is a welcome companion to the fifth book in the series, Pilfered Promises, and Locke’s Victorian San Francisco Stories and Victorian San Francisco Novellas, which feature beloved minor characters.
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Just finishing the 4th book in series. I’ve really enjoyed reading the stories and learning about early San Francisco history.
Excellent historical context for these mysteries.
I enjoy the historical context.
Enjoyable series. Fun to follow along with the characters in this historical fiction mystery. Nothing heavy but entertaining just the same.
Love these books about SF history!!
Just right. A touch of history. A touch of romance (no porn!). A touch of mystery. Believable characters & setting. No typos!!! Thoroughly enjoyed reading this set. Hope to read more from this author.
Great story lines but really love all the Bay Area references and the history of the times.
Good series, plus author has given most of her repeating cast of characters their own storylines.
Love all her books set in Victorian times. The main characters are very interesting
The history part of the story was handled well- enough information to be interesting, but not in-your-face and annoying. The main character is well developed in the first 2 books, and the supporting characters are interesting, and rounded. The plot is developed carefully-tricky with enough danger to hold the readers interest, but not overly violent.
I really enjoyed these books. They depicted a time in the past. I also enjoyed the romance.
I loved all of these books by Ms. Locke, she is a wonderful author and never disappoints me. She is one of my favorite authors and I highly recommend all of her works. Thank you for many hours of enjoyment.
This is a fun series! I will read the next series also.
I love these characters and the setting in San Francisco back in the day when women were supposed to melt into the background. Annie with her dual identities is charming, determined, and not afraid to break the rules, graciously, of course. She and her almost boyfriend Nate find themselves in a variety of predicaments as she solves various mysteries that she gets involved in somewhat unintentionally.
Fun series of historical fiction in San Francisco.
I bought all the books in this series.
Love how she weaves real history into her novels.
I always enjoy reading books by this author. I love historical novels and she never fails to give a wonderful description of the era and the characters of that day and age.
I loved reading about the late1800’s and the mysteries are exciting.
I just finished Uneasy Spirits. I do enjoy this author. You never know where the characters will turn. Love the fact she interweaves facts and realism into the stories. You feel you have visited a family ancestor on the way. I think she perhaps enjoys writing as much as we enjoy reading.