The settings in Parlor Games were amazing. London, New York, Shanghai, etc., but the same Pinkerton Agency detective keeps tracking May down in these cities. How? It didn't seem reasonable to me. Maybe I can't imagine finding people in the years before the internet? May changed her name and moved frequently but Detective Doherty kept showing up at inopportune times. (Just in time to foil her plans!)I wasn't able to connect with May. I would have liked to have understood her better, to hear her thoughts and justifications for her actions. I may have liked this book more if I had a clue about May's motives. Is she trying to help support her family by conning and conniving her way through life? That reason didn't hold up for me as she treats her family members shabbily at best.Parlor Games did contain enjoyable sections. I was intrigued by the extortion trial. Those were my favorite parts of the book and the only place I felt I was learning a bit more about the characters. That was what I wanted more of. I loved the idea of this book because I love learning about history and real historical characters. Unfortunately this book fell flat for me.Parlor Games was apparently inspired by the real life of May Dugas. I'm wondering if a nonfiction account would work better for me? Sadly, this book did not.
