Serenade of Sirens
K.D. Allbaugh
Battle Ridge Rising Sun Press (2025)
ISBN: 978-1736080948
Reviewed by Shawna Thompson for Reader Views (10/2025)
This historical thriller follows Addy St. John, a young woman who marries into the wealthy and powerful St. John family of Chicago. When her cold and dishonest in-laws plot against her, Addy is abducted and then wrongfully committed to Milwaukee County Asylum. Here, at the asylum, she faces brutal “treatments” and humiliation. She finds her only strength from the other women of Hall 5, a group of women with their own heartbreaking stories. The story weaves together institutional abuse, organized crime, and how society silenced women in 1920s America.
Addy is the heart of Serenade of Sirens: The Lost Boys of Tosa by K.D. Allbaugh. Lucien, her husband, is charming but morally bankrupt. The women of Hall 5, Ruthie, Cora, Ingrid, Mary, Ella, and Freda, are unforgettable, intense, and beautiful. I related to several of the women and found myself pondering my own upbringing. Nurse Fielding is cruel, but with a hint of compassion. All the characters have deep roots and complicated backgrounds, which I found interesting, and added depth to the story.
The pacing alternates between tight, heart-aching sequences to slower reflective moments. Addy’s abduction, the asylum’s cruelty, and the investigations are intense. The scenes in Hall 5, where the women share stories, are touching and heartfelt. The rhythm allowed me to breathe between the horrors of the asylum, and the strength given to the women.
Women like Addy in the 1920s were branded “mad” not because they were unstable, but because their suffering inconvenienced men with money. Institutions were meant to heal, and instead they became tools of control. One powerful message of this novel is the resilience of found family; the women of Hall 5 build something stronger than blood. They are loyal, fierce, and protective of each other.
This book is for readers who appreciate historical fiction with psychological depth. Fans of stories like The Dollhouse, The Silent Companions, or The Mad Women’s Ball should add this to their reading collection. It has heavy themes involving violence, institutional abuse, and grief, so check your trigger warnings. Serenade of Sirens: The Lost Boys of Tosa by K.D. Allbaugh is profoundly moving, and I highly recommend it for readers who want to feel emotion as they read each page. It is a five-star read for me and will be added to my collection of all-time favorites.