The Last Midwife

by Sandra Dallas

It is 1880 and Gracy Brookens is the only midwife in a small Colorado mining town where she has delivered hundreds, maybe thousands, of babies in her lifetime. The women of Swandyke trust and depend on Gracy, and most couldn't imagine getting through pregnancy and labor without her by their sides.

But everything changes when a baby is found dead...and the evidence points to Gracy as the murderer.

She didn't commit the crime, but clearing her name isn't so easy when her innocence is not quite as simple, either. She knows things, and that's dangerous. Invited into her neighbors' homes during their most intimate and vulnerable times, she can't help what she sees and hears. A woman sometimes says things in the birthing bed, when life and death seem suspended within the same moment. Gracy has always tucked those revelations away, even the confessions that have cast shadows on her heart.

With her friends taking sides and a trial looming, Gracy must decide whether it's worth risking everything to prove her innocence. And she knows that her years of discretion may simply demand too high a price now...especially since she's been keeping more than a few dark secrets of her own.

With Sandra Dallas's incomparable gift for creating a sense of time and place and characters that capture your heart, The Last Midwife tells the story of family, community, and the secrets that can destroy and unite them.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Mystery, Book Club, Audiobook, Adult

368 pages, Hardcover

First published September 29, 2015

About the author

Award-winning author SANDRA DALLAS was dubbed “a quintessential American voice” by Jane Smiley, in Vogue Magazine. Sandra’s novels with their themes of loyalty, friendship, and human dignity have been translated into a dozen foreign languages and have been optioned for films.

A journalism graduate of the University of Denver, Sandra began her writing career as a reporter with Business Week. A staff member for twenty-five years (and the magazine’s first female bureau chief,) she covered the Rocky Mountain region, writing about everything from penny-stock scandals to hard-rock mining, western energy development to contemporary polygamy. Many of her experiences have been incorporated into her novels.

While a reporter, she began writing the first of ten nonfiction books. They include Sacred Paint, which won the National Cowboy Hall of Fame Western Heritage Wrangler Award, and The Quilt That Walked to Golden, recipient of the Independent Publishers Assn. Benjamin Franklin Award.

Turning to fiction in 1990, Sandra has published eight novels, including Prayers For Sale. Sandra is the recipient of the Women Writing the West Willa Award for New Mercies, and two-time winner of the Western Writers of America Spur Award, for The Chili Queen and Tallgrass. In addition, she was a finalist for the Colorado Book Award, the Mountain and Plains Booksellers Assn. Award, and a four-time finalist for the Women Writing the West Willa Award.

The mother of two daughters—Dana is an attorney in New Orleans and Povy is a photographer in Golden, Colorado—Sandra lives in Denver with her husband, Bob.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/sandra...

Reviews

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like my GR friend Susan, THE LAST MIDWIFE was pretty much a solid 3 Star read for me too until the very last sentence that came out of nowhere and as a complete surprise..... even knowing a shocker was on the way!

Set in a small isolated mining town in Colorado, Gracy Brooken's entire life story is told in bits and pieces throughout the book, (along with other principal characters) from the time she was born and given away to be raised by a midwife. Schooled from a very young age, Gracy is only ten when she delivers her first baby out of necessity quickly becoming well-known, respected and ultimately the best at her craft until the unspeakable happens and she is accused of murder at the ripe old age of 60+.

As you will see, Gracy is an honest, trustworthy and forgiving woman who loves her son and husband, despite his despicable faults, loves her friends to a fault, despite their disloyalty, and will do just about anything to save a child or neighbor from harm, including putting her own life on the line.

I'm two for two with Sandra Dallas......another good one......and OMGOSH what an ending!

(A midwife can always tell who fathered a baby)

[Diane S ☔ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful characters and such an interesting subject. Childbirth, an accusation of murder, a trial and secrets exposed. The hardships and joys of women shared and supported by each other. Loyalty and love, desperation and pity. A novel about family, love for a child and husband, and loyalty to the woman whose births were helped by Gracy.

Such difficult times, when so many children didn't live past their third birthdays and many woman did not survive childbirth. We are so fortunate now. Options that were not available in the late 1800's, we take for granted now. These women did not have easy lives, and shared companionship with their children and other woman often made life bearable. Interesting too, reading about how courts and trials were handled back then. All in all a very good book and Gracy, the midwife, whose back story we learn throughout the book is a very memorable character.

[Jennifer Masterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars for "The Last Midwife". This is a wonderful novel about Gracy, the last midwife left in a small Colorado town in 1880. I keep saying historical fiction is not my thing and yet again I have fallen in love with a book of that genre!

Gracy is accused of murdering the son of a prominent mining family in Colorado. This not only threatens to ruin her career but it could put her away for life! Throughout the book we learn all about Gracy's career as a midwife, the secrets she keeps, and the bonds she has formed in the town of Swayndyke. She actually delivered her first baby at the age of ten! She was raised by a midwife and then she herself helped birth hundreds of baby's through the years.

This book was a joy to read and had fantastic character development. Gracy won me over. I just loved her! There is also a twist at the end that you just might not see coming!

Highly recommended for historical fiction lovers and or for people who just love character driven stories.

[Taury · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Last Midwife by Sandra Dallas. I love all of Sandra Dallas’ books. This one is no exception. Action, romance, love, integrity, loyalty, family and murder. Strong female role in a time when women were viewed as weak and silenced with no rights. It take one woman to stand up for what is right. In this case, she stands up for herself. To the end she proves her own loyalty to her family.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

What just happened to a beautifully crafted novel? This was my first experience reading Sandra Dallas. I was wrapped up snuggly with the gentle prose that enveloped each and every page.....until we were heading for the home stretch. What should have been a 4 or 5 star rating soon fizzled like the unraveling of an old-fashioned grosgrain ribbon.

I enjoy historical fiction and am drawn, in particular, to stories involving midwives. Gracy Brookens and her husband find themselves in a small mining town in Colorado in 1880. They've gone where the work was. Gracy had been ushered into midwifery since she was a child of twelve under desperate circumstances. She has "the gift". Birthing babies can be a treacherous experience. Some turn out well and some do not. Within time, Gracy is accused of the unthinkable. Charges are brought against her in the murder of a day-old baby. How can this be?

Dallas takes us on a backroad's journey of Gracy's life and certainly draws us in. She can really write. Then towards the end, "Girl On the Train" syndrome sets in and we are rushed through the improbable. The gentle Gracy seems to take on a platform speech in regard to timely topics. The gentle cradle rocking of this novel was jarred by the need to zigzag and inject a 21st Century conclusion. Disappointing. What might have been.

[Allyson Brandt · Rating 3 out of 5]

The characters in this book are really what made it bearable, as the story moved soooo sloooooowly. The main character, Gracy, was a full and developed character with a deep history that was revealed bit by bit as the story progressed. The end, while a good twist, was abrupt and sudden and left me wanting to hear more about it. After all, the author had (in detail) described how one would make coffee in a rural mining town multiple times...but then dropped the biggest bomb of the novel and then just stopped talking.

[Carrie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hmmm...I think the person who wrote the review for this book in the Denver Post was a bit generous. The story was ok. There was a twist or two, but nothing that truly inspired deep thought or surprise. My biggest frustration was that I think the author failed to capture the actual hardships of living in Summit County in the "time of mining." There was a considerable amount of redundancy in this book, actions and words of various characters seemed to be repeated many times over. A fair read.

[Book Concierge · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5***

Gracy Brookens is the only midwife in the small Colorado mining town where she and her husband live. She’s delivered hundreds, if not thousands of babies, and the women of Swandyke trust and depend on her. But when a baby is found dead, and the father accuses Gracy of killing the child, she has to face the fact that some people in town are NOT on her side.

I was interested in the birthing stories, and in the ways in which Gracy worked among both the men and women of the community. With her knowledge of herbs and home remedies, her calm, steady presence in a crisis, and her willingness to attend to anyone, she’s the one who’s always been called upon, whether it’s to birth a baby, help treat a fever or stitch up a wound. She’s a marvelously strong woman, and over the course of the novel we learn a few of her own heartaches and how she’s overcome and persevered.

I liked the relationship between Gracy and her husband, Daniel. This is a good marriage, not a perfect one, and they certainly have their ups and downs. I also liked the friendship between the Brookens and sheriff John Miller, and the friendship between Gracy and the young woman, Mittie.

I actually guessed the big reveal fairly early on, but Dallas put plenty of red herrings in the story to make me question my assumptions. There were times when I thought the whole murder mystery was a bit too contrived, but it certainly held my attention. My F2F book club will be discussing it in December and I’m eager to hear what others thought of it.

[wanderer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A modern Bess Streeter Aldrich. What a lovely surprise.

The Last Midwife reminded me of an old favorite, A Lantern in Her Hand, both having elderly female main characters who totally won my heart. Since Bess Streeter Aldrich is one of my favorite authors, it's high praise to compare anyone to her.

When I pick up a Sandra Dallas book (okay, I've only read two, but so far...), the pleasant, slow-pace makes me go, "Well, this is one of those books I'll probably lay down after one chapter. It's going to be a tiny bit hard to get through, and it'll be just a wee bit too easy to lay it down, but I'm sure I'll finish it sometime." And then I go on to the second chapter, and the third, and before I know it I'm finished. And regret it ended so soon. Just like Aldrich.

I laughed, got angry (still mad, actually), and had teary-eye multiple times. The main character, Gracy, is my new heroine. I might even wish I was a midwife.

[Lisa Nelson · Rating 1 out of 5]

So disappointed in this. I was really looking forward to hunkering down with a new read from an author I have previously enjoyed. (Persian Pickle, and others) I ended up just skimming through and giving up about halfway into it.

Basically... Way too much about the necessity of abortion. It seemed more like a soap box than a novel.

[Carole P. Roman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sandra Dallas writes about the women who won the west. She relates the stories of the people of the plains, the settlers who built homes on the raw land, everyday a fight for survival. Their stories are sometimes not pretty, yet she imbues their tales with courage, loyalty, and friendship- making their histories vibrant as the colorful, prairie sunrise.
Accused of a heinous crime, Gracy, the local mid-wife must choose between her honor or try to save herself by revealing the dark secrets of the community where she lives. Her wiliness to sacrifice her own freedom reflects the tightness of the sisterhood where she resides.
I love Sandra Dallas's books. They paint a detailed and three dimensional portrait of frontier life. The deep-rooted relationships create a network of sisters who share their secrets knowing they are in safe hands. The story meanders through the town, touching down to include different threads, that seem almost unrelated, but slowly the story weaves it way back to a combustible conclusion. You may think you know where the author is going, and you may think it's predictable. I thought I did too and was surprised with the Dallas twist.

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This just wasn't my favorite Sandra Dallas book. I felt like instead of weaving a story, she was using it as a platform for some of her beliefs. The characters seemed hollow and the ending was a bit lame. Of course, after being that critical, she still has a great style of writing that flows well and sucks you in. Over all, though, this would not be a Sandra Dallas book that I would recommend.

[Sharon Huether · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gracy, a midwife in the rough Colorado mountains where ore mines were prevalent.
Gracy learned her trade from an older woman and was delivering babies when she was ten years old.
Gracy lost few mothers and sometimes the newborns were too weak to survive.
One day she was accused of murder of an infant she had not delivered.

A hearing was held, next the case went before the court and jury. She was acquitted. The ending was a bittersweet event.

Sandra Dallas's books, never disappoint.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book a lot the author spins a good tale with mystery though not my favorite genre, I survived and really liked it. I loved the historical backdrop of gold mining in the west and how people lived back in those days, especially the women. The ending I did I expect, but it didn't bother me other than being a surprise.

[Kelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Novel read for book discussion group

Sandra Dallas knows how to tell a story that will resonate long after you've finished the book. "The Last Midwife" is no exception. Gracy and her husband Daniel live on The Tenmile in Colorado mining country. Daniel fancies himself a prospector but hasn't made enough money to keep them over the years. Gracy grew up with Granny Nabby, an old midwife who taught her everything she knows.

Midwifery is truly Gracy's calling. She prides herself on keeping women's secrets that they share with her. As the reader quickly learns, Gracy has secrets of her own. However, it's not until Gracy is charged with the murder of the newborn infant of the mine's owner that we realize how far she'll go to keep all of those secrets.

As usual, Sandra Dallas weaves a story that is completely turned upside-down in the very last sentence of the book!

[Cynthia Egbert · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a well crafted story that gives an interesting look at the small mining communities in our Colorado mountains. I loved the main character but that was the only character of much worth, except for her young friend, Mattie. I got really fed up with the fact that there was such a dearth of any worthwhile men and, what seemed to me, a disproportionate amount of men who were monsters. I just get tired of books that portray men this way.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this novel and all the historical information about being a midwife in late 1800s Colorado. The manslaughter trial and the relationship between the midwife and her husband were both interesting plot threads. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars was because I found the frequent reminiscences by the main character into her past kept pulling me out of the current story.

[ReadingWench · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book. Ms. Dallas is a local author and I have liked her other books. However, this one fell a bit short. There was a lot of redundancy in this book. I felt that is was blah.

[Annie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gracy, a midwife in the Colorado mountains in the late 1800s, is accused of murdering an infant. There are many secrets that the midwife is privy to when she is helping women in such intimate circumstances. In fact, the last sentence ends the book with the revelation of one of those secrets. There were many parts that I liked about this book by one of my favorite authors. I love the revealing of secrets, the life of a midwife, the descriptions of life in the mountains in the 1800s and especially the courtroom drama. What I didn't care for was that there was quite a bit of repetition in the book (a personal pet peeve of mine). I would rather have a book shortened than read the same things over and over. Another thing that didn't work for me was that the main character seemed way too good and perfect. I can't identify with a character like that, and they don't seem as real to me. Although it wasn't one of my favorites of this author, it was still a decent read.

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was difficult to get involved in The Last Midwife because the writing is very awkward. After reading the first chapter, I stopped to check if it was a cheap self-published ebook which I'd picked up. Surprisingly, the author has written many popular books for a major publisher. To me the writing is self-conscious and often repetitive. Eventually I got caught up in the plot and was less aware of the writing.

In the late nineteenth century, Gracy is the only midwife in an isolated community in the high mountains of Colorado, where an important mine owner accuses her of murdering his baby. This charge against Gracy excites and divides the whole community. I was taken up by the charge against a woman who I trust. And that kept me reading.

Gracy, as a midwife has the unusual ability to tell who fathered a newborn as soon as it is born. That is the Achilles heel of the book. My children have the same father, but looked very different at birth, and afterwards. What about your children? I find this ability, which is very important to the book, too difficult to accept.

So, The Last Midwife, does tell a good story, if you can ignore the writing and can accept Gracy's unusual skill. I was looking for a good midwife story to recommend to my book group. Unfortunately, this isn't it.

[Mona Ammon · Rating 2 out of 5]

WHY I CHOSE THIS BOOK: It is a book club selection.
SUMMARY: The story of a midwife in 1800s Colorado fighting prejudice while trying to do "Gods work".
REVIEW: Book club members do not read this review if you do not want spoilers before our book club meeting.

The fact that this was, in a manner, historical fiction made me hopeful. There were some interesting historical facts to be gleaned. The central mystery was mildly engaging but easily resolved (except for that ridiculous twist at that end). However, the heavy layer of religious platitudes and other simplistic notions had me gagging after while. Ultimately, happy it is over.

[Kara Hansen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars for this book. Set in a small mining town in Colorado, we first meet Gracy Brookens, the town midwife. It is 1880, and Gracy has delivered hundreds of babies. She is known for her talent and gift and knowledge in bringing new life into the world. All of that changes when she is accused of murdering a recently delivered baby. In trying to prove her innocence, we are taken back in time to when Gracy first learned about midwifery, and her successes and failures.
The author keeps the pace of the story with the court trial and finding out the truth.
An enjoyable read and I look forward to reading some of the author’s other books.

[Anita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Historical fiction, set in the late 1800’s, about a midwife who is accused of murder. This is a very character driven novel, with a fast-paced plot. There are lots of secrets in each of the characters’ pasts that are revealed at a nice pace, making this an interesting quick read. I enjoyed the descriptions of the lifestyle of the time, as well as the role of midwives during that time period. 4.25/5 stars.

[Heather Moulton · Rating 4 out of 5]

If asked today, I would totally prefer to deliver my baby in the hospital, by a doctor. But reading this book had me siding with the insight, experience and love of a midwife! This book took so many turns and had my heart hurting and hoping for the trials and experiences of these characters. As a midwife, keeping secrets was important, but once again, it almost ruined her life.

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read. To get a better idea of how women before 1900 had babies. And to know how badly they were treated by men. It was a surprising story. And well written. I would recommend this to any women. Even those of us who have never had children. It shows the great steps forward for women's rights. It also talks about abuse.

[Julie Keller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gladly did chores all day just to keep listening. Some natural heaviness due to life and death and the secrets a small town midwife learns, but well-balanced with the joy of babies, families, forgiveness and redemption.

[Courtney Denker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a beautiful, gut-wrenching novel, one I’m so glad I stumbled upon. Sandra Dallas had a way of setting each scene so that I could smell the pine needles, hear the wind blowing through the mountain wildflowers, and taste the chokecherry preserve. The experiences these settler women and minors’ wives faced were gritty and sometimes horrific, but there were also so many moments of sisterhood and unity among their community. Glad to be introduced to a new-to-me author, and I highly recommend this for fans of The Frozen River.

[Annie Friessen · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 star rounded up!
I enjoyed the midwife stories and loved Gracey’s character. The first 60ish percent of the book is pretty slow going, just leading up to the trial. But it picks up quickly after that and kept my attention much more!
I was a little taken aback by the “twist” at the end. It almost took away from the book for me, but I’m not quite sure why. I think it might be that there was no nod towards it at all, and I feel like there should have been. I think the author should’ve written more emotion into the scenes even if it would’ve given something away. I felt very little when it was revealed because I felt like Gracey hadn’t shown any emotion towards it. Of course I can read into, and knowing her character you know she felt deeply. But I wasn’t impressed with the way it wrapped that up.

[Kelsey Noah · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I think I much preferred frozen river which had a similar plot: A midwife starring character with a crime that afflicts a small town. This story started off strong but lost me towards the end.

[Beth Sponzilli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story- a midwife is accused of murdering a baby. I loved the setting, and the characters. Sandra Dallas is a favorite for sure.