The Lost Women of Mill Street
Set during the American Civil War, The Lost Women of Mill Street is the story of two sisters displaced from their work in a cotton mill. When Union soldiers arrive in Roswell, their Georgia town, Clara, Kitty, and all who worked there are deemed traitors to the Union because the mill was making tents and clothing for Confederate forces. Everyone is displaced and detained, forcing Clara and Kitty on a journey that leads them to Cincinnati, Ohio. Clara, the older of the two, has been waiting to hear from her fiancé, Benjamin, who traveled west to Nebraska to set up a farm and now fears he will never find them. But being forced to leave the mill might be a good thing for her younger sister, Kitty, who has struggled with ill health. As they try to find work and security, Clara’s overprotective nature causes secrets and misunderstandings to arise between them.
The story has an engaging blend of elements – romance, danger, ambition and a murder – and the sisters’ adventures pull the reader in. Clara yearns to express herself creatively and hopes to apprentice in a millinery shop, while Kitty proves much more resilient and resourceful than her older sister gives her credit for being. The backdrop of the Civil War, and the division between northern and southern Americans, is effectively portrayed, as are the challenges faced by unmarried women. The sisters’ story will draw readers to root for them through the challenges they face, and a sequel featuring Kitty’s future adventures would be welcome.
