Fallen Women

Bestseller Dallas (True Sisters) memorably evokes the raw, rough-edged Denver of 1885 in this blend of suspenseful mystery and nuanced romance. Wealthy Manhattan mission worker Beret Osmundsen breaks off ties with her willful younger sister, Lillie, after she discovers that Lillie has betrayed her trust. When Lillie, now a prostitute in one of Denver’s brothels, is found stabbed to death, the guilt-stricken Beret travels west. Beret’s socially prominent aunt and uncle provide a home for her in the city, where she teams with Det. Sgt. Michael “Mick” McCauley, who, like Beret, is a child of privilege pursuing an unconventional profession. After they discover that Lillie was pregnant, a second murder forces their investigation uncomfortably close to people each loves dearly. The author’s depiction of 19th-century Denver, especially its seedier side, is vividly authentic, while the nascent bond between Mick and Beret will have readers eagerly anticipating their next encounter. Agents: Danielle Egan-Miller and Joanna MacKenzie, Browne and Millier Literary Associates. (Oct.)