The Grays of Truth
Madness and murder abound in this tale based on a true story, which fittingly takes place in Baltimore, where Edgar Allan Poe crafted his tales of horror. The year is 1867, and Jane Gray Wharton, a former nurse during the Civil War, is trapped in an unhappy marriage with the brother of the man who jilted her 25 years earlier. Those who were enslaved in the south may have been emancipated, but women (even or especially those in the ruling class) remain subject to the whims and rule of their husbands.
One woman, however, may have figured out a way to wrest some control from the men. Visitors to the house of Ellen Wharton, Jane’s sister-in-law and the woman who married Jane’s former fiancé, mysteriously sicken and die—including a respected general and Jane’s miserable excuse for a husband, and her daughter. It is up to Jane, an avid chemist, to uncover the truth behind the mysterious deaths, however her own delusions make her question her judgment.
Virts’ research into the nascent science of chemistry and her detailed explanation of forensics help make this a fascinating historical true-crime story. In the beginning, the numerous characters and their relationships are somewhat confusing; however, as the story moves forward, the stakes become clearer, and the conclusion offers a satisfactory surprise.
