Showing results by narrator "Cate Croft" in All Categories

Warm, humid, salty air hovered over the city like a blanket. The unsuspecting small coastal community was bustling with energy and possibility; the town was alive with the sound of creaking ship masts, and vendors, and on Market Street, new shops and businesses were settling in as the economy began to show signs of life. One reason for the growth and prosperity was trading routes from faraway lands. Ships came from Europe, the Caribbean, and even China, carrying cargos filled with lumber, tobacco, rice, and flour, as international trade expanded.

Swimming pools were empty. The parks were deserted, and as the hot summer days simmered on, so too did a lingering dread. This fear descended into fall like a shadow remnant after summer had long disappeared. A mysterious illness was sweeping across the globe and no one knew what to do or how to protect themselves.

From a poor young girl living in Ireland in the aftermath of the Great Famine, Mary Mallon is in search of a better life. At age fifteen, she escapes to the United States and seeks to begin a new life in a different world. Mary will eventually find work as a cook for several affluent families, but when disaster follows her as she moves from each home, her life will never be the same. An astute health sleuth will discover Mary’s secret.