The Mesmerist
A Novel
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4.2 • 17 Ratings
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- $5.99
Publisher Description
AN NPR BOOK OF THE YEAR • A tightly plotted page-turner ripped from the headlines of history, as three very different women must work together to stop a killer and save the truest home they've ever known.
Before hypnotism, there was Mesmerism. And in 1894 Minneapolis, in the wake of a national financial crisis, spiritualism of every stripe is all the rage, and women are dying under mysterious circumstances. But until a new guest lands at the Bethany Home for Unwed Mothers, refusing to speak or explain her arrival, the sordid stories of unexplained deaths seem unconnected. Faith’s reticence is quickly interpreted as malevolence, setting the house abuzz with whispers of dark magic.
Abby, a staunch Quaker, lifelong supporter of progressive causes, and the Bethany Home’s treasurer, thinks the rumors of mystical powers swirling around Faith are nonsense, but she recognizes the danger of a good story. Unwilling to allow the Home’s important mission to be clouded by scandal, Abby tasks Faith’s roommate, May, with tracing Faith’s path to the Bethany Home.
May is desperate to end her year at Bethany Home engaged and on track to her happily-ever-after—even if her prince charming is Hal, a man she’s not sure she can trust. She uncovers a Minneapolis she never expected as she begins digging into Faith’s shadowy background, and her investigation brings her closer to polite society and Hal than she could have dreamed. The more May learns, the more she’s forced to question the motives of everyone around her, including Abby and Faith, and as more women turn up dead, May must reevaluate the future she wants, and which lies she’s willing to tell, for whom.
Rich with tension, suspicion, and sharply observed characters, Caroline Woods reimagines a classic American genre through the eyes of three bold, unforgettable women.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Woods (The Lunar Housewife) draws on a real crime spree for this excellent historical suspense novel in which three women band together to bring down a serial killer. In 1894 Minneapolis, a spiritualism craze is sweeping through the lower classes and a string of women have died under mysterious circumstances. One morning, a bruised, nonspeaking woman arrives at the Bethany Home for Unwed Mothers and is given the name "Faith" by treasurer Abby Mendenhall, a progressive Quaker and fierce advocate for the institution's residents. Faith is assigned a room with May, a teen who was driven from home after getting pregnant by a man who wouldn't marry her. Faith's muteness soon stirs rumors that she possesses occult powers, which, in the eyes of some Bethany residents, might account for the city's murders. Tensions mount with news that a brothel owner who employed several Bethany girls has been found dead. When Hal, the handsome suitor courting May, reveals a dark side, she starts to fear he could be the killer, leading her to team up with Faith and Abby to ferret out the truth. Fastidious historical detail, expert suspense, and indelible characterizations combine to make this a certified page-turner. Readers will be up all night.
Customer Reviews
1st Serial Killer
Who would think a great story would come out of the1890’s Minneapolis, MN revolving around counterfeit money, madam’s, sporting women, and a safe house Bethany House. I enjoyed learning how Abby’s journals helped develop the fiction but the reality was a progressive house that helped sex victims of the time. Helped teach them cleaning, cooking, and infant care. Real Christian’s or Quaker’s not sure the difference but that they saw a need and made it work.