Have you ever heard of people robbing graves to conduct scientific experiments on the bodies? I never had until I read The Yellow Lantern by Angie Dickens. This True Crimes novel taught me a lot about this crime that actually did take place in history while also telling me a fictional story about a lady, Josephine who is forced into helping rob the graves. I also learned more about the mills through the fictional character Braham who supervised the mills in the story. As I read, I really felt bad for Josephine since she had to make some really hard decisions for herself and her family. I can’t even imagine stealing corpses. I didn’t like how creepy the book is, but I think the creepiness was caused by my overactive imagination and wouldn’t be a problem for most people. However, if you are really sensitive like me to things such as grave robbing and corpses, then you might want to skip this book. But, I’m still really glad I read it, creepy as it was, because I was able to learn about something I had never heard of before.

I would recommend this book to those who enjoy historical mysteries and true crime stories.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I enjoyed The Yellow Lantern very much! I've never read a story about either the dead-body-snatchers of the 1800's or the ladies who worked in the cotton mills, so I felt like this book told two very interesting storylines...and did it well. I also enjoyed the romantic chemistry between Josie and Braham and how their story developed. It's well written and engaging. This is a first by Angie Dicken for me and I look forward to reading more!

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. A positive review was not required. All opinions expressed are my own.

Title: The Yellow Lantern
Author: Angie Dicken
Series: True Colors: Historical Crimes of American History
Publisher: Barbour Books
Release Date: August 1, 2019

Personal Rating: 4.3 Star Rating: 4/5

The True Colors: Historical Crimes of American History series is a fictional series based on some of the worst crimes in American History. After reading The White City and The Blue Bonnet, I knew I'd continue to read all the books that follow. [Read more…]

The Yellow Lantern by Angie Dicken begins with Josephine Clayton waking to a nightmarish situation. It scared me. I don't like being scared, but knew it was a great set up for the rest of the story. I'm so glad I continued reading. I wanted to know how Josie was going to handle her situation. Not only did she need to save her own life, but also the life of her father. Would she be able to save their lives and still have a clear conscience?

Josephine was a vulnerable character, but her love for and willingness to help others gave her strength. There is quite a contrast between Josie's ability to use herbs to heal and the business of grave robbers, mourners, and resurrection men. A somewhat secondary story came with Braham, Josephine's foreman, and Gerald. Braham's background intertwined with Josphine's and I found his story to be just as captivating.

The crime that this book is based on has been written about and used in movies. I appreciated being able to learn more about it and had it been written any other way, I would not have finished it. I applaud Angie Dicken for her ability to keep it clean and morally focused. The faith content is written into the story well. It isn't preachy and well written.

I enjoyed this book, but would have liked more historical facts sprinkled throughout the fictional story. However, the author wrote a Dear Reader letter at the end and it gave more of the historical background to make the story seem more believable.

I will continue to read the books in this series and if you are a fan of true crime, then I recommend this book. I also recommend it for those who don't like scary stories because this is written in good taste and with positive, moral lessons. I don't recommend this book for younger teen readers.

*I received a copy of this book from Barbour Books via netGalley. All opinions expressed are my own. "

About the Book
In Massachusetts in 1824, Josephine Clayton awakes on the table of the doctor she's assisted all these months. She was presumed dead by all and has become the doctor's next corpse for his medical research. Frightened, the doctor tries to kill her, but Josephine begs to be spared. A deal is struck--Josie will leave her village and work at a distant cotton mill. All the while, she'll await her true mission--posing as a mourner to help his body snatcher procure her replacement. At the mill though, Josie is praised for her medical remedies among the mill girls, gaining attention from the handsome factory manager Braham Terrance. Yet, when Braham's own loved one becomes the prey for the next grave robbing, Josie must make a choice that could put her dark past behind her or steal away the promise of any future at all.

What price will Josie pay for love when her secrets begin to unravel?

The Yellow Lantern by Angie Dicken is part of the True Colors series. It is fiction based on strange but true history.
Josephine is forced to spy for grave robbers. Her father has made some bad decisions which forced her to work for a doctor. The doctor ends up being a little bit crazy. He steal bodies to do medial research on them.
They force Josephine to work in a manufacturing plant to let them know when someone dies. There have been several accidents at the plant.
Barham is the manager of the plant and has his own backstory. He has seen terrible things on a plantation that had slaves. His father died and he is raised by his uncle. His cousin hates him.
Barham and Josephine befriend each other.
This was not my favorite of the series. But well worth the read when you realize these are based off true stories that you have not heard about in history.
Violence - stealing dead bodies for research, a couple manufacturing accidents
Sexual content - kissing

I received this book from Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review.
You can see my full review at More Than a Review dot com where I rate the level of sex, violence, language and drug/alcohol use in books.

In Massachusetts in 1824, Josephine Clayton awakes on the table of the doctor she’s assisted all these months. She was presumed dead by all and has become the doctor’s next corpse for his medical research. Frightened, the doctor tries to kill her, but Josephine begs to be spared. A deal is struck—Josie will leave her village and work at a distant cotton mill. All the while, she’ll await her true mission—posing as a mourner to help his body snatcher procure her replacement. At the mill though, Josie is praised for her medical remedies among the mill girls, gaining attention from the handsome factory manager Braham Taylor. Yet, when Braham’s own loved one becomes the prey for the next grave robbing, Josie must make a choice that could put her dark past behind her or steal away the promise of any future at all. What price will Josie pay for love when her secrets begin to unravel





My Thoughts: This is a very unique mystery that will captivate readers from the beginning. A fictional novel based on true facts, this story gives the reader an insight to the horrific things that happened at the turn of the century.



This story will certainly keep the readers' attention. The author has created very believable characters. The readers will either like them or hate them.


This is a wonderful story for those who like a good mystery. This one has many twists in the plot to keep the readers on their toes.

I found this to be a decent fictional true crime novel about the grave and body snatchers in the 19th century., which I was completely unaware of in history. While I liked the main character Josie, I never really understood why she felt so compelled to be forcefully put in the situation she was in to aid the body snatchers. Because of that, the story lost some points for me. I did like that it turned into a a bit of a mystery to be solved as well as being a bit of a romance fiction to go along with the true crime plot. I would recommend for those who like historical fiction as well as true crime fiction.

A very interesting read!
A more unique story topic I am not sure ive read before. The author did a great job of explaining the emotions and actions of the characters, I truly enjoyed this book and would recommend it if you want a unique story to read. 4 out of 5 stars for originality, great character building, and the mystery.
I volunteered to read this book from Barbour Publishing in return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed with in are my own.

Sometimes truth IS much stranger than fiction...

To be perfectly honest, I picked up The Yellow Lantern because it was part of the True Colors series and I had absolutely no idea what it was about. I hadn't even read the back cover blurb on my copy when I started reading. Boy, was I in for a shock right off the bat. Seriously! Right there on the first page the heroine wakes up after having been presumed dead and actually buried! Trust me, Angie Dicken knows how to hook her readers right from the start and keep them good and hooked.

I thought it a bit ironic that this book is about grave robbers and just a few days ago I was watching a short youtube biography/documentary about two real people convicted of just that offense. Weird, right?

Anyway, The Yellow Lantern is an excellent addition to the True Colors series and I enjoyed it very much. It's deliciously dark and morbid in places. Manipulation, fear, betrayal, greed, and murder all have their places. But there is also a strong thread of hope, through faith,through the love in friendship and the love in romance. Angie Dicken has nicely packaged all of these threads in an entertaining and riveting story with roots in real events from history. Definitely a book that I would recommend...

(I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.)

This book was nuts! I don't read mystery-thrillers much, so this one was way out of my league! It had it all! I found the plot to move steadily and kept thinking about the story throughout my day and wanting to get back to it to finish!
Body snatching and research on cadavers! Whoa! I knew this happened back in the day but never considered it to be a storyline for a book. I'm so glad to have read this book and gained new perspective on an old practice.

I’m quite stuck on how to begin the review. A rare at-a-loss-for-words moment.

Did I immediately fall absolutely, totally, in love with The Yellow Lantern? No.

Did I hate it? Definitely not!

So, what’s the trouble?

My expectations. That’s the trouble. And I hate when I go into a book expecting certain things to happen. It’s not the book’s fault. It’s my fault as a reader. So, what happened? Well, truth be told, I was expecting more body snatching and less Josie wringing her hands obsessing over body snatching. I got over that in a hurry as the other plots began weaving their way though the book.

The opening chapters yanked me into the story, setting up a fantastic plot line and some wonderful characters. Josie is unusual. She has a deep strength and profound sense of right and wrong that the good doctor found a way to exploit. No matter what choice she makes, she cannot satisfy her sense of justice and obtain peace.

I thoroughly enjoyed Josie’s time at the mill and her adventures in helping the other women at the boarding house. That plot line seemed to overtake the body snatching plot line, which I was not expecting. But it was good, and it keeps The Yellow Lantern from becoming overly morbid and gruesome. Making the switch allowed the readers to see Josie and Braham in greater depth while bringing additional elements into the story.

I love a good historical, especially when the detail and history is as rich and in-depth as The Yellow Lantern. You don’t doubt the amount of time spent on research when you read this story. With the added true crime elements and flawed but redeemable characters, The Yellow Lantern is certain to hold your interest.

Why do I love True Crime novels? Because history is amazing, and a great novel teaches without the reader becoming bored, something The Yellow Lantern was able to do with ease.

I had a hard time getting into this book, the beginning was so realistic, and scary, I can’t even imagine, but that being said I didn’t know where we were going with the story, but quickly found out!
There is greed here, and surprises happen right up until the last page is turned, keep turning those pages.
Sadly, this story is based on true crimes, and when you think of this actually happening, and when the need is not met, well, just add a few!
When I was reading this story, I felt I was in old Europe, but no this is 1820’s Massachusetts!

I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Barbour, and was not required to give a positive review.

The third installment in the series, True Colors : Historical Stories of American Crime is one of shock and dismay. I have heard talk about movies where body snatchers were involved, but I had no idea that this practice was true until
I read this story.

Josephine is the focus of this story where she is forced to be part of
a horrible plot to steal dead bodies. My heart broke as she felt she
had no choice but to agree to help. She wanted to free her father
from people who threatened to take everything from him. She felt like
she had no choice even though it was against everything she believed in.
The story does raise the question of how far you are willing
to go in order to save a loved one. Josephine was spared from
death but I think she died a little inside each time she had
to do the unthinkable. I did enjoy her friendship with Braham.
His obvious attraction to Josephine is perhaps what helped
her to finally realize she could not carry out any more body snatching.

The author provides a great history lesson about cotton mills
during this time period. Women working in conditions that
were dangerous as machines broke down seemed to be an
everyday occurrence. There was little pay for these women
and accidents seemed to happen more frequently. It was a perfect
breeding ground for death and an opportunity for body snatchers
to meet their needs.

I loved trying to figure out who was the mastermind behind
this unthinkable plot to steal dead bodies. It was interesting
to learn that doctors used these bodies to do medical research on.

Another intriguing part of the story was the use of mixing
herbs to help heal the sick during this time. There are so many plants
and herbs today that have helped the medical field and to read
its use during the early 1820’s was inspiring.

The story is indeed hard to grasp at times but the author
does a great job of giving readers questions to ask themselves.
Did Josie trust God enough to help her? Why would a father put
his daughter in such danger? “The love of money is the root of all evil,”
as the scripture says is very relevant in this story. Money was at
the center of this crime and it devoured many people who gave into greed.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion

I appreciate this series of novels based on true crimes from the past. This one deals with grave robbing, a practice used by physicians doing research and schools training doctors. Bodies were always at a premium and grave robbing was frequently deemed necessary.

The novel got off to a bit of a rough start for me. It took a while for me to understand the context and the direction of the plot. How Josie became apparently dead and survived being buried is still a mystery to me. I would have appreciated more background information there. Once the novel got going it was okay but it did seem to bog down in the middle.

I felt a weakness of this novel was that it dealt with the general crime of grave robbing rather than a more specific crime and criminal, as the others in this series. I think that made for a much broader story line than I would have liked. I liked the other two novels in the series much more than this one. The strength of the novel was the historical information about cotton mills and the women who worked there.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

What a fun, ghastly story Angie Dicken writes in The Yellow Lantern. Infusing just the right amounts of romance, horror, intrigue, and family rivalry, Dicken had me swiping the pages as fast as I could. We think nothing of medical colleges using cadavers in our day, but in the 19th century, doctors realized the need for examining dead corpses for research but didn’t have the access to them. « Resurrection men » had ghastly jobs of providing just-buried corpses, much like this book details. Often, the whole trade was done underground and involved dirty money, as people, of course, wanted their dearly departed to rest in peace.

I loved that the characters were so three dimensional. Some I couldn’t figure out which side of the good guy/ bad guy line I wanted to put them on. There were even a few points where I felt sorry for the mean son, Gerald, as Braham is able to see him through eyes other than his own, and actually, understand why Gerald hates him.

I think anyone who has ever had a nightmare will love this book of a nightmare come to life, with Josephine struggling so hard to break free of her living reality!

Great wording:

«Uncle Bates’ body emptied of life .» What a mental image of the spirit slowly leaking away!

This quote had me thinking: «She focused on the path ahead, begging for God’s protection despite the unholy predicament. » How often we go our own way, then beg God to release us from the consequences!

A note about the facts that were instilled into the story is helpfully included at the end. While part of the True Crimes series, each book stands on its own merit.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and Celebrate Lit through NetGalley. This does not affect my opinions, for which I am solely responsible.

My Thoughts on The Yellow Lantern:
Such a gripping story. I could never have come up with this storyline and really I’m not sure I would have wanted to. But I could not put this book down. It was so so good!

As a nurse, I know that even now we study cadavers for what they can offer the medical community. But I can’t imagine going and stealing a body from a freshly dug grave. Just the thought makes me shudder. But to have died, been buried, and dug up and then still be alive? Oh my goodness!

Josie is a sweet spirit who really just wants to heal. She is thrust into other aspects of healing though that she hadn’t counted on. Why is her father now making her take on body snatching to her list of accomplishments? And why can’t she just go back to being herself?

I enjoyed getting to know Josie. Her character is multi-faceted and I loved getting to know each bit of her. The story is brilliant. Who can really guess who the head body snatcher is? I mean this was a pretty good one! It took me a bit to put all the pieces together but it was very much worth it.

Josie or Josephine. No matter what she’s called she is still the same person within. She wants to heal and to help. But can she get away from the body snatchers and the Dr? Or is the true danger only beginning?

Braham seems to be a wonderful character. He also has many layers and facets that I really would love more time to delve into. I’m sure a book on his early life could be written and I’d read it! He’s very conscientious about the mill that he has been left to manage after his mentor passes away. But can he keep his position amid the jealousy of his mentor’s son?

Can Josie and Braham have any chance of a relationship together besides boss and hire? Will Braham trust Josie when the truth comes out? Will the truth set them all free or merely hasten their death?

You’re going to love getting to know all of the characters in this book. The author is wonderful and knows how to layout a spellbinding story. Trust me when I say you will not want to put this book down. This entire series is so much more than I ever imagined. True crime stories brought to life as fiction. I cannot wait to see what comes next for this series!

I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from Celebrate Lit. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.

The concept for this series is great, but so far The White City has been the best of the bunch. Lantern was suppose to be about grave robbing, but ended up being more about mill work, which was in itself interesting. The story never really reeled me in, but in the end it’s a feel good story that does end well.

A jarring opening scene, discomfiting, unnerving.
The reader is immediately thrust into Josie’s mind—and her belief that she is dead. It can only get better from there, right?
A morbid practice that this reviewer hasn’t seen broached in fiction before. A tale wrapped around fear and darkness and desperation, this story kept me reading. The twists kept me guessing. The attraction between Josie and Braham blossomed in the face of darkness, in spite of the resistance they both tried valiantly to put up. The times they were alone together, however, seemed unfitting to the era, a time when even the most innocent discourse was chaperoned. But the circumstances superseded society and protocol.
This reviewer certainly felt the conflict Josie bore—secrets to hide barring her from accepting even the friendship of her coworkers; her angst and dread weighed her every moment.
Braham, too, strives against his past, and I could identify all too well with the damage to his self-esteem.
In Josie and Braham, Ms. Dicken has given each exactly what the other needs, and has crafted a poignant love story in the midst of a despicable practice and an evil plot.

ROBIN’S FEATHERS
FOUR FEATHERS

I received a complimentary copy of this book, but was under no obligation to read the book or to post a review. I offer my review of my own free will. The opinions expressed in my review are my honest thoughts and reaction to this book.


#Blogwords, Tuesday Reviews-Day-on-Saturday, #TRD, Book Review, The Yellow Lantern, Angie Dicken, True Colors Series—Fiction Based on Strange-But-True History, #TrueColorsSeries

The Yellow Lantern by Author Angie Dickens is Book 3 in the True Colors, Historical Stories of Romance and American Crime Series. Each book in this series is based on a true historical crime. This one is extremely haunting and I find myself still thinking about it. There was much to consider in this Christian fiction.

My interest was immediately piqued and held throughout the book. There were many twists, turns, and surprises that made this book a page turner. It was well planned and well written.

This was the story of Josephine (Josie) Clayton set in 1824 Massachusetts. It is a gritty tale of grave robbers but much more. Josie loves healing and using medicinal herbs and plants. She works at a cotton mill and helps out the girls there. I learned a lot about the early cotton mill as well as thoughts, actions, and customs of early 1800’s. The author has done her research well and readers are rewarded.

Descriptions are vivid and on point. The characters are believable but not all relatable. A few were detestable. Morals had vanished in some but not all. Inspiration is delicately woven throughout this scary story. There is romance, intrigue, crime, mystery, grief, drama, suspense and many life lessons.

This book was made even better knowing it was based on a true story. It was hard to comprehend the lengths some people went to when they wanted something. I felt sorry for those being blackmailed.

I would recommend this to readers that enjoy true historical crimes and gothic novels. It is not what I normally read, but the author did a very good job. I rated it 4 out of 5 stars.

True crime books offer a different type of story. This fictionalized account is based on events occurring in the early 1800s as doctors desired corpses to examine in order to learn from human bodies. The only trouble was, they had to obtain them illegally by robbing those recently buried. A dangerous business—as this novel portrays. Not only did people perform such thefts, they sometimes were willing to kill too. In this story, Josie finds herself forced to participate so she can save her impoverished father. The plot and characters seem authentic and chilling. Wondering how she will ever escape keeps the pages flipping. The book would make a scary movie. In addition to the accurate historic elements, the author throws in an unlikely romance yet makes it believable. We also observe growth in several characters, which always makes them seem more real. I received a copy from Celebrate Lit. All opinions are my own.

This is the third book in this series. They are stand-alone novels, each written by a different author. I read the first two and didn’t care for them. I made the decision that if I didn’t like this one I was done with the series.

I really enjoyed this book. I have never heard of Angie Dicken but I will definitely be keeping an out for more books by her.

I couldn’t wait to see how everything would tie together, there were so many hints dropped, letting the reader know something was up but I wasn’t sure how it would all play out.

That fact that this was based on actual events is a bit chilling.

If you like suspense without it being too scary this is a good in-between book. I really enjoyed it!


A copy of this book was given to me through the Celebrate Lit Team. All opinions are my own.