Island of Tears — Troy Soos

On January 1, 1892, the first immigrant ship docked at Ellis Island, its downtrodden passengers seeking a new beginning in the land of opportunity. But the city's welcoming committee too often consisted of corrupt government officials, ruthless sweatshop owners, and callous slumlords eager to exploit the immigrants' plight for their own profit.

Harper's Weekly contributor and dime novelist Marshall Webb finds himself embroiled in this world after an encounter with young Christina Van der Waals. A newly arrived Dutch immigrant, Christina hopes to become a singer--but vanishes without a trace before getting the chance to pursue her dream.

Soon, what began as background research for Webb's next book becomes an obsessive concern for Christina's safety. When he uncovers white slavery and murder, Webb realizes how far the powerful will go to protect their illicit enterprises. And his determination to prove that justice can't be bought pits him against men for whom human life is the cheapest commodity of all...