Victoria Thompson

The Place Louis XV was the last royal square built in Paris. This book tells the story of its design, construction, use, and political symbolism, to argue that this royal square was a contested space, where the intended celebration of monarchical power was ridiculed, challenged, and eventually displaced by the emerging authority of the people of Paris. As initially imagined, the Place Louis XV was meant to be a monument to the love between king and people. During the long period of construction of the square, Louis XV was criticized for his personal, political, and financial decisions, and challenged by an emboldened Parlement. When inaugurated, the king’s statue was an ambiguous symbol that reflected uncertainty concerning the affective bond between king and people. During the French Revolution, the square became a symbol of royal despotism. Drawing on the work of architectural historians and theorists of space and place, the author takes an interdisciplinary approach to analyse the complex political meanings attributed to this urban landmark. The result is a study of a royal space that reveals how urban space contributed to the growing tension between the king and the people in an age of Enlightenment and Revolution.

Midwife Sarah Malloy and her private detective husband Frank discover that the cure is worse than the disease when they investigate the death of a promising young woman in this atmospheric, riveting mystery from the USA Today bestselling author of Murder on Bedford Street. Sarah Malloy has just helped with the delivery of a bouncing baby girl at her women's clinic, when she receives a visit from an engaging and determined young woman writing an article for New Century Magazine. Louisa Rodgers explains that she is researching the dangers of patent remedies. Sarah is only too happy to tell Louisa exactly what she thinks of the so-called medicines whose ingredients include heavy doses of alcohol and other addictive drugs, and hurt much more than they help. A few days later, Sarah receives a visit from a bereft Bernard Rodgers, who explains that his daughter, Louisa, has been found strangled in the lobby of the building where New Century has its offices. The police have decided it was a random attack and have made no attempt to investigate, hinting that Louisa got what she deserved for sticking her nose where it didn't belong. Sarah wants justice for the bright young woman but as she and Frank delve deeper into Louisa's life, they find that nothing is quite as it seemed and Louisa is not who she claimed to be. The Malloys must first solve the mystery of Louisa's life before they can figure out who wanted to see her dead...

Elizabeth Bates's latest con just might change the course of history in an all-new Counterfeit Lady Novel from USA Today bestselling author Victoria Thompson. A year has passed since Elizabeth Bates ran her last con. Life has been simpler, although not nearly as exciting, but she has thrown herself into working to get the 19th Amendment ratified by thirty-six states to become the law of the land. Since every other Southern state has already rejected the amendment, it seems unlikely Tennessee will be an exception . . . but it's their only hope, so the suffragists descend on Tennessee for the final battle. Elizabeth's ability to interact with difficult men and to persuasively explain all the advantages of allowing women to vote--all skills she perfected as a grifter--have made her a valuable member of the team. But she would never have expected the lengths to which some would go to keep the vote out of women's hands. She'll need to devise the perfect con or the suffragists' life's work could all be for nothing.

When a day at the races reveals sabotage and subterfuge, Elizabeth Miles must use every ounce of her craftiness to even the score in this all-new Counterfeit Lady novel from USA Today bestselling author Victoria Thompson. Wealthy but uncouth Sebastian Nolan has invited his lawyer, Gideon Bates, and his lovely new wife, Elizabeth, to attend the famous Belmont Stakes. Nolan is anxious for Gideon and Elizabeth to help his daughter, Irene, acquire a bit of polish, now that his venture into thoroughbred racing has allowed them entry into society. He is also hoping to find her a rich potential suitor. Elizabeth is not exactly the society girl Nolan believes her to be, but she is eager to attend the races. Her con artist family has made a lot of money at racetracks, although not from betting on the horses, and she enjoys the excitement of the track. Irene Nolan seems more interested in horses than husbands, and she jumps at the chance to show Elizabeth her horse, Trench, and introduce her to his rider, Cal Regan. Elizabeth soon realizes there is more than just a working relationship between Irene and Cal. But she also knows that Irene's father would never allow his only daughter to marry a jockey. When Cal takes a terrible tumble, injuring both himself and Irene's beloved Trench, Elizabeth and Gideon learn that the mishap was not simply bad luck--the horse and rider are victims of sabotage. It turns out that Sebastian Nolan has more than a few skeletons in his closet and someone is out to get their long-sought-after revenge. Elizabeth knows that to help Irene and Cal, she is going to need some help in creating the quintessential con. With the ever-honest Gideon at her side, she enlists those closest to her to come up with a scheme that will either ensure young Irene and Cal a first-place finish or have disastrous consequences. . . .

Midwife Sarah Malloy and her private investigator husband, Frank, must stop a killer lurking among a young family in the newest installment of the USA Today bestselling Gaslight Mysteries. Hugh Breedlove is far from the most agreeable client private investigator Frank Malloy has ever had, but his case is impossible to refuse: his young niece, Julia, has been wrongfully committed to an insane asylum by her cruel and unfaithful husband, Chet Longly. Though Breedlove and his wife seem more interested in protecting the family reputation than their niece's safety, Frank and Sarah agree to help for the sake of Julia and the young son she left behind. Frank and Sarah's investigation reveals a dark secret--a maid at the Longly home died suspiciously under Chet's watch, and now it seems Julia's son might also be in danger. The Malloys fear they are dealing with a man more dangerous than they had anticipated, one who will do anything to defame his wife. But all is not as it seems in the Longly family, and perhaps another monster is hiding in plain sight....

Sarah and Frank Malloy must catch a scheming killer in this latest gripping installment of the USA Today bestselling Gaslight Mysteries. Former policeman Frank Malloy is frustrated when a woman requests his private detective services to implicate her wealthy husband in adultery, the only legal grounds for divorce in New York state. Although Mrs. Bing seems genuinely distressed about her marriage and desperate to end it, she refuses to tell Frank the real reason she absolutely must divorce her husband and admits she has no legal grounds. Frank explains that he won't manufacture evidence for her and sends Mrs. Bing on her way. The following week, Frank and Sarah happen to be attending the first ever auto show at Madison Square Garden when they meet the woman's husband, Alvin Bing, who has invested in a company that produces one of the electric motorcars on display. A few days later, the newspapers report that millionaire Alvin Bing has been found dead, pinned beneath one of the wheels of his very own motorcar. But who was driving it? The obvious suspect is Mrs. Bing, but Frank and Sarah find that nothing is as it seems in their puzzling, dangerous search for the truth.

In this Counterfeit Lady Novel, now in paperback, from USA Today bestselling author Victoria Thompson, newlywed Elizabeth Miles must use her unlawful skills to expose a dangerous charlatan. Elizabeth Miles Bates has returned from her honeymoon with Gideon and is taking great pride in having completely forsaken her disreputable past. Then her friend Anna Vanderslice begs her to use her talents to save her widowed mother from an unscrupulous medium. Anna's mother has been attending s ances in hopes of connecting with her son, David, who died of influenza. Anna just learned that Mrs. Vanderslice is paying the medium ever-increasing sums of money in her eagerness to make contact. Mrs. Vanderslice's obsession is in danger of ruining them. Madame Ophelia is working with a group of con artists to fleece as many grieving New Yorkers as possible before moving on to another city. Elizabeth knows that simply exposing the medium as a fraud will not be enough to recoup the stolen money; the only way is to con the medium and her cohorts. Elizabeth recruits Gideon, her aunt Cybil, and her partner, Zelda, to lend a hand. Can Elizabeth and her gang of amateurs fool the professionals? Or will speaking to the dead lead to deadly consequences?

‘This book will save lives - human and animals.’ Victoria Thompson is a passionate advocate for the protection of animals from great harm. She movingly describes our appalling failures in this regard and praises those who press for the enlightened awareness and humane treatment of animals. She believes profoundly that we must not continue to think of animals as just resources to exploit - for animals too have a right to live naturally. And she gives us solutions for a kinder world.

A young woman is missing in the upper Manhattan neighborhood called Italian Harlem, and everyone knows who's responsible-the Black Hand, a notorious group known for terrorizing their own community with violence and kidnappings. Gino Donatelli and Frank Malloy set out to learn more about the disreputable gang and soon find a lead- a saloon-owning gangster named Nunzio Esposito.Gino hates that a fellow immigrant would stoop so low and decides to confront his wayward countryman. But he quickly discovers the man can't be reasoned with-because he's been murdered. The police have only one suspect- Gino Donatelli. Frank and Sarah know Gino is no killer, but someone has pulled out all the stops to make it look like he is guilty. They also must now face the Black Hand, who are honor-bound to avenge the death of one of their own.With evidence mounting against their friend and a group of bad guys out for blood, Sarah and Frank race to unravel a treacherous plot before Gino's time runs out. . . .

Elizabeth Miles is preparing for her wedding to Gideon Bates, when a menacing shadow from her past threatens to destroy the life she has built for herself in this all-new Counterfeit Lady Novel from USA Today bestselling author Victoria Thompson.The Great War is over, and Elizabeth and Gideon are busily planning their wedding and welcoming home old friends now discharged from the army. One of them, Captain Logan Carstens, the son and heir of a wealthy family, seems less than happy to be home and with good reason. While Logan was in France, he fell in love with a beautiful French woman named Noelle. He desperately wanted to propose, but he was already engaged and felt bound to honor his commitment. When Logan receives a letter supposedly from Noelle begging for money to help her flee the terrible conditions in France and come to America, Elizabeth is suspicious. There is no way to verify the letter is actually from Noelle, and she fears that a con man or woman might be trying to take advantage of Logan in his vulnerable state. But that is not all Elizabeth has to worry about. Vicious thug Oscar Thornton has gotten wind of her wedding announcement and realizes the woman who conned him is still alive and well. Gideon and Elizabeth have to figure out a way to help their friend while making sure their worst enemy does not destroy their future. . . .

This book describes the feelings that the author gets as his thoughts turn towards the loss of a loved one. There are also several poems that are authored by the main author's daughter. We will all have to deal with the death of a loved one. We will have to come to terms with losing someone. We will have to also come to terms with our own death. It will arrive Will we hear the whispers of our ancestors? Will we hear the whispers of those who have taken the journey, before us? Hearing Whispers is a part of our journey.