In 1877, 15-year-old Brigid Reardon, the narrator of this superior series launch from Logue (the Claire Watkins mysteries), and her 16-year-old brother, Seamus, are dispatched by their impoverished Irish parents to America. Seamus seeks his fortune out West, while Brigid, who knows she must go into domestic service, winds up with the wealthy Hunt family in St. Paul, Minn. A well-constructed plot, lilting prose, and a heroine who’s determined to escape constricting female roles make this an exceptional regional historical. Readers will look forward to Brigid’s further adventures.

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