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A Novel
by Caroline Woods
A tightly plotted page-turner ripped from the headlines of history, as three very different women must work together to stop a killer and save the truest home they've ever known.
Before hypnotism, there was Mesmerism. And in 1894 Minneapolis, in the wake of a national financial crisis, spiritualism of every stripe is all the rage, and women are dying under mysterious circumstances. But until a new guest lands at the Bethany Home for Unwed Mothers, refusing to speak or explain her arrival, the sordid stories of unexplained deaths seem unconnected. Faith's reticence is quickly interpreted as malevolence, setting the house abuzz with whispers of dark magic.
Abby, a staunch Quaker, lifelong supporter of progressive causes, and the Bethany Home's treasurer, thinks the rumors of mystical powers swirling around Faith are nonsense, but she recognizes the danger of a good story. Unwilling to allow the Home's important mission to be clouded by scandal, Abby tasks Faith's roommate, May, with tracing Faith's path to the Bethany Home.
May is desperate to end her year at Bethany Home engaged and on track to her happily-ever-after—even if her prince charming is Hal, a man she's not sure she can trust. She uncovers a Minneapolis she never expected as she begins digging into Faith's shadowy background, and her investigation brings her closer to polite society and Hal than she could have dreamed. The more May learns, the more she's forced to question the motives of everyone around her, including Abby and Faith, and as more women turn up dead, May must reevaluate the future she wants, and which lies she's willing to tell, for whom.
Rich with tension, suspicion, and sharply observed characters, Caroline Woods reimagines a classic American genre through the eyes of three bold, unforgettable women.
"Excellent ... Fastidious historical detail, expert suspense, andindelible characterizations combine to make this acertifi ed page-turner. Readers will be up all night." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"The trust that ebbs and flows among the characters is this novel's strength...An atmospheric turn through a real-life 19th-century scandal." —Kirkus Reviews
"Riveting...A good, timely choice for discussion on women's bodily autonomy and the ability to live independently from a man's control." —Booklist
"Caroline Woods is a masterful storyteller. You will be on the edge of your seat as you read the story of Faith, Abby and May as they set out to solve a murder in nineteenth-century Minneapolis. Unforgettable characters set in a time of dark history is haunting, atmospheric and thrilling. True crime junkies and historical fiction fanatics, this fabulous read is for you!" —Adriana Trigiani, New York Times bestselling author of The Good Left Undone
"The magic of The Mesmerist is not only found in the spiritualism that haunts every page, but also the three tenacious women at its core, dedicated to unmasking America's first serial killer. With expert skill, Woods turns the screw, ratcheting up the real danger and the contemporary panic around women's independence. A darkly textured, delicious read." —Katy Hays, New York Times bestselling author of The Cloisters
"A mystery, a page turner, and a glimpse of true crime in nineteenth-century Minneapolis, The Mesmerist is both entertaining and enlightening. It's a compelling story of murder, deception, unwed mothers, and the steadfast women dedicated to helping them. Beautifully rendered characters and excellent storytelling." —Allegra Goodman, New York Times bestselling author of Sam
This information about The Mesmerist was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Caroline Woods holds an M.F.A. in fiction from Boston University. She is the author of the novels The Lunar Housewife and Fräulein M., and she has taught fiction writing at Loyola University Chicago, Boston University, and the Boston Conservatory. Raised in Delaware, she now lives near Chicago with her husband and two daughters.
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