Though the pay is low and the hours are long, farm girl Alice Barrow relishes the independence she gains when she takes on a job at a cotton mill in Lowell, MA. In the 1830s, the opportunity to earn their own money working in mills is one of the few freedoms allowed to women, and while that is a draw for Alice, she values the friendships she forms—especially with brash Lovey Cornell—even more. Unafraid to speak up about the unsafe equipment and unhealthy environment with which workers must contend, Alice is soon cast as the voice of the other mill workers, and she catches the admiring eye of the heir to the mill, Samuel Fiske. But when Lovey is found murdered, Alice must decide between standing with the other mill workers or siding with the Fiske family. VERDICT As she did with her debut, The Dressmaker, Alcott draws from dramatic events indelibly etched in history and offers a fresh perspective. The resulting tale is reminiscent of the British television drama series North & South, in that it also explores issues of class and gender and is set primarily on a cotton mill during the same general time period. And like the series, Alcott's work will attract historical romance fans who will be entertained by the antics of the daring ladies who leave everything they know and embrace less-than-ideal conditions to gain their freedom. [See Prepub Alert, 8/12/13.]—Natasha Grant, New York