Behind the Scenes

Starred review from April 24, 2017
With all the charm of a Regency romance, the humor of a drawing room farce, and the swoonworthy delight of a fairy tale, Turano’s (A Change of Fortune) first Behind the Scenes historical absolutely sparkles. Miss Permilia Griswold is a rather unusual woman of a certain age, at least by the standards of New York society in the 1880s. She had a very untraditional upbringing in and around her father’s mines. Not only is she unmarried, much to her stepmother’s dismay, but she also is a confirmed wallflower, quite content to watch from the sidelines of the glittering high society affairs she’s forced to attend. Enter Asher Rutherford, a member of the social elite who also owns and operates one of the most successful high-end department stores. Asher is intrigued by Permilia’s singular strength of character, delight in helping others, and adventurous spirit. Things take a turn for the wonderfully absurd when Permilia overhears the details of murder plot with Asher as its star at a costume ball where her attire invokes Cinderella. The plot’s subtle highlighting of Permilia as a woman who can take care of herself—a Cinderella who doesn’t need a prince—pairs well with the quietly powerful and inspiring message of finding opportunities in unexpected places.