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Her family ruined more than a decade ago by a group of greedy, ruthless robber barons, Alice has a long con in play to ruin them in turn. She is posing as the Grand Duchess of Württemberg, a war-torn region in Germany that, she is telling the high society of New York, is rich in emerald mines. Then her path crosses with Cora, a magician’s assistant who’s been stealing strategically from audience members at shows. Cora has her own losses to avenge; she’s trying to save up enough money to buy her family farm back after her father was duped into a scheme.
When Cora finds out the seemingly wealthy, titled woman is not who she says she is, she wants in on the con. Alice doesn’t have much choice, but she does see where Cora can add value. She pronounces the Midwesterner her Württenbergian cousin.
But before Cora can join Alice in the social season of 1883, Alice has to give the younger woman intense training: how to act and speak like royalty. A few months later, Cora is ready, and the two attend dinner parties, balls, the opera, and even church, all to draw the attention of five select families. If they achieve their goal, they will be wealthy beyond imagining. But if they’re not completely careful and all doesn’t go according to plan, they will be ruined.
My Fair Frauds is a long con/heist/sting operation set in late 19th-century New York City, where the filthy rich flaunt their millions and are completely out of touch with and uncaring about the the working class and the poor. (The poverty ball was just … what?) I enjoyed the setting and the characters and how all the pieces of the con came together, especially the last couple of “surprise” pieces. Entertaining historical fiction.
Rated: Moderate. Profanity includes one or maybe two instances of moderate profanity, about 30 uses of mild language, and about a dozen instances of the name of Deity in vain. There is one lecherous male character who is regularly after one of the young women; there are two scenes in which he attempts to rape her; one is a bit too disturbing/detailed to make this book just a mild.
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*I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
