The story: Abby Mendenhall runs the Bethany Home for Unwed Mothers in Minneapolis in the 1890s. A new girl, Faith, appears on the doorstep needing a place to stay. Faith doesn’t speak and quickly creeps out some of the other girls with her slightly witchy ways that hint at mesmerism, a sort of hypnotism that was trendy at the time and that didn’t require any words, only actions. Abby has Faith room with May, who is eager to leave the Bethany Home but only if she is engaged and is properly respectable. May and Faith begin to learn more about each other and discover an unexpected connection–meanwhile, May is searching for a beau, Abby is trying to learn more about Faith’s background while also keeping the Bethany Home afloat, and the police are trying to solve a murder involving a madam.
Why I read it: Someone I follow on Instagram posted about it and it sounded interesting. I like mysteries, historical fiction, and books that are just a bit creepy without being straight up horror, so this seemed like something I’d enjoy.
What I thought about it: I was intrigued to learn that this book is actually based on a real series of crimes committed by one of the U.S.’s first serial killers in Minneapolis. That made me like it more, because as I was reading it seemed a bit far fetched. Abby, Faith, and May are all sympathetic characters in their own way (particularly Faith, who starts off extremely pathetic), and I was interested in what happened to each of them and wanted them to be okay. The ending doesn’t tie up every loose end, but the loose threads that you’re left with make sense in context, I think. Overall, I liked it, although I don’t think it will stick with me, and I won’t reread it. I would rate this 3.5 stars.