“This explosive tale will keep readers turning the pages.—”Publishers Weekly.
“Paradise on the Pike is a rich and deeply researched foray into the St. Louis World’s Fair of 1904. Its appealing main character and exciting plot draws readers in, and its mastery of World’s Fair history lends a sense of solid realism.” —Steve Wiegenstein, author of Land of Joys
“With its beautiful and evocative style and abundant historical detail, Angleton takes the reader to another era. Her skill at fusing authentic historical data with the made-up world results in a story that is both incredibly entertaining and enlightening.” —The Historical Fiction Company (read full review here)
For fans of Water for Elephants and Devil in the White City, a mystery set in the enchanting world of Hagenbeck’s Zoological Paradise on the grounds of the 1904 World’s Fair.
1903
Twenty-year-old Max Eyer is still reeling from his father’s recent death when a mysterious stranger’s offer to buy the family farm outside of Hamburg, Germany presents to him and his mother an unexpected opportunity to make a fresh start in America.
Welcomed by his uncle’s bustling family in St. Louis Max finds employment on the grounds of the upcoming 1904 World’s Fair, where he is hired as a zookeeper at Hagenbeck’s Animal Paradise on the Pike. Max’s enchantment with the trained animal shows, ostrich rides, and water sliding elephants is rivaled only by his fascination with Shehani, a beautiful Sinhalese woman who captivates the crowds of fairgoers by dancing among the lions.
However Max’s paradise unravels when a grisly discovery leads to an accusation of murder against the woman he loves. His efforts to uncover the truth may save her, but in this fantasy land of the fair where palaces are temporary, animals roam free, and people are on exhibit, will his own dreams be shattered by an ugly reality?
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Resources for Book Clubs:
Music from the 1904 World’s Fair on Spotify
Way-Word Writers Podcast: The Art of Writing Historical Fiction with Sarah Angleton
Author Sarah Angleton 