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    Fallen Women
    Fallen Women
    Fallen Women
    Audiobook11 hours

    Fallen Women

    Written by Sandra Dallas

    Narrated by Barbara Caruso

    3.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    From the ballrooms and mansions of Denver' s newly wealthy, to the seamy life of desperate women, Fallen Women illuminates the darkest places of the human heart. It is the spring of 1885 and wealthy New York socialite Beret Osmundsen has been estranged from her younger sister, Lillie, for a year when she gets word from her aunt and uncle that Lillie has died suddenly in Denver. What they do not tell her is that Lillie had become a prostitute and was brutally murdered in the brothel where she had been living. When Beret discovers the sordid truth of Lillie' s death, she makes her way to Denver, determined to find her sister' s murderer. Detective Mick McCauley may not want her involved in the case, but Beret is determined, and the investigation soon takes her from the dangerous, seedy underworld of Denver' s tenderloin to the highest levels of Denver society. Along the way, Beret not only learns the depths of Lillie' s depravity, but also exposes the sinister side of Gilded Age ambition in the process. Sandra Dallas once again delivers a page-turner filled with mystery, intrigue, and the kind of intricate detail that truly transports you to another time and place.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books, Inc.
    Release dateOct 22, 2013
    ISBN9781470379568
    Fallen Women
    Author

    Sandra Dallas

    Sandra Dallas, dubbed “a quintessential American voice” in Vogue Magazine, is the author of over a dozen novels, including Prayers for Sale and Tallgrass, many translated into a dozen languages and optioned for films. Six-time winner of the Willa Award and four-time winner of the Spur Award, Dallas was a Business Week reporter for 35 years covering the Rocky Mountain region, and began writing fiction in 1990. She has two daughters and lives with her husband in Denver and Georgetown, Colorado.

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    Reviews for Fallen Women

    3.5/5

    67 ratings12 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Sandra Dallas is an author that I know I can rely upon to provide a good story, so I was quite excited to read her first historical mystery, Fallen Women. The book is set in Denver, Colorado in 1885 as Beret Osmundsen arrives ready to look into the death of her sister, Lillie. She had been notified about Lillie by a telegram from her aunt and uncle, a prominent judge and candidate for the Senate. But the circumstances surrounding Lillie’s death are horrendous. She had taken up residence in a brothel, and had died in a brutal manner, being stabbed eight times. Beret knows that her sister had a dark side and wasn’t an angel by any means. She also has her private reasons for feeling a little guilty regarding Lillie, as she had thrown her sister out, after finding her in bed with her husband.Beret works alongside of police detective, Mick McCauley who was at first a reluctant partner but soon learned to appreciate her opinions and observations. Unfortunately Beret didn’t have a lot of finesse or people smarts, she barged into places that she shouldn’t, she wasn’t shy about throwing accusations around and never seemed to think about her personal safety. When other prostitutes were murdered in a similar manner most people thought the perpetrator was a madman. Beret pressed on with her investigation feeling strongly that Lillie was murdered by someone who knew her.While the resolution that was revealed toward the end of the book was no great surprise I enjoyed the journey. The author introduced a number of less than savoury characters that needed to be eliminated, and gave the reader an interesting look at Denver’s high and low societies. The chemistry between the main characters was intriguing so overall Fallen Women was an entertaining read.
    • 3/5
      DNF. For some reason I just couldn't get into this. I'm sure it's a fine novel, it just couldn't seem to catch my attention for long.
    • 3/5
      I think my favorite part of this book was probably the mystery storyline and the family dynamics of the main character's family. While the way some of the clues were gathered and how some information was revealed had to be read with a grain of salt and a sigh at the stretch of plausibility, the end result of the perpetrator of the crime threw me. The main force behind the killings was a complete shock to me, and I enjoyed that immensely. The family dynamics for Beret were also fascinating. While her sister Lillie was already dead, seeing through Beret's memories how her life was with her sister before the move to Denver and seeing how it colored who the sisters became intrigued the hell out of me. Her aunt, uncle, and ex-husband all added spice to an already flavorful family that I enjoyed to the hilt.I also enjoyed some of the historical details in the book. When the author described the stone mansions of the newly rich of Denver, it brought back memories of some of the mansions I've visited in Colorado and her in Montana. I could literally picture the grand rooms, stained-glass windows, and peacock bedecked yards in my head with ease. Downtown Denver, with all its young city fervor and energy along a red light district decay, came to life for me. I enjoyed such a rich background for our story and characters.Now talking about characters, this is where the novel really fell flat. The main character Beret... What can I really say? I found her manipulative, untrustworthy, recklessly stupid, tactless, self absorbed, and at times, extremely sanctimonious. She even at times admits to herself that what she is doing is stupid, but does she stop?! Nope. Head first into situations that anybody with an ounce of brainpower would re-think and come up with another game plan. There were occasional bursts of intelligence and compassion that I enjoyed from her. I felt engaged enough to her that the few hints of a developing romance between her and Mick made me smile. But, overall, her character pretty much ruined the book for me. I give the book a 3 out of 5 since the actual mystery engaged and surprised me. The secondary characters and Beret's family dynamics kept me enthralled. The setting was richly detailed, and I felt like I was smack dab in the middle of the mansions of Denver. If only the character of Beret was better executed, I think this book would have been an easy 4 or 5. But, it is what it is.
    • 5/5
      FALLEN WOMEN by Sandra DallasYou begin reading thinking you are reading one kind of novel only to discover that you are reading another – much more intriguing and with vastly more depth than you thought. With each page we are drawn more deeply into the lives of Lillie and Beret and Mick. Dallas’s rich character development is apparent in the first chapters and continues throughout as the plot line unfolds. Even minor characters have depth. The title leaves one wondering which women (and men) are fallen.Public appearance and actual moral character become evident as Beret and Mick proceed with their investigation into Lillie’s death and personality. Moral fiber will become a rich topic for book groups who choose to discuss this book. Dallas gives us many other topics for discussion and one persistent question – What is the story behind Beret’s name-- a question posed but never answered.5 of 5 stars
    • 3/5
      Very enjoyable tale,set in earlier times. Author did a very good job of depicting the early days of police work. Story of one sister trying to discover killer of her younger sister, the fallen woman. The sister, Beret, develops a relationship with the detective, Mick, that is a fun part of the story. I figured out the killer about 2/3 of the way thro, but uncovering the killer was well done.
    • 4/5
      I loved Sandra Dallas’s novel Tallgrass so I was I was excited to read her latest book, Fallen Women. I have to say I was a little disappointed. I liked it but I didn’t love it as I did Tallgrass. This book centers around the mystery of who killed Lillie Osmundsen. While I was surprised by who the killer was and enjoyed the journey getting that point, I wasn’t quite satisfied with the ending. That’s I’ll I say so I don’t spoil it for you.It’s also a character study of Lillie’s sister Beret. Beret is a strong independent woman, usual for that time period. Along the way, we learn what made her that way. She is by far the most developed character and the most interesting. I liked how her back-story was revealed in bits and pieces. The other characters were good as well. I really liked how the author made an air of creepiness surround Jonas. It jumped off the page and made me cringe.While not Ms. Dallas’s best work, Fallen Women is a solid offering.
    • 5/5
      Set in an earlier time, this book is an interesting novel that explores the ambition and greed that motivates people to deeds not normally associated with them and their social status.
    • 5/5
      Sandra Dallas delivers a consistently good tale and this one is no exception. I liked that much of the story is ambiguous. As a reader we never really know what Lillie is like - just how she appears from everyone else's point of view. Another thing I enjoyed is watching how Beret and Mick come to appreciate each other's strengths.
    • 4/5
      Sandra Dallas is a talented historical literary novelist who makes the past come alive through authentic characters and complex plots. Her latest novel is a smart, capable-women-in-the-Old-West-themed murder mystery. It’s set in Denver, Colorado, in 1885. The victim, Lillie, is a beautiful young woman who, only a few short months earlier, started working as a prostitute in the House of Dreams, one of the Denver’s best high-class brothels. It’s a vicious crime of passion; the young woman is found in her bed stabbed eight times with a pair of scissors. The murderer had to be someone she knew well, someone totally enraged at the time…or perhaps worse, there’s a madman on the loose. When Lillie’s wealthy older sister, Beret Osmundsen, hears about her Lillie’s death and the scandalous circumstances surrounding it, she is devastated. Beret feels keenly responsible for her younger sister’s fate. A year earlier, the two sisters had a significant falling out and Beret forced her sister out of their shared New York home. Lillie fled to Denver, where she took up living with her aunt and uncle, two highly respected members of Denver’s elite. Beret is overcome with questions about her sister’s death. She travels to Denver determined to find out what happened no matter the personal and emotional cost. Why did Lillie abandon her charmed high-society socialite life to become a whore in a bordello? What could have happened to drive her from her aunt and uncle’s home? Who was Lillie’s murderer and what could possibly have been the fiend’s motive? And, of course, we readers want to know what happened a year earlier that caused Beret to force her younger sister out of their New York home. There’s a hint of romance, too. Will the budding emotional and intellectual attraction between Beret and the chief law enforcement officer investigating Lillie’s death develop into something more significant? These and many other secrets and mysteries are slowly unraveled during the course of this savvy and wholly satisfying story. The tale held my attention and kept me trying to fit the pieces of the puzzle together to solve the crime. It was a good solid mystery and in the end, when all the pieces slipped into place, I was pleased. It was a story that worked on many level, but more important, the major psychological riddles were resolved; all the characters finally made sense. But over all, I’d still have to say that the true value of this novel is not in the story of the murder mystery; but rather, it is getting to know Beret Osmundsen, the book’s clever, altruistic, fearless, and strong-willed main character. She’s an authentic historical pistol of a woman! She’s wholly believable in this period and place, yet certainly a woman well beyond her time. Another strong value in the book is learning more about women’s history within the tawdry and poverty-stricken underworld of the Old West. The author is a consummate period historian and this book is filled with fascinating, genuine, and quirky historical details. Dallas has studied this period and this place for most of her life and has published a many fiction and nonfiction works concerning it. In the acknowledgments, the author states that she accomplished a great deal of research about women prostitutes during this period. It shows in the authenticity of the story and I was personally in thrall with the results as it played out in this novel. Much of the time, I was lost in the story and felt like I was there.This book should please Dallas’ fans. It should also draw considerable interest from mystery readers, especially those who crave well-developed authentic characters. I’m confident the book will also appeal to those interested in early American woman’s history or stories about women in the Old West. For me, “Fallen Woman” was mainly another absorbing novel by an accomplished literary author stretching her character- and history-driven craft effectively into the mystery genre. I am happy I read this book and recommend it to others.
    • 3/5
      An ok read from Sandra Dallas but liked her other books much better.
    • 4/5
      Beret Osmundsen raised her sister Lillie after their parents died, and she conveniently ignored any character flaws the young woman might have developed. So, when she discovered an article in a New York paper stating that her sister was murdered in a high-class brothel in Denver, she caught the next train to Denver. The women's aunt & uncle lived in Denver, and Lillie had stayed with them after Beret threw her out of their New York home, for reasons that go unnamed through the first part of the book. Beret went to the police station and basically demanded to assist the detective in charge. Although fun to read, I have to wonder if this ever would have happened in 1885. Nonetheless, anything goes in fiction so Beret investigated, but she and the detective were a little slow on the uptake. I could not tell if this was an intentional device used by the author or not. Romance also plays a roll in the novel, and that part of the plot was extremely predictable. I thought the final chapter of the book was extremely hurried, covering lots of ground in just a few pages. An epilogue follows that does bring closure while leaving open the possibility of a sequel. The book is rather fun and not tedious, but it is not Dallas at her top writing form. Fans will want to read it. Whether it will garner Sandra Dallas any new fans remains open for debate.
    • 3/5
      When Beret Osmundsen's sister, Lillie, is brutally murdered in a high-class brothel in 1885 Denver, Beret teams with a police detective to solve the crime. The two sisters had been estranged for a year (for reasons that are painfully slowly revealed), and Beret feels guilty about kicking her out since this led to her being in Denver in the first place. Lillie had been living with their aunt and uncle, who is a prominent judge vying for a Senate seat. As more information about Lillie's life and death emerge, such as the fact that she was pregnant, Beret realizes that she never really knew her sister, but she is determined to bring her killer to justice. Things get more complicated when another prostitute is murdered in similar fashion. When a third prostitute is attacked, the killer is identified. Or is he? While this book was interesting and held my attention, it was not very realistic. Who would allow a society woman to just barge into a police department and demand to be allowed to assist in the investigation? Yet Beret is allowed to do just that, rummaging through crime scenes, interrogating witnesses, etc. It's not that it wasn't entertaining, it just wasn't very believable. Also, I thought the resolution of the mystery was much too obvious. I had figured it out by the time I was half-way through the book. For the rest of the book I was annoyed at how slow Beret and the police detective were at figuring it out. Even the servants had solved the mystery before they did!