Mara McClain is a young Irish immigrant looking to begin anew in Victorian-era San Francisco, after the California Gold Rush. She struggles for both love and independence, as a budding businesswoman in a male-dominated society.Set amid the fascinating backdrop of San Francisco's Golden Age, Autumn Lady draws from an eclectic cast of characters, both historical and original. It's an idiosyncratic journey through the highs and lows, ballrooms and back rooms, alleys and the promenades, and the enchantment and viciousness, of an American city on the brink of a new era.Autumn Lady is not just the story of Mara McClain, it is the story of both a woman and a city coming of age in one of America's most exciting historical periods.