I absolutely adored The Lace Widow historical mystery by Mollie Ann Cox. It is a fascinating, riveting story with Eliza Hamilton as its lead character. Like many, I have seen and loved the Hamilton musical so it was a delight to read a book that focuses on Eliza and the amazing woman she truly was. Although this is fiction, from what I have read of her, Mollie has captured her essence extremely well. It is easy to believe she was fiercely protective of her family and the lengths she would go to keep them safe. It is also understandable why she would work hard to restore the Hamilton name to good standing.
This novel also shows the enduring love Eliza had for her late husband and the grief she experienced in losing him in the crazy duel. It was evident she knew Alexander was not perfect, yet we sympathise with her realisation that he did not prepare for the possibility he might die. He left his wife and children with debts and no funds to sustain them through the trials ahead. But Eliza was a resourceful woman and despite the ugly facts, her faith and love gave her the grace, forgiveness and courage to find solutions and to overlook any imperfections. I found her portrayal both realistic and enlightening. It made me think how I would react in such a situation.
Part of Eliza’s solution to remedy her financial loss was in using the lace she had inherited from her wealthy grandmother. The title The Lace Widow hints at this. I found this an ingenious and unselfish plan on her part. She was always caring for others, providing for those in need, putting others ahead of herself—even giving up something so dear to her—for the greater good. Her faith was part of her inspiration, even though there were times when her beliefs were shaken. This is a realistic human view. As even the most solid Christian will have moments of doubt. But she never lingered on these thoughts long and charged forward with the best of intentions. Love was always at heart of her actions. Her motto: “To help others any time ‘she’ could—it was the Christian thing to do.”
The Lace Widow provides a clear depiction of women’s roles in the early 1800s and the attitudes toward the female mind. The weak thinking of the time is certainly heard in the men’s responses to Eliza’s brilliant observations. More than once when she has made astute suggestions, we see her state of mind questioned. Is she ill or overcome by grief? Did she need to lie down, see a doctor or take medicine? Yes, she was heartbroken over losing her husband but it certainly never hindered her decision making ability! In reality, she was smarter than most and their demeaning attitudes were challenged and proven wrong in the course of the novel’s events.
Everything about this novel is accomplished and rendered by an experienced hand. The plot moves at a thoughtful pace. The mysteries are carefully rolled out and solved at appropriate times. It is well written with excellent dialogue, atmospheric settings and meticulous descriptions. I was completely transported to New York of 1804. I could even imagine the heat waves that Eliza found challenging! The characters are distinct and brilliantly fleshed out. I felt as though I knew Eliza, her sister Angelica, her friend Alice and many of the other women who assisted her. There are a few admirable supportive male figures, too, and quite a daring lot of villains! A good mix of surprises and twists in the plot to keep interest high. I comfortably slipped into this story and followed the journey of justice led by the marvellous Eliza. She sought to clear her son of the false murder charge and find the real person behind it and the other deaths. Plus, she needed to expose the real thief who stole the government funds of which her husband was wrongly accused. Our heroine never gave up until the real culprits were exposed and she defied convention in doing it. Yes, she put herself in danger but her quick thinking and nimble actions brought down their vicious plots.
I will say it again, I loved The Lace Widow! It was everything I hoped and more. And now it has joined the ranks of one of my all-time favourite historical mysteries! I highly recommend this novel and give it a Bold 5 Stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thanks to Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley for such a fabulous review copy.
