Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Dressmaker | 2012 | Kate Alcott | Buy |
| 2 | The Daring Ladies of Lowell | 2014 | Kate Alcott | Buy |
| 3 | A Touch of Stardust | 2015 | Kate Alcott | Buy |
| 4 | The Hollywood Daughter | 2017 | Kate Alcott | Buy |
The Dressmaker (2012) is the book that established Kate Alcott’s reputation. It begins on the Titanic and follows the aftermath — the survivor guilt, the Senate hearings, and the question of who behaved well in the lifeboats. The novel weaves fictional characters alongside real historical figures including Molly Brown.
The Daring Ladies of Lowell (2014) shifts to the mill girls of 1830s Massachusetts, a chapter of American labor history that rarely gets novelized. A Touch of Stardust (2015) and The Hollywood Daughter (2017) take the series to 1930s and 1940s California, where the film industry provides a backdrop rich in glamour, ambition, and secrets. All four novels share a focus on women who want more than their circumstances seem to allow.