Woman of Ill Fame

An unusual and fun mystery thriller with an intriguing setting and delightful protagonist. I must state straight off that my four star review is a qualified one ... not sure if it really deserves a four star - but I'll get to that. It's certainly a rousing and rowdy bawdy novel. The Woman of Ill Fame......more

Women of Ill Fame is a term used to describe prostitutes in the late 1800's. Nora Simms is one of these women in San Francisco during the Gold Rush era. A women who accepts her lot in life as a 'loose woman' but does want to better herself. Instead of staying in the crib row houses where she plies h......more

“Woman of Ill Fame” by Erika Mailman is the best book that I have read in quite some time. I was completely drawn in by Nora’s character, and I struggled to put the book down once I started it! I absolutely loved Nora’s character. The novel is written from her perspective, and though she is a prosti......more

Wonderful submersion into the life of the early California "soiled doves." Considering the options for women at the time--factory work, school teacher, marriage (to an often controlling husband--think Ibsen's "A Doll's House") or "lady of the evening"--this last option becomes less strange. Also, gi......more