Julie's Review: Woman 99

Author: Greer Macallister
Series: None
Publication Date: March 5, 2019
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Pages: 368
Obtained: publisher via Netgalley
Genre:  Historical Fiction
Rating: 4/5
Bottom Line: Historical look at the treatment of women with mental illness
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Summary: When Charlotte Smith's wealthy parents commit her beloved sister Phoebe to the infamous Goldengrove Asylum, Charlotte knows there's more to the story than madness. She risks everything and follows her sister inside, surrendering her real identity as a privileged young lady of San Francisco society to become a nameless inmate, Woman 99. The longer she stays, the more she realizes that many of the women of Goldengrove aren't insane, merely inconvenient ― and that her search for the truth threatens to dig up secrets that some very powerful people would do anything to keep. A historical thriller rich in detail, deception, and revelation, Woman 99 honors the fierce women of the past, born into a world that denied them power but underestimated their strength. ~amazon.com  

Review:  Woman 99 is a story about how the bond and love between sisters is so strong one will go to extreme lengths to save the other one. Charlotte's sister Phoebe is the one person that she knows she can count on. She's the one that used to be full of fun and mischief but then all of the sudden she's gone, taken away to a hospital for women who have issues. Charlotte blames herself for her sister being taken away because she was defending her choices in life.

So Charlotte takes matters into her own hands to rescue her sister. Except that she's not really fully prepared for what awaits her. She's lived a privileged life and the things she sees within the walls of the asylum shock her.  She just figured she would walk in, find Phoebe and walk out but what happens is a bit of self discovery for her. She finds out that she is strong, brave and smart. It also leads her on a path that wasn't anything she expected. 

The book also highlights the mistreatment of Women in mental hospitals when they were privately owned and not well regulated. It does show how far we've come in the treatment of mental illnesses, particularly for women, but that we still do have a long way to go in the stigmas for mental illness.

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Julie's Review: Girl in Disguise

Author: Greer Macallister
Series: None
Publication Date: March 21, 2017
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Pages: 320
Obtained: publisher via NetGalley
Genre:  Historical Fiction
Rating: 4/5
Bottom Line: A wonderful historical fiction novel with a kick-butt female protagonist
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Summary: Inspired by the real story of investigator Kate Warne, this spirited novel follows the detective's rise during one of the nation's times of crisis, bringing to life a fiercely independent woman whose forgotten triumphs helped sway the fate of the country. With no money and no husband, Kate Warne finds herself with few choices. The streets of 1856 Chicago offer a desperate widow mostly trouble and ruin―unless that widow has a knack for manipulation and an unusually quick mind. In a bold move that no other woman has tried, Kate convinces the legendary Allan Pinkerton to hire her as a detective. Battling criminals and coworkers alike, Kate immerses herself in the dangerous life of an operative, winning the right to tackle some of the agency's toughest investigations. But is the woman she's becoming―capable of any and all lies, swapping identities like dresses―the true Kate? Or has the real disguise been the good girl she always thought she was? ~amazon.com

Review: I seem to be on a Chicago history kick lately because that's the main setting for Greer Macallister's wonderful Girl in Disguise. Kate Warne is a force to be reckoned with and to behold. She doesn't shy away from challenges and one of her first hurdles is to just get hired on by Pinkerton. Of course, being the first female detective isn't going to be easy and she has her battles including the one where all her male co-workers think she's sleeping with the boss. Kate is damn good at her job and can slip into different persona's easily.

I loved the cases that Kate was put on because they showcased her skills and her keen ability to read people. This has to do with how she was brought up by her parents. She also hones her skills by watching how her partners do their job as well.  Was Kate lonely? Absolutely and she wrestled with this all the time. She was married to her job and a man wouldn't understand that kind of dedication by a woman.

It's never easy to be a pioneer in anything but Ms. Macallister shows just what battle that was for Kate. She never stopped trying to be the best even when a lot was riding on her case, including the welfare of the country. She knew what needed to be done and got it done, even with great personal sacrifice.

I love knowing something that my husband doesn't know especially since he likes all the typical spy, subterfuge movies and he had no clue about the Pinkerton Detective Agency let alone the first female P.I. I have to say I was a bit smug about it. Plus then I had to use Google to find out if they are still around and they are but the focus is Risk Management.

Girl in Disguise is a wonderful historical fiction novel with a strong, kick-butt female as the protagonist. I can't recommend this book enough!


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Julie's Review: The Magician's Lie

Author: Greer Macallister
Series: None
Publication Date: January 13, 2015
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Pages: 320
Obtained: publisher via Shereads.org
Genre:  Fiction, Historical Fiction
Rating: 5/5
Bottom Line: Simply Stunning
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Summary: Water for Elephants meets The Night Circus in The Magician’s Lie, a debut novel in which the country’s most notorious female illusionist stands accused of her husband's murder —and she has only one night to convince a small-town policeman of her innocence. The Amazing Arden is the most famous female illusionist of her day, renowned for her notorious trick of sawing a man in half on stage. One night in Waterloo, Iowa, with young policeman Virgil Holt watching from the audience, she swaps her trademark saw for a fire ax. Is it a new version of the illusion, or an all-too-real murder? When Arden’s husband is found lifeless beneath the stage later that night, the answer seems clear. But when Virgil happens upon the fleeing magician and takes her into custody, she has a very different story to tell. Even handcuffed and alone, Arden is far from powerless—and what she reveals is as unbelievable as it is spellbinding. Over the course of one eerie night, Virgil must decide whether to turn Arden in or set her free… and it will take all he has to see through the smoke and mirrors. ~sourcebooks  


Review: The Magician's Lie has elements of both those fantastic novels named above but it really is it's own book. It's been a while where I've been mesmerized by a lead character and Arden/Ada/Miss Bates entranced me. I can say that up until the end of the novel, I really wasn't sure if she was telling the truth. I wanted to believe her, just like Officer Holt but based on what she did for a living it made me think twice about taking her story at face value. Oh what a story! As Office Holt "arrests" Arden for the murder of her husband, she implores to him that she's innocent. He wants her to tell her the story of what happened that night but of course the history leading up to that point in time must be told. This is where Arden hooks you. Her story of loss, abuse, gaining power, gaining control and finding love are beguiling.

It is not only in Arden's story that Ms. Macallister sets the tone but also in the history of illusions and illusionists. It is in the way she describes Adelaide's show and how Arden feverishly watches them to learn their secrets. As I read the novel, I could hear the roar of the audiences as Arden would describe them. I could feel her pain as she described the abuse/torture she lived through. I could feel the power of her illusions and the control she had over them. Arden's home was with the family she created with her crew and performers.

In Arden, we have a strong, independent woman who fights for what she believes is right and also for her own future. She is smart and beautiful. I never found her to be cunning. Instead I found her to be brutally honest and sincere in the end. 

There isn't much I can tell you about the plot frankly without giving the good bits away, so I won't. I will say the plot is well-written and even with some plot twists along the way, they never felt contrived. As a reader you are pulled into a time when entertainment traveled by rail and everything you saw on a stage was new and exciting. You were simply dazzled by the performances.

That's how I feel about this novel, I was dazzled. I wanted to race to the end to find out what happened and I also didn't want it to be over. I wanted Arden to be happy but not at an awful price.

If you love books about the late 1800s and early 1900s then The Magician's Lie will transport you to that time. As I read the book I was recalling a few movies from 2006 featuring illusionist as main characters: "The Illusionist" (Ed Norton & Jessica Biel) and "The Prestige" (Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale). Also, if I were to cast Arden it would be Emma Stone.

For me this book was magic in the best way and the way Arden would want it to be.

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