Portia of the Pacific Mysteries

“A gruesome murder makes way for an unexpected romance in James Musgrave’s Chinawoman’s Chance.  The first book in the Portia of the Pacific series, Chinawoman’s Chance starts the series well, utilizing historical figures as principal characters while shining a light on a sordid aspect of US history. The story is set in San Francisco two years after the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act, and is fronted by Isaiah Lees, the first hired policeman of the San Francisco Police Department, and Clara Shortridge Foltz, the first woman on the West Coast to serve as a public defender.”  Anita Lock, Foreword Clarion Reviews

“James Musgrave’s The Angel’s Trumpet is one of those rare historical mysteries that is both entirely plausible and yet truly original. A richly researched adventure into the complex social web of Gilded Age Washington, featuring deeply-realized and re-imagined luminaries including actress Sarah Bernhardt and President and Mrs. Cleveland, the novel is also surprisingly modern in its sensibilities, a compelling romp into an earlier era’s struggle with addiction and vice and secrecy and race relations, and, most of all, hidden sources of power. You will read this book in one sitting–and you will be very glad that you did. A meticulously-plotted gem from a master of the genre.” Jacob M. Appel, author of the Dundee International Book Award winner, The Man Who Wouldn’t Stand Up.

“In Musgrave’s promising historical and series launch, fear of job losses leads to the passage of the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, the first major law restricting immigration to the U.S. Two years after the law takes effect, tensions between San Francisco’s white and Chinese-American populations heat up after the murder of Mary McCarthy, a 19-year-old prostitute, whose killer flayed her corpse, leaving only skeletal remains behind. The authorities focus on the Tongs, arresting 14 of their leaders on suspicion of some involvement in the atrocity. Reporter George Kwong, the son of one of his community’s wealthiest members, is later charged with the killing. The only people standing between George and execution are two real-life historical figures: Capt. Isaiah Lees, of the SFPD, and Clara Foltz, a pioneering female attorney who successfully advocated for women to be allowed to practice law in California. Several clever plot twists guide Isaiah and Clara to the real killer. Readers will look forward to their next adventure.” (BookLife)

BookLife Prize, 2018: “A thrilling adventure, perfect for whodunit fans and historical fiction buffs.”

Kirkus Review: “An entertaining mix of fact, fiction, feminism, and the occult.”

Reviewed By K.J. Simmill for Readers’ Favorite:

“Clara was one of only two women practising law in San Francisco, and as such she had a lot to prove, but she also had good instincts. Instincts that saw her befriend Adeline, a young woman she found in distress. When finally she returned to her senses, Adeline confesses to witnessing a murder, in fact, of the witnesses called she was the only who witnessed it happen, and yet she was refused the right to testify; why? Because she not only witnessed the murder, she heard the thoughts of the one committing it. The killer was set free, and Clara is determined to use Adeline and her perfect recall – along with her ability to channel other people’s thoughts and memories – to get to the bottom of what happened. But how can you prove something when your evidence is only the word of someone who could be called crazy? You search for evidence, of course, but Clara must be careful. The killer believes he can control anyone, but why commit these acts in the first place. Is it to show their power, or is there something else afoot? Written in a style suitable for the era, James Musgrave’s The Spiritualist Murders: Portia of the Pacific Historical Mysteries Book 2 delivers an intense and vivid scene of San Francisco in the 1880s. While I can’t speak for historical accuracy due to unfamiliarity, the feel of the work is very authentic to the time. Musgrave writes an enjoyable narrative that will appeal to a mature audience, as well as those who enjoy a well-worded and conceived plot. As a murder mystery, you are of course asking yourself the how and why, and the spiritual twists give this book a little something extra. Controversy, challenges, sexism, manipulation, and agendas – both concealed and visible – drive the mysteries and the characters forward in a novel that is bound to please lovers of the genre who are looking for something just a little bit different.”