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The Spirits of October

Reviewed in the United States on January 27, 2018

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I read a lot of grit, murder, mayhem, and mosters, so it is always refreshing to read a book that looks at life through the rose colored glasses of gentility. Very often, this can only be accomplished by reading books published in the nineteen thirties and forties. Even during that period, hard boiled noir seems really tame by today's standards. Ms. Locke's descriptions of various locations in San Francisco eschew Victorian gentility while making the locales come to life.

The Victorian Era was rife with the spiritualist movement. Seances were all the rage, and money was made exploiting the bereaved. Barbara Hewitt, one of Annie's lodgers, broaches the subject of unscrupulous mediums taking advantage of her younger sister's loss with Annie, more or less on the basis of 'it takes one, to know one' given Annie's alter ego, Madam Sybil.

Much that is currently written with a Victorian backdrop, involves a woman acting contrary to that which is expected of her by men and women alike. Quite often this does not spring from active rebellion but from innate intelligence. There is always a man ready to come to the rescue for all the wrong reasons. Such is Mrs. Annie Fuller's dilemma as she finds herself falling for Nathaniel Dawson, Esq. Here we have two people well suited to each other at odds because although they talk to each other, they never really say what's on their mind until it's too late. Clearly a situation of one step forward, two steps back.

As is so often the case with a mystery series, where the mystery intrigues, the backstory is the driving force to read the subsequent tale. With each novel, we learn more about not only Annie and Nate, but the other recurring characters that loom large in the boarding house, both residents and staff. By making these folks both human and interesting, one feels compelled to read on to see what is happening to this circle of friends. I look forward to reading the next novel in this series.

Seances, Mayhem, and Murder

Reviewed in the United States on February 26, 2018

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“Uneasy Spirits” is the sequel to “Maids of Misfortune”, and is part of M. Louisa Locke's Victorian historical mystery series featuring Annie Fuller, a young widow running a boarding house in San Francisco. Recurring characters include her young Irish maid Kathleen Hennessey, her cook Beatrice O’Roarke, and various boarders. To make ends meet, Annie takes on the persona of a clairvoyant named Madam Sibyl.

Annie is asked by one of her boarders, Miss Pinehurst, to help her expose a fraudulent medium, Arabella Frampton, who is causing Miss Pinehurst’s sister, Sukie, great distress (under the guise of allowing Sukie to speak with her deceased son). Annie agrees to help, and arranges to interview with Arabella Frampton’s husband, Simon, to see if she will “fit in” with their séance group.

The game is on! With the help of Kathleen and Nate Dawson. A young San Francisco lawyer with aspirations of marrying Annie, a whole other side of the seemingly innocent séances emerges.

I love the Victorian era, and San Francisco, and feel that they are portrayed well. Both Annie and Nate could be stronger people, but they are products of both their upbringing and their time. The world of spiritualism was presented quite well, as was the backdrop of the physical being of San Francisco, the dress and the manners of the time.

The story is well developed – each character at the séances has a personal history that brought them there, and “secrets” that they wish to hide. Then there is Evie May, a young girl who is under the power of Simon Frampton (who, amongst other things, is a mesmerist). Her many personalities are quite the sight to behold!

“Uneasy Spirits” is a great read on all levels.

Connield

and while the development of Annie's character is good as are a few others

Reviewed in the United States on July 31, 2015

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This was a struggle - may deserve a 4 star rating, but it has been a difficult book to finish. The writing is well done, but there is just too much of it! Descriptions go on and on and then abruptly resolve into the next scene. There is an over abundance of characters, and while the development of Annie's character is good as are a few others, many just receive a few comments so that when you meet them again you have forgotten who they are. The locale and historical San Francisco era are well done and provide a look into the Victorian age of that city. Many of the events are clearly anticipated, as is the reveal of the villain. Two more await reading on my Kindle, and while I would hope for a better presentation in them, it will be awhile before they are tackled.

J.C. Prins

Another Winner

Reviewed in the United States on April 10, 2017

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This was another highly enjoyable novel by Ms. Locke. This book is about the Spiritualism movement that was popular, particularly in England and the U.S., during the last decades of the 19th century, and the rise in fake mediums that cashed in on the purported ability of the dead to speak with the living with those "sensitive" enough to hear the spirits. While there were certainly a number of honest mediums, the vast, vast majority were charlatans. (Indeed, Harry Houdini spent much of his time in his later years debunking the fraudulent.) Annie Fuller and Nate Dawson investigate a husband and wife team, who seem on first glance to be legitimate given the local reviews and lack of significant complaints, but the mediums' involvement with a bereaved young mother sounds alarms. Now, I am not saying that this series of novels represents great literature or even the very best of the mystery genre, and there is an element of romance in the books, but the books are fun and just readable. Anyone interested in the later Victorian era in the U.S., when respectable women were just beginning to be able to work outside the home at something other than domestic work and the suffragette movement was catching on, will also enjoy these books. Anyone interested in the history of San Francisco, where the series is located, will also get a kick. I read over one hundred books per year, so I don't waste time on books that are boring, or aggravating, or too fantastical (unless it is fantasy, but even then it must read as real. I really enjoys these books.

Top reviews from other countries

KL.Caley

Great concept, intriguing historical mystery. I will certainly read more from this author.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 17, 2017

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I stumbled across this book by chance when it showed up rather cheaply on a Kindle titles sale and the outline sounded quirky and I must say I am very pleased with the find. I didn’t realise it is actually the second in the series and I’m quite glad as I think that would have put me off but actually, it was very easy to read without having read the first. You could quickly pick up who the characters are and each of their rough backgrounds, but you are also not swamped with information about them learning more as the book goes on.
This Victorian thriller is set in San Francisco, in the world of Annie Fuller (who doubles as clairvoyant Madam Sibyl). Annie actually doesn’t believe in any of the astrology or palmistry but as an intellectual woman, she uses it as a front to help give her clients business advice. When she is asked to investigate some mediums (the Framptons) who claim to be talking to deceased relatives of their clients Annie and her kitchen maid Kathleen soon step into a very dangerous world. Discovering the truth about the Framptons may just expose Annie’s own secret that she is not really clairvoyant, can she take that risk to help her friend. The line between helping and deceiving suddenly becomes very blurred for Annie and she’s not too sure where she stands on it.
There is also an underlying love story between Annie and Nate, an up and coming lawyer who is desperate to break out of the shadows of his Uncle’s law firm. Their story is very sweet and Nate is a great character, but perhaps a little overshadowed in this story by Annie and Kathleen. I suspect he will be much more interesting in the other books as their storyline develops.
The historical descriptions are great in this book, and as some other reviewers have mentioned it’s actually set during Halloween so some of the details are really interesting.
This book can certainly be read as a standalone, but as more is revealed about the characters and their relationships develop as the series progresses, it might be best to start from the first book in the series, Maids of Misfortune: A Victorian San Francisco Mystery (which I am hoping to do). I certainly will return to read more books by this author in future.
Please leave a helpful vote if you think my review/feedback of the item was helpful to you. Alternatively, please contact me if you want me to clarify something in my review.

Lesley H

Well rounded characters and an excellent mystery

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 7, 2018

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Another good novel in this series. Excellent standard of writing - flows beautifully. All the characters are well-rounded, and they act consistently with their characteristics. While the main protagonist ends up in peril through making unwise decisions, at least we understand and sympathise with how she ended up there. I found this novel drifted a bit. A sharp editing would cut out some of the internal reflections about the intricacies of the story and the book would benefit from better energy towards the final act.

MissusB

Great fun

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 29, 2019

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Enjoyable to spend a season in San Francisco.....well a month, in 1879. A time of charm and manners with dastardly deeds at every twist and turn. Interesting storyline and strong characters in this well woven tale of spiritualism, greed and a touch of romance.

Lynne Tilley

Great Read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 27, 2017

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The second book in the series, keeps you on your toes throughout.
Enjoy the charlatans that think they can connect with the dead and the efforts to unveil them to the innocent.
Annie got on my nerves at times hiding everything from everyone but I suppose that was expected of women back then, a totally different era.
Thoroughly enjoyed it here’s to the next one.

JJ

Enjoyable mystery

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 16, 2016

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My second (and the second) Annie Fuller book. This time she is asked by one of her lodgers to prove a very prominent clairvoyant is a fraud. The wife communicates with the dead while her husband runs the exclusive sessions. The are highly rated, expensive and not thought to be up to no good but Annie knows there is more to their success.
She of course puts herself in harms way but she is very resilient and determined and with the help of her maid and her beau she will sort this puzzle out.

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