Pages & Pressings

Thank you so much to Netgalley for this ARC!

Just imagine it: it’s 1904 in Chicago. We follow Josephine, also known as Jo, and she is a death photographer. After the death of her husband, Jo becomes addicted to opium in her grief. After that incident, Jo realizes she can speak to the dead. Following the tragic death of a mob family’s young daughter Millie, Jo vows to discover the secrets surrounding her death. To do that, Jo has to confront her past. 

This book was everything I love: historical fiction following a brave young woman who is problematic but goes through an insane redemption arc.

The murder mystery itself was so gripping, I found myself not wanting to go to sleep just so I can find out more. Even when I was awake, I would think about this book constantly. The only thing I wish it was is longer, but that might just be because I want to know more about Jo and what happens to her romantic subplot.

I was so moved by the main theme of redemption and justice- not just for Millie, but also for Jo. We see her suffering throughout the novel and haunted (no pun intended) by all of her mistakes. The thing I love the most is that Jo teaches us that we all make mistakes, though hers are more grievous than most, but we can be redeemed. We can grow and change as people and become better. Most importantly she teaches us that our past doesn’t define us, and we can carve out a brand new future.

If this sounds interesting to you, My Darling Girls will be released on October 20, 2026 and is available for preorder on mainstream bookstores.