Member Reviews

Women working in a dressmaking shop are being attacked at night. One homeless woman is even killed. Their men start patrolling the neighborhood.

Was this review helpful?

Dark secrets on Dressmaker's alley, the 2nd book in the series, and a great read, great to catch up on the characters. As enjoyable as the first book, looking forward to the next instalment of this series.

Was this review helpful?

Another great read in this series, never fails to tell a good tale!
Many thanx to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this book

Was this review helpful?

This is an engaging read about a close-knit community, where most residents live nearby and share intertwined lives. Which was pretty normal for the time period which I enjoyed. I also enjoyed learning more about the fashion of the time.

This book does a great job capturing the day-to-day lives of the characters, their work, a little romance, and the underlying tension of an attacker targeting local women. References to historical events, such as the Women’s Movement, adds more layers and depth to not only the setting but the story as well. Although I hadn’t read the first book, the large cast of characters didn’t detract from the story, and while some things are resolved, others are left open for the next installment in the series.

Was this review helpful?

This is the 2nd book by Rosie Clarke in this saga and it did not disappoint. I loved catching up with the characters from the previous novel.
This is set in 1920’s and is brimming with murder, suspense and mystery.

Was this review helpful?

Being the second book, it was delightful to reunite with familiar characters. Set in 1920s London, brimming with romance, murder, suspense, and a mystery to unravel as someone preys on women in the night, this book is a compelling page-turner and a pleasure for readers. Rosie Clark's consistent quality of storytelling and writing elevates this book.

Was this review helpful?

Women are being physically attacked on Dressmaker's Alley. One woman killed.

A killer is on the loose. The men were up in arms and decided to do something about it.

This book was a page turner. I loved the characters. There were families that sincerely cared for each other. There were neighbors who stood up for each other in their times of need.

This is Book 2 of the Dressmaker's Alley Series. I have read the previous story and I know I'll read the next. I have to know if Susie will find happiness. Will Joe and Sarah find true love? Did Sibby make a big mistake leaving a safe place for a man she really didn't know?

I can't say enough about Rosie Clarke's books. I have enjoyed them all.

Was this review helpful?

Another great read in this lovely series. I always enjoy these books and it was great to get back to Dressmakers Alley again. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Back to the dark and twisted world of Dressmakers Alley, I was drawn back into the lives of Winnie Brown, a young and determined seamstress, and Lady Diane Cooper, a high-society woman trapped by her privileged existence. this book explores the struggles of women in a patriarchal society A fresh perspective on the complex relationships between women from different walks of life.

Was this review helpful?

This is the second book in the Dressmaker’s Alley series and whilst it can be read as a standalone I would recommend reading book one as it is also a fabulous read.

It was great to be back in Dressmaker’s Alley and catching up with the characters we had met in book one . After a couple of chapters I was completely captivated by this book and all that was going on. I love the way the author brings her characters to life and her descriptions of them and their surroundings makes me feel I’m actually there with them. There’s various themes throughout the book including murder and romance and all of them had me glued to the story. I highly recommend this series for fans of historical fiction saga stories.

Was this review helpful?

We meet up with the girls from Dressmakers Alley again. Miss Susie’s is going well with lots of orders coming in. There is a problem for the girls as women are getting attacked and robbed as they go home. The men go out in groups trying to protect the girls and maybe catch the attacker. There’s a lot going on for the seamstress’s in this book. Will all this trouble cause trouble for Lady Diane’s business. I highly recommend this book it’s yet again another great series from Rosie.

Was this review helpful?

Interesting 1920's historical

Dark Secrets on Dressmakers' Alley is an interesting 1920's historical set in London. The feel is a bit gritty and the plot is a mystery with some romance. I really enjoyed the historical detail; it seemed like we were there! This is not literary fiction, it is a good story meant for relaxing and placing yourself in another era. As such it is top notch!

Thank you to the publisher who lent me a time-limited e-arc via Netgalley. This review is optional and my own opinion.

Was this review helpful?

Dark Secrets on Dressmakers' Alley is the latest instalment in the gritty, historical saga series set in London's East End in 1924.

It builds on the first book in the series "Dangerous Times on Dressmakers' Alley" with many of the characters returning and coming further to life.

The girls are enjoying their work at Miss Susie's, the dressmaker's run by a former maid. Recently there has been a series of women being attached and robbed, even in broad daylight.

The Police seem too busy (and somewhat incompetent) so the men of the Dressmakers' Alley create a rota to keep an eye on the area and to keep their wives, girlfriends and sisters safe.

The story felt a bit darker than the previous one, and some of the novelty from the first book was now just part of the back story (a Lady designing dresses, a former maid running a business, the Women's Movement, etc).

Was this review helpful?

Set in 1920's East End of London the author depicts both the era and it's environment very well. Her writing conjures up the atmosphere brilliantly.

Most of the women in the story are employed at the Miss Susie garment factory. It is a darker time than the previous book and the women and their associated families are afraid by a spate of violent attacks occurring in the area.

There are some dark themes in this book but they are sensitively handled and never gratuitous. As you would expect of a book of this genre there is also some romance and a bit of a mystery to solve too. Who is the person attacking these women and breaking into the local businesses? I was very invested in reading on and finding out who the culprit was.

Another great read from Rosie Clarke. I enjoyed reading this very much and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a historical saga.

Was this review helpful?

This was an enjoyable read about a community of people who mainly live in the same area. I found the details about the fashions interesting and the fact that Lady Diane was responsible for some of the designs. This story tells about how the people lived their lives, their jobs and there was some romance as well. There is also someone who is attacking the women of the area. There is a nod to some of the events of the period, including the Women’s Movement. I hadn’t read the first book in the series and although there were a number of characters, it didn’t spoil my enjoyment of the story. Some events are resolved but as this book is part of a series, some are ongoing. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Was this review helpful?

Dark Secrets on Dressmakers’ Alley is the second in the latest series of historical sagas by Rosie Clark. This book is set in London in the 1920s. Rosie Clarke definitely knows her readers and in this book she brings in some characters from her other series’s which is a nice touch. This story has a darker side to it than her earlier work and is all the better for that, cause let’s face it, London is not all knees up mother brown etc. there is an underbelly of crime running through these books which gives it a meatier feel. The cast of characters are well fleshed out but I think it would be wise to read the first book in order to get a better understanding of how things have developed. Overall I’d say this will be as successful as her previous books, and why not, if the formula works why change it.
For me this is a 4⭐️ read. Many thanks to #Boldwoodbooks for my advanced copy of this book. #Boldwood #NetGalley

Was this review helpful?

I'm reviewing this via NetGalley, as part of a tour with Rachel's Random Resources.

This is the second book in the Dressmakers’ Alley series, set in 1920s London. I enjoyed the previous book, so I was looking forward to this.

This was my second visit to Dressmakers’ Alley, and I was pleased to be back in the company of some characters that I remembered fondly from the first book. As I read, I felt those characters coming to life again, and they felt real to me. I think on this occasion, the character that I identified with the most was Sibby.

The title refers to ‘dark secrets’, and I did find the storyline a little bit darker, at least compared to the previous book, but it was very invested in the story. I cared about the characters and what happened to them.

I enjoyed this continuation of the series, and if you like historical sagas, you might like this series too.

Thank you to NetGalley, Rachel's Random Resources, Boldwood Books, and to the author, for the opportunity to read and review this.

Was this review helpful?

This is an engaging read about a close-knit community, where most residents live nearby and share intertwined lives. Which was pretty normal for the time period which I enjoyed. I also enjoyed learning more about the fashion of the time.

This book does a great job capturing the day-to-day lives of the characters, their work, a little romance, and the underlying tension of an attacker targeting local women. References to historical events, such as the Women’s Movement, adds more layers and depth to not only the setting but the story as well. Although I hadn’t read the first book, the large cast of characters didn’t detract from the story, and while some things are resolved, others are left open for the next installment in the series.

Was this review helpful?

I had read the first book in the series and looked forward to this one.
I was not disappointed. A bit of fashion, the workings of a dressmaking business from design to sale, and human interactions all together made for a great read.

There was the murky underworld to contend with and some follow on from the first book but it’s perfectly possible to read this as a stand-alone book. It would be easy to provide spoilers but then the twists and turns would be less impactful
My only disappointment? It ended after 91% on my Kindle - then a chapter of another book followed. I felt a bit cheated of the final 8% or so somehow. This seems to happen a lot though I feel.

However this didn’t detract from a well written and well researched book.

Thank you for the chance to read the ARC

Was this review helpful?

This is the second book in the Dressmakers Alley book .Madame Paulines is under new management and is now called Miss Susies.Lady Diane is designing for it but doesn't what anybody to know it is her..There is also someone going about attacking the woman there as they go about .Suddenly one of their own is arrested for the attacks but can they get them free as nobody think they did it.Thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood.

Was this review helpful?