A Dangerous Business

A young widow works at a brothel in 1850s Monterey, California, where she adapts to a new life amid the Gold Rush boom. By night she entertains clients, and by day she explores the growing seaside town with her friend Jean, a fellow sex worker who shares her curiosity about local mysteries. When women begin disappearing in the area, Eliza and Jean take inspiration from Edgar Allan Poe's detective stories to investigate the crimes. They develop their own system of observation and deduction while navigating the dangers that surround them in their profession. The novel recreates the atmosphere of 1850s California through precise historical details of the period, from the mix of cultures in Gold Rush-era Monterey to the social constraints placed on women of the time. The plot combines elements of historical fiction and classic detective stories. Through its exploration of friendship, survival, and amateur sleuthing, the story examines how women created their own forms of power and agency within the strict limitations of their historical moment.

Readers found this historical mystery to be slow-paced, with many noting it works better as a character study than a thriller. The exploration of 1850s Monterey and details about sex work in Gold Rush-era California interested history buffs. Readers appreciated: - Rich period details and atmosphere - Female friendship between the protagonists - Integration of Edgar Allan Poe references - Strong sense of place Common criticisms: - Lack of suspense or urgency - Meandering plot with limited payoff - Too much focus on daily routines vs mystery - Abrupt ending "The historical details were fascinating but the mystery fell flat," noted one Amazon reviewer. Several readers compared it unfavorably to Smiley's previous works. Ratings: Goodreads: 3.5/5 (2,000+ ratings) Amazon: 3.7/5 (500+ ratings) LibraryThing: 3.6/5 (100+ ratings) The book particularly appealed to readers interested in California history and character-driven historical fiction rather than traditional mysteries.

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🌟 The term "parlor house" was used in 1850s California to describe upscale brothels, which were often more respected establishments than their modern counterparts. 🌟 Edgar Allan Poe's "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" (1841), referenced in the book, is considered the first modern detective story and created many of the genre's conventions. 🌟 Author Jane Smiley won the 1992 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for her novel "A Thousand Acres," a reimagining of Shakespeare's King Lear set on an Iowa farm. 🌟 Monterey was California's first capital and only operated as the state capital for one year (1849-1850) before the seat moved to San Jose. 🌟 During the Gold Rush era (1848-1855), San Francisco's population exploded from 1,000 to 25,000 residents in just two years, making it one of the fastest-growing cities in history.