Sybil Downing's Ladies of the Goldfield Stock Exchange follows the success of the first two Women of the West novels, a groundbreaking series that explores the actual lives of women who opened the frontiers of the American West. This captivating new novel unfolds the drama behind a little-known but historic event that begins when three women set up their own stock exchange, choosing to defy tradition in order to assert their claim to wealth and independence.Meg Kendall, a young college graduate, unites with Tess Wallace, an ex-whore, and Verna Bates, aging, unmarried, and forever pestered by a profligate brother. Together the three women challenge the assumptions of the male-dominated world around them. Their fire and spirit become a rallying point for all the women of Goldfield, as they leave their mark on the history of the last heady days of the Gold Rush era. Read Less