Marionette

Part unconventional love story, part mystery, a wholly engrossing tale of three very different people from class-conscious England facing their dreams and their demons in 1890s British Columbia and Washington State.

Upstanding bachelor, 24 yrs. of age, of some means, currently residing in British Columbia, desires correspondence with young lady of inquisitive character; object matrimony.

Arthur Dunn is an idealistic Englishman who came to Canada to work as a schoolteacher, only to be immediately disillusioned by his employer. Now he lives in a remote cabin inspired by Henry David Thoreau. Rose Hall, an 18-year-old milliner in London—so she claims—replies to his ad. Two years later, Philip Dunn, Arthur's elder brother, arrives in Kamloops to convince Arthur to return home, since he has been gamed by an imposter. But both Arthur and his false bride have disappeared. 

Louisa Petrin, the young cousin of Rose Hall, comes from "the Nichol," a dangerous maze of impoverished East End London streets, and the louche world of the music hall. Answering Arthur's ad as Rose was a practical joke. At first it merely backfires; but then Louisa ends up crossing the Atlantic and North America in Rose’s place, and marrying Arthur. Everyone who knew them insist that they were very happy, making an idiosyncratic family with their little dog, Woozle.

As Philip gets closer to finding out the truth, the novel leads the reader on a twisty, character-rich adventure through the rough and ready world of Western settlers, traveling players and prostitutes, to a conclusion that is as surprising as it is moving. A masterful tragicomic novel from an author at the height of her powers.