I enjoy mysteries and historical fiction. this is both. Very creepy and sad but really great to read.

Only three of us gathered to discuss this title--perhaps an indicator that the rest of our group couldn't finish it? Or just didn't like it and didn't want to spend time discussing it?

We couldn't even decide if we were glad we had read it. Set in a large town in England during the 1730's, the story involves grave-robbing (so physicians and medical students would have cadavers to aid their learning), prostitution (or more specifically "dress lodging" where an entrepreneurial man would purchase a beautiful and expensive gown for his girl to wear, so she could cater to a higher class clientele), and a cholera epidemic. You can guess how much fun it was! We learned that life in those times was desperate, grimy (filth everywhere), and ugly! We were all glad we hadn't lived then.

We also didn't care for the author's writing style. There were many narrative asides to the reader that were most disconcerting!

That said, although none of us liked it very much (in fact we agreed that there weren't many people we'd recommend it to), there were certainly plenty of topics for discussion. Some of the subjects we hit upon were the differences between the social classes, the horrible living conditions of the times (mostly lower class, but the higher classes would have been subjected to it as well, when out in the filthy streets), how there are always some who rise above their station or condition, and the devastation caused when disease is combined with unsanitary living situations.

I wouldn't steer another club away from discussing The Dress Lodger, but be forewarned! It's not a pleasant read!