"Mothers never fail to present their daughters as a marriageable option...[Edyth Foster was]...one of the few women who had her future secured without needing to put on a facade to secure a husband's pocketbook." The year was 1887, the place was New York City.

Edyth, a twenty-four year old "free spirit", answered to the beat of her own drum. She enjoyed riding her velocipede "in lieu of a respectable carriage". She preferred uncorseted, split skirts to fashionable gowns. "Books were too quiet a pastime. She needed to be in motion or fiercely concentrating". Edyth loved fencing, especially with her close friend and fencing instructor Raoul Banebridge. The Banebridge and Foster families traveled in the same social circles.

Edyth's so-called "eccentricities" were soon to be perceived as signs of insanity. In the late 1800's, a women might be committed to an asylum on the word of her husband or family for insanity caused by childbirth, overwork, infidelity, or in Edyth's case, eccentricity.Upon the death of her parents, Uncle Boris had become her guardian. In a matter of months, Edyth would come into her inheritance...but...not if Boris could apply a clause discovered in the family will. "...if [Edyth dies] unmarried and childless, or is declared mad and committed to an asylum, the fortune reverts to [Uncle Boris] and [his] heir."

"The Gray Chamber" by Grace Hitchcock is a work of historical romance focusing on the true crime of imprisoning women on Blackwell's Island, arguably based upon scanty proof, often an act of convenience achieved by lining the pockets of doctors willing to recommend placement in a brutal facility of the time period. Edyth's mutual support team included Poppy, Nellie Bly and Raoul Banebridge (Bane).

Blackwell Island, located on the East River between Manhattan and Queens, housed a lunatic asylum, jail, and workhouse. In 1887, journalist Nellie Bly went undercover "under assignment from Joseph Pulitzer", by assuming the cloak of insanity. Her expose was later published in the book "Ten Days in a Mad-House".

Thank you Barbour Books and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review "The Gray Chamber".

This is the fourth installment in the True Color series which takes strange historical crimes and turns them into suspense-filled fiction stories. Grace Hitchcock’s The Gray Chamber focuses on a dark period in the late 1800’s surrounding the poorly run women’s lunatic asylum called Blackwell Island.

Edyth Foster’s life is about to take off. She’s set to take over her parent’s estate after their death, and she finds the love of her life. But her uncle get her falsely committed to the asylum where Edyth withstands the horrible conditions. She meets Nelly Bly, an undercover reporter, and the two try to stay alive in the asylum.

The Gray Chamber puts readers right into the middle of these historical events. I hadn’t actually heard about Nelly Bly until reading The Gray Chamber, and the story surrounding Blackwell Island is creepy in its own right. But the author adds the lovable and quirky Edyth to the plot and readers endure the heartbreaking conditions of the asylum right along side her. Edyth’s spunk challenges the societal norms of the time period with her dress and actions. She even takes up fencing, which wasn’t a thing women did in the 1800’s. Edyth isn’t the damsel in distress, which made her plight all the more harrowing as she fights for her life from inside the asylum.

The Gray Chamber is intriguing and full of suspenseful twists. Sadly, much of the elements in the story happened. If you love true crimes, this is one novel you don’t want to miss. The fast-paced action plus likable characters makes this a must read.

I received a complementary ebook review copy of this book through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Faced with being committed to an asylum under false accusations, the main character faces family turmoil and danger. The story is filled with action and intrigue. New found romance gives hope to the future. Great read. I received a complimentary copy of the book. No review was required.

Grace Hitchcock's The Gray Chamber is a well written book about a shameful period in the late 1800's when women could be locked away on the say so of her husband or legal guardian. The story describes the horrendous treatment that women received if they were declared "insane" and put into a mental facility.

Edyth Foster is an unconventional twenty five year old woman who lost both parents in an accident when she was a child. In 1887 her Uncle Boris decides he and his new wife should inherit Edyth's fortune. The only way for that to happen was if Edyth died or was committed to an insane asylum. Her commitment and treatment culminating in the Gray Chamber makes an exciting read. There is a beautiful relationship between Edyth and her long time friend Bane, who teaches fencing, that sweetens the story.

I received an Advanced Reader's Copy from Barbour Publications through NetGalley.The opinions expressed are entirely my own.
#TheGrayChamber. #NetGalley

Really outstanding book! Edyth is a definite person!! We understand her and are rooting for her all the way through the book! The descriptions of the asylum and its keepers are horrifying! Totally interesting!!

This was my introduction to the True Colors series, and I was hooked from the get-go! The fact that it is based off true stories makes it all the more compelling.

We meet Edyth Foster, an eccentric young woman who is about to come into a large inheritance. But there’s a catch, and Edyth soon finds herself locked away behind the cold, cruel walls of the Blackwell Island Lunatic Asylum. Desperate to escape and be reunited with the man she loves, Edyth sets out to reclaim her life before it’s too late.

The story is told through two voices: one of Edyth and the other, her dear friend and fencing master, Bane. I found both characters’ perspectives complemented each other well as they puzzled and mused over their predicaments. It also felt fairly cinematic as I was reading, like I am already casting the Gray Chamber movie in my head!

Overall, I quite enjoyed this book, and I look forward to more from the True Colors series! Thank you to Barbour Publishing for the advanced copy!

Review- The Gray Chamber by Grace Hitchcock

This book got going from the start, and never stopped. It was action packed, and really got me thinking.

It got me thinking about what people will do to others for money. As the saying goes, “money is the root of all evil”, and this book exemplifies that. It also made me wonder if what happened to Edyth could happen today. Something tells me that it can.

I would recommend this book. It was an interesting, quick read.

I am really enjoying the True Colors series from Barbour Publishing!  The Gray Chamber did not disappoint! First of all this cover is really haunting and really reflects the atmosphere that is created in the book.  The story was intriguing and the characters were smart, capable, and easy to like.   This novel really showcased some of the unfair and brutal treatments that some patients endured on Blackwell Island.  It was chilling.  As soon as Edyth entered the asylum I felt tense and anxious.  There was such a sense of hopelessness to her situation, but she didn't lose hope in spite of her dire circumstances.  There were several intense and suspenseful scenes in this book that had me on the edge of my seat!  I was happy with the conclusion of the book and also felt like I had learned a bit of history within the context of this story.

There is a lot to like about The Gray Chamber. There's the admirable hero and heroine, a heroine that is ahead of her time in participating in fencing and a novel based upon actual events.

After reading and very much enjoying The White City, my expectations for The Gray Chamber were rather high. The bits of humor that I loved in The White City were very rare in The Gray Chamber. The fictional story line wasn't as engaging for me. The change in Bane's opinion of Edyth from friendship to seeing her in a romantic light happened rather abruptly. Some events were a little cliche.

My favorite character was secondary character Lavinia. I expected that she would be bratty but was actually looking for true friendship and genuinely cared for others. That was a lovely surprise. I also liked how Poppy was described and the background of how she got to her mental state. Both of these characters were written plausibly.

Overall, The Gray Chamber was a good novel. It just wasn't as charming as The White City.

I rarely buy multiple copies of the same book, but this is going to be one of them! I have the ebook and I am buying the paperback. This story was AMAZING!! This is my second story from this author and she is firstly becoming a favorite, must read, instant click author.

This is a historical romance with American crime and a few Christian verses. This book was addictive, informative, heartbreaking and redemptive! I loved how the author wrote a true crime story, with romance intertwined and made me believe in the power of love again.

Psychology and pre-war medical treatments and laws are a particular interest of mine (and romance) this book covers all of those and is perfect for a great many readers. It was scary just how fast and with such little proof the main character was committed to the hospital. I had goose bumps reading this. Edyth is a strong lady and I was passionate about her getting her HEA.

This story was brilliant in its prose and form and addictive in its plot and characters. I could not have loved this story more. I highly recommend it to all readers (history lovers, medical loves, romance lovers, Victorian lovers and the rest)! I had the extreme pleasure of receiving an ARC from NetGalley and I am leaving my honest review. This is going on my book gift list for sure!

This is a very well written book. This story is based on a true story and it will break your heart the way women was treated in the women's lunatic asylum and how easy it was to get somebody admitted. This book will grab you on the first page and it doesn't let go. It will keep you on the edge of your seat; you don't want to put it down, you just have to know what happens next This book deserves more than 5 stars! Thank you Barbour Publishing via NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Heart-Breaking wonderful tale.

this books is amazing, i was enthralled from the first page i couldn't help but devour this book. it is a tale of amazing strength and love. Edyth is a strong independent character that you cant help but support through-out the story.
even though the characters are fictions the story is based on true advents and this story make you realize how easy it was back then to fob off a relative simply by saying there insane. i am still reeling from this epic tale.
at the end the author even refers to the book that she used as reference and i love that because it opens my reading to books i wouldn't normal venture in.
this is a ten star review its a shame i can only give it five stars. i will be following this author and cant wait to read more by her.

I wasn't exactly sure what I was getting into with this story. I'm not a big fan of historical writing, and I had a really hard time getting through this. I gave up about half way through. The story jumped around too much for me. If you enjoy historical mysteries, this would be a great book for you. It just didn't do it for me.

The Gray Chamber by Grace Hitchcock proved an interesting read. I was hooked from the beginning, drawn in by the lovable character of Edyth Foster, an eccentric artist, who bucks the system in 1887 in New York City by wearing split skirts and riding a bicycle in public. (Spoiler alert!) In this historical fiction novel, Edyth finds herself committed to an asylum by an enemy, and the reader gets an inside look at the reality of the treatment of patients of Blackwell's Island in the 1880s. While the book showed the disturbing treatment of the Blackwell Island patients, I still found it hard to put down, wanting to know how the story would end. The author's style is enjoyable, the setting realistic, and the characters rich. If you're a fan of historical fiction, you enjoy a clean read, you'll enjoy Grace Hitchcock's The Gray Chamber.

Note: I received a copy of the book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for this honest review. The opinions expressed are my own.

I enjoyed reading how strong and eccentric the author portrayed Edyth as a young unmarried woman in 1877. I am a Registered nurse living in New York, so when I saw this book I just knew I had to read this book. The author does a fantastic job bringing the reader back in time where women have no rights. Edyth's aunt and uncle want her inheritance, so they lock her away at an insane asylum. The author gives a frightening look at how patients where treated.

As soon as I saw that this was the next book in the series I knew I HAD to read it. The cover first caught my attention and than reading what the book was about I knew it would be good.I loved the character of Edyth. She was amazing. Her spunk was unrivaled. The fact that she didn't care what society thought made her so unique and in the time of 1880's would have been scandalous. I loved how her character evolved throughout the book but still remained true to herself.Bane was so amazing! His steadfastness throughout the book is what makes people keep reading! I mean who wouldn't love a man you can fence? I have always loved sword fighting so I immediately loved this character. As the book went on I only loved him more!I found my self reading very quickly through parts because I had to find out what happened next. I highly encourage people to read this book.I had heard of this story from history before I had read this book and was fascinated by the history this book is based upon. Readers know that though this is fiction things like this actually happened in real life! This book showed how we need to trust God in all things, be still and know Him and Scripture Memorization is so important. Storing up God's Word in our heart! This author is new to me BUT will certainly be among my favorites! I couldn't put this book down. I read it in 3 days or less!

Another thrilling story in the True Crimes series! A romantic suspense that swept me up in the reading and held my rapt attention throughout. I couldn't read it fast enough!
"Fear not, for the Lord will be with you."
I found myself quickly attached to the main characters, and held my breath when it seemed all hope was lost. A few Bible verses and prayers of the characters, especially when in peril, kept the story from becoming too dark, and brought inspiration to the tale. I shudder to think that some of these events actually happened. The treatment of the mentally ill in the 1880's and corruption of the system were horrible. Nellie Bly's account and her part in the tale was well done, adding authenticity to poor Edyth's experience. The conclusion was done smoothly, with a gentle wrap up, making for a very satisfying read.

Recommend for readers who enjoy historical romantic suspense with faith, and based on real events. For further reading about the historical treatment of the mentally ill, I recommend Jane Kirkpatrick's book, One Glorious Ambition, about the work of Dorothea Dix.
5 stars!

The Gray Chamber by Grace Hitchcock is a delightful glance into the world of insane asylums during the 1900's. I have always known that asylums were some pretty creepy places during the 1900's, but Hitchcock does a fabulous job at showing the horrors that occurred to normal woman who were sent there by the men who claimed to love them. No wonder some of the women actually went crazy. Horrible things and abuse happened to them while they were imprisoned in these places. I couldn't imagine the horror, uncleanliness, and the abuse some of these sane women had to put up with. I really enjoyed how Hitchcock made Edyth a fighter who struggled for her freedom and was willing to help others escape too. I really liked the element of including Nellie Bly in the story too. I knew some of what she did, but this made it a little more realistic. Overall, The Gray Chamber was a quick and delightful read. I enjoyed this book and hope for more mysteries from Hitchcock. If you enjoyed this story, then pick up Elizabeth Blyer Younts novel The Bright Unknown.

I received a complimentary copy of The Gray Chamber by Grace Hitchcock from Barbour Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

This is the second book I've read by Grace Hitchcock. It is her second book in the True Colors: Historical Stories of American Crime. I read and enjoyed her first book, The White City, and this book is just as enjoyable. Her writing is very realistic to the point I had to stop reading and resume later as I got so caught up in the story.



I don't like to give a synopsis as you can read that elsewhere. I want to give you my opinion of a book. I give this book a 5 out of 5 rating. I truly enjoyed this story. It was well written and sadly, true to how things happened back then.



The main characters were very believable, you loved the good ones and despised the bad. The way some were treated tore at my heart. The editing was also well done. Poor editing can ruin an otherwise great book. The story flowed well and at times kept me on the edge of my seat.



I requested to read and review this book through Netgalley. I am not required to leave a review and if I do, it is not required to be a positive review. This review is my own and my honest opinion. When this book is published I will post this review on sites such as Amazon, B&N, Booksamillion, etc.

This is a dense and slow moving novel. Novels are not generally my cup of tea. I'm an ex reviewer of film scripts, so I'm accustomed to faster moving pieces. But for those who love the density of a quasi Victorian-style novel, this one will intrigue you. The lead character is swimming upstream in her Victorian world, doing things most girls would not tackle. Her challenges include getting the better of her older, more law-savvy relatives, who want to get rid of her and succeed in getting her committed to a lunatic asylum for a time.
I have no big beefs against this piece and certainly one must be a deft writer to get this fleshed out well. But some of the conceits in this novel (it isn't historical and certainly not True Crime) have been seen before, such as the unjust sentence to madhouse etc. But all in all it's good for those to whom this genre appeals.