I got very emotionally invested in this story. I mean how can you not when you’re up against BABY FARMERS?! It’s also inspired by real life events, look up Amelia Dyer & her mug shots will give you the willies!

I love how THarris layered the mystery, I thought the culprits were all revealed until that little twist in the end. A small one but it sure made a big difference in the story & on my impression on the author as a whole (this is my first book of hers that I read). And though I missed the first book in the series (I don’t recommend it), the absence of an overarching arc helped me acclimate to Constance Piper’s world without a hitch.

"A woman is most dangerous to herself when she is desperate to be loved." (Vanessa P.A. Evelyn)

And desperate times visit London in December of 1888. This is especially true if you are female, alone, and with child. The innocence that you carry within, under those circumstances, will be prey for the soulless evil-doers who bear no thought to the babe or to the mother herself.

Mother Delaney stands on a darkened corner in the Poplar district near the East India Docks. She listens for the hurried footsteps of Louisa Fortune. Louisa's arms are wrapped around her infant son, Bertie, for the last time. Fate and a spineless man have necessitated this baby exchange in which Louisa will thrust five pound notes into Mother Delaney's outstretched hands. Mother Delaney, rosey-cheeked and grinning, will see to little Bertie being placed in a good home. For that is her calling.......baby farmer.

Constance Piper, flower seller in the Whitechapel district, must be alert to the shadows in these streets that hide the likes of Jack the Ripper. But she and her sister, Flo, are celebrating Christmas cheer in a local pub with their friend Cath. Cath darts into the night excusing herself to run some late errands. One member of this trio will later be found dead in a back alley. Was it Jack or was it someone with a vengeance that she already knew?

Tessa Harris revisits the streets of Whitechapel once again in this second book of the series. The Angel Makers can be read as a standalone. Harris creates a multi-pronged storyline with short, action-packed chapters in the voice of alternating characters. Constance has the gift of clairvoyance and Harris uses this without over-kill throughout this story. It adds just the right amount of eerie and creepiness to those already mysterious streets in which a killer is on the loose and babies are at the mercy of a relentless grandmother.

Harris reveals her inspiration for The Angel Makers. Mother Delaney's character is based on the real-life Amelia Dyer who ran a baby farm with her daughter and son-in-law. Such reality makes the little hairs stand up on your neck.

The lively character of Constance Piper was front and center in the first book, The Sixth Victim. She remains so in this offering as well. Constance, bright and analytical, uses her gift to work with the police and with Louisa Fortune to uncover many dastardly deeds. The historically correct dialogue adds to the Victorian flavor and Tessa Harris presents another fine one, indeed.

I received a copy of The Angel Makers through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Kensington Books and to the talented Tessa Harris for the opportunity.

Tessa Harris is skilled with the narrative that switches POV between Constance Piper and Emily Tindall. Constance is a a lowly flower girl in 1889 London. Jack the Ripper is stalking the street but he is not responsible for all the deaths that are being found. Most tragic is the infant deaths that are being discovered wrapped with twine in packages. Emily is the paranormal force that leads Constance to aid the police in solving these crimes. It would be best to read the first in this series "The Sixth Victim" to achieve all the necessary background. "A copy of this book was provided by Kennsington Books via Netgalley with no requirements for a review. Comments here are my honest opinion." Crime drama fans wanting a strong female lead will not want to miss this.

This is the second book in “A Constance Piper Mystery” series. It’s set in Victorian England (1888). Jack the Ripper continues to send fear throughout London. However, he’s not the only concern for the women of the city.

Constance Piper is a flower seller who happens to be clairvoyant. She suspects something is going on with the “baby farmers,” and she sets out to discover just what that is. With her late friend Emily as her spirit guide, Constance will work with Detective Constable Hawkins to uncover what horrors are taking place in the city.
The premise of the book intrigued me, but it didn’t quite live up to its potential. The pace was on the slow side, and it was hard to stay engaged. The story is told in alternating POV’s (Constance and Emily), which muddied things a bit, as well. I never really developed much of a connection with either woman. There is more of a paranormal angle than I was expecting, but that wasn’t necessarily a problem. I didn’t read the first book in the series, so perhaps that would have made a difference. There are a lot of historical details, which was nice.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley, but I wasn’t required to leave a positive review.