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A Dangerous Business
A Dangerous Business | Jane Smiley
11 posts | 14 read | 11 to read
From the beloved Pulitzer Prize-winning and best-selling author: a rollicking murder mystery set in Gold Rush California, as two young prostitutes follow a trail of missing girls. Monterey, 1851. Ever since her husband was killed in a bar fight, Eliza Ripple has been working in a brothel. It seems like a better life, at least at first. The madam, Mrs. Parks, is kind, the men are (relatively) well behaved, and Eliza has attained what few women have: financial security. But when the dead bodies of young women start appearing outside of town, a darkness descends that she can't resist confronting. Side by side with her friend Jean, and inspired by her reading, especially by Edgar Allan Poe's detective, Dupin, Eliza pieces together an array of clues to try to catch the killer, all the while juggling clients who begin to seem more and more suspicious. Eliza and Jean are determined not just to survive but to find their way in a lawless town on the fringes of the Wild West--a bewitching combination of beauty and danger--as what will become the Civil War looms on the horizon. As Mrs. Parks says, "Everyone knows that this is a dangerous business, but between you and me, being a woman is a dangerous business, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise . . . "
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MaggieCarr
A Dangerous Business | Jane Smiley
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Mehso-so

Two women of the night track down the man killing them when nobody else seems to care. Vigilantes are motivated to protect their own and themselves when it comes down to it.

Parts felt very out of place for the 1800s setting but don't care enough to fact check to see if some mentions are known or even invented yet.

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Susanita
A Dangerous Business | Jane Smiley
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Tagged book was my favorite read in January, mostly for time and setting. Eight books finished, several in progress to varying degrees, and three each gone from the #readordonate and #readorbail stacks. On balance it was a good way to kick off the reading year. #jumpstart2024

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Susanita
A Dangerous Business | Jane Smiley
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Interesting story set in 1850s Monterey, California.
More than 100 years later, my family lived there in this house.

MrsMalaprop What a house! ❤️ 11mo
BookLineNSinker That's such a perfect house! 11mo
Lcsmcat Love Smiley‘s work! 11mo
See All 8 Comments
kspenmoll I love your house! 11mo
Susanita @BookLineNSinker @kspenmoll @MrsMalaprop I would love to see the inside! We lived there when I was a baby, so I don‘t remember. 11mo
dabbe 🤩🤩🤩 11mo
Cathythoughts Your house is gorgeous. I‘m going to start a sample of that book now , I‘ve enjoyed books by Jane Smiley 👍🏻🩷 11mo
tpixie That is a lovely home! 11mo
63 likes3 stack adds8 comments
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Susanita
A Dangerous Business | Jane Smiley
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1. No number goal, but I had some reading tasks I wanted to accomplish. The results on those were…mixed.
2. I don‘t know yet.
3. Tagged book is the January selection for one of my book clubs.
#wondrouswednesday

Eggs Thanks for playing along! Happy New Year 🎊 12mo
25 likes1 comment
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Cortg
A Dangerous Business | Jane Smiley
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Panpan

Got a head start on April‘s Book Club choice but unfortunately, it filled 0 of my challenges 😕I liked the setting, 1850‘s Monterey, CA but the story itself was kind of a bore. I was hoping for more action and more of a mystery. The main character, Eliza was ok but I enjoyed her friend Jean‘s character much better. Disappointed overall.

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kyraleseberg
A Dangerous Business | Jane Smiley
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I have too many ARCs for impulse library checkouts and yet, here we are 😂
The tagged book is a slow burn but really holding my interest - and it's my first Jane Smiley!
Baked a loaf of rosemary garlic sourdough this morning for a customer (and made an extra for myself!)

Tamra That looks amazing! 2y
kyraleseberg @Tamra Thank you, it's my favorite! 2y
22 likes2 comments
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LKK526
A Dangerous Business | Jane Smiley
Mehso-so

This is story about two ladies of the evening who solve the mysterious deaths of several young women. Nothing graphic but I just couldn‘t get into it and I know Jane Smiley is an excellent author.

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Tonton
A Dangerous Business | Jane Smiley
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Pickpick

Have loved Jane Smiley since Moo! Pre-Civil War Monterey setting; after her husband is killed in a bar fight Eliza works at a brothel and gains financial independence. Her friend Jean works in a similar establishment catering to housewives. The exploits of a fictional detective inspire the two to try and solve a series of murders of fellow prostitutes. Eliza is an intriguing mix of naïveté and practicality; some things never change.

24 likes1 stack add
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Mitch
A Dangerous Business | Jane Smiley
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Ohhhh…stacked a few! The tagged looks good

https://crimereads.com/8-new-novels-you-should-read-in-december/

IndoorDame What a great list! So many I want to read! 2y
Mitch @IndoorDame me too! It‘s a list we need to mail to Santa! 🤣🤣 2y
36 likes1 stack add2 comments
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ChaoticMissAdventures
A Dangerous Business | Jane Smiley
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Noted and stacked. Out Dec. 6 in the states.