Madigan, Molly

PERSONAL:

Education: Obtained law degree.

ADDRESSES:

Home—CA.

CAREER:

Lawyer.

WRITINGS:

The Taming of Lord Astor, Five Star (Waterville, ME), 2007.

SIDELIGHTS:

In 2007 Molly Madigan published her first novel, The Taming of Lord Astor. This Victorian-era historical romance introduces Tilly Leighton, an independent woman who grooms men for social situations or marriage. Adelaide Astor hires Tilly to help convince her brother, Lord Jaiden Astor, that he actually wants to marry his fiancée, Clara Haversham. Tilly and Jaiden's introduction is awkward as he finds her snooping around in a locked room of his house. Soon, however, romance blooms between the couple. This too becomes awkward when she learns that Jaiden was once chief inspector of the London Metropolitan Police. He helps the current chief inspector with a case about disappearing wives, who leave behind all their belongings and vanish without any sign of a crime. Tilly grows anxious as she was responsible for helping these women escape from abusive relationships. Tilly's character received particular praise. Harriet Klausner, commenting on the character in the Midwest Book Review, wrote: "Tilly is such a unique protagonist." Writing in Booklist, John Charles called Tilly "endearingly eccentric." Charles concluded that Madigan "incorporates the topic of women's rights into a sweetly sexy, Victorian historical romance." Klausner summarized that "Molly Madigan provides an entertaining fun tale that also contains a serious undertone involving spousal abuse."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, January 1, 2007, John Charles, review of The Taming of Lord Astor, p. 68.

Midwest Book Review, February, 2007, Harriet Klausner, review of The Taming of Lord Astor.