A Respectable Actress
Historical Romance Novel
- Fiction
- Publisher: Thomas Nelson
- Published: 2015
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Publisher's Description
Acclaimed historical fiction author Dorothy Love blends courtroom drama, Southern Gothic mystery, and slow-burn romance in A Respectable Actress. Featuring a wrongfully accused heroine, a brooding widower lawyer, and dark secrets hidden along Georgia's atmospheric coast, this suspenseful historical novel delivers intrigue, scandal, and high-stakes romance in the post-Civil War South. India Hartley, a famous and beautiful actress, is now alone after her father's death and embarks upon a tour of theaters across the South. Her first stop is Savannah's Southern Palace. On the eve of the second night's performance, something goes horribly wrong. Her co-star, Arthur Sterling, is shot dead on stage in front of a packed house, and India is arrested and accused of the crime. A benefactor hires Philip Sinclair, the best--and handsomest--lawyer in Savannah to defend India. A widower, Philip is struggling to reinvent his worn-out plantation on St. Simons Island. He needs to increase his income from his law practice in order to restore Indigo Point, and hardly anything will bring him more new clients than successfully defending a famous actress on a murder charge. Because India can't go anywhere in town without being mobbed, Philip persuades the judge handling her case to let him take her to Indigo Point until her trial date. India is charmed by the beauty of the Georgia lowcountry and is increasingly drawn to Philip. But a locked room that appears to be a shrine to Philip's dead wife and the unsolved disappearance of a formerly enslaved girl raise troubling questions. Piecing together clues in an abandoned boat and a burned-out chapel, India discovers a trail of dark secrets that lead back to Philip, secrets that ultimately may hold the key to her freedom. If only he will believe her. Rich with suspense, romance, and atmospheric Southern history, A Respectable Actress is a captivating story of deception, courage, and the fight to reclaim both freedom and love.
Endorsements (5)
“Dorothy Love writes with such rhythm and grace. Her attention to historical detail creates the perfect setting for characters we swiftly grow to love and cheer for. The Bracelet is a jewel of a story.”
“The Bracelet by Dorothy Love was a fascinating and exciting antebellum novel that kept me flipping pages way into the night. I loved the insight into events that triggered the war, and Love’s writing is beautiful and evocative. Highly recommended!”
“The Bracelet is the perfect blend of mystery, history, and the quest for love and truth. A great read for not only lovers of period fiction, but for anyone who hungers for a well-told story.”
“With a country on the brink of war and her own future uncertain, Celia Browning’s faith will be tested and her very life put in jeopardy by the mystery of the bracelet. In a novel inspired by actual events, Dorothy Love artfully recreates the lavish world of power and prestige in 1850s Savannah with unforgettable characters and the attention to historical detail her readers have come to expect. Vivid and entrancing . . . I was swept away!”
“Subtle and suspenseful with exquisite descriptions of antebellum Savannah, Georgia, and a tender love story to boot, Dorothy Love’s The Bracelet takes the reader on a chilling journey into the mysteries surrounding one of Savannah’s most prominent families during the days before the Civil War. Love’s careful research and poignant prose provide a story that will delight fans of historical fiction.”
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