The Palace of Lost Virtue
Anthea Hodgson
Anthea Hodgson takes her readers on and adventure back to Kalgoolrie in 1898 gold is everywhere and it plays a big part in the story and then there is the duel time line that takes us to 1926, come along and meet two woman from very different sides of the track who make friends and where they end up.
1898 and Marigold Harrington arrives with her mother in Kalgoolrie in search of her father who left their happy home in Toorak Melbourne in search of gold to make their lives better, Marigold is a member of The Christian Woman’s Temperance and she is determined to help woman wherever she can, especially those who are in brothels and the such, but she never thought her life would change the way it did.
Pansy Arlington has come to Western Australia from Kentucky USA after her life changed and now she owns and runs The Palace of Pleasure she has built her business up from nothing and has some very good girls working for her, Pansy does love a drink though so when Marigold arrives doing her best to talk to Pansy and the girls and change their minds about what they are doing, Pansy is not going to listen, but Pansy sees a strength in Marigold and also kindness.
It is not long before Marigold and Pansy become good friends and although their lives run in different circles they are there for each other especially when Marigold finds herself in a difficult situation and Pansy steps up and helps Marigold but it means the end of their friendship but does it really.
1926 sees Marigold still in Kalgoolrie but life is very different for her now things have changed she has been through a lot but she is still the most determined woman there is and there is a lot that keeps her going especially the court case regarding the murders of two policeman, her and her neighbour Gert are full of interesting information, will they find the killer or killers?
This story is based on true events, it was a hard time and I loved this one I loved Pansy she is a wonderful character as is Marigold and the girls Rosie and Bertha, there is a twist at the end that I did not see coming but I applauded it, I do highly recommend this one to any lover of a good Aussie historical fiction. Thank you Anthea Hodgson for another fabulous story.
1898 and Marigold Harrington arrives with her mother in Kalgoolrie in search of her father who left their happy home in Toorak Melbourne in search of gold to make their lives better, Marigold is a member of The Christian Woman’s Temperance and she is determined to help woman wherever she can, especially those who are in brothels and the such, but she never thought her life would change the way it did.
Pansy Arlington has come to Western Australia from Kentucky USA after her life changed and now she owns and runs The Palace of Pleasure she has built her business up from nothing and has some very good girls working for her, Pansy does love a drink though so when Marigold arrives doing her best to talk to Pansy and the girls and change their minds about what they are doing, Pansy is not going to listen, but Pansy sees a strength in Marigold and also kindness.
It is not long before Marigold and Pansy become good friends and although their lives run in different circles they are there for each other especially when Marigold finds herself in a difficult situation and Pansy steps up and helps Marigold but it means the end of their friendship but does it really.
1926 sees Marigold still in Kalgoolrie but life is very different for her now things have changed she has been through a lot but she is still the most determined woman there is and there is a lot that keeps her going especially the court case regarding the murders of two policeman, her and her neighbour Gert are full of interesting information, will they find the killer or killers?
This story is based on true events, it was a hard time and I loved this one I loved Pansy she is a wonderful character as is Marigold and the girls Rosie and Bertha, there is a twist at the end that I did not see coming but I applauded it, I do highly recommend this one to any lover of a good Aussie historical fiction. Thank you Anthea Hodgson for another fabulous story.
4 stars
April 21, 2026 by Penguin Australia
