can't recall the last time I stayed up to finish a book all the way through. solidly written, it's about 36-year old Cora Carlisle of Witchita, KS who chaperones Louise Brooks to NYC for try outs with a dance troupe in the 1920s. Cora is married to a lawyer with twin sons who are about to leave for college. she's originally from NYC but kept that a secret from everyone in witchita because she came west on one of the Orphan Trains and a lovely couple adopted her and she was raised on a farm in KS. so she's eager to return to NYC to discover her roots. she has afternoons free while Louise practices dance to haunt the nuns for her adoption files, only they won't share the private info with her. and that's when things get interesting... it's a great book filled with loads of historical context about gender roles, sexuality, clothing, etc. It follows Cora from age 36 to her 90s. Louise appears occasionally, it's only peripherally about her. she's a catalyst. i think it could have ended much earlier, and it kind of drags on and on toward the end. but it's mostly satisfying. it's great watching Cora change and come into her own as a woman and adopt causes she believes in that are near and dear to her heart. i think you'll like it. i'd rate it 4.5 out of 5 stars, easy."