Review: Chinawoman's Chance by James Musgrave

Synopsis: Clara Shortridge Foltz faces a patriarchal nemesis in 1884 San Francisco. When a white prostitute is murdered and flayed down to a skeleton, Clara is hired by the Six Companies of Chinatown to defend the sixteen males who are swept-up by the Chinatown Squad. This ragtag and corrupt group of sheriffs works for the mayor, Washington Bartlett. The mayor uses the nation’s anti-Chinese sentiment in his quest to win the race for Governor of California.

Foltz, the first woman admitted to the California Bar, must learn fast to become a detective in order to prove that her client, journalist George Kwong, is not the killer but was set-up by the mayor to take the fall. Along with Ah Toy, her trusted translator and best friend, she is instructed by the head of detectives, Captain Isaiah Lees. Lees becomes enamored with Clara, who is having personal problems with sexual commitment, due to her first marriage with Jeremiah Foltz. He was a Union vet who deserted Clara and their five children for a younger woman.

Captain Lees has personal problems of his own, as he has devoted all his time fighting the corrupt politicians and the Chinatown Squad for twenty years, and has not even made time for female relations. Theirs is a very special kind of romance.

Clara brings a national spotlight to bear on her case, as thousands of women flock to the City by the Bay to support her effort to win against these patriarchal forces. The Chinese are also oppressed, and Clara and Ah Toy become embroiled in a deadly came of cat-and-mouse to trap the real killer and save George Kwong.

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I received a copy of this as an ARC from the publisher (six years ago and just got around to reading it now). The cover and synopsis, however, are for the first book in the series - the DRC content is for the second, "The Spiritualist Murders".

Unfortunately, this is just not really my style of narrative, plotting or characters. I did not finish this - but did give it a fair go but just found my interest waning in the extreme; possibly had I read the actual first book this may have been a different read for me. In this instance, 19th Century San Francisco and the spiritualist movement are just not my thing.

This may be of interest to other readers, however, please do read the books in order as I believe there is some background setting that is relevant and will assist in the enjoyment of the series.  The third in the series is titled "The Stockton Insane Asylum Murder" for those interested in pursuing this further.