The Twisted Road (A Barrister Perris Mystery) by A.B. Michaels; Historical Mystery Develops the Progressive Era

 The Twisted Road (A Barrister Perris Mystery) by A.B. Michaels; Historical Mystery Develops the Progressive Era

By Julie Sara Porter 

Bookworm Reviews 

Spoilers: A.B. Michaels’ Barrister Perris Mystery, The Twisted Road, is one of those Historical Mysteries that knows how to bring the past to life: warts and all. Set in 1907 San Francisco, it takes shots at labor struggles, gender roles, class division, artistic expression, political unrest, immigration conflicts, all of the things that made the Progressive Era a fascinating and difficult time in history.

Jonathan Perris, a barrister who emigrated from London, finds himself in a bind when his girlfriend, Lena Mendelssohn is found murdered and Jonathan was the last one to be seen with her. While trying to prove his innocence, Jonathan and his team peer into Lena’s life and discover more layers and deception into the late Austrian socialite than Jonathan initially thought. 

This book is a great combination of a detailed historical mystery and has a memorable team to explore it. The effective team begins with their leader. Jonathan Perris is a protagonist with many mysteries of his own to unravel and fits in well with this year’s theme of “Troubled Historical Detectives.” An aristocrat, he is in possession of some second sight abilities that are inherited from his mother that he calls “the cadeau” (French for “the gift”.) While the second sight could veer this book into supernatural mystery territory so far it’s not overdone and seems to be written as deep intuition and deductive reasoning, traits that make Jonathan good at his job. He has ongoing questions of his own in wondering where his mother disappeared to and is possibly just as afraid of learning the answer. He is also estranged from his titled brother and is still reminded of the scandals of his frere’s past, some of which were instrumental in Jonathan leaving England for California. He is a troubled man who helps others so he doesn’t have to look at the conflicts in his own life. 

Jonathan is good at his job in being a barrister and helping his clients but he is also adept at picking an efficient team and they get as much attention and convey as much interest as their boss. One of Jonathan’s more progressive attributes is recognizing talent in those who society would have otherwise overlooked, such as Cordelia Hammersmith. Cordelia is a sharp tongued strong willed attorney who is ready to prove herself in the legal field. She is someone who takes excellent notes and is ready for a saucy comeback when others call attention to her gender. She wants to let her qualifications and expertise speak for themselves so she gets irritated when Jonathan overcompensates by overly defending her as he does at a party. She fits the archetype of the New Woman that was so present in the time period in which she lives. 

Cordelia is hired to defend Emmett Barnes who has been accused of murder during a labor union protest and has to use her sharp wits and observational skills to not only investigate this case but Lena’s when she learns that the two are linked. 

Dove Davydov is an investigator who also offers his own unique stamp to the firm. A sketch artist, he doodles his information as much as Cordelia writes and Jonathan senses. He grew up on the rough side of San Francisco and is unafraid to visit the bars, brothels, fights, and violent rallies that his higher class more sophisticated colleagues would be uncomfortable visiting. He has many contacts within the underworld and a shady past which suggests that he is familiar with the opposite side of the law. 

Dove first investigates Aunt Susie’s, the brothel where Lena worked. He is then led to an art class and a Socialist organization. Using his working class experience and his somewhat rebellious sardonic nature, he is able to bond with and glean information from the various people in Lena’s life who might be put off by Jonathan’s class and sophistication or Cordelia’s gender and abrasiveness.

The group is rounded out by Oliver Bean, a naive new partner and Althea, the motherly office manager. They don’t get as much mention in this book as the others but they have some memorable moments. Althea has a running gag that while her colleagues run around chasing leads, she remains in the office to “obfuscate.” Oliver has a delightful bit at Aunt Susie’s where Dove uses his familiarity with the ladies to ease through interrogation sessions, Oliver is overwhelmed by the attention from the plethora of beautiful women. By the time they are ready to go, poor Oliver is completely surrounded and leading them in a game of Three Card Monte much to his coworker’s amusement.

The mystery leads Jonathan and his team through various facets of early 20th Century San Francisco. Like many Historical Mysteries, The Twisted Road is a time capsule of the period in which it is set. In investigating Lena’s death, Jonathan and the others chase connections through a class of iconoclastic artists, a Socialist organization whose plans are moving beyond peaceful protests, a prostitution ring with an intercontinental stream of high profile clients, and a recent labor strike that resulted in a gruesome death and Barnes’ arrest. These different leads show what the Progressive Era was all about and what it represented within that  history.

Mostly, the Progressive Era was a time when the status quo of wealthy white American men was being challenged. Immigrants, unions, women, and many others were speaking out loud and making their voices heard through action, speeches, protests, art, volunteering, and social work. It was a time that looked for great change and sometimes change involved violence and deaths. Sometimes unscrupulous types took advantage of those who needed help and wanted to do the helping, causing more problems in the long run. Sometimes people were so enamored with their causes that human life became secondary and they were willing to put lives on the line just for their dream society to be realized, a society that may not be as perfect as the one they visualized (especially if they have to commit violence to achieve it).

The Twisted Road shows that transition in American history when people called for change and that change started to be made.

Classics Corner: Women's Weird: Strange Stories by Women 1890-1949 Edited by Melissa Edmondson; Weird Ghost Story Anthology by Some of the Best Female Authors

 

Classics Corner: Women's Weird: Strange Stories by Women 1890-1949 Edited by Melissa Edmondson; Weird Ghost Story Anthology by Some of the Best Female Authors

By Julie Sara Porter

Bookworm Reviews

Spoilers: The word weird (Old English for "fate or destiny") has often been associated with women, wrote editor Melissa Edmondson. She's not wrong. Greek mythology has the Fates-Clothos, Lachesis, Atropos-three goddesses who weave the fate of humanity. Clothos spun the thread. Lachesis measured the thread. Atropos cut the thread. Norse mythology had the Norns, three goddesses who drew water from their sacred well to nourish Yggsdrael the sacred tree. Urd who told the past, Verdandi who told the present, and Skaldi who foretold the future. There are various triple goddesses in Celtic mythology such as the three forms of Brigid or The Morrigan. Many current Witch spiritual paths worship the Goddess in three forms: Maiden, Mother/Nymph, Crone

Of course, where would Shakespeare's Macbeth be without The Weird Sisters predicting his ascension to kinghood and his downfall by "a man not born of woman" and "when Birnam Wood comes to Dunsinane"?

Melissa Edmondson's  anthology Women's Weird: Strange Stories by Women 1890-1940 lives up to its name. It is filled with ghost stories by many of the most famous female authors and some who should be recognized in the 21st century. The stories are not jump scare stories in the style of Stephen King or H.P. Lovecraft. Instead, the majority of them present an eerie sensibility like an old familiar ghost story told in a new way. 

The best stories are: 

"The Weird of the Walfords" by Louisa Baldwin

Cursed objects are as prevalent in hauntings as ghosts themselves. The Hope Diamond. James Dean's Porsche Spider. The Annabelle Doll. Sometimes the curses have more to do with the people that are being cursed than the object itself.

That's certainly true with this creepy story. Humphrey Walford, has inherited not only the family estate but is the not so proud owner of the Walford Family old carved oak four poster bedstead. For three hundred years, every Walford has been born and died in that bed. When he becomes lord of the manor, Humphrey vows that he will not let this arbitrary curse control how he dies so he orders the bed destroyed. Well anyone who has read any story of a curse ever, knows that destruction of the object does nothing. Even after he marries and becomes a father, Humphrey can't escape the inevitable.

This story is fascinating as Humphrey is at first confident that he can beat  this curse then as circumstances put him right where he doesn't want to be, he becomes more unglued. His skepticism and confidence wavers as the supernatural presence lingers and he has no choice but to accept the inevitable.

"The Giant Wistaria" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

As anyone who reads this blog knows, one of my favorite short stories is Charlotte Perkins Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper".' The creepy atmosphere of a woman driven to near insanity by the rest cure that her husband forces upon her is one of the best crafted short stories in American literature. It is a great combination of psychological horror and feminist literature showing how the limited female roles  can drive some women to breakdowns and other psychological disorders.

Gilman also delivers that gift of horror combined with questioning of women's roles in society with "The Giant Wistaria." 

The story begins during the 17th century when a young woman is the object of a scandal. Her parents seek to force her into marriage and abandon her. Meanwhile, a giant wistaria grows right outside the house.

Centuries later, a married couple and their friends explore their new home. Mrs. Jenny is excited about the prospect that the house contains a ghost to her husband's skeptical dismay. However, she keeps seeing images of a ghostly woman near the wistaria.

This story reflects many of Gilman's most common themes of women trapped by society's constraints. Though this one offers a measure of hope that "The Yellow Wallpaper" does not. The communication between a woman of the past and a woman of the present might finally end up freeing her.

"Kerfol" by Edith Wharton

Another of my favorite authors, Edith Wharton, is represented here. Besides her satires of upper class New Yorkers like The House of Mirth and The Age of Innocence, she also wrote ghost stories. The story represented in this volume, "Kerfol", shows that abuse can still haunt long afterwards.

The Narrator considers buying the property of Kerfol. Of course, there is a haunting story connected to it. The Narrator sees various ghostly dogs hovering around and hears mysterious barking. 

The backstory connected to this haunting is a moving one dealing with domestic and animal abuse. Those who are sensitive to mistreatment of animals might be appalled by the actions of one of the characters and may be pleased by the retribution that they receive.

"Unseen-Unfeared" by Francis Stevens

While they are things of the past, museums of curiosities and sideshows provided much artistic inspiration. Elaine Showalter's A Jury of Her Peers, a comprehensive look at American Literature written by women, said that it was a favorite writing topic for female authors in the 19th and early 29th century. Perhaps because they identified with the outsider status of the show runners and entertainers who paraded themselves before the so-called normal people who were often worse than those that they observed. 

That is certainly true of Francis Stevens "Unseen-Unfeared"." The Narrator is a xenophobic racist asshole who grumbles about the immigrants and people of color that he sees on the streets every day. (This character could have easily been the Narrator of a modern story.) The Narrator sees an advertisement for "The Great Unseen." 

Snootily thinking that it's a museum of fakery, The Narrator pays his dime and tries to ignore his impending sense of dread and evil as he enters.

What starts out as a display showing the wonders of the newly created photography quickly becomes a lot more terrifying. The Narrator sees various creatures in the dark inside the museum including spiders on the walls, monsters with human faces, and a thing that he can't describe but refers to in all caps (THING). 

It's tempting to say that this display is The Showman, Dr. Hodge, being evil by gaslighting The Narrator or is in possession of evil powers but Hodge's diatribe reveals a more subtle side to his character. He talks about the evil that he sees around him. Of course The Narrator's attitude before he entered the Museum can't be discounted. The visions are reactions towards the evil that exists in those who are observing them. The Narrator's loathing of his fellow humans creates the evil that he fears. Even when he thinks that Hodge is gone and the museum is closed, he can't escape the evil that exists inside him.

"The Twelve Apostles" by Eleanor Scott

This story is a combination of ghost story and mystery. Mr. Matthews, an American, buys an English manor actually hoping that there is a ghost or a story behind it. He is then told of Sir Jerome, a 16th century recluse,parish priest, and practicing sorcerer. Sir Jerome's writings reveal him to be a man of great knowledge and curiosity who paid a Faustian bargain for his pursuits. Later a body was found mysteriously dead at the manor. There is also a story of a lost treasure in Jerome's manor.

Matthews's curiosity is overwhelming as he investigates Sir Jerome's history. His trek through the library and a secret room is eerie as he views a portrait of a priest that looks alive and twelve carvings that look intimidating. 

Matthew's curiosity and greed prove to be his undoing as he ignores fear and common sense to pursue this mystery of Sir Jerome and the treasure. It's almost as though Sir Jerome's curiosity and greed has been reincarnated into Matthews. Just as Jerome did, Matthews is practically destined to follow the same path. He almost does. If not for a moment that scares sense into him, he would have ended up like his predecessor.

"The Book" by Margaret Irwin

Evelyn Carnahan (Rachel Weisz), the protagonist of The Mummy said "What harm can come from opening a book?" This short story is Margaret Irwin's way of saying "Uh, plenty of harm actually."

Bored with reading an obvious murder mystery, Mr. Corbett searches his private library for something new to read. In fact he is bored with his usual books and ultimately reading in general. (GASP!) He searches his uncle's theological library before he loses his interest in reading entirely. He chooses a book written in Latin and with strange illustrations. At first, the book is about some secret society but then some new fresh ink appears on the blank pages. The Book tells Corbett that its work isn't done and predicts things that happen in Corbett's life like great wealth and success.

This book has a very Twilight Zone-like feel with the supernatural elements and twist that deals a lot with the protagonist's personality. As the book is written, Corbett's personality becomes more fierce, ambitious, and argumentative towards his family. He then has to make a choice when the price of the book's knowledge becomes too great.

"The Book" reveals the depravity of the main character as Corbett's darker impulses are revealed in the writing. He is willing to put his home, occupation, and family on the line to fill his ambitions. In the end, he proves to be a deplorable cowardly character who only ends his connection to The Book when it affects him personally.

"With and Without Buttons" by Mary Butts

This short story turns the Battle of the Sexes into a Battle of Scares. Two sisters have had enough of a know it all neighbor so they decide to play a prank on him to "create a nightmare." They insist that they don't want to scare him, that they want to have power over him in a way that is not sexual. They want to outsmart him.

The sisters leave a pair of female kid gloves at his house then create a story that it was left by a ghostly woman. Unfortunately, like many stories which start as a prank it turns out the Spirit World has a sick sense of humor.

The sisters like many of the other protagonists in this anthology are not likeable. They put their neighbor through a fear which turns on them. This shows what happens when mortals use the deceased as playthings, they will find themselves to be the ones played with. In their drive to outsmart their neighbor, the sisters prove to be the real fools.

Women's Weird gives the Reader an off-kilter feeling that something's not right with the world. The stories are strange,bizarre, spooky, and yes weird.