The Apothecary's Demise

As a Houston resident, I chose this book because I am interested in fiction set in my home city. However, this one is like no other. The Apothecary's Demise foregoes guts and gore for an off-beat historical setting. Set in pre-suffrage Houston, Sloan does a fine job of bringing old Southern Houston alive, warts and all. Her heroine is a white suffragette who's earnest struggle for the truth can get a little grating (but only a little) as she helps out the young relative of her black housekeeper. Sloan's glimpses into historic Houston -- particularly the Heights neighborhood -- as well as the cast of turn-of-the-century American characters keep the reader interested. Really pleasant gentle read without the sap.