The Girls with No Names pulls readers into the gilded age of New York City in the 1910s, when suffragettes marched in the street, unions fought for better work conditions--and girls were confined to the House of Mercy for daring to break the rules.
Not far from Luella and Effie Tildon's large family mansion in Inwood looms the House of Mercy, a workhouse for wayward girls. The sisters grow up under its shadow with the understanding that even as wealthy young women, their freedoms come with limits. But when the sisters accidentally discover a shocking secret about their father, Luella, the brazen older sister, becomes emboldened to do as she pleases.
But her rebellion comes with consequences, and one morning Luella is mysteriously gone. Effie suspects her father has made good on his threat to send Luella to the House of Mercy and hatches a plan to get herself committed to save her sister. But she made a miscalculation, and with no one to believe her story, Effie's escape from the House of Mercy seems impossible--unless she can trust an enigmatic girl named Mable. As their fates entwine, Mable and Effie must rely on each other and their tenuous friendship to survive.
Home for Unwanted Girls meets The Dollhouse in this atmospheric, heartwarming story that explores not only the historical House of Mercy but the lives--and secrets--of the girls who stayed there.
About the Author :
Serena Burdick graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in California before moving to New York City to pursue a degree in English literature at Brooklyn College. Author of Girl in the Afternoon, she lives in Western Massachusetts with her husband and two sons.
Emily Lawrence, an actor and writer, is passionate about bringing stories to life. She has narrated more than 425 audiobooks, many of which were USA Today or New York Times bestsellers, and has also worked in film, television, and theater.
Nancy Peterson is a voice talent and audiobook narrator who won the prestigious Audie Award for best narration in 2018.
Amy McFadden has narrated more than two hundred titles in many different genres. She is an AudioFile Earphones Award winner and has been a finalist for the prestigious Audie Award for best narration. She has acted on stage throughout Michigan for more than twenty years and in commercials and film for ten years. She is a founding member of Dog Story Theater in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Review :
"Beautifully written, haunting...A stunning story of sisters, friendship, secrets, and ultimately survival."
-- "Jillian Cantor, USA Today bestselling author"
"Burdick has spun a cautionary tale of struggle and survival, love and family--and above all, the strength of the heart, no matter how broken."
-- "New York Times Book Review"
"Burdick reveals the perils of being a woman in 1913 and exposes the truths of their varying social circles."
-- "Chicago Tribune"
"This exquisitely wrought, meticulously researched historical reflection on an American version of the infamous Magdalene laundries of Ireland...combines lush prose with a quick and riveting plot."
-- "Publishers Weekly"
"A mesmerizing tale of strength, subterfuge, and the unbreakable bond between sisters."
-- "Whitney Scharer, author of The Age of Light"
