Meg and Sylvie are two grown sisters doing their best to get by running a bookstore and painting. The men that survived are back home with their families, some fully, some only in body. The Chicago fire took place not long after the Civil War ended. This book was one that yes, focused on a huge tragedy, but it also a book that brought other historical tragedies into the spotlight as well. I was not disappointed! Veiled in Smoke was a book that had the Chicago Fire as the main focus of the story, but the characters we follow deal with so much from before the fire all the way through the rebuild.

I was excited to see how the story in Veiled in Smoke would play out. And goodness, what a story it was! I've only read one other historical fiction book on the Great Chicago Fire and it was very interesting. One of my all time favorite authors, Jocelyn Green, just released her newest book. Not because of spring, oh no, it's book season! Several of my favorite authors are releasing new books and it is the most wonderful time. The narrator, Leah Horowitz, does a wonderful job with all the characters, accents and emotions. Part of one of my favorite quotes is, 'Gratitude-expanded inside Meg, for the uncounted steps, small and large, they'd all taken to reach this point.' I've said before that I always learn something when I read a Jocelyn Green book, this one is no exception. The murder mystery was an unexpected element that I enjoyed very much! I don't give spoilers but the twists and turns kept me glued to this story. The fire itself was so well described I could almost smell the smoke and feel the crowds of people pushing to escape the flames.

The horrors of the asylum were so awful, sadly they were also true. I felt the emotions of Meg and Sylvie, I felt the conflict between them as they had different ideas of how to care for their father. The insight into a Civil War Veteran dealing with Soldier's Heart (now known as PTSD) and his family was amazing. I loved the historical facts mixed into this beautiful story of tragedy and hope.

Veiled in smoke jocelyn green