Category: Historical Fiction

Blog Book Tour | “The Masque of a Murderer” (Book 3 in the Lucy Campion Mysteries) by Susanna Calkins Whilst Jorie borrows the first novel in the series to properly become acquainted with Lucy Campion!

Posted Friday, 17 April, 2015 by jorielov , , , , , , , 0 Comments

Ruminations & Impressions Book Review Banner created by Jorie in Canva. Photo Credit: Unsplash Public Domain Photographer Sergey Zolkin.

Acquired Book By:

I was selected to be a tour stop on the “The Masque of a Murderer” virtual book tour through Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours. I received a complimentary copy of “The Masque of a Murderer” direct from the publisher Minotaur Books (an imprint of St. Martin’s Press via MacMillan), in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Whilst I drew closer to my tour stop date, I realised the best way to draw entrance into a three book series is to read the first and second novel of the Lucy Campion mysteries. Therefore, I requested by ILL (inter-library loan) the first novel: “A Murder at Rosamund’s Gate” whilst submitting a purchase request at my local library for the second novel “From the Charred Remains” as it was released a month before my tour stop and I’m only able to ILL items outside of six months from publication. The ILL request went through and the purchase request is still pending, therefore, my readings of “A Murder at Rosamund’s Gate” are without being obligated to post a review, as my ruminations on behalf of this novel are for my own edification only.

Intrigued to Read:

To my own recollective memory, I first discovered A Murder at Rosamund’s Gate and the Lucy Campion series as a whole via my local library — as the choice to sub-title my blog ‘a bookish library girl’ is far more apt to who I am than one might first believe possible! You see, it’s a direct reference to the fact I spend half an age scouring the stacks (both physical and virtual) of my local library, seeking out literature of not just the historical past but literature across genre and declaration of style to curate a ‘next reads’ (or as the masses refer to as a ‘TBR’) list that would be most gratifying to undertake reading! My TBR List on Riffle is a bit of a work-in-progress as it’s not yet released to the public, as I’m cross-conferring with handwritten notes, and the few short stack of papers which were my personal book diaries which pre-dated my blog: Jorie Loves A Story. I shared the prior project with my close personal friends, wherein this project is shared with the world as a whole.

Those lists were generated by visiting local Indie book shoppes, national chains in lieu of local book shoppes (as let’s face it, not every area has local Indies; so very sad!), local libraries in four separate counties, and numerous bookish sites and/or group author blogs online — to where I would have this immersion of fiction that not only crossed over the centuries but through every style currently being published by novelists today! As previously declared in a variety of posts and on my Review Policy specifically, (or even on the header of my Twitter acc!) I ‘dance through genres’ inasmuch as I am a hybrid reader of both mainstream and INSPY markets.

Settling inside the 17th Century felt like a keen idea, as the 18th and 19th Centuries are more widely known to me, as they hold within their chapters of time such happiness found whilst alighting during the Victorian and Regency eras. A close second for me would be the Edwardian era, of which I have Downton Abbey to thank, and Ms Kaine to bless for giving me such a heightened awareness of a new ‘era’ to fall madly in love as I read! I am genuinely drawn to leading female characters whose strength of wit, turn of intellect, and smashingly accurate observation give a grounding of perspective and heart to the evolution of the stories themselves. I love finding writers who can charm us with a setting and a timescape but intuitively know to write in a breadth of heart and soul, giving us a story whose appeal is more tethered to the character and the story of their lives than simply time hopping era to era.

In this way, Lucy Campion was on my short-list of ‘next reads’ of whom she was keeping company alongside Aunt Dimity (by Nancy Alterton), Mary Russell & Sherlock Holmes (by Laurie R. King), Ms Phryne Fisher (by Kerry Greenwood), Lady Emily (by Tasha Alexander), Lady Darby (by Anna Lee Huber), Eloise (of the Pink Carnation series by Lauren Willig), Molly Murphy and Lady Georgie (by Rhys Bowen), Hercules Poirot (by Dame Christie & Hannah Sophie), Maisie Dobbs (by Jacqueline Winspear) and all the lovelies who are populating this Riffle List entitled: Blissfully Finding Books which Enchant Me! Stay tuned to my Twitter feeds as I’m hoping to release this new list soon! It will be archived with the rest of my Bookish Lists in my top menu under “My Bookish Life”!

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Blog Book Tour | “The Masque of a Murderer” (Book 3 in the Lucy Campion Mysteries) by Susanna Calkins Whilst Jorie borrows the first novel in the series to properly become acquainted with Lucy Campion!The Masque of a Murderer

Book Synopsis of The Masque of a Murderer:

In Susanna Calkins’ next richly drawn mystery set in 17th century England, Lucy Campion, formerly a ladies’ maid in the local magistrate’s household, has now found gainful employment as a printer’s apprentice. On a freezing winter afternoon in 1667, she accompanies the magistrate’s daughter, Sarah, to the home of a severely injured Quaker man to record his dying words, a common practice of the time. The man, having been trampled by a horse and cart the night before, only has a few hours left to live. Lucy scribbles down the Quaker man’s last utterances, but she’s unprepared for what he reveals to her—that someone deliberately pushed him into the path of the horse, because of a secret he had recently uncovered.

Fearful that Sarah might be traveling in the company of a murderer, Lucy feels compelled to seek the truth, with the help of the magistrate’s son, Adam, and the local constable. But delving into the dead man’s background might prove more dangerous than any of them had imagined.

In The Masque of a Murderer, Susanna Calkins has once again combined finely wrought characters, a richly detailed historical atmosphere, and a tightly-plotted mystery into a compelling read.

Read an Excerpt of the Novel via Criminal Element

Read a hearty array of 'behind-the-book' features via Ms Calkins blog!


Places to find the book:

Borrow from a Public Library

Add to LibraryThing

Series: Lucy Campion Mysteries,


on 14th April, 2015

Pages: 323

Jorie Loves A Story Cuppa Book Love Awards Badge created by Jorie in Canva. Coffee and Tea Clip Art Set purchased on Etsy; made by rachelwhitetoo. Read More

Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

  • 2015 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge
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Posted Friday, 17 April, 2015 by jorielov in 17th Century, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Bookish Discussions, Catholicism, Christianity, Crime Fiction, Debut Author, Debut Novel, Detective Fiction, England, Geographically Specific, Good vs. Evil, Historical Fiction, Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours, Historical Mystery, Historical Perspectives, Jorie Loves A Story Cuppa Book Love Awards, Passionate Researcher, Quakers, Religious History, Restoration England, Sociological Behavior, The Great Fire of London, The Great Plague of London, World Religions, Writing Style & Voice

Blog Book Tour | “Inspector of the Dead” (Book Two: Thomas De Quincey series) by David Morrell Included is a proper introductionary view into ‘Murder As A Fine Art’ the first in the dramatic series you simply cannot hesitate to read because of how it’s writ by Morrell to capture your curiosity!

Posted Wednesday, 15 April, 2015 by jorielov , , , , , , , 3 Comments

Ruminations & Impressions Book Review Banner created by Jorie in Canva. Photo Credit: Unsplash Public Domain Photographer Sergey Zolkin.

Acquired Book By:

I was selected to be a tour stop on the “Inspector of the Dead” virtual book tour through Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours. I received a complimentary copy of “Inspector of the Dead” direct from the publisher Mulholland Books (an imprint of Little, Brown and Company via Hachette Book Group, Inc.), in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Whilst I was requesting to be placed on this blog tour, I requested a copy of the first book in the series “Murder as a Fine Art” as I have never read a story by David Morrell; blessedly I received a complimentary copy of the book direct from the publisher Mulholland Books (an imprint of Little, Brown and Company via Hachette Book Group, Inc.) without being obligated to post a review, as my ruminations on behalf of this novel are for my own edification only.

Intrigued to Read:

I have been quite open about my passion for Cosy Mysteries, Cosy Historical Mysteries, Historical Suspense & Thrillers, inasmuch as a new directional curve to acquire a taste for what I refer to directly as ‘Cosy Horror‘ – an augmented slice of Horror’s original declarative section Psychological Suspense! How keen then, to discover within the opening pages of Murder As A Fine Art the mentioning of how this particular kind of suspense thriller was first spilt onto the page by Wilkie Collins (of whom I have earmarked to read during Horror October and of whom is listed on my tCC List!) You can further view my Story Vault’s classification system for genre-specific stories of which alight within my reading hours giving me the most joy a contented reader can ever hope to discover!

As a 2nd Year Book Blogger, it is quite interesting to realise I’ve started a new conversation about what constitutes ‘Cosy Horror’ and ‘Cosy Historical Mysteries’ as the terms were either under appreciated or not yet in use until I came onto the scene! I would love to claim both of them equally, but only ‘Cosy Horror’ could be linked to my creation as there was quite a heap of controversy surrounding ‘Cosy Historical Mysteries’ until I spent a considerable amount of time referencing what I believe it refers too and what it most decidedly doesn’t include as well.

Crime Fiction is a ready-at-hand section in Literature which whets a healthy thirst of interest because I love being able to step alongside the inspectors, detectives, as much as other curious sorts who dig through crime scenes and evidence to root out the truth of a crime which intellectually gives the reader a heap of sleuthing joy to read. I am not limited to appreciating reading about murder, suspense, and intrigue as I quite happily have become deeply attached to wicked sophisticated serials such as: Foyle’s War, Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, Sherlock, Rosemary & Thyme, Hetty Wainthroppe Investigates, NCIS, The Mentalist, Castle, Numbers, Murdoch Mysteries, The Pinkertons, Crossing Jordan, Inspector Morse & Lewis (*eager to meet Endeavour), Monk, Hart to Hart, Perry Mason, Columbo, Murder, She Wrote, Ironside, Quincy M.E., McMillan & Wife, Sherlock Holmes starring Basil Rathbone and the Thin Man movies starring William Powell and Myrna Loy to name a few.

What a treat for me, to realise the harkening reality of where and when the changes in literature occurred to give us such an enriched history of Crime Fiction, Drama, and Suspense! I had a sense Gothic Literature would not be too far behind, and Morrell did not disappoint me, as the writers he was speaking about took their cues from the Gothic stylings of the past eras before them to curate a new level of suspense – sensationalism. The Victorian Era has held my eye of attention for many a moon throughout my reading life (originating in childhood), and it did not surprise me one whit the Victorians took credence of stock of ‘what’ would draw their blood to coil most would be the haunting reality of psychosis over paranormal attributes of the unknown. Most of the topics discussed would fit well within the dialogue and story-lines of Law & Order: SVU and this goes to prove the point, we have not progressed but regressed.

I am not normally one to find myself attached to the grittier tomes of Suspense, much less a story which is parallel to Jack the Ripper as far as character motivations go, yet I found myself drawn to Morrell’s stories all the same. Sometimes it’s the unexpected stories set within a ‘theme of interest’ that tempt us to explore outside our own literary wanderings that will find us either grateful for the experience or merely proving to be a test of our will before jumping back into the familiar territories we knowingly love. We could also find a curious balance where stepping outside our zones of comfort can lend a curious window into an ‘otherworld’ of psychological suspense! Noting to myself, I did get caught up inside a story about Jack the Ripper, and thus, this is my second ‘step’ outside the norm of where my wanderings lead me in Crime.

Curiosity is a bird of it’s own feather which leaves a reader a bit wanton for understanding what causes the curiosity in the first place! Some doors should not be opened nor explored, for what they give to the eyes and mind might be a bit much for the sensitive heart to endeavour to understand. Ah, such pickles we bookish souls entangle ourselves into at times, eh!? The artwork is a work of beauty, how the fog is a character of it’s own kind, and present on both book covers for this series of thrillers.

The history behind how (the real) Thomas De Quincey had the forethought and insight to become Freud’s own ally in the field of psychology is impressive enough, but it’s the level of which he took his journey to understand the under-notes of insanity and subconscious I must agree with Morrell (as viewed in his author’s commentary on behalf of De Quincey at the bottom of this review) he isn’t quite the moral figure to empathsis in most circles, but credit is due to him for understanding the darker side of humanity.

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

Blog Book Tour | “Inspector of the Dead” (Book Two: Thomas De Quincey series) by David Morrell Included is a proper introductionary view into ‘Murder As A Fine Art’ the first in the dramatic series you simply cannot hesitate to read because of how it’s writ by Morrell to capture your curiosity!Inspector of the Dead

Book Synopsis of Inspector of the Dead:

David Morrell’s MURDER AS A FINE ART was a publishing event. Acclaimed by critics, it made readers feel that they were actually on the fogbound streets of Victorian London. Now the harrowing journey continues in INSPECTOR OF THE DEAD.

Thomas De Quincey, infamous for his Confessions of an Opium-Eater,confronts London’s harrowing streets to thwart the assassination of Queen Victoria.
The year is 1855. The Crimean War is raging. The incompetence of British commanders causes the fall of the English government. The Empire teeters.

Amid this crisis comes opium-eater Thomas De Quincey, one of the most notorious and brilliant personalities of Victorian England. Along with his irrepressible daughter, Emily, and their Scotland Yard companions, Ryan and Becker, De Quincey finds himself confronted by an adversary who threatens the heart of the nation.

This killer targets members of the upper echelons of British society, leaving with each corpse the name of someone who previously attempted to kill Queen Victoria. The evidence indicates that the ultimate victim will be Victoria herself. As De Quincey and Emily race to protect the queen, they uncover long-buried secrets and the heartbreaking past of a man whose lust for revenge has destroyed his soul.

Brilliantly merging historical fact with fiction, Inspector of the Dead is based on actual attempts to assassinate Queen Victoria.


Places to find the book:

Borrow from a Public Library

Add to LibraryThing

Series: The Thomas De Quincey Mysteries, No. 2


Also in this series: Invincible


on 24th March, 2015

Pages: 342

Jorie Loves A Story Cuppa Book Love Awards Badge created by Jorie in Canva. Coffee and Tea Clip Art Set purchased on Etsy; made by rachelwhitetoo. Read More

Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

  • 2015 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge
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Posted Wednesday, 15 April, 2015 by jorielov in 19th Century, Addictions and Afflictions, Audiobook, Audiobook Excerpt, Based on an Actual Event &/or Court Case, Biographical Fiction & Non-Fiction, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Book Trailer, Bookish Discussions, Bookish Films, Crime Fiction, Debut Author, Debut Novel, Detective Fiction, Diary Accountment of Life, England, Epistolary Novel | Non-Fiction, Excessive Violence in Literature, Father-Daughter Relationships, Geographically Specific, Good vs. Evil, Hard-Boiled Mystery, Historical Fiction, Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours, Historical Mystery, Historical Perspectives, Historical Thriller Suspense, Horror, Interviews Related to Content of Novel, Jorie Loves A Story Cuppa Book Love Awards, Medical Fiction, Passionate Researcher, Psychological Suspense, Realistic Fiction, Sociological Behavior, Specialised Crime Investigator, the Victorian era, Thomas De Quincey, True Crime, Vulgarity in Literature, Writing Style & Voice

Blog Book Tour | “Redfield Farm” (a novel of the Underground Railroad) by Judith Redline Coopey Historical Fiction based on ancestral past of the author!

Posted Tuesday, 7 April, 2015 by jorielov , , , 0 Comments

Ruminations & Impressions Book Review Banner created by Jorie in Canva. Photo Credit: Unsplash Public Domain Photographer Sergey Zolkin.

Acquired Book By:

I was selected to be a tour stop on the “Redfield Farm” virtual book tour through Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours. I received a complimentary copy of “Redfield Farm” direct from the author Judith Redline Coopey, in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

Inspired to Read:

I had disclosed my connection to the Underground Railroad through my ancestral line whilst I interviewed the author, however, more to the point, I believe there will be a need to keep mindful of stories involving the Underground Railroad until such a time in our current timeline of history where racial intolerance and injustice is no longer a headline in the news media. Even as I penned my thoughts on behalf of this fictional story set within the time frame of the author’s historical past, I learnt of a new story emerging (courtesy of Twitter’s Trending Stories) which shows how far we still have to travel for the civil rights and liberties for all persons living in our country to be acknowledged and defended.

Fiction proves to seek a way forward in our national conscience and our conversation about where we need to strive to put a positive step forward towards change. Historical fiction gives us a way forward through acknowledging the past, seeing how history wronged individuals and how the courage of those who fought to free slaves caught in states who were not free to live on their own terms, truly helped make progress happen. It saddens me there are new issues facing us where we still do not live in a society where acceptance of our differences is not yet commonplace.

Writers such as Judith Redline Coopey are boldly taking a stand by providing readers with a compelling drama set during a tumultuous time in history which echoes forward a chilling reality readers today can sympathise with recognition.

Rainbow Digital Clip Art Washi Tape made by The Paper Pegasus. Purchased on Etsy by Jorie and used with permission.

Blog Book Tour | “Redfield Farm” (a novel of the Underground Railroad) by Judith Redline Coopey Historical Fiction based on ancestral past of the author!Redfield Farm: A Novel of the Underground Railroad
by Judith Redline Coopey
Source: Author via Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours

Book Synopsis of Redfield Farm:

Ann Redfield is destined to follow her brother Jesse through life – two years behind him – all the way. Jesse is a conductor on the Underground Railroad, and Ann follows him there as well.

Quakers filled with a conviction as hard as Pennsylvania limestone that slavery is an abomination to be resisted with any means available, the Redfield brother and sister lie, sneak, masquerade and defy their way past would-be enforcers of the hated Fugitive Slave Law.

Their activities inevitably lead to complicated relationships when Jesse returns from a run with a deadly fever, accompanied by a fugitive, Josiah, who is also sick and close to death. Ann nurses both back to health. But precious time is lost, and Josiah, too weak for winter travel, stays on at Redfield Farm. Ann becomes his teacher, friend and confidant. When grave disappointment disrupts her life, Ann turns to Josiah for comfort, and comfort leads to intimacy. The result, both poignant and inspiring, leads to a life long devotion to one another and their cause.

Read an Excerpt of the Novel

Genres: Historical Fiction



Places to find the book:

Borrow from a Public Library

Add to LibraryThing

ISBN: 9780978924744

Also by this author:

Published by Indi Publishing Group

on 3rd August, 2010

Format: Trade Paperback

Pages: 280

Jorie Loves A Story Cuppa Book Love Awards Badge created by Jorie in Canva. Coffee and Tea Clip Art Set purchased on Etsy; made by rachelwhitetoo.

Published By: Indi Publishing Group 
Available Formats: Paperback, Ebook

Converse on Twitter via: #JudithRedlineCoopey, #JudithRedlineCoopeyBlogTour

About Judith Redline Coopey

Judith Redline Coopey

Judith Redline Coopey, born in Altoona, PA holds degrees from the Pennsylvania State University and Arizona State University. A passion for history inherited from her father drives her writing and a love for Pennsylvania sustains it.

Her first book, Redfield Farm was the story of the Underground Railroad in Bedford County, Pennsylvania. The second, Waterproof, tells how the 1889 Johnstown Flood nearly destroyed a whole city and one young woman’s life. Looking For Jane is a quest for love and family in the 1890s brought to life through the eyes of Nell, a young girl convinced that Calamity Jane is her mother.

Her most recent work, The Furnace: Volume One of the Juniata Iron Trilogy, is set on an iron plantation near where she grew up and tells the story of an ill conceived marriage of convenience as it plays out over a lifetime. As a teacher, writer and student of history,

Ms Coopey finds her inspiration in the rich history of her native state and in stories of the lives of those who have gone before.

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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

  • 2015 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge
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Posted Tuesday, 7 April, 2015 by jorielov in #JorieLovesIndies, 19th Century, African-American History, African-American Literature, Biographical Fiction & Non-Fiction, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Bookish Discussions, Compassion & Acceptance of Differences, Debut Author, Debut Novel, Equality In Literature, Historical Fiction, Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours, History, Indie Author, Jorie Loves A Story Cuppa Book Love Awards, Multi-cultural Characters and/or Honest Representations of Ethnicity, Quakers, Story knitted out of Ancestral Data, Underground Railroad, Vulgarity in Literature

Blog Book Tour | “Mademoiselle Chanel” by C.W. Gortner An innovator who was self-motivated to change the way in which we not only view fashion but how fashion can be definitively original unto our own style.

Posted Friday, 3 April, 2015 by jorielov , , , 0 Comments

Ruminations & Impressions Book Review Banner created by Jorie in Canva. Photo Credit: Unsplash Public Domain Photographer Sergey Zolkin.

Acquired Book By:

I was selected to be a tour stop on the “Mademoiselle Chanel” virtual book tour through France Book Tours. I received a complimentary copy of the book direct from the publisher William Morrow (an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers), in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive compensation for my opinions or thoughts shared herein.

My connection to Chanel:

My fascination with Chanel took center-stage when I selected my first Rosamunde Pilcher novel to read {The Shell Seekers} giving me a window into the world of Chanel No. 5. I had briefly hinted at this connection whilst tweeting Mr Gortner in January after learning I had become a part of the blog tour for Chanel. (the tweets are in a slideshow at the bottom of this review) I was fourteen and starting to seek out adult literature in all it’s glory after having read Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton the year before when I was thirteen. I had reached the point where I was separating myself from what I had read as a young adult and what I wanted to shift forward into as an adult reader.

Romance was in my life ever since I first picked up the novella collections featuring Victorian Christmas stories penned by leading authors in the field such as Mary Jo Putney. I wanted to seek out new genres and other ways in which stories were told, which is why The Shell Seekers held such an appeal to me. It was a unique novel as it was practically a time slip as much as it was a multiple point of view story told from different pairs of eyes per each chapter you entered. It was part war drama and part multi-generational saga, yet at the heart of it all was the discovery of Chanel No. 5.

I hadn’t realised it at the time, but this novel in particular led me to realise how much I appreciated reading historical fiction, although a few years prior I should have known this after reading Judith Pella’s Frontier Lady. It was the scent of Chanel No. 5 which staid with me as I read the novel itself — it is hard to describe how I even would have known the scent, but as I read the story, I smelt the parfum, and that is the easiest way to explain it. I was so stirred by the emotional context of the novel shortly thereafter I had put the book down, I immediately sought out the parfum!

I had seen the Chanel counter at the malls, as much as anyone else, but I hadn’t connected to the scent of the fragrances themselves. The Shell Seekers provided the gateway yet it also proposed a dialogue of conversation revealing a particular unknown connection through my maternal line of heritage! Apparently, long before my own encounter with Chanel No. 5, my grandmother and mother had long since held this fragrance as their most beloved scent! It was at this time the torch was thus passed down to me, and I inherited my Mum’s bottle of the fragrance which I used sparingly until it ran out in my early twenties. The scent itself smelt differently on me, as it was very subtle and yet unique, and this is when I learnt the most about parfum; to each wearer our own chemistry changes how it is reflected to those who smell it on us.

I haven’t been able to wear it after this moment of my life as I started to develop allergies to most commercial fragrances, however, even as I use essential oils I still have very fond memories of Chanel and of Chanel No. 5. It united me with a legacy of how three women in my own family came across Chanel No. 5 in our own uniquely different ways and found a connection through the parfum itself. If I hadn’t picked up The Shell Seekers and been drawn in by the allure of Chanel No. 5, this story of my life would not have been written. Nor would I have known how others reacted to when I wore the fragrance as no one knew it was this particular scent, only that when I wore it, I was known. Anonymity was gone.

Blog Book Tour | “Mademoiselle Chanel” by C.W. Gortner An innovator who was self-motivated to change the way in which we not only view fashion but how fashion can be definitively original unto our own style.Mademoiselle Chanel

For readers of “The Paris Wife” and “Z” comes this vivid novel full of drama, passion, tragedy, and beauty that stunningly imagines the life of iconic fashion designer Coco Chanel—the ambitious, gifted laundrywoman’s daughter who revolutionized fashion, built an international empire, and became one of the most influential and controversial figures of the twentieth century.

Born into rural poverty, Gabrielle Chanel and her siblings are sent to an orphanage after their mother’s death. The sisters nurture Gabrielle’s exceptional sewing skills, a talent that will propel the willful young woman into a life far removed from the drudgery of her childhood.

Transforming herself into Coco—a seamstress and sometime torch singer—the petite brunette burns with ambition, an incandescence that draws a wealthy gentleman who will become the love of her life. She immerses herself in his world of money and luxury, discovering a freedom that sparks her creativity. But it is only when her lover takes her to Paris that Coco discovers her destiny.

Rejecting the frilly, corseted silhouette of the past, her sleek, minimalist styles reflect the youthful ease and confidence of the 1920s modern woman. As Coco’s reputation spreads, her couturier business explodes, taking her into rarefied society circles and bohemian salons. But her fame and fortune cannot save her from heartbreak as the years pass. And when Paris falls to the Nazis, Coco is forced to make choices that will haunt her.

An enthralling novel of an extraordinary designer who created the life she desired, Mademoiselle Chanel explores the inner world of a woman of staggering ambition whose strength, passion and artistic vision would become her trademark.


Places to find the book:

Borrow from a Public Library

Add to LibraryThing

on St. Patrick's Day, 2015

Pages: 416

Published By: William Morrow (@WmMorrowBks),
an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers (@HarperCollins)
Available Formats: Hardback, Unabridged Audiobook, Ebook

Converse on Twitter via: #MademoiselleChanel, #CocoChanel

Author Biography:CW Gortner

C.W. Gortner is the international bestselling author of six historical novels, translated in over twenty-five languages to date. His new novel, “Mademoiselle Chanel”, traces the tumultuous rise to fame of iconic fashion designer, Coco Chanel.

In 2016, Random House will publish his eighth novel, “Vatican Princess”, about Lucrezia Borgia. Raised in Spain and a long-time resident of the Bay Area, C.W. is also dedicated to companion animal rescue from overcrowded shelters.

WebsiteBlogTwitterFacebookGoodreads

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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

  • 2015 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge
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Posted Friday, 3 April, 2015 by jorielov in 19th Century, 20th Century, Adoption, Belle Epoque Era, Biographical Fiction & Non-Fiction, Bits & Bobbles of Jorie, Blog Tour Host, Bookish Discussions, Coco Chanel, Courtesan & Cocottes, Equality In Literature, Fashion Fiction, Fashion Industry, France, France Book Tours, French Literature, Historical Fiction, History, Parfum Industry, Reader Submitted Guest Post (Topic) for Author, Realistic Fiction, the Edwardian era, the Roaring Twenties