The Stockton Insane Asylum Murder
Nineteenth Century Historical Legal Mystery and Thriller (Portia of the Pacific Historical Mysteries Book 3)
by James Musgrave
This title was previously available on NetGalley and is now archived.
Send NetGalley books directly to your Kindle or Kindle app
1
To read on a Kindle or Kindle app, please add kindle@netgalley.com as an approved email address to receive files in your Amazon account. Click here for step-by-step instructions.
2
Also find your Kindle email address within your Amazon account, and enter it here.
Pub Date 22 Jan 2019 | Archive Date 8 Feb 2020
Talking about this book? Use #TheStocktonInsaneAsylumMurder #NetGalley. More hashtag tips!
Description
Women were, among others, misdiagnosed as insane by alienists in the 1800s. My plot will involve a female child who has been institutionalized in 1887, but the aunt of this child comes to Clara Foltz to say she believes the child was admitted to the Stockton State Insane Asylum (the first such institution in California) because she knew about a murder that was committed on her wealthy parent’s estate.
Clara solicits the help of Elizabeth Packard, the crusading (real) activist who was committed in the 1860s by her husband. It took Mrs. Packard three years to earn her freedom. Together with Ah Toy, they contrive a way to go undercover to gain admittance into the Women’s Building at Stockton to find the child and determine what happened to have her institutionalized. Children were regularly institutionalized, as were the elderly and the feeble-minded.
Five of these characters will be readers who won a raffle held by the author. They will be suspect asylum patients inside the Stockton State Insane Asylum, the first public mental hospital in California. The author will be working with each reader, using their photos, descriptions and “personal idiosyncrasies” to craft the characters used in his mystery.
Advance Praise
Kirkus Review: ""An entertaining mix of fact, fiction, feminism, and the occult.""
The Stockton Insane Asylum Murder is the third book featuring the trail-blazing feminist attorney and detective, Clara Foltz; however,the author gives enough background information for this book to be read as a stand-alone novel. That said, I've read and enjoyed each of these books and would advise not missing a single one. The heroine of Musgrave's books is based upon the historical person of the same name who was the first woman attorney on the West Coast and first woman admitted to the California Bar. Musgrave's plot is thrilling and suspenseful; the Stockton Insane Asylum is a suitably dark and terrifying setting for this tale. His characters are well defined and credible, and the author's gift for historical writing gives the tale vibrancy and authenticity. The Stockton Insane Asylum Murder: Portia of the Pacific Historical Mysteries, Book 3 is most highly recommended."" Jack Mangus, Reader's Favorite"
Available Editions
| ISBN | 9781943457380 |
| PRICE | US$1.99 (USD) |
Links
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
Tammy W, Reviewer
This is one intense, twisted, addictive, complex, insane, jaw-dropping novel! Not only is this a very well-written book with tragically-pitiable and wonderfully-interesting characters, but the suspense builds at just the right pace as the story unfolds.
#TheStocktonInsaneAsylumMurder #NetGalley
sue w, Reviewer
The Stockholm insane asylum murder by James Musgrave.
Women were, among others, misdiagnosed as insane by alienists in the 1800s. My plot will involve a female child who has been institutionalized in 1887, but the aunt of this child comes to Clara Foltz to say she believes the child was admitted to the Stockton State Insane Asylum (the first such institution in California) because she knew about a murder that was committed on her wealthy parent’s estate.
A very good read. I liked the story. Good characters. 4*.
Account D, Reviewer
this was a great suspenseful read, the characters were great and I really enjoyed reading this. I look forward to more from the author and this series.
Readers who liked this book also liked:
