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toddnoth's review against another edition
4.0
This was truly captivating. Set in a time and place I knew nothing about, this novel brings fascinating characters into focus and explores the timeless pain and danger created by misogyny while mapping a path to self-empowerment and resilience. It does all that without preachiness or heavy-handedness.
I admit though, and this cost it a star for me, I was a bit distracted by the overuse of the word "prick." Were there no other slang terms for "penis" or "erection in 1850s Monterey? This book inspired me to look up lots of things about the setting, so maybe this should be the subject my next Google spiral.
I admit though, and this cost it a star for me, I was a bit distracted by the overuse of the word "prick." Were there no other slang terms for "penis" or "erection in 1850s Monterey? This book inspired me to look up lots of things about the setting, so maybe this should be the subject my next Google spiral.
madipf's review against another edition
4.0
This rating is exclusively about my love for Jean; murder mystery 1/5, historical fiction 3/5
jordanian_reads_'s review against another edition
4.0
I listened to Jane Smiley’s A Dangerous Business on audiobook and I really enjoyed it! Set during the Monterey gold rush in 1851, this book follows two young women who take it open themselves to solve the mystery behind the murder of their fellow prostitutes. Best friends, Eliza and Jean, love reading Poe’s mysteries and attempt to apply his logic to solving murder in the “Wild West”.
This book is unique in a couple respects. First, Eliza and Jean are not your typical downtrodden prostitutes, but instead are happy to support themselves and have found “madams” who look out for their safety. (I’m not sure how accurate this would have been, but I didn’t pick up this mystery for its historical verisimilitude.) For Eliza, recently widowed, the independence her work grants her is far preferable than her unhappy marriage. Jean works at a house of prostitution catering to women and is happy to have escaped marriage to a man. I mention this because, despite the setup, A Dangerous Business is a fairly lighthearted book.
I read a critical review that disliked that the novel is an open-door book, which surprised me. Yes, sometimes it got somewhat graphic, but Eliza’s description of her work is entirely clinical in nature, and not in the least sexy. If anything, these scenes came across as comical or absurd. Perhaps, it helped that I listened to the audiobook which was excellent.
I will admit that the plot was a bit meandering and didn’t have the urgency of most murder mysteries. However, I enjoyed the company of Eliza and Jean so much, that I was happy to sit back and see where the novel would eventually take me. If you think you might be interested, I highly recommend this on audiobook— Therese Plummer really brings Eliza to life!
This book is unique in a couple respects. First, Eliza and Jean are not your typical downtrodden prostitutes, but instead are happy to support themselves and have found “madams” who look out for their safety. (I’m not sure how accurate this would have been, but I didn’t pick up this mystery for its historical verisimilitude.) For Eliza, recently widowed, the independence her work grants her is far preferable than her unhappy marriage. Jean works at a house of prostitution catering to women and is happy to have escaped marriage to a man. I mention this because, despite the setup, A Dangerous Business is a fairly lighthearted book.
I read a critical review that disliked that the novel is an open-door book, which surprised me. Yes, sometimes it got somewhat graphic, but Eliza’s description of her work is entirely clinical in nature, and not in the least sexy. If anything, these scenes came across as comical or absurd. Perhaps, it helped that I listened to the audiobook which was excellent.
I will admit that the plot was a bit meandering and didn’t have the urgency of most murder mysteries. However, I enjoyed the company of Eliza and Jean so much, that I was happy to sit back and see where the novel would eventually take me. If you think you might be interested, I highly recommend this on audiobook— Therese Plummer really brings Eliza to life!
bansakan's review against another edition
I started listening to the audiobook, and the first chapter had me hooked. But by about 25%, I was scratching my head, wondering where the plot was headed. It's all about these two strong women and their lives, which is cool, but it was missing that element of mystery to keep me engaged. The pace was too slow for my liking, so I ended up ditching it before finishing.
plcbaker's review against another edition
I really wanted to like this but just could not get into it. Neither the characters nor the situation was interesting enough to keep me reading.
chuskeyreads's review against another edition
1.0
The premise of this book seemed promising, but the delivery was less than stellar. The whole thing just seemed ridiculous! I kept reading thinking that it would get better (and to see if I was right about the killer - I was), but I should've just stopped when I had the chance. Ugh!
candacesiegle_greedyreader's review against another edition
4.0
"Being a woman is a dangerous business, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise," says brothel owner Mrs. Parks. But for Eliza Ripple, being a widow seems to be less dangerous than being married, and working in a brothel has given her the financial security she never imagined. Eliza arrives in Monterey, California in 1851 with her husband who's killed in a bar fight shortly thereafter, freeing the young woman from being his servant and punching bag. There are few women in Monterey and Eliza joins Mrs.Parks' brothel, continuing to live at her boarding house and coming by in the evenings. Mrs' Parks runs a tight ship and her henchman Carlos keep the girls safe, and Eliza discovers that the likes being a prostitite. For the first time in her life she is able to make her own choices. She meets interesting people and the sex is nicer than with her dead husband. She has all day to read and explore the town that she is starting to love.
Mrs. Parks discourages the girls from becoming friends in order to keep gossip to a minimum, but Eliza makes friends with Jean, who works at a brothel for women. Jean introduces Elisa to the works of Poe, especially his early detective stories. When they find a woman dead on the beach, they apply the deduction techniques of Poe's Auguste Dupin to see if they can discover her identity and what happened to her.
Eliza is a breath of fresh air. From a suffocating religious family in Kalamazoo, she has no plans of returning and instead has decided to see what kind of life she can make on her own. Monterey is a small port and women are few, which gives them a level of appreciation they might not have otherwise. She can be curious and ask questions about where sailors have been and learn about the world. If a man is rough or falls in love with her, Mrs. Parks and Carlos will send them. away.
Where the novel falters is in the denouement, which did not convince me. There didn't seem to be enough evidence for Eliza and Jane to move on this particular suspect. It's one of those "wait . . .what??" moments. It's enough to knock off a star, but the pleasure in "A Dangerous Business" is in Jane Smiley's fluid writing and concentration on character, time, and place. There is a hint of what's to come as Eliza informs herself about slave and free states. It seems so distant, but by the end of the novel it is is front and center.
Thanks to Knopf and Netgalley for early reading of this novel.
Mrs. Parks discourages the girls from becoming friends in order to keep gossip to a minimum, but Eliza makes friends with Jean, who works at a brothel for women. Jean introduces Elisa to the works of Poe, especially his early detective stories. When they find a woman dead on the beach, they apply the deduction techniques of Poe's Auguste Dupin to see if they can discover her identity and what happened to her.
Eliza is a breath of fresh air. From a suffocating religious family in Kalamazoo, she has no plans of returning and instead has decided to see what kind of life she can make on her own. Monterey is a small port and women are few, which gives them a level of appreciation they might not have otherwise. She can be curious and ask questions about where sailors have been and learn about the world. If a man is rough or falls in love with her, Mrs. Parks and Carlos will send them. away.
Where the novel falters is in the denouement, which did not convince me. There didn't seem to be enough evidence for Eliza and Jane to move on this particular suspect. It's one of those "wait . . .what??" moments. It's enough to knock off a star, but the pleasure in "A Dangerous Business" is in Jane Smiley's fluid writing and concentration on character, time, and place. There is a hint of what's to come as Eliza informs herself about slave and free states. It seems so distant, but by the end of the novel it is is front and center.
Thanks to Knopf and Netgalley for early reading of this novel.
bookbabebloom's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
3.5
I love two female protagonists who are sex workers with an instinct to sleuth, but there wasn’t enough action moving the plot forward for me
milosimus's review against another edition
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
djr100's review against another edition
3.0
What a slog. Took me a week to read this….just didn’t want to pick it up to read. The characters were ok but what an uninspiring plot. Next….