THE DRESSMAKERS OF PROSPECT HEIGHTS

Three women are brought together by unexpected secrets in 1920s Brooklyn.

Catherine Berrill wants nothing more than a baby to call her own, but she and her husband can’t seem to conceive. One day, to cheer herself up, she wanders into a dress shop in her Brooklyn neighborhood. The shop is run by Beatrice Jones, a Jewish woman who'd recently arrived from New Orleans, bringing with her orphaned teenager Alice Wilkerson. What Catherine doesn’t know is that their meeting isn't pure chance—Bea came to New York specifically to find her. They have a history together that Bea is afraid to reveal for many reasons, not the least of which is that telling Catherine the truth might expose Bea’s past as a madam at a well-known brothel in New Orleans. But as Catherine and Bea get closer, Alice starts to feel jealous of their connection. With no family and no friends other than Bea, she's lonely in their new city and starts lashing out. When Bea’s past is finally revealed, the three women must decide how they fit into each other’s new lives—if they do at all. Zeldis paints a vivid portrait of 1920s Brooklyn, full of life and culture. The narrative loses some momentum when it takes long digressions into Bea’s past in Russia, even if those details are important to understanding Bea’s character and her decisions. The most striking and heartbreaking element of the story is how the women are connected not just by their past, but by the persistent thread of sexual harassment and abuse—Alice, especially, suffers at the hands of men. Ultimately, though, the real story is about the bonds among the three women and the ways they help and support one another through immense challenges.

An intriguing and occasionally heartbreaking novel that's perfect for historical fiction fans.