BOOK BY: Genevieve Graham
Genevieve Graham’s newest release reads like a Kate Morton book!
It’s such a different approach, but no less packed with historical detail I’ve come to expect when reading one of her books. This time, it’s not so much a Canadian historical event that pulls readers in, but an iconic building – the Royal York Hotel in downtown Toronto.
In this particular story, the Royal York is the inspiration for the fictional Dominion Hotel that opens in 1929 just before the stock market crash. Readers are immersed in the world of riches, and exposed to the sharp contrast of labourers working in the Ward. It’s a story of the haves and have nots; of family and friendship; of lies and deceptions. No one is really who they appear to be.
And of course, what’s a story set in the late twenties/early thirties without the Italian mafia?
The story moves between the Toronto of 2024 and the Toronto of 1929, where renovations are being done to the Dominion hotel. But there’s an interesting subplot of sabotage and backroom deals in modern-day Toronto. And in the end, clever connections are made between the two storylines.
Characters are interesting in both timelines.
If you enjoy reading stories by Kate Morton, give The Chambermaid’s Key a try! I received an ecopy from Netgalley. All opinions expressed are my own.