The Landlady of the Resolution Hotel
Darry Fraser
It is 1894 and The Resolution Hotel on the banks of the Murray River is a crumbling place, but a place that over the years has offered refuge for woman when they needed it Young Biddy Casey has just been handed the license by her aunty Dot a strong woman who did what she could for everyone even after the loss of her husband.
Biddy has been there for two years now after a heartbreak that nearly broke her but she is feeling more like her resilient self these days and then one day the troopers arrive and the constable, Aunt Dot’s nemesis accuses Biddy of murder, the murder of the woman who ran the bawdy house across the river but there is someone there who gives her an alibi, someone she hasn’t seen for two years, Ned Walsh.
Then two woman, Clara and Freya arrive on a paddle steamer wanting refuge but Biddy feels there is a lot more to these two woman than they are telling everyone and they also find out that there is a murderer on the loose in the area a madman by all accounts and it appears that he may be after the woman staying at The Resolution Hotel, will they be safe, Ned is determined to keep them safe.
This is a fabulous story a story filled twists, turns and secrets, I loved learning of their pasts throughout the story, they had been through so much and now as these woman are hunted by a killer and their pasts are coming out will they all survive, I loved this story the characters, Biddy, Ned, Clara, Freya and Dot are so very good, some not so nice but they all make this story what it is, a story that I highly recommend another keeper from one of my favourite Aussie historical authors, don’t miss this one.
My thanks to HQ Fiction and Netgalley for my copy to read and review,
Biddy has been there for two years now after a heartbreak that nearly broke her but she is feeling more like her resilient self these days and then one day the troopers arrive and the constable, Aunt Dot’s nemesis accuses Biddy of murder, the murder of the woman who ran the bawdy house across the river but there is someone there who gives her an alibi, someone she hasn’t seen for two years, Ned Walsh.
Then two woman, Clara and Freya arrive on a paddle steamer wanting refuge but Biddy feels there is a lot more to these two woman than they are telling everyone and they also find out that there is a murderer on the loose in the area a madman by all accounts and it appears that he may be after the woman staying at The Resolution Hotel, will they be safe, Ned is determined to keep them safe.
This is a fabulous story a story filled twists, turns and secrets, I loved learning of their pasts throughout the story, they had been through so much and now as these woman are hunted by a killer and their pasts are coming out will they all survive, I loved this story the characters, Biddy, Ned, Clara, Freya and Dot are so very good, some not so nice but they all make this story what it is, a story that I highly recommend another keeper from one of my favourite Aussie historical authors, don’t miss this one.
My thanks to HQ Fiction and Netgalley for my copy to read and review,
5 stars
October 27, 2026 by HQ Fiction
