Another great book by Rosie Clarke set in the 1920s. Madame Pauline's is a sweatshop on Dressmakers Alley know for not paying their staff much .There is also things going on there that is a mystery.Winnie Brown get a job there to try and find out what is going on as she wants to prove herself to the Women's Movement.Thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood Books.

Dangerous Times on Dressmakers' Alley is the first book in a new series and it's an amazing starter!!!

Set in London's East End in 1923, we are treated to a captivating, strong storyline with great characters (especially Winnie Lady Diane and Susie) whilst at the same time learning about history in a very enjoyable and believable way.

I am looking forward to the future books in the series.

Not my typical read, but I really enjoyed this one. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this one and share my thoughts.

This uses the historical fiction feel that I was looking for and enjoyed the idea of this story. The characters worked with everything that I was looking for and enjoyed getting to know these characters in the world. Rosie Clarke does a great job in bringing us to this world and how well the characters worked with the story. It left me wanting to read more in this world and from the author.

A great read which lends itself into a captivating historical setting full of unsavory secrets, social constraints, and connections between different worlds. Great characters and storyline, I look forward to more.

Thank you for the chance to read this ARC in return for my honest opinion

This is the part of a new series but I wondered if some of the characters had appeared in previous books as sometimes the back stories seemed incomplete.
I found the book interesting but laborious in places and very slow to keep the narrative going.

I knew about the underworld in the East End of London and how there were villains and ruffians and this was well described making some of the characters thoroughly unlikeable and due their comeuppance.

This was a book about the sweatshops and the Upper Classes and how both were brought together though briefly in this book

But there were characters to like and romance to watch develop in a book that was well written and researched - just so slow at times.

For me, I knew it was part of a series, but it ended really abruptly - but ready for the next instalment of the lives of those in Dressmaker's Alley and those that were part of the upper classes.

An exciting title for a book full of surprises. The reading experience is fulfilled with knowledge from the past, how women could only have hopes for what we take granted today. The actions are well paced and the reader does not get bored. The main actions are happening a century ago but it is to be read by anyone, not just history lovers or specialists of the period.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author. all opnions are mine.

Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

What a fabulous start to a new series by Rosie Clarke.

Winnie is a member of the Women’s Movement. She is informed about the unusual goings on at Madame Pauline’s sweatshop and is sent to investigate whether everything is dodgy or are they just rumours.

We also meet Lady Diane Cooper and Susie who is her dresser. They both also look into the sweatshop’s ways of working.

Do they join hands to stop the dodgy dealings, and how?

The story was very well written, you are engrossed from the start, feel yourself relating to the characters.

I’’m looking forward to what happens next in this series.

I highly recommend this book.

Was a brilliant read and nice to see old characters merge into this storyline, gripped from the start, amazing writing

Dangerous Times on Dressmakers' Alley is the first book in the latest series by Rosie Clarke. I found it a little slow to start but it wasn't long until I was invested in the story.

I particularly liked the contrast between Millie, a young woman eager to do her best for a society keen on stopping the unfair treatment of women in the workplace, and Lady Diane, an upper-class woman who wants to be a dress designer and is held back by her station. Their lives end up entwined, but, how and why you must find out for yourself by reading the book.

I enjoyed the book's drama and think that of all the books I have read by this author, this one was one of the darkest. Thankfully, there was a touch of romance that I believe was necessary to provide a break from the drama.

I was going to say that the book needed an epilogue but then realised that this is book one in a series. I now need to be patient to find out what happens next!

sweat-shops, historical-research, historical-places-events, historical-novel, history-and-culture, economic-slavery, 1923, London, workplace-spying, employment-issues, friendship, class-consciousness*****

Inhumane working conditions did not end in Dickensian times but continues on without being hidden for far too long and even now in parts of the world. This is an excellent read backed by meticulous research and brought out with intimate humane care. I loved it and wonder what aspect of Women's Movement the author will expose next.
I requested and received a free temporary EARC from Boldwood Books via NetGalley. Thank you!
Available April 5, 2024

Wow- this is the start of Rosie Clarke's latest series and it was fantastic. Dramatic, romantic, and brilliant to hear about old friends from other books. I cannot wait to read the next in the series as it was left on a bit of a cliffhanger, I think. How Rosie gets so many books out in such a short time astounds me - but I'm really glad she does!

Firstly thank you Netgalley for this Arc

Wow what an emotional book how people were treated. The difference in the rich and the poor

Another brilliant book by this authors

I already knew what a sweatshop was before I found this book. I am very into fashion, and women's rights, and was very keen to review Dangerous Times on Dressmaker's Alley.

The sweatshop is atmospheric and the conditions are shocking. I really felt for Winnie and thought she was brave to take a job there, exposing herself to that life. She wants more rights for women and is concerned about what really goes on there. I was, too. The mystery element was perfectly woven in.

Lady Diane Cooper is wealthy, the opposite of those working at the sweatshop. What is her connection to this more sinister world?

Dangerous Times on Dressmaker's Alley is a really unique book.

Rosie Clarke's books always grip me, and the visuals were great (especially those relating to Lady Diane Cooper's dress, which really highlighted the luxury she was used t0 compared to the conditions of the sweatshop and the other womens' lives).

Thanks to Rosie Clarke, Boldwood Books and Rachel's Random Resources for my eARC in exchange for an honest and vountary review.

5 stars.

By Rosie
#RosieClarke
#NetGalley
#DangerousTimesonDressmakersAlley

From the author of many popular historical sagas set in WW1 and WW2 comes this new book set in 1923 and centered around the East End of London.
Winnie is sent to work at a dressmakers and report back to "the Movement", a group who strongly believe in women's rights and they also publish a magazine that expose scandals and the group is also linked to the suffragette movement. From the moment she arrives at the workshop she can see that things are not as they should be, the girls that work there are worked hard, and definitely exploited, with hardly any breaks, not even for the toilet. Many of the girls are less than fourteen, and they are made to sleep on the premises. Winnie is sent in as an "insider spy" by the Movement, who unfortunately can't prove anything, which is where Winnie comes in. She is determined to help the girls and will stop at nothing, even risking her own safety in the process. But will Winnie eventually find the happiness she deserves herself? As Winnie had worked as a seamstress in the past she was an ideal person to work undercover and expose these scandals.
Soon she does find good friends which she definitely needs when trouble breaks out in the area and especially in the clothing workshop.
Full of London scenes with crimes and criminals aplenty, most centered around the Dressmakers Alley where the girls worked.

I was really absorbed in the story and was disappointed when I got to the last page, I really wanted to read more, I so hope that there is to be a follow-up book.
Thanks to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book, a really enjoyable read, a five star recommendation from me.

Love love love Rosie Clarke, her books are so good.

The book is set in 1920’s and follows a girl called Winnie as she becomes part of the woman’s movement, investigating the hard times for the employees of a sweat shop

The investigation is very interesting and this was a intriguing read.

Rosie Clarke is one of my all time favourite authors, including Mulberry Lane and the Harper Girls.

This sounds like it could be the first book in a new series.

Thank you to NetGalley and BoldwoodBooks for allowing me a advanced copy

Another exceptional story from Rosie. I was gripped from beginning to end. The goings on at Madame Pauline's sweatshop was terrible. Winnie was a courageous young woman with principle helped by her being a member of the women movement. I loved the character of Lady Diane Cooper and her husband who supported her. Brilliant read.

A sweet and harrowing story of the dark side of 1923 in London. I hope there is more coming, I can’t wait to find out what happens next!

This is my first read of a book by Rosie Clarke and I am thrilled that I have discovered this author through Netgalley. I am a huge fan of cozy mysteries, especially those set in the Victorian era and the 1900s as it was a fascinating time in history. This mystery however has a darker edge and I was absolutely riveted!

The story follows Winnie Brown as she strives to prove herself in the Womens Movement by investigate the dodgy happenings surrounding Madame Pauline's sweatshop. On the other side of the coin, Lady Diane Cooper and her dresser Susie become embroiled in the investigation, giving the esteemed Lady the adventure she strives for. But how do they come together and what is the connection?

A brilliantly written mystery which took me all around the houses and back again. I was utterly delighted to discover just how many books Rosie Clarke has written and I am very excited that this apears to be the beginning of a new series. Clarke is an exceptional author who knows her audience well and writes to take the reader on an investigative journey, steeped in the mire of the turn of the century, where women fought for a voice and the working classes fought to survive

Outstanding character development of relatable characters. Fantastic world building and narrative. Elegant prose, beutifully woven storylines

Thank you very much to Netgalley, Boldwood Books and Rosie Clarke for this wonderful ARC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

Rosie Clark’s novel, set against the backdrop of 1920s London, effortlessly transports readers to a time of stark social divides and change. Through vivid descriptions Clark paints a picture of the East End, where the dichotomy between opulence and poverty is stark.

At the heart of the narrative is Winnie, a spirited protagonist whose journey resonates with the struggles and triumphs of women during this era. While the narrative maintains a steady pace, there are moments where it meanders, particularly in the middle, before gathering momentum once more. Yet, this unpredictability adds a layer of intrigue, keeping readers engaged until the very end, with a cliffhanger that leaves readers pondering the fate of Lady Diane and the promising venture ahead.

Overall, a lighthearted and enjoyable read, I’m looking forward to exploring more of Rosie Clarks novels. Thanks to Netgalley for providing a copy for review.