Dreamland, is an absorbing historical mystery with some romance set in 1911, New York City. Peggy Batternberg, a young heiress, is anxious to escape the shackles of her restrictive family which is all consumed by appearance and status. She is allowed to work in a bohemian bookstore and live in Greenwich Village but her life is disrupted when she is commanded to spend the summer at the Oriental Hotel in Manhattan Beach, Brooklyn, next to Coney Island, which was then home to three amusement parks including Dreamland. The setting is a perfect one for family drama, a forbidden romance and a murder mystery. Ms. Bilyeau does an excellent job in putting the reader in early twentieth century New York where a handful of wealthy robber barons ruled like royalty and the poor immigrants were met with fear and loathing. I was raised in Sheepshead Bay in the shadow of the former racetrack and swam at the beaches where the three luxury hotels stood long ago. My love of Coney Island has been lifelong. So much so that I have a large collection of memorabilia from this period. So when Bilyeau places Peggy and the others in Dreamland, I can attest to the accuracy of her descriptions of the surroundings. (I forgive the author for the small time discrepancy as the fire that ultimately destroyed Dreamland took place before the start of the 1911 summer season.) This enjoyable book was a nice find and a quick read. It comes out on January 16, 2020. Many thanks to NetGalley, Endeavour Media and Ms. Bilyeau for the ARC. Rating: 4.25.

I 'wished' for Dreamland on Netgalley and SOOO glad the publisher granted my wish. This book is truly a 4.5 (hello out there can we get .5 for reviews?)
1911 when a ruling class certainly ran America (and especially New York). Peggy Batternberg is part of a ruling class family. She must fit into all of their rules and ideals. She managed to get a job at a bookstore and loves the anonymity of it. Family duties beckon (force) her to go to the Oriental Hotel on Coney Island.
There she finds a freedom she can't find even at the bookstore. She also finds family secrets that some in her family may deem worth killing for.
This was a fun, suspenseful, dramatic read that also reminded me how far women have come since 1911 in terms of roles. The character development flows throughout the book as we see how sometimes the rich thrive on pitting family members against each other in order to help keep things 'within the family',
I highly recommend putting this on your TBR!
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC and Endeavour Media for granting my wish.

This book appealed to me as it’s set in roughly the same time and place as The Great Gatsby. That’s about as far as the similarities go, although there is a good mixture of likeable and unlikeable characters in this one too.
The main character Peggy is gutsy and compassionate. Having started to make a life for herself outside of her family, she is hauled back in with barely a moment’s notice. I’ve read a few books recently with a female protagonist in a historical setting pushing against society’s constraints (Violet in Tracey Chevalier’s A Single Thread comes to mind) and Peggy stands up well in that company. I think it’s easy to be sniffy about this type of character, but what’s the alternative, yet another white male chauvinist lead?
I enjoyed this glimpse into the gilded society of early 20th century East Coast America. Peggy’s quest for justice gave it an added dimension. I wasted no time in adding The Blue to my to-read list!

This book was an absolute joy to read! Bilyeau brilliantly captured the essence of the struggles of both the wealthy and the immigrants in New York and how they paralleled each other. The novel provides readers with historical references to the Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire, the heat wave that blanketed the north east for 11 days, the social club known as the Four Hundred, the popularity of Brooklyn as a playground for the rich at the turn of the century, and the necessary escape that Coney Island brought to the masses. This suspenseful tale has every element of success: murder, deceit, love, corruption, perseverance, obsession, and redemption. A book that will keep you up at night rushing to the end but that will leave wanting more once you're finished.

First, when one of my favorite authors has a book on the way, it's an exciting wait. Definitely a new addition to my library. Nancy Bilyeau is a fantastic writer and I highly recommend her books. This one is no exception!
Set in 1911, New York City, in Coney Island, this book reflects all the fun of the amusement park and includes a mystery that will keep the reader guessing. Having worked in an amusement park myself, I know the way an exhausted worker feels after a long day watching the public play, have fun, get into fights, and many other things. Pleasing the public is one of the hardest jobs. Nancy takes you to Coney Island! You can feel the tiredness and sweat of the people who have put in a hard day of work, with little pay.
This is a well written book, with characters who are well developed and I enjoyed it very much. Not to be missed!
I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley. I will definitely have a copy of the hardcover also! Thank you,Netgalley!
All opinions are my own.

Well well well...this was something... something wonderful. Dreamland turned out to be an excellently written Historical Fiction whodunit set in New York more than a century ago. The foundation and general demeanor of this chronological opus seemed to be very well researched. Having grown up in Manhattan Beach Brooklyn, the whole atmosphere of the book felt incredibly familiar. I formed an instant connection, a tether to the heart and soul of the story, due to the sheer authenticity of the backdrop. Sure, the fine details were different, as would be expected with such a generational gap between the story's setting and my own experiences, but this period's Coney Island and its surroundings were undeniably congruent with my many many childhood memories. It was as if I just left mere days ago... and if I lived over a hundred years ago... BUT since I didn't, I found myself torn between being sad that I wasn't around to see some of the country's greatest technological advancements AND being ecstatic with my modern day rights as a woman (this of course was the clear winner). I love my right to vote, to earn equal pay as a man, to wear comfy bathing suits or even pants if I'd like.


Anywho, I saw this book as an homage to Women. It showcased a few strong female characters including (but not limited to) our MC Margaret (aka Peggy), her sister Lydia and even her aunt Helen who bravely circumvented the family's united front (and best interests) by warning Peggy of a possible familial plotter planning her demise. It was intense and extremely satisfying. Peggy was accessible, spunky and likeable. She exhibited grace, tenacity, honor and poise all while operating under the heavy thumb of her uncle David, the family's heir apparent Ben and Society as a whole. She was unafraid to stand up for those she loved and defended her admirable morals with vigor. Lydia, on the other hand, was a quiet type of strong. She stoically held her own against a stifling, overprotective family, a capricious fiance and a world looking to put her in her place. She emphatically vowed to be a proponent for Women's rights and her sibling relationship with Peggy was both compelling and envious.


What was the actual Trifecta of Awesomeness (Writing Quality + Character Development + World Development) like? Well, good thing you asked... ummmm thought... whatever! Dremland's pacing was spot on. The writing was beautific with period appropriate dialogue that was neither flowery nor verbose yet extremely satisfying. The characters were well fleshed out and the world building was elegant and exceedingly rich. These touches left me feeling like an actual participant in the story rather than a mere voyeur and it was fantastic!


As fantastic as it was, it did feel like a guilty sort of enjoyment because this poignant book illustrated some major biases of this bygone era. The injustices included the socioeconomic diaspora of the immigrant working class as well as the disparity between the sexes. What was considered to be acceptable, expected and tolerated behavior? In response we were given a tiny, seemingly plausible, peek into the lives and appetites of the Rich as well as a glimpse into the mindset, behavior, and treatment of the immigrant population a century ago. Sadly it was not too far off from some modern day conditions/expectations AND not only were the foreigners discriminated against but Women's conditions were stifling and (at times) abhorrent as well.


That being said I had three major gripes:

First, there was a crazy obsessed crazy person who may or may not have been unravelling at the seams. This could certainly work nicely in a story but here it was just confusing. Was he or was he not in love with our MC? Was he the one trying to kill her? Was he the one responsible for the local women's deaths? Was he schizophrenic? Was he an alien? Who knows? Well, we only SORT of know at the end (which is what makes things confusing) but still... I'm not telling.

Second, there was a glaring case of insta-love whereby "I love you(s)" were exchanged by both parties after just 2 meetings... a big No-No for me.

Third, some chapters jumped around and switched topics and voices without preamble or segue. These jumps made things feel incongruent and violently yanked me out of the story's flow. I ended up having to backtrack to find the train of thought again WHICH, needless to say, was jarring and exceedingly frustrating.


Overall:

This was an ethereal gem that harkened back to a "freely discriminating " "simpler" era that has passed in years but whose mindset has never been fully outgrown BUT... on the other hand... we got authentic, poignant writing, a wonderfully well rounded cast and a lush, robust World... who could ask for more? This book has it all!


If you are a Historical Fiction lover or an admirer of Whodunits in general then this book will certainly resonate with you! I am not a regular when it comes to those genres. Although after having read this book, I can definitely see the appeal. If you're on the fence about testing these genres let me be the first (or 100th) to tell you that a book like this one could easily make a convert out of you or me.


What are my final two cents? Well, that's easy, I think you should go ahead and give Dreamland a try... you'll thank me later.


~ Enjoy


*** I was given a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review ***

A marvelous evocation of life in 1911 New York, as told through the eyes of twenty year-old Peggy Batternberg, rebel daughter of privilege who "slums" with her extended Jewish family for a summer at Coney Island. But why has this pompous, fabulously rich upper class family consented to the stay at the hoi-poloi Brooklyn shore? Peggy's sister, the only member of the clan she has a meaningful relationship with, is engaged. It was the fiance's demand.
Rebellious and open-minded, chafing at the restrictions a female from her class must endure, Peggy goes to Coney Island with three male relatives. She storms away from them and finds herself in Dreamland, one of Coney Island's massive amusement parks. An art exhibit captures her interest. She meets Stefan, a poor Serbian immigrant and talented artist. She likes him. They can talk. He takes her to dinner. Her family would be horrified.
But the proper veneer of respectability the Batternberg family - particularly the men - projects hides a multitude of sins, most shared by the mercurial Henry Taul, Peggy's future brother-in-law. Who has a mistress, and where is she kept? Which brothels do they patronize? Who is involved in the murders of young women? Why have the police singled out a poor, powerless Serbian artist as suspect? When Peggy protests at Stefan's brutal treatment, her powerful Uncle David threatens her with the ultimate punishment.
You'll be grateful for your air-conditioning, for comfy clothes, for the right to vote, indeed for the many freedoms women didn't have and are so well-drawn in this book. It is as much social commentary as well as historical murder mystery. It's a five.

Many thanks to the publisher, Endeavour Media, and NetGalley for this Advance Reading copy. Dreamland will be released January 2, 2020.

This book completely lived up to it's enticing cover and title. I loved everything about this book and I will definitely look for more to read by Bilyeau! I enjoyed the pacing and character development so much and completely got wrapped up in the story.

Okay, yes, I have to be honest. I requested this ARC because it was love at first sight. This cover made my cursor stop in its track and after reading the synopsis, I clicked on the button 'Request'.

Wow. This was a fun ride full of suspense. And I loved it.
Frankly, I loved Peggy the most. She was such an interesting character -- strong, independent with a fierce and loyal heart. I enjoyed reading about her rebellious nature -- an heiress who rejects social norms in order to live her life to the fullest. Peggy is someone I'd like to have as a friend, someone that takes your word for granted, and fights for what's right. What I really admired about her was her strong will. How she didn't crumble everytime she was called a black sheep or ignored by her family for being a New woman, who, you know, actually works. And I really applauded her in the scene where she was mocked by the lower-class for wanting to help Stefan. She radiated amazing self-confidence and didn't rise to the bait of her being just a pampered princess who has no idea what's really happening in the world.
Peggy was someone who didn't really fit in her world of glamour, money and comfort. She was also rejected by the outside world, being labelled as a naive heiress who didn't have to work a minute for a life of privilege. But what Peggy did was put on her designer clothes, used her expensive earrings and showed the world what it means to take a stand against everyone, and win.

So, Peggy was my favourite of the lot. But I think that Lydia was the one that had undergone through a major transformation as a character. She came a long way, from being a meek, pliable girl, engaged to a prosperous partner, to a reliable sister to Peggy and a bold woman, ready to take a stand against injustice. Still, this book wouldn't have been as great if it were told from Lydia's perspective. In my opinion, Peggy made all the difference between making this book a delight to read and a total bore.

Now, Stefan. I didn't ship him and Peggy. Honestly, I had another prospect in mind for Peggy and was hoping for the interest to blossom until the very end, but alas, nothing happened there. Nevertheless, Stefan was an interesting character. The sneers and unkindness he received for being a Serb immigrant only made this story all the more accurate. The time that we're living in right now is a strange time where there are a lot of immigrants crossing Europe. And the media portrayals only make us more judgmental. We see them as a threat instead of regular people in search of a better future. And of course, the public is more than ready to point fingers at them when something bad happens. Like with Stefan. Also, it was quite refreshing reading about Dalmatia and Serbia given the fact that I'm Slovene and my parents were living in the Ex-Yugoslavia.

And here comes the star. Benny Boy. Well, Ben, but I enjoyed his character way too much I started calling him that every time he blessed me with his presence. I don't know what that makes me, granted that he was twisted and cruel as the other Batternberg family members, but he was something else entirely. He was not quite like his father, David Batternberg, but neither was he as honest as Peggy. For me, Peggy and Ben made quite a duo.

I was really taken by surprise how much I enjoyed this book. I suspected who the real murderer was for a while but that didn't make the story lacking in any way. I really appreciated the way the author portrayed the social standings -- how being born in money didn't make you an evil person but also how much lower-classes had to work to make ends meet. This being at the beginning of the 20th century, there was a lot of discrimination -- discrimination against immigrants, people of colour, women and their rights.

I thought this was a very engaging read about the early 1900’s in Coney Island. I’m not sure if it was based on historical facts, but it is a mystery novel and I read it in one setting. I thought the writing was good and it kept me interested. Thank you to netgalley for the arc.

Peggy is a privileged heiress in an elitist American family. She’s always been a black sheep in the family – one of the only one to take a regular job despite already being worth a fortune – but she’s called upon to put differences aside and spend a summer with the family group at the exotic Oriental Hotel on Coney Island. Her sister, Lydia, is engaged to wealthy bachelor Henry, and the entire family must show a united front and spend time with Henry and his family at his request in order to seal the deal.

At first, she's a reluctant holiday maker, but she soon discovers more to her forced trip than meets the eye. She spends time alone in Coney Island amusement park Dreamland and meets a mysterious European artist, and soon finds herself embroiled in a murder investigation.

There’s a whole load of family secrets and tensions and social politics packed into this short tale, and it’s definitely an incredibly well-researched historical piece. This author knows her stuff. It’s just that, personally, I wanted a little more action and a little less politics. I was expecting more scandal and drama than stolen kisses on a theme park ride and someone rebelling by wearing a modified bathing suit and swimming for a large chunk of the novel. The final third does pick up considerably, but I did find myself second-guessing everything expecting more twists and turns which just didn’t come. Perhaps I’ve just become too accustomed to the modern thriller.

I was intrigued to read after about the inspiration behind this novel; the Battenberg family is not real but Peggy herself is inspired by Peggy Guggenheim. And Dreamland really did exist, enjoying its heyday in the early 1900s before dramatic events near the end of the novel took hold. The author does capture the atmosphere of the amusement park and the stifling tensions of upper class society perfectly.

It’s difficult to review a book with which I can find absolutely nothing wrong, but I just didn’t feel compelled to keep reading.The reader follows Peggy’s quiet rebellion from her family closely, and perhaps this should have been more empathetic than it was – but I just struggled to connect with her odd combination of rebellion and naivety or comprehend the restrictions of being a young woman in this sheltered, upper-class society. There are some glimmers of closeness between Peggy and her sister Lydia, but most of her family are quite unlikeable. So, a thriller this is not but it is an intelligent examination of social classes in the 1900s, with a little murder and intrigue thrown in.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book. Unfortunately, I couldnt get past the first chapter. It is very rambling. I loved Bilyeau's Crown trilogy. I'll try to take this book up again after the holdiays.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an eARC for an honest review.
Dreamland was diverting, but not deep. Nancy Bilyeau wrote a perfectly fine historical murder mystery, but it did not tantalize. The protagonist, Peggy, was not engaging, and the romance at the crux of the novel felt contrived. The plot was also fairly transparent and there was no surprise when the murderer was uncovered. Bilyeau wrote pretty prose, evoking lovely pictures of New York City and Coney Island, but her efforts were thwarted by a tedious story that took too long to unfurl and conclude.

A naive young woman from a wealthy family becomes embroiled in murder, set against the backdrop of Coney Island's heyday, workers' rights movements, and women's suffrage. The descriptions of the various amusement parks and their workers was interesting, but the characters were fairly one-dimensional and ultimately the plot was slow and predictable.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book and devoured it in less than 24 hours.
The writing completely transported me to the American playground. Some characters were unlikable but this was international

Dreamland takes place during 1911 at the famous Coney Island in New York. Peggy, the main character, is a young heiress and cannot stand to being forced to spend the summer with her family, who is pretentious and money hungry. She soon finds herself caught in a web of love, deceit, and...murder.

I have to admit, this was a pretty slow read for the first half of the book. I didn’t feel connected to the characters for some time but as I went on I rather liked the headstrong female portrayal of Peggy.

This book can be described as a historical fiction murder mystery with some romance thrown in. It had great descriptions of the “America’s Playground” set upon the seaside and the various attractions within Coney Island.

3.75 Stars (rounded up) https://kbbookreviews867789450.wordpr... (also on Goodreads/twitter )

Dreamland, by Nancy Bilyeau is a gorgeous historical mystery/thriller set in 1911 with a sprinkle of romance and sinister murders.

Synopsis: Peggy Batternberg, a member of one of the richest families in America, longs to be free of her controlling socially obssesed family but when her uncle shows up at the bookshop where she works and demands she return home with him, she has no choice but to obey.

During her journey and upon her arrival she learns her father died in debt, her mother is selling their home and the family are going on holiday to Coney Island at the request of Peggy’s sister’s (Lydia) soon to be mother-in law. The family insists that Peggy goes with them in order to help show a united front, Peggy refuses and is forced to accompany them anyway.

Soon after their arrival, Peggy falls in love with a small time artist, who also happens to be an immigrant in America – a man her family would not approve of. However, sinister occurences ruin this secret love and family holiday as multiple murders occur and the Batternberg secrets are laid bare.

How far can money and social status reach? Who is committing these awful crimes? And how is Peggy involved?

— Beautiful And Rich —
The Writing Style And Narrative. Nancy Bilyeau’s writing style is incredibly beautiful and rich, it efficiently draws you in and keeps you hooked. The descriptions used are gorgeous and immersive and the world is intricately woven, I couldn’t help but love it. The narrative perspective we have is that of Peggy’s, the main character, so we are only able to knowwhat she does, and it helps to maintain the mystery in the novel. It also adds another layer of mystery as Peggy slowly reveals things that occured in the past that now effects her relationships with people in the present, particularly Ben (her cousin) and Henry (her sister’s fiance), though Peggy has rocky relationship with the entire family, these two are the most significant. The narrativeallows for the murder mystery elemement to maintain some suspense throughout the book and maintain a level of intrigue that keeps you reading.

— Fun And Intriguing —
The Plot. So, the plot itself is a little inaccurate in terms of history, primarily the Dreamland fire having occured in May (I believe) and in the book it happens a few months after this, but it does not remove the enjoyment of the story and the Dreamland aspects. The plot itself is actually very interesting with Bilyeau exploring the divide of the social classes through her charaters and through the criminal justice system. A relationship is created between Peggy, our rich heiress, and Stefan, a poor pier side artist and Serbian immigrant, which allows an in depth exploration of social class structure, racism, and corruption – this was a wonderful addtion to the plot as it added a layer of sophistication to the story that I rather enjoyed.

The murder mystery aspect was also fun and interesting with a few potential suspects that, at the start of the story, makes it difficult to predict. However, as the story goes on you are quickly able to predict who is committing the crimes, personally I felt it was a little too obvious so the reveal wasn’t too shocking. On the contrary, I will admit that I was suprised at how they did it and what/who else was involved but overall there wasn’t much shock or suprise at the end.

The begininning and the end of the book had wonderful pacing, I was hooked from the start and loved how Peggy is whisked away to Coney Island. Similarly, the ending has a significant amount of action and suspense that creates a quicker pace that I enjoyed. The middle of the story did, at times, drag out a little for me and some elements I would have liked explored a little more, but on the whole the pacing was decent and allowed me to read it relatively easily.

Moreover, I also enjoyed how, as the story goes on, conflict between major and minor characters is created specifically in terms of Peggy and the Coney Island pier workers. Furthermore, the police element was interesting and well written with Bilyeau exploring the corruption and racism ingrained in the system, particularly during this time period. It was well written and shocking to see with Peggy’s naivety adding to the general horrific atmosphere.

— Complex And Well Crafted —
The Characters. Each character in the story is well developed and were complex and well-crafted but I will only talk about a few of them becuse the Batternberg family is relatively large!

Peggy. Peggy is determined to be independant from her family (though she intends to use her inheritance to do so) and cannot stand their uptight behaviour. She wants to be free from the social restraints that bind her family to a life of social politness and attemts to do so at every opportunity. However, since she has grown up in a high social class she is relatively naive about the real world and is shocked to see the true horrors the working class suffer from.

As an attempt to be independent, she goes to Coney Island’s Dreamland where she mmeets Stefan. She spends the day with him but hides the fact that she is a rich heiress. Eventually, however, he finds out but the relationship is quickly fixed and the two see each other on multiple occassions, though not without trouble as the police have their eyes on him. While I enjoyed reading about their dynamic and their differences, I felt that the love was that of the ‘insta-love’ type and I couldn’t get entirely on board with it, at times it felt more like an attempt at rebellion rather than a loving relationship (On Peggy’s part). But, I did love Stefan and his behaviour in the relationship and found the dynamic to be incredibly intriguing.

Stefan. An adorable, humble and gentlemanly artist, who is miles better than any of the Batternberg men. Stefan is clever, creative, peaceful and incredibly loyal to thos ehe cares about, and is selfless, particularly in his relationship with Peggy. He has a great dynamic with all of his friends/family and is just a decent person in general. His ending (and how his relationship with Peggy is at the end) was probably the thing that shocked me most but it was the perfect ending for many reasons.

Lydia. The pretty, quiet and conforming lady betrothed to Henry for the good of the family. Lydia was incredibly obedient to her mother and to Henry’s wishes in the book but as the story goes on we get to see more and more of her personality and it was brilliant. I loved Lydia’s character by the end and her independence and goas made her arc one of the most significant ones.

Henry. Oh how I hated this character. He had no redeeming qulities, was obseesed with female purity, was extremely controlling and just overall irritating. Henry’s character was a source of hatred and conflict throughout the novel and his ending was bitersweet, on one hand it was what he deserved but on the other he deserved so much more than what he got and got so much more than he deserved. Confusing I know, but once you read it you will see what I mean.

Ben. Ben kind of creeped me out, while simultaneously managed to be charming at times. Overall, I didn’t love his character he was questionable and as bad as all the other Batterberg men but was probably a little more redeemable than some of them.

— Interesting And Lovely —
Overall. The story was an Interesting and lovely one with gorgeous detail, beautiful writing and wonderful characters that I loved and hated. The mystery was fun, despite the predictability, and the pacing is mostly decent. The themes are the true gold of this story with a significant focus on society, class, corruption, sexism and racism and it made the story all the more intriguing.

If you love historical fiction and mystery then you will love this!

Content Warning: Violence (broad spectrum both direct and indirect), murder, implied/very brief discussion of rape, implied and brief/ non-explicit mentions of incest (not sexual), trauma, abuse.

*I received an eARC of #Dreamland by Nancy Bilyeau from #Netgalley @Endeavour_Media in exchange for an honest review*.

The year is 1911 and wealthy Peggy Batternberg is taken to spend the summer with her family in the more exclusive hotels along the beach from the Coney Island theme parks. Her sister, Lydia, is engaged to a man she has doubts about and Peggy is struggling with her status as one of New York's leading and high profile families. One night, slipping into the chaos of the Dreamland theme park, Peggy finds a world far from the brittle order and veneer of decorum of her family's existence. However, Coney Island is also experiencing a spate of murders and the unconventional Peggy is to be caught up in solving the crimes.

The setting of this novel is what drew me in; I loved the contrast of the Coney Island funfairs with the formality of the high class hotels. The sense of Peggy's claustrophobia in her ordered life was palpable and well drawn. Peggy herself was an appealing character with a sense of independence that was heartening, and Lydia became a much stronger character as the novel progressed. Furthermore, there was an engaging range of supporting characters, some woefully underused, I thought.

My main problem with the novel was its lack of clarity on genre. It kind of fell between being a clever crime novel (the denouement was not a huge surprise) and a love story defying class boundaries. Because it didn't commit to either, it became neither, which was a shame. It could so easily have picked a route and stuck with it, but instead I found myself unconvinced by the romance and wanting a more twisty crime investigation. I was disappointed in the ending, but wasn't really sure by this point what a satisfying ending would look like given the rest of the story.

I did enjoy this and it is clearly well-written, but it's not a five star review because of the frustrations detailed above. I could really have immersed myself in this beautifully drawn world, but instead I found myself distracted by the muddle of genres. A real shame, but four stars for some captivating writing and characters.

I personally found this book to be a bit meandering and dry. I really, really wanted to enjoy the book because the premise sounded amazing but there were too many points in the story that felt extraneous. However, I did enjoy the main storyline of the story enough that I would recommend this to people who are okay with longer, meandering stories.

Aside from a few historical inaccuracies (the biggest being that Dreamland burned down in May of 1911 but this story takes place months after that) I was drawn into the vivid time period and this wonderful place. The descriptions were lovely and the murder mystery was engaging. The young, unmarried Peggy Batternberg lives life according to her own wants and desires, despite the pressures of her prominent family and society expectations. These are always the best heroines. Peggy falls for a Serbian artist named Stefan who soon becomes the prime suspect for a string of murders that plague the boardwalk hotel area. She searches for the real killer to free her new love in a well-paced mystery. I enjoyed the book and the characters and would read more about them if they returned. Maybe it was the time period or the setting, but I was swept into the story with sadness when it ended.