Liberty Street - by Heather Marshall (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

From the #1 internationally bestselling author of Looking for Jane comes a riveting novel about one journalist's harrowing journey into an infamous real-life 1960s women's prison--and the detective who uncovers her story decades later.

"Heather Marshall's latest is dynamite . . . A tale both timely and explosive."--Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of The Briar Club

"Visceral and provocative, Liberty Street ensures no woman is left behind."--Karma Brown, #1 bestselling author of Recipe for a Perfect Wife

1961: Emily Radcliffe works as an editorial assistant at Chatelaine magazine, surrounded by the best women journalists in the country, whose articles tackle the controversial topics no other women's publication dares to touch. When a bombshell letter from an inmate at the notorious Mercer Women's Prison lands on Emily's desk, she senses a scoop that could launch her career as a real, hard-boiled journalist. But after going undercover to investigate the inmate's shocking claims, Emily discovers that getting into the prison is the easy part; the real challenge will be getting back out . . .

1996: Unidentified female remains are discovered in an unmarked grave in a small-town Ontario cemetery, and Detective Rachel Mackenzie is tasked with unraveling the mystery. But when the investigation leads her to the now-shuttered Mercer Women's Prison, Rachel's own dark history threatens to surface from where she's kept it carefully buried.

Inspired by true events, Liberty Street weaves back and forth through time to shine a light on mental health, incarceration, and the various "prisons" that hold women captive.

Review Quotes

"Heather Marshall's latest is dynamite. Two stories twine together with skill and suspense--a courageous young female journalist going undercover at a 1960s women's prison to uncover rumors of abuse, a dogged 1990s detective bruised from her own emotional wounds--creating a tale both timely and explosive. Liberty Street will linger long in the memory!"--Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of The Briar Club

"An eerie dual-timeline mystery set at a real-life 1960s women's prison unfolds in this page-turner. In 1961, a magazine assistant goes undercover inside a women's prison after receiving a shocking letter from an inmate. In 1996, detective Rachel Mackenzie is tasked with investigating human remains at the prison. Inspired by true events, it's a tale about secrets and the power of female connection."--Woman's World

"Liberty Street confronts us with a past far closer than we'd like to admit. Heather Marshall writes with clarity and urgency about women's autonomy, reminding us that the fight for respect and choice is far from finished. A story that unsettles, ignites, and refuses to let you look away--a fierce reclaiming of women's voices once silenced."--Ellen Keith, bestselling author of The Dutch Orphan

"Liberty Street is the story of resistance we need right now: a brilliantly heartfelt novel of two remarkable women--separated by decades yet linked by a passion for justice--who take on patriarchal corruption. You will be on the edge of your seat as this story comes to its unforgettable conclusion."--Maia Caron, bestselling author of The Last Secret

"Heather Marshall writes with such heart, precision, and power. In Liberty Street, she brings hidden truths and forgotten women vividly to life, weaving a story that is both beautifully told and urgently needed. Evocative, important, and gripping."--Marissa Stapley, New York Times bestselling author of Lucky

"In her latest triumph, Heather Marshall exposes Toronto's shadowed past and, with haunting grace, gives voice to the women history tried to forget. Visceral and provocative, Liberty Street ensures no woman is left behind."--Karma Brown, #1 bestselling author of Recipe for a Perfect Wife

"This revealing novel is timely, thought-provoking, and impossible to forget."--Historical Novel Society

"Liberty Street is a beautiful, harrowing novel with something for every reader: mystery, action, tenderness, a righteous fury at historical injustice. Heather Marshall is a brilliant archeologist unearthing women's lost history."--Elizabeth Renzetti, author of What She Said

"Utterly captivating . . . I found myself sneaking extra pages in whenever I could. Heather Marshall writes with urgency and passion about the injustices placed on women's lives and weaves it into a story that will latch onto your mind, with characters so real you'll want to reach through the pages to shout at them but also to ache and cry and root for them. It's said often, and maybe too easily, but in this case I believe it to be true: This book is a triumph. Heather Marshall is a dedicated champion of women's rights, revealing the hard truths behind untold women's stories."--Charlene Carr, author of Hold My Girl and We Rip the World Apart

About the Author

Heather Marshall is the #1 bestselling author of Looking for Jane and The Secret History of Audrey James. She worked in politics and communications before turning her attention to her true passion: storytelling. Heather lives with her family near Toronto.