This is my fourth novel and I hope you all enjoy it! I put a lot of heart and research into Judy and Annie's stories, to offer up a glimpse of forgotten San Francisco history and the neighborhoods that have been erased. Many of the plot points are based on real events and several of the San Quentin female inmates are based on real people. I hope that you enjoy it. Thank you for your support!historical-mystery-womens17 s1 comment Elizabeth of Silver's Reviews1,146 1,527

We meet Annie in 1890 - an Irish immigrant who worked as a housemaid in a wealthy household.

She was tricked by one of the male members of the family she worked for. He took a ring out of his aunt’s jewelry box while visiting, gave it to Annie, and denied giving Annie the ring when she was accused of stealing it.

Annie was arrested and sentenced to one year in San Quentin with 20 other women inmates.

We follow Annie as she lives through the awful conditions and treatment in the prison.

Then we meet Judy In 1972 as she has left her husband and is struggling to stay away from Tony and find a job.

Judy finds a photo of Annie inside a book at a photographer’s shop where she gets a job and makes it her mission to find out more about Annie.

Judy also attends meetings she learned about from a librarian as she was doing research on Annie.

The meetings focus on the how residents protest against the demolition of areas of San Francisco that the city deems an eyesore. The problem, though, is that the residents have been living there for almost their entire lives.

Annie will pull at your heart strings as you suffer along with her because of the accusation and while she is in San Quentin.

Judy will have you hoping she finds what she can about Annie, hoping she can keep her husband at bay, and hoping she is able to help the residents.

Ms. Jaeger’s descriptive writing and amazing research pull you in immediately.

You won't want to put the book down because you want to know if Annie survived and if Judy was successful in finding herself and finding Annie's full story.

The Incorrigibles is another marvelous read you won’t be able to put down because of the characters, their stories, and especially if you are a fan of historical fiction. 5/5

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.14 s Samantha BaileyAuthor 4 books1,008

I was completely enthralled by this powerful and, at times, gut-wrenching historical fiction about social injustice and female empowerment. With dual timelines set eighty years apart, Meredith Jaeger captivates with the inspiring story of two fierce women whose wills of steel carry them through their struggles for independence and retribution. An emotional, beautiful novel, THE INCORRIGIBLES both entrances and illuminates.7 s Tonja35 2

Overall, I d The Incorrigibles by Meredith Jaeger. It's a dual-timeline historical novel tracing the life of a 1970s photographer as she researches a young woman who is incarcerated in San Quentin in the late 1800s.

I am not a fan of the dual timeline generally, especially when the nearer-to-present character instructs the reader on how to research historical figures and events. That said, this book did that well. I wish I had known sooner that the 1970s character Judy is based on an actual photographer who did this research at the start of her career.

I loved the timeline set in the late 1800s and wanted to be immersed solely in that story and point of view for the duration of the novel. The back and forth felt jarring, though I do appreciate this more now that I know the history of the character in the 1970s. Maybe a consistent verb tense would have helped. It took me a while to lose myself in the story.

Overall, this is an interesting history, San Quentin in particular. The writing was accessible. I won't soon forget this story and the characters. I would recommend this book to other readers.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

historical-fiction3 s Brianna LabuskesAuthor 18 books1,423

In this engrossing and poignant read, Meredith Jaeger shines a light on women who have been forgotten in time, illuminating how injustices we face in the present are so often echoes of those from the past. At the heart of this timely story are two such women who are equally fascinating, flawed, resilient and incredibly complex—as all the very best characters are. With its fast pacing that will have you flipping the pages; important themes that will stick with you long after reading; and rich historical details that immerse you in two incredible time periods, this is one that can’t be missed. finished-20233 s R8 1 follower

I really enjoyed Annie's and Judy's story. The author did a great job with connecting the two time lines and how they related. The story caught my attention right away and kept me reading. I would highly recommend this book.2 s DeeAnn212 4

1972; San Francisco. Judy Morelli, having left her emotionally abusive and unfulfilling marriage, is living alone for the first time. After landing a job at a nearby film developer, Judy finds her passion for photography again. She starts to worry a lot about urban renewal plans that will force her neighbors out of their homes after taking pictures and getting to know the locals. In addition, Judy has a slight obsession with learning everything she can about the subject of an old mugshot.


1890s, San Francisco. Annie Gilmurray is an immigrant who is driven to better herself in order to support her siblings who are still in Ireland by earning a living. She is a little gullible and thinks her employer's nephew wants to marry her, but instead becomes the victim of a theft arrest. Once at San Quentin, Annie loses her innocence and makes friends with the other female inmates. Following horrifying acts of violence, Annie is determined to make amends and seize her second opportunity when she is released from prison.

An engrossing and entertaining book, The Incorrigibles is. Throughout the course of the book, Judy and Annie both mature into fully realized individuals. The narratives are captivating and offer insightful details about both eras of San Francisco history. This captivating book is effortlessly drawn to readers by Meredith Jaegar.1 Jessica Winn53

Content warning: traumatic miscarriage(s) discussed in-story

First and foremost, thank you to [Penguin - Dutton] for this ARC, I appreciate it so much!

Another historical fiction, another dual timeline to navigate. Desperately begging authors to just write the story they’re focused on rather than using another story to frame it and convince us it’s important. BUT I did genuinely enjoy both storylines this time: Judy, a newly single woman navigating the changing city of San Francisco in the 1970s and Annie, an Irish immigrant wrongly convicted and sentenced to a year in prison in 1890.

Follow along with Judy’s journey to find herself through photographing her new neighbors and researching a compelling mugshot. Feel righteously indignant about Annie’s story from the very start. Mourn their losses. Celebrate their victories.

Pros:
- New subject material! As someone born and raised in a city I have seen change and develop at a startling pace, the San Francisco real estate drama was very interesting. I can truly say I’ve never read anything about Irish lacemaking, the women’s prison at San Quentin, or SOMA real estate legislation before this.
- Sweet, sweet justice.

Cons:
- I think one of the characters was far too Pollyanna — everyone she met was SO kind and SO helpful and SO generous, of course everything will work out, of course she’s learning to be an independent woman, literally nothing about her neighborhood full of new besties is ever negative ever.1 Carol Nyhoff1 review

The Incorrigibles is a gripping feminist novel about women’s rights that gains forceful momentum throughout the later chapters to deliver a satisfying story of grit and resilience. The trials chronicled by the characters, Judy a housewife who develops a new skill to become an awarded documentary photographer and Annie, an Irish maid with big dreams for her siblings who becomes incarcerated due to her naïveté, underscore feminist themes that have resonance whether the action takes place in 1890 or 1970, or for that matter 2024. As a side note, it was interesting to learn that Judy’s imagined life was inspired by a real photographer of the 1970’s documenting San Francisco’s urban renewal projects South of Market Street.

The Incorrigibles addresses the age old question, “What do women truly want for themselves more than anything in this world?” The female characters in Jaeger’s narrative chronicle a journey of struggle, emergence into personhood, resilience, and resourcefulness. Both Judy and Annie want the same thing that 21st century women desire; agency over their own bodies, economic viability as earners equal to men, and the self determination to control their contributions to family and community without interference or discrimination based on their expected sex role in society.

Judy’s world encompasses the budding women’s liberation movement in the 1970’s. In the novel she is a Sacramento housewife, living in a tract home with an alcoholic husband. She makes a decision to separate from her spouse and take a room of her own in San Francisco; an action to rescue her, body and soul. That may seem low stakes by modern standards, however this reader lived through that era. The Brittanica Book of the Year, 1971 states, “The problem of the ‘captive wife’ , isolated in a suburban house -probably in a housing development- with no relatives or friends nearby, has received a good deal of attention in the past few years. Undoubtedly we need a concept of housing that will allow a woman with young children more freedom of movement and action, communities to alleviate the practical problems of shopping, cooking, and child minding.” (Special Report, “The Largest Minority” by Eva Figes,pp. 670-672).

Annie’s Irish peers in the 1890’s were facing a reality of literal starvation in Ireland. As an immigrant starting a new life in America, her lofty determination to bring her siblings out of poverty is muddled by her own romantic fantasies. A naive misunderstanding with a man is twisted into an accusation of theft. She is prosecuted and tossed into the prison realm of San Quentin.There she faces misogyny, food insecurity and sexual harassment. Modern parallels about incarcerated women facing rape and abuse are apparent in 2024. In Dublin,California in April of this year the FCI, an all women’s prison, was closed due to problems which “include a rampant culture of sexual abuse where eight officers have been charged with sex crimes since 2022- seven have been found guilty and sent to prison themselves.KTVU is not naming any of the women because they report they are already being retaliated against on the cross country bus trips and they don’t want to be harassed when they end up in other prisons in Florida, Texas, and West Virginia.” (KTVU Fox 2 San Francisco News, “FCI Dublin prison closure: Women describe horrific journey across U.S.” by Lisa Fernandez, April 22, 2024.)

It is useful for the reader to remember that the Equal Rights Amendment forbidding discrimination on the account of sex had been in legislative committee for 22 years before that House of Representatives passed it in August of 1970. And here we are in 2024 with only 38 states ratifying the ERA. Whether it will actually be added to the Constitution remains an open question.

With The Incorrigibles, Meredith Jaeger has written an important book. As women we ask ourselves, how far have we really come along the road of finding equal rights for women? It is an accurate feminist novel that overrides the dark elements of misogyny and incarceration to address the themes of healing, sisterhood and what is means to become a self actualized woman. With her characters tossed and pummeled semi precious stones in a lapidarist’s tumbler she brings us into the light of day, encouraging us to not be afraid of confronting dark places and to take action toward personal and collective liberation and justice. 1 Dan1,318 37

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Penguin Group Dutton for an advanced copy of this new historical novel about two women separated by time and circumstances, both finding courage they never knew existed, to help the lives of others.

Voltaire once said, "History is only the register of crimes and misfortune. Ask any woman about history and most will probably answer "Same garbage, different year". As a man who reads a lot of history it never ceases to amaze me that woman seem to be omitted, ignored, forgotten (by men of the time, and later chroniclers) or worse punished for what most men seem to get away with and no mark on their reputation. Women today are fighting the rights their mothers and grandmothers fought for, and at times won, just to see them taken away once again. The same ignorance, the same arguments are used time and time again. Though time separates our two main characters they fight for the same basic rights. Dignity. I right to be listened to. A right to be. The Incorrigibles by Meredith Jaeger is a story of two women from different eras and different circumstances, united by a photo and a want to help others, and themselves.
Annie Gilmurray is a young maid in San Francisco during the year of 1890, and is a young woman very naive about the ways of the world. As a maid Annie has been told by others don't trust the men who are around her, they can only cause trouble, even the good looking nephew of her employer. Annie is given a ring to seduce her into believing she means more to this cad than she does, and is arrested for stealing from her employer. Annie is sentenced to one year in San Quentin, the notorious prison which had at the time a woman's ward. Annie is shocked by the world she has found herself in, but gradually her fear gives in to helping some of the other inmates. Almost 100 years later aspiring photographer Jody Morelli is at a loss with the disintegration of her marriage. Jody finds a prison picture of Annie, and feels that she wants to know more about the person behind the photo. A search of knowledge that brings far more into her life than she expected.

A very interesting story dealing with points in history that really aren't discussed much. The link between the characters makes sense, which helps with the development of both. Annie is probably the more interesting character, as her life is really going from highs to lows. Jody is more relatable, even though she is 50 years in our past. Jaeger is very good at capturing both times, which had to be difficult dealing with two different eras, and both not of this time. The writing is good, and as there might be a few convenient events happening, I really d how everything flowed and came together. In addition I learned quite abit, about life and events in both eras. I had no idea that San Quentin once had a women inmates, up until 1932. Nor did I know much about the events in San Francisco in 1972 that has probably led to the houseing crisis today. I love learning new things in books, and when there is a good story to go with it, I am a happy reader. As many others will be. 1 Jami DeiseAuthor 3 books7

“Her head was filled with useless knowledge, when what she needed to know was how to defend herself against a man.”

Historical fiction author Meredith Jaeger specializes in stories about San Francisco that place in dual timelines, and The Incorrigibles continues this pattern. In 1972, newly separated aspiring photographer Judy Morelli becomes captivated by the mugshot of Irish maid Annie Gilmurray, who was arrested in 1890 for grand larceny. The story unfolds from both women’s points of view, as they individually struggle for independence.

Annie Gilmurray was a maid in a San Francisco mansion, besotted with the owner’s nephew and convinced he felt the same way. But the ring he gave her was stolen from his mother, and he was already engaged. Annie was sentenced to a year in the notorious San Quentin prison. Surrounded by dangerous men and corrupt guards, Annie makes friends with another Irish woman and tries to avoid murderers.

Judy got married right after college and never worked; she left her husband and moved to San Francisco after his drinking and cheating became too much. She finds comfort and friends in her neighborhood, even though the city has declared it dangerous and plans to tear down the buildings where they live. As Judy tries to find out what happened to Annie, she also becomes involved with tenants’ rights groups and the gay community. But with Tony and her own mother pressing her to return home and be a good wife, will Judy be able to maintain her independence?

The best historical fiction shares themes with current events, and Jaeger excels at making these connections. San Francisco, now and then, has always been a city on the verge of collapse from crime, even while real estate prices make homes unaffordable for all but the richest people. Class conflict, sexism, xenophobia, corruption… these issues were at the forefront in the 1890s, the 1970s, and today. As much as things change, they stay the same.

Jaeger’s structuring is excellent, and there were many times I feared a premature end to Annie’s story. I did find the plotting to be somewhat predictable, however, and the characters to lack subtext. But the women’s earnestness is appealing, and Jaeger’s epilogue wrapped up everything nicely.

As history repeats itself and fiction readers look for guidance from the past, Jaeger’s brand of strong San Francisco heroines continues to entertain and educate. Michelle Beckwith275 11

“Cruel mouths branded them cruel names: irredeemable, wanton, incorrigible. But they were beautiful in their resilience, wild roses refusing to be trampled.”

Separated by decades but united in theme, the characters are misunderstood, underserved and oppressed as they navigate survival, justice and hope.
1890 - Annie Gilmurray, an Irish immigrant who works as a maid in an affluent neighborhood is conned by a relative of her employer, and descends into life in the prison system.
1972 - Judy Morelli has a passion for photography and has arrived in the Bay Area looking for a fresh start as a result of a crumbling marriage and a search for her own identity.

The timelines are almost immediately connected by an old mugshot. Judy is haunted by the face and is desperate to find the story behind the photo; one that is visually faded but emotionally clear. My heart raced along with Judy’s as her discoveries of old prison and court records start to yield answers to questions long buried. As a guardian of the new information, Judy grapples with the truth as it relates to the past and the present.

Ms. Jaeger meticulously illuminates the personality of the San Francisco South Of Market neighborhood by highlighting the everyday lives of residents of the community in both timelines. By using the creative vehicle of street photography, we see how the mid 70s redevelopment programs wreak havoc on the area and its inhabitants. Similar to the photographs contained within the narrative, both main characters find beauty in the most unexpected places.

If you have a soft spot for historical fiction mysteries, old research materials and budding feminists I do, this novel may hit all the high notes for you too!

Many thanks to Dutton Publishing, Net Galley and Ms. Jaeger for the early copy in exchange for my honest review. netgalley Kristy Johnston1,032 37

This is the latest novel that absolutely enthralled me. I waited until the last minute to start the audiobook thinking that I probably wouldn’t enjoy it and was kicking myself for waiting so long when Libby yanked it after a few hours. Luckily, I had the ebook too and picked it up to finish later that same day.

This book is told in third person and dual timelines. I loved both timelines and both characters and their storylines. First, we’re introduced to Judy in 1972 San Francisco. Judy has just left Sacramento and her emotionally abusive husband who prefers her to stay at home despite her pursuit of a photography degree, cutting her off from her friends to attend to his needs. Judy seeks a position in a local photography studio and comes across some antique mug shots that intrigue her including one for Annie.

In 1890 San Francisco, Annie is an Irish immigrant working as a domestic who gets accused of a crime and winds up sentenced to a year in San Quentin. The former storyline follows Annie through her ordeal from the accusation to her year spent in the notorious prison. It was both horrifying and fascinating. Annie meets a group of women inside that are supportive and helpful in unexpected ways and a lot of others that are not.

The latter storyline follows Judy as she researches what happened to the woman in the mug shot and how she came to be in San Quentin. Judy also has her own adventures in exploring her new neighborhood which is the target of a redevelopment project while avoiding her husband. She meets members of the Tenants and Owners Opposition to Redevelopment or TOOR and starts photographing the local residents affected by the redevelopment projects, primarily fixed income retirees and other low-income residents.

Recommended to historical fiction lovers that love a dual timeline.fiction historical MicheleReader839 140

It's 1972 and Judy Morelli moves to San Francisco from Sacramento leaving her controlling husband behind. It's time for her to find herself and rediscover her love for photography. She finds work at a photo store and her new boss shares his unusual collection of prison mugshots. Judy is taken by a photo of Annie Gilmurray who was sent to San Quentin State Prison in 1890 after being convicted of theft. The image of this young, vulnerable woman inspires Judy to photograph real people who are marginalized including those living in her South of Market neighborhood which is about to be destroyed for redevelopment. Judy is also determined to learn more about Annie, a young Irish immigrant she believes was wrongly imprisoned. The story takes us into San Quentin where Annie is trying to survive the horrible conditions and abuse. The women form a support system and Annie finds a strength she never had before. With eighty years separating them, both Judy and Annie are courageous women determined to rise up from their circumstances.

While stories set in New York City remain my favorite, I am also drawn to books set in San Francisco. As I learned with her last book The Pilot's Daughter, author Meredith Jaeger is an excellent storyteller. Her well-researched, dual timeline The Incorrigibles is set during periods when The City by the Bay was undergoing metamorphoses. This was a captivating book that held my interest throughout as Judy created a new path for herself while working to find out what happened to Annie.

Rated 4.25 stars.

Review to be posted on MicheleReader.com.5 s Kathy 3,517

4.5 stars.

The Incorrigibles by Meredith Jaegar is a captivating historical novel with dual storylines.

San Francisco, 1972. Judy Morelli is on her own for the first time after she leaves her unfulfilling and emotionally abusive marriage. Finding a job at a local film developer, Judy rediscovers her love of photography. After photographing and getting to know the people in her neighborhood, she becomes very concerned about urban renewal plans that will rob her neighbors of their homes. Judy is also a little obsessed with finding out as much information as she can about the a in an old mugshot.

San Francisco, 1890. Immigrant Annie Gilmurray is determined to make a better life for herself so she can pay for passage for her remaining siblings in Ireland. A bit naïve, she believes her employer’s nephew wants to marry her but instead finds herself arrested for theft. After arriving at San Quentin, Annie becomes friends with the other women prisoners and sheds her naiveté. After witnessing horrific acts of violence, Annie leaves prison determined to right wrongs and take advantage of her second chance.

The Incorrigibles is a riveting novel that is quite fascinating. Both Judy and Annie are well-developed characters who grow evolve over the course of the novel. The story arcs are engaging and provide interesting information about both time periods in San Francisco. Meredith Jaegar easily draws readers into this enthralling novel.
netgalley Sarah13 4

Meredith Jaeger’s newest book, The Incorrigibles, is my favorite of her novels to date! It's a dual timeline historical fiction set in San Francisco’s SOMA neighborhood in 1890 and in 1972 as the neighborhood fights against urban renewal. Deeply researched and timelessly relevant, it touches on injustice, oppression and housing insecurity, but is also a page-turning story of hope, courage and strong women who rebel against what society expects of them. I was immediately drawn into the characters and wanted to know what would happen next in their lives, but also enjoyed how the book peeled back the layers of time in a specific place. Even though the two timelines are in the past, everything these women and the communities they find along the way struggled with remain very relevant today. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who s historical fiction, strong female characters, or well-researched histories of San Francisco in particular, but really any urban city. Cory Beyer506 8

Thank you to @netgalley and @PenguinGroupDutton for this ARC. 1890 - Annie is an immigrant from Ireland, trying to make ends meet and send money back to her family by working as a housemaid. When the nephew of the owner promises himself to her with a family ring, she is quickly accused of stealing the ring. She is sentenced to one year in prison. 1972 - Judy, running from her own problems settles in San Francisco. She starts work at a photography studio when the owner shows her his latest obsession with mugshots. Annie's picture intrigues Judy and she know she won't stop until she to get to the bottom of her story. The lack of injustice to women in prison is shocking and most were considered incorrigibles (never to be reformed). I really loved this book and enjoyed every minute! #TheIncorrigibles #MeredithJaeger #PenguinGroupDutton #May2024 1 Debbie502 9

The Incorrigibles is a book that gives you insight into women’s rights in the late 19th century. The horrors of prison life for women in San Quentin was detailed as their names were taken away and only referred to as a number, even on their tombstones. Their sentences were more severe than the men and were not treated the same as they never had opportunities for their sentences to be shortened and retrials granted. Annie was an Irish inmate that survived the prison with the friendship and courage shown by her fellow inmates. Judy, an upcoming photographer gets involved in finding out Annie’s story. Both overcome their personal issues through the power of friends. Good research by ties both storylines together in a satisfying way. Loved the writing style as the author flips back and forth between the two timelines. #TheIncorrigibles
#MeredithJaeger #NetGalleyThis entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.Show full review Kathleen Gray10.5k 175

Dual time line historical fiction where, in a departure from the norm, the "modern" time line is as compelling as the older. Annie, an Irish immigrant, falls for the oldest trick (but not all the way) when she accepts ring from the wealthy nephew of her employer- and then he betrays her. She ends up in San Quentin, one of a small group of female inmates. Judy, who in 1972 has left her husband and moved to San Francisco, finds Annie's mug shot and plunges into a search for information about her. At the same time, she becomes involved in the tenant's rights movement fighting the redevelopment of her neighborhood. Annie's experience is a horror show, an emotional roller coaster. How do these women intersect? No spoilers from me. Thanks to edelweiss for the ARC. It's a very good read. 1 Libby Reidy180 8

An interesting story about women prisioners in San Quentinin the 1800's.. I found that part of the story fascinating; however,the story line involving the photographer in the later time did not keep my interest. How women prisoners were treated then was horrible and the amount of time served as compared to men who had committed far worse crimes was even worse. A quick read that will satisfy some readers. Mary Fabrizio884 18

This is pretty average historical fiction. I found a lot of repetition in the musings, especially if the present day character, Judy. Annie's story was far more interesting but even that felt a bit contrived. I did appreciate learning more about life as a female prisoner in San Quentin. I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Elise HooperAuthor 4 books693

Among its many strengths, The Incorrigibles highlights Meredith Jaeger’s knack for creating original stories about resourceful and courageous women. I loved discovering a new angle into San Francisco and its colorful history. 4 s Jillian CantorAuthor 13 books1,463

Meredith Jaeger’s The Incorrigibles interweaves the tales of two women eighty years apart, both fighting to shape their own narratives and tell their own stories. I adored this impeccably-researched feminist novel brimming with strength and resilience.5 s LindaAuthor 4 books49

Did you know there were women prisoners in San Quentin? In the 1890s, Irish immigrants flooded into San Francisco for work, many of the women as housemaids. Annie is one who ends up imprisoned unjustly. In the 1970s, when married women were discovering they could have meaningful careers, Judy leaves her abusive husband and launches a photography career. She discovers Annie's mug shot and from there, the author skillfully takes us back and forth between the two timelines. As a former librarian, I loved the scenes where she does research before the internet, in archives and libraries. Meredith Jaeger elevates women's roles in American history with these two parallel stories, connecting them with the fight for autonomy and respect that goes on today. A satisfying, edifying read! Charity95 3

There is so much to this book. It is a historical dive into 1890s San Quentin with Annie, 1970s San Francisco with Judy, and a deep look at South of Market Street neighborhood. It is also about the strength women find within themselves. I loved reading the journey the women took and what they accomplished. Heart-breaking and empowering.

I would to thank NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for the ARC.netgalley Susan210

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