Vera by Carol Edgarian

The hidden love child of a famous San Francisco madam, Vera knows what it is to be invisible. Occasionally summoned by her mother yet mostly ignored and raised by someone else, Vera is torn between wanting to hate her mother and her desperate need for her affection. Rose goes missing as the great earthquake tears through the city and it is Vera who must keep her little group of survivors safe. She is the one who takes charge in her mother's mansion, solves problems and eventually finds Rose. Vivid historical fiction that blends a disaster with a coming of age story. Carol Edgarian paints a truthful picture of old San Francisco from the glittering society to the corruption beneath the golden gates and the decimation left by the earthquake and fires. Vera is a character who will melt your heart and one that you will root for.
4 1/2 stars