A Respectable Actress

A Respectable Actress by Dorothy Love is set in Savannah in December 1870. I must say that I loved reading about a character named India Harley! What a nice name!

India Hartley is accused of Murder, She must uncover the deceptions of other to save herself

India finds herself in need of legal council when a scene on stage goes horribly wrong and she is locked up and accused of the murder of Mr. Sterling. Mr. Phillip Sinclair, a widower (yes, he is handsome) is a man still grieving his the tragic loss of his wife, and he takes on India’s case and determines to help her obtain freedom and unravel the mess she finds herself in. Without giving away too much, I’ll tell you that India uncovers secrets and mysteries along the way. She lives in a time when the common view of her profession is that actresses are definitely not respectable, but this life is all that she knows. She was born into the profession and has traveled with her father until he died and she was forced support herself.

I loved the fact this Mr. Phillip Sinclair is somewhat of a reluctant hero, dealing with his own issues in his past.

Interwoven into this story of mystery and intrigue, which includes a burnt out chapel holding secrets and an abandoned boat yielding a piece to the puzzle of what has happened there, is the rich history of Savannah, where the community is struggling to recover from the war. The local people are superstitious, but fiercly loyal and they do not accept India readily. India must navigate her way through all of this to save herself from the gallows or being locked up.

This plot in unpredictable and keeps you guessing, and I love the fact that all the way through India remains true to herself despite the challenges and she must convince Phillip to trust her.