In 1890, Dr. James P. Campbell began selling arsenic complexion wafers. They were advertised as “perfectly harmless.” Women could purchase them from the Sears & Roebuck catalogue or their local druggist. The wafers—small, white, chalky things meant for “delicate nibbling”—promised […]

In 1901, she was the most photographed woman in America. Evelyn Nesbit’s image—wide eyes, tousled hair, porcelain skin—appeared on postcards, advertisements, and souvenirs. She was a chorus girl, an artist’s model, and an icon before the word existed. But her

Every novel begins with the spark of an idea. For me, those sparks often come from conversations—ordinary chats that land on the extraordinary, a place, a figure, a moment in time. For example, my father and I shared a love

I’m Kari Bovee—and if we haven’t met yet, it’s lovely to meet you here. I write historical mysteries featuring determined and gutsy women navigating complex, often dangerous worlds. My books are rooted in real eras—spanning the 1880s, 1920s, and 1950s—and

Every novel begins with the spark of an idea. For me, those sparks often come from conversations—ordinary chats that land on the extraordinary, a place, a figure, a moment in time. For example, my father and I shared a love

When people ask what first drew me to writing, I usually say, “It’s always been there.” As a child, I filled notebooks with stories, poems, and dreams—writing was how I made sense of the world. But when did it become

New York, 1885. Arabella Pryce is the quintessential stage diva. She has world-wide fame, an opulent Fifth Avenue mansion, and a majestic New York theatre to call her own. Elegant, and adored, she’s at the height of her career. But

I have been binge-watching Agatha Christie’s Marple again, as I often do when I’m in need of a particular kind of comfort: a reminder that human nature, no matter how cleverly disguised, always leaves a seam. Each episode offers that

Some women chase success, others are shaped by it. Arabella Pryce has never known a life where achievement was optional. From childhood stages to New York’s dazzling theaters, she learned early that applause was not merely affirmation—it was survival. Acclaim

How a literary tradition of erasure, doubt, and control still resonates in historical mystery fiction. When Wilkie Collins published The Woman in White in 1860, he offered readers more than a gripping mystery—he revealed how the structures of Victorian society