Donati, Sara

These 800 pages are gone in a surprising flash. Highly recommended; don’t miss the invaluable author’s note.

Storytelling so rich in detail it borders on minutiae may be a distraction for some readers. Despite a central theme based on a police investigation, this story should not be confused for a mystery. Give this to readers who care more about the journey than the destination. [See Prepub Alert, 3/4/19.]

The many fans of Donati's "Wilderness" saga will likely want to follow the Bonner family's ongoing story here. While Donati's protagonists are so relentlessly progressive in their views that they feel anachronistic at times, the author has clearly done her research, and the story lines involving Comstock and women's limited options in the era are particularly compelling. Romance fans should be pleased by the prominence of the romantic theme, though that prominence sometimes contributes to recurring pacing issues. Despite the novel's length, much is left unresolved by the end, making a sequel seem likely.