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A review by claudia_is_reading
The Crumpled Letter by Alice Quinn
4.0
I really enjoyed this story set in Cannes in 1884. The story is narrated by Gabriella Fletcher, a down-in-her-luck English aristocrat who, after being dismissed from her previous employment to avoid scandal when suspicion fell on hers and her mistress' behaviour, finds herself applying for a position at Lola Deslys' house. She couldn't imagine the turn that this would give to her life.
Because Lola is a 'woman of ill-repute' she's not worried by Gabriella's lack of references and both women decide to take a chance with each other. But soon, Lola finds herself in danger of being evicted from her house, Guy de Maupassant shows up, and Lola and Guy find the body of an old friend of Lola, a chambermaid from Lola's hometown.
From then on, Lola and Guy embark on a quest to uncover what really happened to the girl.
The story is playful and deals with the awful situation of women at that times, and it's an interesting first book. The ending was a bit... theatrical? with very black-and-white villains but I nevertheless enjoyed it and will be reading the next story ASAP.
Because Lola is a 'woman of ill-repute' she's not worried by Gabriella's lack of references and both women decide to take a chance with each other. But soon, Lola finds herself in danger of being evicted from her house, Guy de Maupassant shows up, and Lola and Guy find the body of an old friend of Lola, a chambermaid from Lola's hometown.
From then on, Lola and Guy embark on a quest to uncover what really happened to the girl.
The story is playful and deals with the awful situation of women at that times, and it's an interesting first book. The ending was a bit... theatrical? with very black-and-white villains but I nevertheless enjoyed it and will be reading the next story ASAP.