These Shallow Graves

Starred review from August 17, 2015
Josephine Montfort, one of the wealthy elite in 1890 New York City, is supposed to finish school, marry a suitable gentleman, raise a family, “and that is all.” But smart, self-assured Jo desires more from life—and wants to become a reporter like Nellie Bly. When Jo’s father unexpectedly dies, and she discovers that his death wasn’t an accident, she teams up with an intrepid reporter named Eddie to find out what really happened. They uncover secrets that upend everything she has known, and
Jo risks her reputation as they visit checkered parts of the city and she starts to fall for Eddie. While this isn’t a short book, Donnelly’s (Revolution) action-packed chapters propel this compelling mystery. Through Jo’s sheltered perspective, readers learn about class disparity right alongside her, and Donnelly is as adept at describing an opulent ball
as she is a seedy neighborhood. Though some of the constraints placed on female behavior during that time period have faded, the injustices Donnelly highlights remain all too relevant. Ages 12–up. Agent: Steven Malk, Writers House.

Starred review from January 25, 2016
This captivating historical thriller, set in turn-of-the-century N.Y.C., follows the peril-filled progress of beautiful socialite Josephine “Jo” Montfort as she risks her life to prove that her wealthy ship-owner father’s death was not an accident. She stumbles wide-eyed through dark and dangerous sections of the city she never knew existed, accompanied by a street-smart young reporter named Eddie Gallagher, an assistant coroner named Oscar, and a pretty pickpocket named Amy. Donnelly fills her generous-sized novel with monstrous villains, suspenseful situations, hair-breadth escapes and shocking discoveries. It’s highly dramatic material and actress Bubbs doesn’t as much read it as perform it. She catches Oscar’s buoyant optimism, the sternness of Jo’s uncle Philip, and the fragility hidden under Amy’s bravado. And, most important, she brings to life moments of elation and despair that Jo and Eddie experience in the course of their rocky romance. It’s a highly entertaining presentation adults—young and otherwise—will enjoy. Ages 12–up. A Delacorte hardcover.