This is historical fiction at its best. It's a bleak, vivid and realistic story told by different POV and which pictures a world totally different from one can think it was.
It's world were social differences, greeds and human weakness are as strong as anywhere else and where who was a victim can become a perpetrator.
There's a crime but I think that the mystery part takes a back seat to the story being told.
Ms Nesbit is a great storyteller and the well researched story kept me hooked as it's enthralling and gripping.
An excellent read I couldn't put down, highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for this ARC, all opinions are mine.