The Gray Chamber
About the Book The Gray Chamber
Book: The Gray Chamber
Author: Grace Hitchcock
Genre: Christian Historical / Suspense
Release Date: January, 2020
Will Edyth prove her sanity before it is too late?
Step into True Colors—a new series of Historical Stories of Romance and American Crime
On Blackwell’s Island, New York, a hospital was built to keep its patients from ever leaving.
With her late parents’ fortune under her uncle’s care until her twenty-fifth birthday in the year 1887, Edyth Foster does not feel pressured to marry or to bow to society’s demands. She freely indulges in eccentric hobbies like fencing and riding her velocipede in her cycling costume about the city for all to see. Finding a loophole in the will, though, her uncle whisks Edyth off to the women’s lunatic asylum just weeks before her birthday. And Edyth fears she will never be found.
At the asylum, she meets another inmate, who upon discovering Edyth’s plight, confesses that she is Nellie Bly, an undercover journalist for The World. Will either woman find a way to leave the terrifying island and reclaim her true self?
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My Thoughts on The Gray Chamber:
Wow. I have been loving this series and read this one as soon as it came through as an ebook through Netgalley. It’s amazing. So amazing. Okay, so maybe I should say more about the book but I’m still reeling with what a great read it was and it’s a super-fast read too. I could not put it down.
On the one hand, we have a social debutante who has this huge fortune left to her from her dying parents. But it’s still controlled by her uncle until she comes of age. Her uncle has married and she’s not so sure of the aunt but even though they’re not the best of friends she gives her the benefit of the doubt. The new aunt also has a daughter that she’s not sure she’ll get along with but she actually gets along really well with and loves.
Edyth thinks the best of people which is probably her biggest downfall. She also is a bit eccentric and doesn’t much care what society thinks. This seems to be a theme with being declared mentally ill in the past and it’s a loophole her uncle is willing to take to get his hands on her fortune.
Poor Edyth is in love with her fencing instructor(one of those eccentric things is that she loves fencing and takes lessons). Just as they are beginning to see each other as more than friends tragedy strikes. He must race against time to find and free her while she merely tries to survive with her life intact.
Add in more fun and suspense when doctors are bribed and controversial treatments are tried. Oh and an undercover journalist in Nellie Bly enters the story which is a great bit of fun and suspense as well.
I really loved this book. I’ve loved all of the books in this series actually and can’t wait to read the ones that come next. I highly recommend the entire series and hope you’ll read them all.
This book held special appeal to me though as it discusses mental health and how the world both viewed mental health plus how they treated it. Women were often deemed mentally ill or unstable for things such as inheritances, men wishing to remarry, or simply being a bit peculiar. Even just having your own opinion might have you locked up. As a mental health nurse, I love learning more about what this area of medicine was like and how it’s progressed.
I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from Celebrate Lit. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.
About the Author of The Gray Chamber
Grace Hitchcock is the author of three novellas in The Second Chance Brides, The Southern Belle Brides, and the Thimbles and Threads collections with Barbour Publishing. The White City is her debut novel and releases March 2019 with Barbour Publishing. She holds a Masters in Creative Writing and a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in History. Grace lives in southern Louisiana with her husband, Dakota, and son. Visit Grace online at GraceHitchcock.com.
More from Grace
I am thrilled to share with you my second novel in the True Colors series, The Gray Chamber, which is set in New York City in 1887. I loved writing about Edyth Foster, our cat-rescuing, spunky heroine who spends her days painting, fencing with her dreamy instructor, and avoiding society at all costs, which as you can imagine, comes back to haunt her before the end. I’ve never written about a character who despised reading, so that was a new one for me. Edyth just doesn’t like to sit still long enough to finish a book, but you’ll find out why later.
I am pretty certain the librarians at my local branch are wondering what in the world my hobbies are, judging from the stacks of fencing books for beginners, histories of New York crime in the 19th century, and Nellie Bly’s Ten Days in a Mad-House, and more that I have continuously checked out since moving back to Louisiana.
The inspiration for this book came from Nellie Bly’s scandalous exposé for Joseph Pulitzer’s newspaper, The World. In reading Nellie’s articles, I was shocked at the grounds by which the asylum would commit women and that’s when I discovered a tiny mention about an heiress with family members who had her tucked away so they could have her fortune. . .and Edyth Foster was born.
I hope you will enjoy reading about our eccentric leading lady and her fencing master hero, Raoul “Bane” Banebridge. If you are interested in seeing pictures of the asylum and to see what I pictured the characters looking like, check out my Pinterest board here.
Thank you for joining the fun for the Celebrate Lit tour! Join my author newsletter for more bookish news and to find out what is coming next! Just enter your e-mail address and name here. Happy Reading!
“With beautiful description and shiver-worthy scenes, Grace Hitchcock has penned an incredible fiction story based on true history. The Gray Chamber was a fascinating and chilling read. Edyth’s story had me glued to the pages. But as I journeyed with the heiress and her eccentricities, the greed of her family which saw her locked up in an asylum against her will made me grateful for the freedoms I have today. And made me pray that my voice would never be silenced. The nightmare was brought to life so vividly that I found myself holding my breath and then cheering on Bane as he never gave up on Edyth. This is a story that will stick with me for a long time…”
~Kimberley Woodhouse – Carol-Award winning and Best-Selling Author of more than twenty books, including MissTaken Identity, The Express Bride, The Golden Bride, The Patriot Bride, and The Mayflower Bride.
Blog Stops for The Gray Chamber
A Reader’s Brain, January 20
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, January 20
Texas Book-aholic, January 20
Emily Yager, January 21
All-of-a-kind Mom, January 21
Older & Smarter?, January 21
Bigreadersite, January 22
Inklings and notions, January 22
For Him and My Family, January 22
Genesis 5020, January 23
deb’s Book Review, January 23
Blogging with Carol, January 23
Christian Bookaholic, January 24
KarenSueHadley , January 24
Mary Hake, January 24
For the Love of Literature, January 25
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, January 25
Godly Book Reviews, January 26
Stephanie’s Life of Determination, January 26
The Becca Files, January 26
Through the Fire Blogs, January 27
Daysong Reflections, January 27
Back Porch Reads, January 28
Robin’s Nest, January 28
Connie’s History Classroom, January 28
Betti Mace, January 29
Rebecca Tews, January 29
Vicky Sluiter, January 29
By The Book, January 30
Hallie Reads, January 30
Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, January 30
Blossoms and Blessings, January 31
A Baker’s Perspective, January 31
Remembrancy, February 1
To Everything There Is A Season, February 1
With a Joyful Noise, February 1
Locks, Hooks and Books, February 2
Pause for Tales , February 2
Giveaway for The Gray Chamber
To celebrate her tour, Grace is giving away the grand prize package of a $25 Amazon gift card and a free copy of The Gray Chamber!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway!
Click the link below to enter.
https://promosimple.com/ps/f4a2/the-gray-chamber-celebration-tour-giveaway
Dianna
I read her first book in this series and liked it!
Erin S.
I have loved this whole series and cannot wait until the next one is out!
James Robert
Another great book to discover. Thanks so much for sharing this with us.
Erin S.
Thanks for stopping by!
Faith Creech
Thanks for your comments! Looking forward to reading this book! Good cover!
Erin S.
It’s an amazing book and a wonderful series.