Daughter of Strangers by Maybelle Wallis rounds of the trilogy which began with Heart of Cruelty and was followed by The Piano Player. The third book in the Doughty trilogy, Daughter of Strangers relegates William and Jane to the background and focuses instead on William’s colleague from Dublin, now in New York with the Doughtys, Dr. Joseph Murphy. Wallis also follows Orla, the adopted daughter of William and Jane found during the famine, and Anna who befriended Jane in Dublin and chose to forsake her wealthy, British sympathizing family for a new life in New York.
We find Orla a young teenager, filled with dreams of becoming a famous opera singer while struggling with the trauma of her past. Orla contends with painful resurfacing memories of the death of her family and the burning of her home by the landlord Theodore Royce. With Jane navigating a precarious pregnancy and William quite occupied with both her condition and his new career in New York, their friend Anna is left to largely care for and mentor Orla at a private girls’ school up state. It does not take long, however, for Orla’s traumatic past to catch up to her–landing both Orla and Anna back in the city.
Joseph Murphy, meanwhile, wrestles with his own past in a pro-Irish political group and their ties to the murder of Theodore Royce. In New York, he investigates the murder of a doctor who looks eerily similar to himself, which leads him to believe his life is in grave danger. Despite what he considers his past sins, he secretly pines for Anna despite their previous social differences back in Ireland.
Wallis yet again brings her real world medical education, experiences, and expertise to the forefront when detailing autopsies and surgical processes. Her descriptions of surgical methods, anatomy, and medical practices of the mid 19th century are fascinating. What’s more, she breathes life into the both vibrant and seedy world of 1854 New York City.
Those wishing to see more of William and Jane might be disappointed with their much reduced roles, but readers will find Joseph, Anna, and Orla compelling enough characters to stick with Daughter of Strangers.
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