For unwed mother Nell Lillington, 1876 Chicagoâand her new wealthâoffer the promise of longed-for independence. She dreams of a place in society for her daughter Sarah and contentment for her friend Tess. Yet how can she settle in a town where sheâs far too likely to run into Martin Rutherford and his glittering, faithless wife, Lucetta? Can she resist her love for Martin for Sarahâs sake?
Martin was doubtless joking when he told Nell that if she got herself mixed up with a murderer for the third time, heâd disown her. But when Martin himself is arrested for murder, Nellâs dreams appear to be swallowed up in the new web of secrets she constructs to help him. Secrets that threaten to alienate Tess, Sarah, and even Martin . . .
The third book in the House of Closed Doors series will take you to a Chicago teeming with opportunistic new Americans, luxury-loving merchant princes and hard-hearted denizens of the underworld.