Frog Music by Emma Donogue

This author has written a number of books, but she came to my attention with her last book "Room", which was a harrowing fictionalized account of a woman who was kept in captivity for many years, escaping only when she feared for the life of her child at the hands of her captor/rapist.  The story parallels several real life events in the US and Europe, and chronicles the re-entry difficulties of these traumatized individuals.  It was spectacular.

This book is set in San Francisco in 1878 and is about a historical crime.  The center of the novel is Blanche Beunon and her recently murdered friend, the cross dressing frog catching Jenny.  Blanche and Jenny are not easily pigeon holed, nor are either of them easy to like.  They are sassy and openly enjoy defying the roles that the mid-19th century allows for women.  Jenny pays with her life and Blanche struggles throughout the book to figure out what it means, who to trust, and what to do.  It is not an easy book to read, nor does it tie everything up into a neat package at the end, but after all the honky tonks and bars and bad men, at the end of the day it is an entertaining read.