TLC Book Tours: A Beautiful Poison by Lydia Kang
The Story:
Just beyond the Gilded Age, in the mist-covered streets of New York, the deadly Spanish influenza ripples through the city. But with so many victims in her close circle, young socialite Allene questions if the flu is really to blame. All appear to have been poisoned—and every death was accompanied by a mysterious note.
Desperate for answers and dreading her own engagement to a wealthy gentleman, Allene returns to her passion for scientific discovery and recruits her long-lost friends, Jasper and Birdie, for help. The investigation brings her closer to Jasper, an apprentice medical examiner at Bellevue Hospital who still holds her heart, and offers the delicate Birdie a last-ditch chance to find a safe haven before her fragile health fails.
As more of their friends and family die, alliances shift, lives become entangled, and the three begin to suspect everyone—even each other. As they race to find the culprit, Allene, Birdie, and Jasper must once again trust each other, before one of them becomes the next victim.
Connect with Lydia:
My Thoughts:
After having read an article on Buzzfeed a few months ago on the Radium Girls (read the article here), I have since been fascinated and saddened by the struggles that women in the workforce confronted everyday. Not only were they paid less than their male counterparts, but they often took the thankless jobs that nobody else wanted. The Radium Girls paid the ultimate price, often silently suffering the devastating consequences of working with radium, painting hundreds of clock faces each day.
While not specifically focused on radium and its affects, A Beautiful Poison sheds light on radium poisoning, arsenic poisoning, and even chloroform overdoses. It is by no means a light read. With mystery and deception at its heart, A Beautiful Poison paints a picture of three friends from very different walks of life whose lives and those around them are in peril. Lydia Kang pens three characters, Jasper, Allene, and Birdie who are on the cusp of adulthood and learning just where they all fit in the scope of their friendship and in society.
Deception, war, murder, poisoning, and the Spanish influenza take a toll on their friendship and in each of their families. By the end of the story, none of them remain untouched by the trauma. I honestly don't think I've read a single book where so many characters keeled over! Surprisingly, it all flowed smoothly and didn't seem too over-the-top as mysteries and thrillers can sometimes get. Ms. Kang's knowledge and eye for detail shone in this book. Everything from the molecules in caffeine to the descriptions of the morgue seemed totally on point! A Beautiful Poison is a kicker of a mystery and kept me guessing until the very last!
~ My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars ~
*I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.*
Happy Reading!
I'm so looking forward to reading this book! All the historical and scientific details really appeal to me.
ReplyDeleteThanks for being a part of the tour!