The House of Closed Doors
Heedless. Stubborn. Disgraced.
Small town Illinois, 1870: “My stepfather was not particularly fond of me to begin with, and now that he’d found out about the baby, he was foaming at the mouth”
Desperate to avoid marriage, Nell Lillington refuses to divulge the name of her child’s father and accepts her stepfather’s decision that the baby be born at a Poor Farm and discreetly adopted.
Until an unused padded cell is opened and two small bodies fall out.
Nell is the only resident of the Poor Farm who is convinced the unwed mother and her baby were murdered, and rethinks her decision to abandon her own child to fate. But even if she manages to escape the Poor Farm with her baby she may have no safe place to run to.
ASIN : B008EWNCC4
Publisher : Aspidistra Press
Accessibility : Learn more
Publication date : June 26, 2012
Edition : 1st
Language : English
File size : 2.1 MB
Screen Reader : Supported
Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
X-Ray : Enabled
Word Wise : Enabled
Print length : 372 pages
ISBN-10 : 9780985715007
ISBN-13 : 978-0985715007
Page Flip : Enabled
Book 1 of 4 : The House of Closed Doors
Best Sellers Rank: #616,182 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store) #2,821 in Historical Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Fiction #4,702 in Historical Mystery #4,725 in Historical Mysteries (Kindle Store)
Customer Reviews: 4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars (19,677) var dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction; P.when(‘A’, ‘ready’).execute(function(A) { if (dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction !== true) { dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction = true; A.declarative( ‘acrLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault”: true }, function (event) { if (window.ue) { ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } } ); } }); P.when(‘A’, ‘cf’).execute(function(A) { A.declarative(‘acrStarsLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault” : true }, function(event){ if(window.ue) { ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } }); });
Original price was: $14.99.$0.00Current price is: $0.00.
Heedless. Stubborn. Disgraced.
Small town Illinois, 1870: “My stepfather was not particularly fond of me to begin with, and now that he’d found out about the baby, he was foaming at the mouth”
Desperate to avoid marriage, Nell Lillington refuses to divulge the name of her child’s father and accepts her stepfather’s decision that the baby be born at a Poor Farm and discreetly adopted.
Until an unused padded cell is opened and two small bodies fall out.
Nell is the only resident of the Poor Farm who is convinced the unwed mother and her baby were murdered, and rethinks her decision to abandon her own child to fate. But even if she manages to escape the Poor Farm with her baby she may have no safe place to run to.
ASIN : B008EWNCC4
Publisher : Aspidistra Press
Accessibility : Learn more
Publication date : June 26, 2012
Edition : 1st
Language : English
File size : 2.1 MB
Screen Reader : Supported
Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
X-Ray : Enabled
Word Wise : Enabled
Print length : 372 pages
ISBN-10 : 9780985715007
ISBN-13 : 978-0985715007
Page Flip : Enabled
Book 1 of 4 : The House of Closed Doors
8 reviews for The House of Closed Doors
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Patsy Chastang –
An Outstanding Novel
Nell Lillington lived in a small Midwestern town near Chicago in the 1870’s. At the beginning of the novel, Nell is pregnant at age 17, unwed, and refused to reveal the father. Nell’s stepfather put his foot down and sent her to the ‘Poor Farm’; the Poor Farm was for unwed pregnant girls, pregnant prostitutes, for people with mentally disabilities, and for people that could not be among the public, this was a place where they could go for care. Nell’s stepfather, Hiram was hiding her out until the baby was born. He had made plans to adopt the baby to a nice family and Nell would never see her child again.Nell found out about some murders that had taken place at the Poor Farm. After giving birth to her baby she could not give up her beautiful daughter that she loved so dearly. She decided to run away to save herself and her baby and to begin a new life. A man in her hometown helped her escape one night. She did not know someone was following her.This is an excellent historical novel, well written from the first page to the last. I was up past midnight reading, I couldn’t put it down.The plot was outstanding with many twist and turns. The author described the characters in such detail making them come to life. Nell’s hometown, home life, her family, and the Poor Farm was written so smoothly it was easy to visualize the whole story.This is the first book of three(3) books in the series. This is a short review, there’s so much more in the novel. Thanks Jane Steen for sharing your talent with us, such an enjoyment.
Tracet –
Oh, I do like Nell Lillington.(hypocritically) righteous – but he truly does love his wife and will do anything for her. That came really close to redeeming him, until more information started to come out.The House of Closed Doors is peopled by characters who are not of sorts often seen in historical fiction – any fiction, really, and reading this I kept wondering why. Nell is a self-centered girl, naïve yet proceeding under the delusion that she is in complete control of her life – until it is very forcefully proven to her that there are a great many things beyond her power. She’s not a Mary Sue, not a Standard Issue Teenaged Girl Circa 1870; she is well-rounded and has a life of her own. Her self-absorption (which is partly down to her age and status) makes her an unlikely friend to Tess, a girl who is now easily recognizable as having Down Syndrome, and who was then simply considered damaged. Tess is one of the parts of the book that lingers – partly because she too was a beautifully drawn character who was more than just the sum of her adjectives, and partly because I can’t shake the question of why on earth more isn’t written about those with Down Syndrome in other time periods and what they went through.Nell’s friend Martin is a pretty special character as well. It’s a pleasure to read about a man the likes of which just about everyone knows, a “type”, if I may, who has to have existed in every era: the handsome, unattached man who, in today’s parlance, pings the gay-dar without quite setting it off. He’s not known for wenching – this could be virtue, or inclination of one sort or another. He might be in love with Nell – or it might just be the affection of a true friend. One thing’s certain: if you’re a man and you impugn his manhood, you will find yourself on your back watching stars and birdies circle overhead. I liked him at least as much as I like Nell, and I particularly enjoyed not knowing where the story would take him, or them. Would there be a “them”? Would there be love, a mariage de convenance, a continuance of their friendship -? At different points in the book I had different guesses. I think they were all wrong. I love that.For some reason I wasn’t expecting the level of suspense and mystery in the story. What I was expecting to be a sort of a coming-of-age story became not only that but much more as well. And while the ending set me up for the sequel, and I can’t wait to find out where these folks go next (literally), The House of Closed Doors is very, very satisfying in its own right.
I hesitate before reading a book by someone I “know” on Goodreads. It’s tricky; if I like it, great – but then a positive review sounds suspicious. If I don’t like it, the diplomatic engineering of that review is a challenge. I loved the synopsis for The House of Closed Doors, though – and the cover! That really is the most gorgeous cover – and so I quietly went off and bought it from Amazon.I’m pleased to say I’m friends with Jane Steen on GR. And I enjoyed her book very much. So there. (It just took me forever and a day to finish and post this review – my apologies!)Oh, I do like Nell Lillington. As a character. I’m not sure how charmed I’d be in person; she starts off this tale as an admittedly spoiled and self-centered seventeen year old girl, who has never had any reason or impetus to become anything else. She has had license to flirt all her life – it’s great fun, a skill she has developed to fine art. She has no inclination to marry – not out of an anachronistic desire to hoe her own row, but at least in part because there are no good candidates about, not even her dear old friend Martin. However, combined with the sheer criminal ignorance girls were kept in for … ever, one afternoon’s flirtation with a visiting cousin develops in a way she could never see coming. And a few months later the pregnancy she has been hiding is abruptly revealed to her mother and step-father.Speaking of lovely characters. I loved Nell’s mother – soft and sweet, but no fool, she; I loved to hate her step-father, who just, shall we say, did not improve upon acquaintance. I think the best of the two of them was that neither was entirely one thing: Nell’s mother is tougher than she seems (she’s had to be), and can deal with difficulties more readily than many women of her period and class. And Hiram is … no, I don’t want to use that word. No, not that one, either… Hm. He’s arrogant, and self-centered, and harshly
Tony Parsons –
1870, family life adventure book
1870, Victory (Greenersville). Hiram Jackson (stepfather), Amelia Jackson (2nd wife/mother) were discussing Eleanor “Nell” (daughter, Nellie) Lillington’s future.Nell attended Ms. Clinton’s AcademyPrairie Haven. Poor Farm. Mr. Schoeffel ran men’s House side. Mrs. Lombardi ran the woman’s House side.Nell later had her daughter; Sarah Amelia.Mrs. Lombardi, Jimmy, & Teresa “Tess” O’Dugan, were doing some serious remodeling to the old men’s/woman’s House side.What was Mrs. Lombardi going to tell the Board of Governors what they found?Mr. Ostrander was told they found the corpses of Johanna Mauer, & baby Benjamin.Oscar “Blackie” Blackthorn said it looked like murder to him.Mr. Ostrander (Sr. orderly, former County Militia) been moved to a private nursing home.Pastor Lombardi gave the eulogy & the 2 were buried together in a pine box.Mr. Gray, & Mrs. Gray from/in Springfield agreed to adopt Sarah Amelia Lillington.A physician had confirmed Blackie’s death was due to way too much booze.Victory, IL. Hiram’s funeral/burial was held.At the will reading it seems he forgot to mention he had a son Louis Jackson.I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written 1870, family life adventure book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great 1870, family life adventure movie, or better yet a mini TV series. A very easy rating of 5 stars.Thank you for the free author; Aspidistra Press; 1 edition; Lisaat ManyBooks; Amazon Digital Services LLC.; bookTony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
elho –
Really well written historical novel. The story rambles on – but in a good way with lots of characters to keep you interested. The villain is connected to various people which keeps you guessing how he is going to end. Some good graphic writing about a death in the family made me think the author has had this experience. However, some parts of the story were quickly ‘glanced’ over and could have done with more ‘padding’ eg the other ‘fallen ‘ women and the young maid. At my age, I want to know everything about everyone! Some characters got a bit ‘lost’. I felt I was going to get to know them, but then wasnt given the chance.I found I could read for half an hour at bedtime and enjoy the next bit the next night just as much.Some areas of the plot could have been expanded. Maybe in another book??
Monique Harpignies –
How pleased I am to discover this truly gifted author! Young Nell’s dramatic circumstances and her amazing fortitude are told with genuine feeling and in defining detail. Authentic characters and relationships fit seemlessly into their well-drawn settings. Fine pacing and suspense. One complaint: romance is practically absent.
Maria Del Pilar Elias Salazar –
Very interesting. Thoroughly enjoyable. I read it in four days. This book made me want a sequel, where Martin brings them back to Chicago and they thrive together. But it is still open!
Kindle Junkie –
Very good storytelling with some suspensful moments from the point of view of the MFC.Now on to book 2!
Amazon Customer –
Women of 1870s Chicago…I am sure Indian women of today can relate to the times very well. Nell’s thought process when she was innocently 17 differentiated from her matured decisions when with her baby later are brought out very well. I also enjoyed the language, with very few words as actual dialogues between Martin and Nell their strong bond of friendship could be felt.