Very much enjoyed this well written book. Seemed to be an authentic, well researched story, with interesting characters and an engaging plot. At times the chapters read more like a play, with entrances and exits of the various characters characterized by quick, concise dialogue, short scenes, and intrigues happening just off-stage.
Good historical fiction that does not follow the normal formulas is hard to come by, but Ms Virts has managed to balance historical facts with creative storytelling. I will definitely look for other titles by this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a reading copy in exchange for this honest review.

The Grays of Truth mixes reality with fiction and is an engrossing read. It's a story about betrayal, lies, family disputes and a sad portrait of women's life in the late decades of the 19th century in the US. The story catches the reader's attention with many twists and turns that are not possible to be foreseen as well as the deep research made into the characters and how society behaved at the time. Highly recommended!
I thank the author, her publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC.

Man do I loveeeeee a good historical fiction novel and this one was it!!!! Set in my hometown so I was really able to dive in and indulge. The setting was so atmospheric. There are affairs, there’s murder, a damning amount of deceit and a mystery that begs to be solved. Jane was a force to be reckoned with even when she began to question her own reality. I love a strong, determined FMC!!! This was light on the romance but it added an additional element that made the story even more appealing. Loved this one!

'It's a horrible thing, madness. The constant chattering of voices unknown to you, compelling you to do the unthinkable. The inability to recognize reality from the unreal, right from wrong'.

Jane Gray is a smart, educated lady living in 19th Century Baltimore. Having been raised within a family of doctors, she became a nurse and served in the Rebellion and continues to 'tinker' with herbal medicine. Having long ago married into the high-society Wharton family, as arranged by her father, and a daughter off at a prestigious boarding school, she seems to have it all. That is, until we reach chapter two and the glossy veneer of Jane's world begins to peel off. This world is in fact comprised of: jealousy, rivalry, suspicion, intrigue and power. When those close to Jane begin to die, her fragile mind begins to fracture, causing both her and the reader to question what is real and what is imagined.

Based on a real crime, 'The Grays of Truth' is filled with a cast of suspicious characters harbouring plenty of motives. Virts' well-researched story immerses you within the time and place, culminating with the courtroom drama. You may have your suspicions throughout but learning just how it all unfolds will keep you turning pages.

'It's all in your head, Jane'.

This is quite a chilling combination of historical fiction and true crime! Set in post-civil war Baltimore, it centers on Jane Gray Wharton, who was a strong, intelligent woman, ahead of her time. She had been a nurse during the Civil War and was also a trained chemist. The author brings Jane Gray Wharton vividly to life, as well as the often-abusive mental and physical treatment of women in general at that time period. When her first husband dies suddenly on a visit to a family members home, Jane is shocked, but not suspicious until she and her daughter visit this same relative's home and become gravely ill. As the mysterious deaths continue, Jane resolves to find the truth, but soon finds herself tangled in a web of deceit and fraud. Despite her training, her fears are not taken seriously, but she persists in her search for the truth and justice. Sharon Virts has written a powerful and well researched book, based on the actual tragic events experienced by Jane Gray Wharton. The writing style is gripping and kept my attention from beginning to end. Jane Gray Wharton was a very real heroine I will long remember for her courage and persistence despite unimaginable loss. The author notes at the end are a must-read part of the book, and I did enjoy the Edgar Allen Poe quotes throughout. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for my advance copy of the book. The opinions of this review are my own.

This is a well written book with a gripping and thrilling historical story to it. This book had me from the start and I really enjoyed reading it.
With all the secrets and scandals, family and money. Based on a true story and well researched, this certainly does make for good reading. I highly recommend it.

Thank you NetGalley and Girl Friday Productions for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

I requested the title because I was hoping for a complex mystery, but it reads much more like a melodrama or a romance, which is a an entirely different thing. I am absolutely sure there is a readership out the for it, but I am not part of that readership.

This is historical fiction that’s got suspense, drama, death, and even a trial. It’s based on real life events and it’s one that once I started it I couldn’t put it down.

It takes place between the years 1867-1872 in the Washington, DC and Baltimore areas. It’s got movers and shakers of that time period and maybe the most unlucky house full of people dying.

Sharon knows how to write this kind of story as she draws us in with background on the key characters before all of the deaths begin which I felt really enriched the entire read.

Sharon also gives us Author’s Notes at the end so for the curious minded like me I can find out the fact vs fiction.

4.25 stars.

Sharon Virts has done it again! The Grays of Truth is a well-written, historical fiction novel based on a true crime that occurred in the 19th century. The story started off a bit slowly as the reader got to know the various characters but then I was immersed in the story. It’s a fascinating story about women’s lack of control over their lives, men’s dominance over women, and the ways in which wealth and privilege corrupted the halls of power and the justice system. These themes are interwoven into the mystery surrounding the suspected poisonings of several members of the same high society family.

The characters were well-developed and I felt that I was a part of their lives. I enjoyed the fact that the main character, Jane, was a complex woman, a chemist by training, a wife trapped in an abusive marriage, all while struggling with mental health challenges. Yet, she is so resilient dealing with the sorrow and hardships that came her way.

I also liked that the writing seemed to fly off the page and I wanted to keep reading to see what would happen to Jane and how the mystery of the poisonings would unfold. There are great court-room scenes and a satisfying epilogue.

Lovers of historical fiction should definitely read this one. I can’t wait f0r this author’s next novel!

"You have lost your ever-loving mind again, Jane Gray."

"I am not crazy...I am simply suggesting...someone wanted me and my daughter dead!"

She's not wrong. The mesmerizing The Grays of Truth by masterfully skilled historical fiction author Sharon Virts is a masterclass in crafting a perfect blend of historical fact, fiction, true crime, murder mystery and a bit of romance.

Jane Gray Wharton is a complex yet inspiring woman. A trained chemist, nurse, wife and mother she would be seen as a woman who has it all in today's society. Sadly, in late 1800s Baltimore she was a woman seen suffering from mental illness. Prone to supposed hallucinations she is institutionalized and considered "crazy;" never to be taken seriously; especially by men.

It's funny how she realizes many who visit her brother in law's family, the wealthy powerful Whartons, are soon found dead. When her own husband dies there she believes it's natural causes, but then more die and, not one to be bribed, blackmailed or threatened, she looks for the truth.

What makes this more than a "who dun it" mystery is that it's based on a true story. Reading the writer's notes at the end is proof that truth is stranger than fiction. The historical aspects add to the shock value. The medical treatments are a horror thriller by itself.

I had such respect for Jane who was often treated like an annoying child. She was called "dramatic" and accused of "bouts of hysteria." What she possessed was grit, brains, and the truth.

I raved about this writer's previous books, Masque of Honor and Veil of Doubt, but with The Grays of Truth, she has surpassed her own work. We learn how the privileged rich act like they are the epitome of morality, when in truth they just believe they are above it.

I received a free copy of this book from the author via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

It has been a long time since I read my last historical fiction book, and I have discovered that I have truly missed this genre.
This book is a masterpiece of both fiction and nonfiction.

It's is a heartbreaking story about a woman who fights for women's rights, unfortunately, with more negative consequences than benefits.

She is ostracized and labeled as crazy.
She is declared insane and locked away.
She is not respected or appreciated, even though she is an incredibly brilliant scientist.

Until she finally meets a "real man" who is not afraid of intelligent women and who gives her the attention and respect she deserves.

I only found out at the end of the book that this story is based on real events.
Granted, many characters, especially our main heroine, are fictional.
But the overall story and unique events did indeed happen to some extent.

Fascinating, exciting, and captivating.
The story is beautifully written with so many details and in such an incredibly captivating language that perfectly fits the era. It's is simply phenomenal.

I enjoyed this book immensely.
I even tried to read more slowly so that I could savor the story for longer. But it was futile because it is just an incredibly exciting and thrilling historical fiction thriller.

I would love to tell you more, so that you would read this beautiful book, but that would take away the magic of reading it for the first time.

Thank goodness the story has a positive ending. Unfortunately, it is not as positive as you might imagine, but as I have learned, being in balance with yourself is also a positive outcome.

This book is many things: heartbreaking, dramatic, and full of brutal and raw topics that are unthinkable for women from Western countries. Of course, it is also very authentic.

I enjoyed every second of this book and was rooting for the incredibly brave and strong heroine.
She taught me to think the unthinkable.

I highly recommend this book to any historical fiction and historical thriller fans.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

This was a well-written work of historical fiction. This genre isn’t my usual “go to” but I’ve come to realize that I actually do enjoy historical fiction lately especially by Sharon Virts.

This novel has a rather large cast of characters and intricate relationships between each of the characters. They are…messy. The author does a nice job of helping the reader get to know all of the key players.

The story takes place in Maryland (Baltimore), DC and Pennsylvania which is cool because I’ve lived in Baltimore all my life.

I can’t imagine being in Jane’s position with all of the death constantly in your orbit and such high levels of mistrust and suspicion amongst everyone you know. I also felt bad for Jane because while she had her own issues she really was incredibly smart and capable…just surrounded by men who were typical of men in that time period. She was well educated during a period where most women were not.

I enjoyed trying to figure everything out with this one. The pacing and storyline were solid.

I definitely recommend this one. If you like this one then you should read her other book Veil of Doubt.

Thank you Girl Friday Productions | Flashpoint for the ARC!

Title: The Grays of Truth
Author: Sharon Virts
Pub Date: October 29, 2024

This book truly shocked me and blew me away.

"The truth isn't always black or white. The truth hides in the grays."

I'm going to be completely honest. When I open a book and see that it takes place in the 1800s, I'm immediately discouraged because much of the historical fiction I have read in the past has done a disservice to the genre and led me to believe two things. First that historical fiction is boring and second that I won't be able to relate to the characters in any way. Sharon Virts proved me wrong on both accounts and I'm so glad she did. This book was anything but boring!

I'll share a brief portion of the synopsis since they described this wild ride so accurately: "In Reconstruction-era Baltimore, members of the city’s elite keep turning up dead. Below the polished surface of high society, there are illicit affairs, jilted lovers, financial hardships, and countless motives for murder."

This book has it ALL. I mean ALL. Murders left and right. People falling in and out of love left and right. Family drama like you've never seen before. Mind-blowing and shocking reveals along the way and a twist that will leave you aghast. The level of detail was insane! I truly don't even have the words to accurately sum up the experience I had reading this.

The word that keeps coming to mind when I think of this book is ENTHRALLEED. I was 100% enthralled and captivated.

When I got to the end and read the author's note and saw how much of this story was TRUE TO HISTORY, I was blown away all over again. And relieved to not be living in the 1800s frankly!

You won't be disappointed if you give this one a chance!

When I saw this author have a book set in Baltimore, I had to read it as a Maryland resident. What a page turning historical fiction mystery! This who-dun-it story had many twists and just when I thought I knew what would happen next, I was surprised. Jane Gray Shippen Wharton was part of the elite of Baltimore and Washington, DC by marriage. Her family were physicians so she learned to help make remedies for those in need. Jane had a contentious relationship with her sister-in-law, Ellen because of Ellen's husband, Major Hank Wharton and that is where the mystery begins. Many of society elites ended up poisoned, but Jane couldn't figure out who killed them or poisoned her.
There were a lot of characters and many had two names or similar names, such as Henry/Hank and Octavia/Tay or Jake vs. Jack, that I had to learn to keep straight. Once I had that figured out, the second half of the book flew! I had to keep turning the page to find out what happened next. "Who did what to whom?" was a constant thought. The main characters had good development. The research about the chemistry, medicine at the time, and poisoning was well done and explained in detail for the reader. The author notes clearly explain this story was based on true events and real people and what changes and alterations the author made for this book.
If you are a fan of historical fiction and mysteries, this would be a good read for you!
#TheGraysofTruth #NetGalley #historicalmystery
Thank you Girl Friday Productions and Net Galley for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Grays of Truth, alludes, I presume, to the shades of truth and the lies that accompany the plot and characters of this book. It is based on a historical series of murders and a trial, rather lengthy and protracted in description, which studies Lady Jane Gray Wharton, a former nurse and chemist. The plot involves multiple murders from poisoning, and Jane Gray's scientific knowledge is invaluable in terms of identifying what happens to her relatives and family members who die unexpected deaths.

The setting of the book is the Reconstruction in Baltimore during the 1860s to the 1870s. Jane Gray also has a background of having been locked up twice in an asylum for being mentally unstable. Her self-examination involves psychological study of her family and friends who are killed, apparently for no reason. Other plots involve infidelity, recondite pools of money, and surprises among the characters, whose familial relationships are not always what they seem.

I found the trial, in particular, to be rather tedious, and Jane's self-asserted, silent thoughts were not always well-connected to the current plot twists. Nonetheless, I learned a lot about chemical compounds and their use in the multiple murders that took place in the book.

I appreciate the author's extensive research concerning the reality of what happened to cause the deaths of the various characters. Her scientific knowledge is also prodigious, and it carefully supports the plot.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

In Reconstruction-era Baltimore, the veneer of high society conceals a web of secrets, scandals, and sinister plots. “The Grays of Truth” plunges readers into a world where elite members mysteriously turn up dead, and the once-innocent Jane Gray Wharton finds herself at the heart of a deadly conspiracy. The novel begins with the sudden death of Jane’s husband, Ned, which she initially accepts without question. However, a subsequent visit to her brother-in-law’s house leaves both Jane and her daughter gravely ill, prompting her to suspect foul play. As a trained chemist and former nurse, Jane’s suspicion is further fueled by a history of delusion and loss, making her struggle to differentiate between reality and paranoia. When a respected army officer falls ill after visiting the Wharton, Jane’s worst fears are confirmed. She must act swiftly, but her credibility is in question due to her past and the societal norms of the 1800s, where women were often dismissed and silenced.

Inspired by true events involving prominent Baltimore families, the novel spans from the mid-1860s to the early 1870s, weaving in meticulously researched historical details. It vividly portrays the challenges faced by women, even those as intelligent and educated as Jane, who had to fight to be heard in a male-dominated society. The medical practices of the time are depicted with harrowing accuracy, underscoring the precariousness of life and health during that era.

“The Grays of Truth” is a compelling tale of murder, intrigue, and the relentless quest for truth and redemption. Jane’s journey is both heart-wrenching and inspiring as she battles to uncover the truth behind the deaths of her loved ones while grappling with her sanity. The narrative keeps readers on edge, questioning the unfolding events and the true nature of the characters involved. With its profound impact and intricate storytelling, “The Grays of Truth” earns a solid 4 out of 5 stars. It captivates readers with its blend of historical context, societal critique, and psychological depth, making it a standout in the crime and thriller genres.

If you love historical fiction, this book is a gem. The story follows a former nurse, Jane Gray, with a deep understanding of chemistry, through the trials of an abusive husband, a history of mental illness, and the trauma of losing multiple family members under suspicious circumstances. She seeks to learn the truth about whether the people she loved were poisoned at the hand of her sister-in-law. However, because of the prominence of the sister-in-laws' Baltimore family, the police will not investigate; and because of Jane's history of mental illness, her family will not believe her claims. Can she prove what happened and prevent more deaths?

This novel is based on the true story of an elite Baltimore family in the reconstruction era. The characters are brilliantly portrayed, and the glimpses into Jane's mind will keep the reader guessing as to what is true and what is a fantasy of an unhealthy mind.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to Netgalley and Flashpoint Books for the ebook arc. All opinions are my own.

As a historical thriller, this book wasn't too bad. It kept me guessing and threw some twists and turns at me that I didn't expect, but a lot of it was predictable. I find it odd that this is essentially fanfiction of events that happened to real people. The author could have just been inspired by the crime and written something similar, but she ends up using actual names and even inventing people to add to the suspense. The writing was also very heavy handed and excessive. This book would've been a lot shorter if the very large amount of unnecessary lines in this book had been shaved off.

First of all thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the advanced copy of the book in return for my honest opinion.

Based on a true story about this is a book about family betrayal and revenge set in post Civil War America. I was not sure if I was going to like this book however was pleasantly surprised . The story was really easy to read and connect with and you were never sure which of the main female characters were telling the truth . Kept you guessing throughout. Would highly recommend. 4.25 stars

This one is a blast! Virts recreates a striving society worthy of the Borgias in 1870's Washington. We have infidelity, forbidden love, death-dealing on a grand scale, and a realistic look at the status of women in late-19th Century America. The best part is that the story is based on truth.

Jane Gray has been shattered by her betrothed's breaking off of the engagement. Defeated and depressed she's married off to an abusive martinet. Her one solace beyond her daughter is her exploration of chemistry. When family members and friends begin dying in her sister-in-law's home, Jane becomes suspicious. Since Jane, herself, has been institutionalized twice, her fears are treated as a return of her delusions.

We're given Civil War heroes, society matrons, undisclosed loans, and a laundry list of motives for murder. But Jane is more likely to end up back in an institution than solving the crime.