"From the beloved Pulitzer Prize-winning and best-selling author of A Thousand Acres: a rollicking murder mystery set in Gold Rush California, as two young prostitutes follow a trail of missing girls.

Monterey, 1851. Ever since her husband was killed in a bar fight, Eliza Ripple has been working in a brothel. It seems like a better life, at least at first. The madam, Mrs. Parks, is kind, the men are (relatively) well behaved, and Eliza has attained what few women have: financial security. But when the dead bodies of young women start appearing outside of town, a darkness descends that she can't resist confronting. Side by side with her friend Jean, and inspired by her reading, especially by Edgar Allan Poe's detective Dupin, Eliza pieces together an array of clues to try to catch the killer, all the while juggling clients who begin to seem more and more suspicious.

Eliza and Jean are determined not just to survive, but to find their way in a lawless town on the fringes of the Wild West - a bewitching combination of beauty and danger - as what will become the Civil War looms on the horizon. As Mrs. Parks says, "Everyone knows that this is a dangerous business, but between you and me, being a woman is a dangerous business, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise...""

This sounds just like my favorite arc on season two of Deadwood. Who doesn't want to watch prostitutes inspired by Edgar Allan Poe to solve crime?

3.5 stars rounded up.

This historical novel, set in Gold Rush California, takes an interestingly feminist viewpoint but, for me, didn’t quite work as well as I wanted it to.

Eliza Cargill had moved to Monterey from Kalamazoo with her new, and abusive, husband. Fortunately he’s soon killed in a bar brawl and she reinvents herself as Eliza Ripple and goes to work for the kindly but slightly enigmatic Mrs Parks, at a local brothel. When local prostitutes start disappearing and turning up dead, Eliza and her new friend Jean (who works at a brothel for women) are inspired by Edgar Allan Poe’s detective Dupin to investigate.

The mystery is only a small part of the novel. Much of it is concerned with Eliza’s day to day life. She lives in a boarding house, eats at local restaurants, and enjoys her independence. Her work is well-paid, and after her wretched marriage, she finds her clients to be mostly kind and pleasant. She is thoroughly, and often entertainingly, matter of fact about their interactions.

The author does a fine job of creating a believable 1850’s Monterey. She evokes the lawlessness of the time along with its flipside of freedom as Eliza roams around the streets and rides out into the mountains with Jean, a lesbian who delights as playacting as different classes of men and women. (I followed along on Google maps - a map from the time would have been a nice inclusion). One of the topics of conversation is always where people have come from, but their motives for coming to California are not quite so freely discussed which makes everyone a suspect.

While the writing is elegant and precise and the female characters are vivid, the mystery itself is a bit lame. There is little law enforcement so the women are forced to make up their own investigative techniques which seems to consist of Eliza suspecting all her clients and Jean following them around. The denouement was pretty abrupt and the resolution was not particularly satisfying. I understand that this gives a structure to the novel, but I enjoyed the quotidian sections much more.

Thanks to Knopf and Netgalley for the digital review copy.

When Eliza’s abusive husband is killed in a bar fight, she must think of a way to make a living in 1850s Monterey. She had come by wagon train from the Midwest where her family were Covenanters and her background was not worldly. But having endured the sexual demands of her husband, Eliza thinks being a prostitute in a local brothel may be the way for her to get a life. Eliza befriends another prostitute, Jean, servicing women. They discover they have common interests in the writings of Poe. This will help them in their quest to unravel a series of disappearing young women (prostitutes) that no law enforcement cares about.

The mystery of this book was somewhat thin. The two young gals reminded me of Nancy Drew crime solving if Nancy had been in a similar situation! (Not likely.) The book could have come with a map of Monterrey as the Jean and Eliza traipse around tracking down many likely leads and venues. Brothel scenes served to show Eliza’s efficiency, and the possibility of discovering the killer. Passion was not really part of her expertise, it was a business, a dangerous business involving prostitution and sleuthing.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this title.

Eliza Ripple was forced into marriage by her parents. After her marriage she discovered that her husband had lied about being successful and he was instead going to take them to Monterey, California, to search for gold. Her husband treated Eliza like his slave so when he was killed in a bar fight after only a few months of marriage she was glad to be rid of him. But she then had the problem of what to do to earn a living. In 1851 Monterey there weren’t many options for women so when Mrs. Parks offered her a job in her brothel, Eliza took it. Mrs. Parks was kind to her girls and tried to keep them safe and Eliza was happy to be earning her own money.

Soon she became friends with Jane who was also a prostitute in a brothel but where she worked catered to women. The two women loved reading the stories written by Edgar Allen Poe and they especially liked his detective, Dupin. When young women, mostly prostitutes, began disappearing and were then found dead, the police didn’t seem overly concerned so Eliza and Jane decide to investigate the murders like Dupin in the Poe stories. However, being a woman and a prostitute is “a dangerous business” especially when you are looking for a murderer.

A Dangerous Business was an interesting book. The Gold Rush theme and setting in 1851 intrigued me but I really didn’t connect with the characters because they seemed bland to me. Eliza had to earn a living and she had limited options but she didn’t seem conflicted about becoming a proustite. I also thought that the mystery needed more suspense. The story moved rather slowly but I did like parts of it but because of the brothel scenes (not graphic) this book probably isn’t for everyone.

A Dangerous Business will be published on December 6, 2022. Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf Doubleday for an Advance Reading Copy in exchange for my honest review.

A fascinating and engrossing novel of murder, independence and friendship. This relatively short book packs a lot in terms of a well developed plot, interesting and relatable characters, and a little known setting. I love the author’s casual and descriptive writing which had the story flowing and always made me want to know what’s next.

After Eliza’s husband dies soon after they move to California in the 1850s, she finds herself turning to sec work to help pay the bills. Soon, young women keep ending up murdered. She and her friend Jean decide to investigate using wisdom they picked up from their favorite author, Poe.

I was expecting this book to be more of a mystery, but it felt more like a slice of life book with a mystery subplot. Like most of Eliza’s investigating is during her jobs or because she is suspicious of a client. There are also subplots that feel somewhat thrown in without a bunch of relevance - like the looming civil war. If you’re looking for a good mystery, this probably isn’t for you. If you’re looking for historical fiction slice of life, then you will enjoy this more!

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Two women who work in brothels wish to solve a mystery…what a great premise! However, this was a slow and tedious story for me. I did, however, enjoy getting to know Eliza and Jean.

Eliza has been working in Mrs. Parks' brothel in Monterey since her hateful husband was killed in a bar shortly after they arrived in California. Gentle readers should know that she is very matter of fact about her customers (this never gets graphic but still...) She's lonely until she meets Jean, a woman who works in a brothel for women. Young women have gone missing and then the two of them find a body, setting Eliza and Jean on a quest to uncover the villain. They use Edgar Allan Poe as a model for investigation (unusual choice to be sure) and then they find another body. I liked this for the two women, both unique and determined with interesting back stories that come out slowly. The atmospherics of Monterey during the period are terrific (especially the rain and mud but also its beauty). Smiley manages to capture the men in a paragraph or two, making each of them (and there are quite a few) memorable. Will Eliza and Jean manage to find the bad guy without losing their own lives? No spoilers from me. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. It's a different sort of historical mystery that will please Smiley fans as well.

Jane Smiley has written a very interesting story about the “oldest profession” with a good mystery. This book won’t be for everyone because of certain descriptions, but Jan Smiley fans won’t be disappointed.

I loved the. prostitution aspect of the book and reading about the brothel. I would love more books with this environment. Parts of the book were slow and it was hard for me to get invested in the mystery

I was hooked from the beginning sentence of this novel: Two months after her husband died on November 12, 1851, Eliza Ripple stopped writing letters to her mother back in Kalamazoo. At 22, in goldrush-obsessed Monterey, California Eliza finds herself gainfully employed, and in the company of friendlier people than her late husband Peter, but at a brothel. She and her friend Jean transition from thrilled readers of Edgar Allan Poe's stories to actual investigators of a real life series of local murders. Jane Smiley is an amazing character constructor whether contemporary or historical; and Eliza and her friend are both intricately complex, curious, and resolutely courageous regardless of whatever constraints the mores and culture of the time may have dictated.

This is as much about the qualities of true friendship as it is a satisfying murder mystery. I love that Smiley avoided the all-too familiar trollop tropes and instead presents two intelligent, realistic female protagonists who do the right thing brilliantly, with limited opportunities at hand.

4 stars

Take a trip to the mid-1800s and up the California coast to meet Eliza, the m.c., and her curious group of acquaintances in this mysterious piece of historical fiction.

Like many women (period, but also) at this time, Eliza finds herself very young and very cramped by her jerk husband's style. So, when she is widowed at the start of the novel, she gets to explore who she really is and dig deep into various areas of her life that others might find unsavory and/or shocking. Eliza finds some of her freedom through her new role as a sex worker, and this is an absolute highlight of the novel. Not only is it fascinating to read from the perspective of a sex worker (particularly at this time period), but it's pretty exciting to see a potentially unexpected spin. Eliza isn't lamenting her state; she's actually enjoying quite a lot about it. She becomes a social scientist in more ways than one, not only enjoying learning a great deal about the similarities between and differences among her clients but also exploring her town - Monterey - with great vigor. Her best find is her pal, Jean. These two need a whole series of their own. I will read every page immediately. One reason that the two bond so quickly is that there appears to be a killer on the loose locally. To the surprise of no one, because the victims are women and frequently sex workers, authorities are doing nothing, and these two characters - who fit both identities - take it upon themselves to investigate in the most curious ways.

Though at times, I wanted the pacing to pick up just a touch, this remained an engaging read for me. The representation, the landscape, and just the day-to-day lives of Eliza and Jean (and especially all aspects of their friendship) make for an entertaining experience. I can't wait to read more from Smiley.

I though I would enjoy a mystery book about a brothel in the old West. However, the writing style was slow and simple, and there was not as much action as I would have liked.

Mrs. Parks, the owner of the brothel, says, "Everyone knows that this is a dangerous business, but between you and me, being a woman is a dangerous business, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise ..."

Eliza moves with her new husband to Monterey, California, in 1851. Shortly thereafter, her husband dies in a bar brawl, and Eliza must figure out how to earn a living. She takes a job in one of the better brothels in town, taking care of two or three clients each evening. She is able to save her money and support herself. Her new friend, Jean, encourages her to read Edgar Allen Poe's "The Murders in the Rue Morgue." Eliza starts to observe and analyze things around her. She discovers that prostitutes are being murdered. No one is being charged with the murders and the law seems to be remarkable lax in searching out answers.

The story comes to an interesting conclusion, some of which the reader might have been expecting and some conclusions not seen at all.

3.5/5 stars

Maybe historical fiction isn’t for me. It’s often hard for me to get into it. When it works, it’s super impactful, when it doesn’t, I struggle. I loved the e premise of this one but I wasn’t drawn in like I wanted to be. I really love Poe though and though the inclusion of that was fun!

Jane Smiley experiments with genres like no other writer. In the past, she’s pivoted from Norse epic to ecofeminist tragedy to academic picaresque. In this novel, she tries out western mystery. Set in the Wild West of 1850s Monterey, it follows Eliza, whose husband brought her West from Kalamazoo. The husband has been killed in a bar fight by the time the novel starts, though, and Eliza earns a living as a sex worker, happy to be independent out West.

Her sense of security is threatened by the deaths and disappearances of several other girls in her profession. The justice system isn’t exactly functional in Monterey, so Eliza and her friend Jean take it upon themselves to investigate. This plot line is an alternative take on Smiley’s skewering of misogyny in other works. Not all the men here are bad—for example, the brothel’s male employee, Carlos, keeps the women safe—but many of them are, at best, simply tedious, as we see through scenes of Eliza at work.

It’s chilling to watch Eliza and Jean solve the mystery through the thick Monterey fog, all as the city grows and the Civil War brews back East. I would rank this as neither my favorite (A Thousand Acres) nor my least favorite of Smiley’s novels—but as always, I’m astounded at how she constantly reinvents her work.

In Smiley’s short but impactful latest, two sex workers get caught up in a crime-novel scenario, one calling to mind the Edgar Allan Poe stories they devour, and decide to solve the murders before they become victims themselves.

In 1852, the small town of Monterey, California, bubbles with prosperity and secrets. New arrivals pour in, seeking fortunes or a new start; people depart just as frequently. Eliza Ripple, a young widow from Kalamazoo who doesn’t miss her abusive husband one whit, has settled in at her job at Mrs. Parks’s brothel. She makes a good living, and the proprietress looks out for her health and safety. Then the first girl disappears, prompting Mrs. Parks to hire a bouncer, Carlos, a kind Mexican immigrant. The community, which relies on informal (vigilante) justice since they don’t have constables, decides the missing-person crime isn’t worth the bother. Other disappearances follow, bodies are found, and Eliza and her best friend, Jean—a fellow prostitute working at an establishment serving other women—grow concerned. How would Poe’s hero Dupin (or DuPANN, as Eliza calls him) handle this?

Rich in wit and human observation, Smiley’s telling is as matter-of-fact as Eliza’s approach to her profession. While Eliza is skilled, her encounters aren’t erotic and illustrate much about all the characters. Among her clients are farmers, a shy teenager, many sailors, and older men, all with their own preferences. With a killer still at large, Eliza analyzes each man carefully, wondering if he’s guilty. “Being a woman is a dangerous business,” Mrs. Parks tells her, accurately, and Eliza grows annoyed at having to uncover the truth because nobody else cares. As heroic, self-reliant young women who accomplish what needs doing, she and Jean make great partners in a town where a supportive female network is the key to success and survival.

Two young women working as prostitutes work together to solve a series of murders mostly involving other prostitutes.

A Dangerous Business is both an interesting historical mystery and also a feminist look at young women's lives as early California settlers.

Someone is killing the prostitutes in Monterey, California, during the Gold Rush in A Dangerous Business by Jane Smiley, hitting the shelves in December. After her parent-arranged marriage to an older man comes to an end with a bullet in a bar fight, Eliza’s way forward emerges with a position in a brothel.

Eliza is actually fortunate to work for Mrs. Parks who screens all potential clients and hires a bodyguard to protect her working girls. Many women of that time could not survive without a husband, but Eliza is able to attain financial security and even a certain satisfaction with her work as her clients are as varied as young boys being treated by their fathers, to lonesome sailors, to prominent citizens.

When out riding horses one day, 20-year-old Eliza and her friend Jean stumble upon a body. On another ride, the young women discover yet another body of a woman; this one Eliza identifies as Mary who disappeared from Mrs. Parks’ brothel. Mrs. Parks shares that information with the sheriff repeatedly, but other than removing the remains, he is not interested in the killer.

Inspired by short stories about C. Auguste Dupin, Edgar Allan Poe’s famous fictional character, Eliza and Jean try using Dupin’s train of thought technique to solve the mystery of the women’s deaths. Putting together the clues they gathered; Eliza strives to discover the identity of the killer by putting herself in harm’s way. What if her sleuthing actually makes her the next corpse?

Jane Smiley has a fondness for horses, and she works several into this work of historical fiction. Smiley won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1992 for A Thousand Acres, a story based on William Shakespeare's King Lear; Hollywood adapted the book into a movie starring Michelle Pfeiffer and Jessica Lange.

My review will be posted on Goodreads starting October 27, 2022.

I would like to thank Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor as well as NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in return for an objective review.