The Streel, by Mary Logue

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The Streel tells the story of a very young woman named Brigid Reardon, born in Gallway, Ireland, who immigrates to the United States, along with her brother Seamus, to escape famine and extreme poverty. Her story begins in 1877. This novel appealed to me because I like both mysteries and historical novels for the intrigue and information to be learned about different cultures and time periods.

 Brigid's adventures begin during her passage across the ocean, when she and Seamus meet a couple of guys named Paddy and Billy, and bond with them. Actually, there is a scene in which the three young men must physically protect Brigid that seems to be a foreshadowing about the ferocity of one of the characters. Mostly, though, the story focuses on Brigid. 

After arriving in the states, Brigid does what many young ladies do--she becomes a servant, in the employ of wealthy families. Eventually, when she begins to attract the attention of Charlie Hunt, the son of the wealthy people she is working for, she decides to make another arduous trek west to join Seamus, where he, Paddy, and Billy have joined the gold rush and own a promising claim. 

Upon arriving, Brigid immediately meets Lily, her brother's love interest, and slowly realizes that she is a streel--which is an Irish term for prostitute.  So far, this has been a historical novel, but the very next morning, the first Brigid has in this new environment, she discovers Lily's body. And so begins the mystery.

When local law enforcement immediately blames Seamus, Brigid is pushed into duty as a detective, trying to clear her brother's name. Without giving anything away, I'd simply say that some of this is predictable. In the end, one of the character's actions did puzzle me, seeming to betray what I'd expected of him. 

The pacing is good and the plot is engaging. There are a few societal messages that are pleasing, as well. Since this is a shorter novel, it cannot be densely written, so the character development and level of detail were not quite to my liking, but I enjoyed it. 

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this entertaining book!

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