Status
Available
Series
Description
After a routine delivery, midwife Sarah Brandt visits her patient in a rooming house and discovers that another boarder, a young girl, has been killed. At the request of Sergeant Frank Malloy, she searches the girl's room, and discovers that the victim is from one of the most prominent families in New York and the sister of an old friend. The powerful family, fearful of scandal, refuses to permit an investigation. But with Malloy's help, Sarah begins a dangerous quest to bring the killer to justice before death claims another victim.
User reviews
LibraryThing member London_StJ
The unusual blending of genres is what first inspired me to pick up Victoria Thompson's Murder on Astor Place: historical in setting, interesting choice of occupation for the female protagonist (midwife, as opposed to the so-common librarian or shopkeeper), and a delightfully scandalous mystery.
However, I did have to take off a full star for unnecessary discrimination and judgment. In the final scenes (the all-important revelation), the suggestion of homosexual acts is used as a marker of complete and utter depravity for a specific character - the final poisoned cherry on an abhorrent cake. This detail does absolutely nothing for the development of the antagonist, nor does it have any place in the plot or resolution. It's an ugly moment in the novel that lead to my instant disappointment. Really, the resolution is itself moving enough without this added "degradation."
Still, this one detail is my only complaint, and I don't necessarily think it speaks to the body of Thompson's work as a whole, so I'll certainly be seeking out the other books in the series.
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The protagonist, Sarah, is instantly sympathetic, if her involvement in the actual mystery is stretched a bit far (but such is the case with most cozy mysteries, so I would not call this a weakness). The mystery itself is dizzying at times, but well-paced, and the resolution is completely satisfactory. However, I did have to take off a full star for unnecessary discrimination and judgment. In the final scenes (the all-important revelation), the suggestion of homosexual acts is used as a marker of complete and utter depravity for a specific character - the final poisoned cherry on an abhorrent cake. This detail does absolutely nothing for the development of the antagonist, nor does it have any place in the plot or resolution. It's an ugly moment in the novel that lead to my instant disappointment. Really, the resolution is itself moving enough without this added "degradation."
Still, this one detail is my only complaint, and I don't necessarily think it speaks to the body of Thompson's work as a whole, so I'll certainly be seeking out the other books in the series.
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LibraryThing member sensitivemuse
The endless detail gives this book a good sense of historical accuracy. The sights and smells are well described and definitely give a good picture of the setting. The plot however, was a bit slow paced and it took me a bit of time get into this book and be interested enough to finish.
The main
Frank on the other hand, I found hard to like. Not because he was mean or bad (well he was rather stubborn and pig headed, and was a bit rude to Sarah at times) but I didn’t find him very interesting to begin with. His personality was pretty boring and the potential chemistry he has going with Sarah, well I don’t feel that it’s really there. He improves a little towards the end of the book but it wasn’t enough to change my mind about him.
The plot, although slow, had few interesting hooks with it. What really got my attention was the last third of the book because all of a sudden you’re blinded with a very shocking (and might I add really skin crawling) revelation So, in some part, the slow pace of the plot was forgivable, because the ending really did make up for it.
Those who have a taste for historical mysteries might be able to like this one. The book isn’t really that long, it’s the pace that makes it long. I say stick with it, it’s worth the read - if only to see Sarah argue with Frank.
The main
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character, Sarah is very well done though. I like her independence and how she broke away from her high society obligations. It’s admirable especially for a woman during this time period. She’s able to make a name of herself and become self sufficient. Besides her independence she also had a bit of a temper, which makes a fun read but also gave her a bit of spark of life to her character (which was needed, because the plot remained flat for a while.) If it were not for Sarah, I’d probably would have set the book down and moved onto something else. Frank on the other hand, I found hard to like. Not because he was mean or bad (well he was rather stubborn and pig headed, and was a bit rude to Sarah at times) but I didn’t find him very interesting to begin with. His personality was pretty boring and the potential chemistry he has going with Sarah, well I don’t feel that it’s really there. He improves a little towards the end of the book but it wasn’t enough to change my mind about him.
The plot, although slow, had few interesting hooks with it. What really got my attention was the last third of the book because all of a sudden you’re blinded with a very shocking (and might I add really skin crawling) revelation So, in some part, the slow pace of the plot was forgivable, because the ending really did make up for it.
Those who have a taste for historical mysteries might be able to like this one. The book isn’t really that long, it’s the pace that makes it long. I say stick with it, it’s worth the read - if only to see Sarah argue with Frank.
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LibraryThing member katiekrug
This is the first book in the Gaslight Mystery series, set in turn of the century New York and featuring Sarah Brandt, a midwife, and Frank Malloy of the New York City Police. I enjoyed the historical tidbits and details regarding life in the city at that time, especially those related to the
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corruption and attempted reform of the police force. The mystery was solid and interesting, though the ending was both unsurprising and rather melodramatic. I plan to continue reading the series, as it is light and eminently readable, perfect for when I am not in the mood for anything complex or brain-taxing. I look forward to the development of the relationship between Sarah and Frank, two likeable and intriguing characters. Show Less
LibraryThing member bookchickdi
I am a big fan of Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs series, about a female private investigator/psychologist in post WWI London, having read all of the books. Chelsea Clinton is also a fan, posting on Facebook about her memories of reading the books with her grandmother. Chelsea asked if anyone
I kept that in mind, and when I was waiting for a book signing at Barnes & Noble 86th St. store in NYC recently, I found myself in the Mystery section, and remembered the books. I found the first one, Murder on Astor Place, and picked it to read while waiting.
Once I started it, I knew I had found a companion for Maisie across the pond. Sarah was a widow who lost her husband, a doctor, to a violent crime. She served her community as a midwife, and one night while helping a boardinghouse owner deliver her baby, she sees a teenage girl who looks very much like a woman she knew as a teen. The girl looks frightened, but Sarah had other duties at hand.
The next day she discovers that the scared teen had died, and Sarah met Sergeant Frank Malloy of the NYPD, who was investigating the case. Sarah gives Malloy some help with the case, and they discover that the girl was pregnant when she died.
Sarah becomes curious, and finds out that the girl, Mina, was the younger sister of the woman she knew. She entangles herself in the police case, at first to the consternation, then at the request of Sgt. Malloy. Sarah came from a prominent New York society family, although she has been estranged from her family since her younger sister died tragically.
She uses her connections to insinuate herself in the middle of the case. Mina's family does not want to help the police find their daughter's killer, which only makes Malloy and Sarah more suspicious.
The mystery of who killed Mina is a puzzler, and there a few red herrings to throw the reader off the track. This is a fine mystery series, and I especially liked the setting of NYC at the turn of the century. You get a real sense of time and place in this book, and others in the series include Murder on Lenox Hill and Murder in Gramercy Park, so I imagine that working your way through the series would be a real snapshot of New York at that time.
If you are a history buff, you would enjoy learning about Teddy Roosevelt and the NYPD reforms he put in place, and the medical aspects and the society angle of the book fascinated me as well. And for those going through Downton Abbey withdrawal, there is a bit in here about "the merits of marrying off wealthy American girls to poverty-stricken English noblemen just to have a titled lady in the family- a practice that had become so widespread it had a name: Anglomania."
The author has a sturdy, honorable heroine in Sarah Brandt, and her budding relationship with Sgt. Malloy is one I look forward to discovering in future books. If you are a Maisie Dobbs fan looking for a new series, give Victoria Thompson's Gaslight Mysteries a try.
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had recommendations for books like Maisie, and someone posted about Victoria Thompson's Gaslight Mystery series, about Sarah Brandt, a midwife living in New York City around the turn of the 20th century.I kept that in mind, and when I was waiting for a book signing at Barnes & Noble 86th St. store in NYC recently, I found myself in the Mystery section, and remembered the books. I found the first one, Murder on Astor Place, and picked it to read while waiting.
Once I started it, I knew I had found a companion for Maisie across the pond. Sarah was a widow who lost her husband, a doctor, to a violent crime. She served her community as a midwife, and one night while helping a boardinghouse owner deliver her baby, she sees a teenage girl who looks very much like a woman she knew as a teen. The girl looks frightened, but Sarah had other duties at hand.
The next day she discovers that the scared teen had died, and Sarah met Sergeant Frank Malloy of the NYPD, who was investigating the case. Sarah gives Malloy some help with the case, and they discover that the girl was pregnant when she died.
Sarah becomes curious, and finds out that the girl, Mina, was the younger sister of the woman she knew. She entangles herself in the police case, at first to the consternation, then at the request of Sgt. Malloy. Sarah came from a prominent New York society family, although she has been estranged from her family since her younger sister died tragically.
She uses her connections to insinuate herself in the middle of the case. Mina's family does not want to help the police find their daughter's killer, which only makes Malloy and Sarah more suspicious.
The mystery of who killed Mina is a puzzler, and there a few red herrings to throw the reader off the track. This is a fine mystery series, and I especially liked the setting of NYC at the turn of the century. You get a real sense of time and place in this book, and others in the series include Murder on Lenox Hill and Murder in Gramercy Park, so I imagine that working your way through the series would be a real snapshot of New York at that time.
If you are a history buff, you would enjoy learning about Teddy Roosevelt and the NYPD reforms he put in place, and the medical aspects and the society angle of the book fascinated me as well. And for those going through Downton Abbey withdrawal, there is a bit in here about "the merits of marrying off wealthy American girls to poverty-stricken English noblemen just to have a titled lady in the family- a practice that had become so widespread it had a name: Anglomania."
The author has a sturdy, honorable heroine in Sarah Brandt, and her budding relationship with Sgt. Malloy is one I look forward to discovering in future books. If you are a Maisie Dobbs fan looking for a new series, give Victoria Thompson's Gaslight Mysteries a try.
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LibraryThing member IamFluff
Meh. I had trouble with the cliched writing at the beginning. I almost put it down a few times, but I have hope that the series gets better, so I persevered.
LibraryThing member leperdbunny
Title: Murder on Astor Place
Author: Victoria Thompson
Genre: Cozy, Historical Fiction
# of pages: 288
Start date:
End date:
Borrowed/bought: borrowed
My rating of the book, F- [worst] to A [best]: A+
Description of the book: With the Victorian backdrop of New York City, this cozy introduces us to Sarah
Review: This is probably one of the best written cozy's I have ever read. The author was very historically accurate in a lot of the aspects of the story, and everything was very well written. Sarah was very intelligent and both characters were very interesting. If you enjoyed Titanic or Gangs of New York, the historical background created in this story is for you! I wonder if we will see some romance in the subsequent novels?
Author: Victoria Thompson
Genre: Cozy, Historical Fiction
# of pages: 288
Start date:
End date:
Borrowed/bought: borrowed
My rating of the book, F- [worst] to A [best]: A+
Description of the book: With the Victorian backdrop of New York City, this cozy introduces us to Sarah
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Brandt, a midwife who is estranged from her wealthy family. When Alicia VanDamm is found strangled to death in the boardinghouse of a client of Sarah's, she must put aside her midwife duties to help Detective Sargeant Frank Malloy solve the mystery behind her death.Review: This is probably one of the best written cozy's I have ever read. The author was very historically accurate in a lot of the aspects of the story, and everything was very well written. Sarah was very intelligent and both characters were very interesting. If you enjoyed Titanic or Gangs of New York, the historical background created in this story is for you! I wonder if we will see some romance in the subsequent novels?
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LibraryThing member Minne2
One of the best books I've read in a long time. Had a clue how it would turn but not the twists and turns along the way. Thoroughly the story line about the rought life in the tenements. Will gladly read more books by this author.
LibraryThing member BrianEWilliams
A good "whodunit" mystery story and a good introduction to the series' characters. I'm looking forward to reading others in the series to find out how the relationship between Sarah and Frank develops. The local colour of NYC in the late 19th Century and the upper class mentality portrayed in the
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story are interesting too. Show Less
LibraryThing member Travis1259
I first found this on iBooks and immediately thought that a mystery about New York during the period of the beginning of the 20th century sounded right up my alley. I was right. In, fact I read the whole book through on my iPhone, instead of using a bigger venue. And, discovered that the mystery
I didn't realize that it was the first book in a Gaslight Mystery series, I thought the book stood alone very well. I guess one of the things I enjoyed was the obvious contrast between Sarah a member of the upper class in New York City, and Detective Malloy an Irish New York cop. A handy juxtaposition that adds a bit of drama and even comedy to the story. And, bodes well for the future.
My only problem with the book was the ending that seemed a bit far fetched and not in keeping with the realism of the rest of the book. A good look into the classes of society and enough mystery and action to keep things moving, I am ordering the next book in the series as soon as possible.
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for me moved along so quickly that I often forgot I was reading an e-book. Quite an achievement when you consider how much I love the paper books on my shelves. I didn't realize that it was the first book in a Gaslight Mystery series, I thought the book stood alone very well. I guess one of the things I enjoyed was the obvious contrast between Sarah a member of the upper class in New York City, and Detective Malloy an Irish New York cop. A handy juxtaposition that adds a bit of drama and even comedy to the story. And, bodes well for the future.
My only problem with the book was the ending that seemed a bit far fetched and not in keeping with the realism of the rest of the book. A good look into the classes of society and enough mystery and action to keep things moving, I am ordering the next book in the series as soon as possible.
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LibraryThing member hannajohn
A fair start to a historical mystery series. The setting of New York about 1900 seems like a good era for a lot of different cultural and historical areas with which to play at. This novel's mystery was pretty good. The characters are a bit stereotyped, but the lead woman (midwife) and man (police
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detective) were good and hopefully will be fleshed out further in later novels. Show Less
LibraryThing member fordbarbara
Good series with a well-drawn picture of the separation of rich and poor, "good" and "bad" people, corruption in the police, the "proper" place of women, immigrates and established families, birth defects, child labor, child prostitution - Victoria builds her stories around all of it.
LibraryThing member Anntstobbs
This book introduces us to Sarah Brandt, a young widow who is earning her own way as a midwife. The story deals more with the introduction of characters than it does with the underlying mystery but it is a good read. Ms. Thompson does an excellent job of blending the fictional mystery with the
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historical facts and customs of the turn of the century. The police department is very corrupt and no one will pay to solve the murder of a young girl. Frank Malloy is one of the few honest cops and he and Sarah join in a very tenuous partnership to solve the mystery. Show Less
LibraryThing member TheLibraryhag
Sarah Brandt was born into wealth and priviledge in New York City. But when she marries a doctor beneath her class, she is disowned. When her husband dies, she becomes a midwife to make a living on her own. When paying a call on a patient, Sarah discovers that a boarder in the house has been
I really enjoyed this book. I learned a lot about the corruption in the NY police department and about NY society. Sarah is a smart and caring characters. Frank is a tough cop with a soft center. The mystery is good but I also enjoyed the personal stories of Sarah and Frank. I plan to read more in the series.
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murdered. Much to her amazement, she soon relizes that the murdered girl is the daughter of one of the most influential families of New York. How did the poor girl end up in a boarding house much less murdered? When Sarah offers to help, the detective, Frank Malloy, is doubtful. But Sarah's knowledge of society and ablility to move about in that world will prove helpful, even if he does not want to admit it.I really enjoyed this book. I learned a lot about the corruption in the NY police department and about NY society. Sarah is a smart and caring characters. Frank is a tough cop with a soft center. The mystery is good but I also enjoyed the personal stories of Sarah and Frank. I plan to read more in the series.
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LibraryThing member SlySionnach
I saw an ad for Victoria Thompson in the back of one of the recent Christie novels I read, so when I was at the bookstore, I picked up her first one. I wasn't disappointed.
Her use of the turn-of-the-century New York City made me smile first off. It was such an interesting time period (and I have a
Characters first: We have Sarah Brandt, a midwife with a past that is very easily figured out, so I doubt it was meant to be mysterious. A once-well-off woman who decided to follow her heart rather than her parents rules, she is considered to be somewhat lower classed now. It's fascinating to see just how differently she's treated, and the shock that everyone gives her when they learn her maiden name.
She's feisty, to say the least, and a bit headstrong. I do like that in my female characters, so I didn't mind. Sometimes she may have been a bit too much (such as visiting the VanDamms all the time, even if it was necessary), but she got her job done.
The other main character is Detective Sergeant Frank Malloy, your Irish New York Cop. (Sidenote: All the Irish names in the police force made me smile). He's brutish, hot-headed, and only wants to do things that help himself. But as the book progresses, a bit of his softer side (and his past) comes out and it makes a reader appreciate him a bit more.
One thing that did annoy me: the constant reminder in the beginning that they found each other annoying. It felt almost to the point of telling the reader, "Hey! If you couldn't figure this out for yourself, I'll tell you again. She annoys him. He annoys her. Got it? I can say it once more..."
As for the plot, I'll say what I can with little spoilers: the sister an old friend of Sarah Brandt turns up dead. Afraid that the corrupt police won't solve anything on their own, she sticks her nose in. Chaos and plot twists ensue.
The mystery wasn't hard to figure out, especially near the end. The subject matter is a touchy one, but I'm sure something you've heard before (even if you didn't want to). While not the best mystery I've read, certainly one that will keep me reading the Gaslight series.
Her use of the turn-of-the-century New York City made me smile first off. It was such an interesting time period (and I have a
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fondness for Teddy Roosevelt, I won't lie) and I've lived in NY my whole life. So to read about my "backyard", so to speak, was nice.Characters first: We have Sarah Brandt, a midwife with a past that is very easily figured out, so I doubt it was meant to be mysterious. A once-well-off woman who decided to follow her heart rather than her parents rules, she is considered to be somewhat lower classed now. It's fascinating to see just how differently she's treated, and the shock that everyone gives her when they learn her maiden name.
She's feisty, to say the least, and a bit headstrong. I do like that in my female characters, so I didn't mind. Sometimes she may have been a bit too much (such as visiting the VanDamms all the time, even if it was necessary), but she got her job done.
The other main character is Detective Sergeant Frank Malloy, your Irish New York Cop. (Sidenote: All the Irish names in the police force made me smile). He's brutish, hot-headed, and only wants to do things that help himself. But as the book progresses, a bit of his softer side (and his past) comes out and it makes a reader appreciate him a bit more.
One thing that did annoy me: the constant reminder in the beginning that they found each other annoying. It felt almost to the point of telling the reader, "Hey! If you couldn't figure this out for yourself, I'll tell you again. She annoys him. He annoys her. Got it? I can say it once more..."
As for the plot, I'll say what I can with little spoilers: the sister an old friend of Sarah Brandt turns up dead. Afraid that the corrupt police won't solve anything on their own, she sticks her nose in. Chaos and plot twists ensue.
The mystery wasn't hard to figure out, especially near the end. The subject matter is a touchy one, but I'm sure something you've heard before (even if you didn't want to). While not the best mystery I've read, certainly one that will keep me reading the Gaslight series.
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LibraryThing member madamejeanie
Sarah Brandt is a midwife in New York City in the late 19th century. During a routine middle of the night delivery in the squalor of a tenement rooming house, Sarah discovers that one of the tenets is a girl she recognizes, the youngest daughter of a very wealthy family. When it is discovered that
This was a very well written book and I enjoyed it quite a bit, even though I figured out what was going on about halfway through the book. I'll read more in this series.
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the girl was murdered in the wee hours before dawn, Sarah feels compelled to find out who did it and why this girl was living in such squalid circumstances. Because Sarah herself is the estranged daughter of a wealthy man on Astor Place, she uses her societal connections, weak though they are after all these years, to help her gain entrance to houses she hasn't visited in years. Police Sergeant Frank Malloy is not very comfortable working with an upstart female with a mind of her own, but he has to admit, he can't solve this on his own.This was a very well written book and I enjoyed it quite a bit, even though I figured out what was going on about halfway through the book. I'll read more in this series.
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LibraryThing member SusannainSC
The setting is intriguing, but I found the writing pedestrian, and guessed the "twist" very early. Also, some of the word choices were highly ahistorical. The one which most annoyed me was the use of "suffragette," in dialog - in the 1890s. The word wouldn't be coined for another decade!
LibraryThing member delphimo
Of course, I never follow the correct order for books in a series. This is the premiere book of the Gaslight series set in New York City in the 1890's. I have already read two later books and enjoyed the series so much, that I have purchased all the earlier books. The characters are introduced from
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Sarah Brandt to Frank Mallory to Teddy Roosevelt. Thompson does a wonderful job showing the huge gap between the rich and the poor in their lodgings, character, rules, and clothing. I like Sarah who like a curious mouse can go anywhere in the city and fit-in. In this episode a daughter of one the wealthy families is murdered, but the family seems content to allow the murder to fade away rather than invite scandal. An interesting adventure into New York history. Show Less
LibraryThing member jillrhudy
Dullsville. I won't be continuing with the series.
LibraryThing member ellen.w
Everyone in this book is so dumb.
LibraryThing member cyderry
This is the first in the Gaslight Mysteries set in turn of the Century(1900) New York City. The central character is Sarah Brandt, a midwife who was born to the aristocracy but married "beneath her station" and now that she s widowed must earn her way in the world.
The mystery centers around a
The twisting and turns which reveal social taboos of the day lead to a gruesome ending but not something that is surprising. IMHO, not a great mystery but readable.
The mystery centers around a
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young woman who is strangled in a boardinghouse. Our heroine's involvement is that she recognizes the victim as being the sister of an acquaintance of her youth. Sarah makes every effort to assist Detective Sega rent Malloy in apprehending the murderer. The twisting and turns which reveal social taboos of the day lead to a gruesome ending but not something that is surprising. IMHO, not a great mystery but readable.
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LibraryThing member kmartin802
Set firmly in New York City 1895, this mystery tells the story of the murder of a young socialite who has run away from home. Sarah Brandt, a socialite herself who left her family after her husband's death, is working as a midwife. While attending to the routine birth of a boarding house owner's
Malloy is a typical cop of the time period. He's saving money so that he can pay the bribe needed to make Captain. That means he focuses more on crimes when someone is willing to pay him something extra to solve it. Off hand it doesn't look like the death of a pregnant runaway is going to add to his bribe fund.
Things get even more muddled when Sarah visits the young girl's family to find that they are more concerned about possible scandal than they are in solving the murder of the girl. Sarah investigates among society where she has an in and shares her findings with Malloy who tries to discourage her interest. When Malloy is warned off the investigation by his superiors, Sarah still continues to try to unravel the case.
I will admit that I had a pretty good idea who the father of the baby was pretty early on but the author still managed to surprise me along the way. I liked the budding relationship between Sarah and Malloy. I'm glad there are more books in this series to read.
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sixth child, she sees a young woman who reminds her of one of her childhood acquaintances. When she visits the mother and baby the next day, she learns that the young girl was murdered. And she meets Police Detective Frank Malloy who is investigating the crime.Malloy is a typical cop of the time period. He's saving money so that he can pay the bribe needed to make Captain. That means he focuses more on crimes when someone is willing to pay him something extra to solve it. Off hand it doesn't look like the death of a pregnant runaway is going to add to his bribe fund.
Things get even more muddled when Sarah visits the young girl's family to find that they are more concerned about possible scandal than they are in solving the murder of the girl. Sarah investigates among society where she has an in and shares her findings with Malloy who tries to discourage her interest. When Malloy is warned off the investigation by his superiors, Sarah still continues to try to unravel the case.
I will admit that I had a pretty good idea who the father of the baby was pretty early on but the author still managed to surprise me along the way. I liked the budding relationship between Sarah and Malloy. I'm glad there are more books in this series to read.
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LibraryThing member Olivermagnus
Sarah Brandt is a young, widowed midwife in turn of the century New York. While delivering a baby in a nearby rooming house Sarah sees a young pregnant woman who is the image of an old friend from her youth. The young girl is later found murdered in the same rooming house. Investigating the murder
The historical detail in this book is very good. The inclusion of facts about the time and place made it very absorbing. Frank and Sarah were highly engaging, the secondary characters were nicely developed and the plot was quite detailed. I thought it might be a poor imitation of the Pitt mysteries but it was a perfect book to relax with. This style of mystery is traditionally more predictable than others so readers may or may not be surprised by the conclusion.
If you are a fan of the Thomas and Charlotte Pitt mysteries by Anne Perry, you will probably like the Gaslight Mystery series by Victoria Thompson. I love period mysteries so I found this very enjoyable. Usually mysteries of the genre are set in Britain so it was nice to see one set in America. I will definitely continue with this series.
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is Detective Frank Malloy. At this point in time Teddy Roosevelt is the NY Police Commissioner trying to clean up the corruption that is prevalent in the organization. Frank is used to the system of graft and is skeptical that Roosevelt will be successful. He expects the only way he will solve this mystery is if he uses bribes. The victim comes from a wealthy, powerful family who doesn't want the case investigated, fearing they will be embarrassed in society once the murder facts are public. Sarah pushes Frank to continue his investigation despite being removed from the case and together they team up to discover the truth.The historical detail in this book is very good. The inclusion of facts about the time and place made it very absorbing. Frank and Sarah were highly engaging, the secondary characters were nicely developed and the plot was quite detailed. I thought it might be a poor imitation of the Pitt mysteries but it was a perfect book to relax with. This style of mystery is traditionally more predictable than others so readers may or may not be surprised by the conclusion.
If you are a fan of the Thomas and Charlotte Pitt mysteries by Anne Perry, you will probably like the Gaslight Mystery series by Victoria Thompson. I love period mysteries so I found this very enjoyable. Usually mysteries of the genre are set in Britain so it was nice to see one set in America. I will definitely continue with this series.
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LibraryThing member jguidry
One of the benefits of ROOing (Reading Out of Order) is that you can tolerate poor first novels in a series because you know from later episodes that you like the characters adn storylines. This series does not need that. I fell in love with these characters from book one. The action begins as soon
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as the story starts and carries on throughout the book taking slight breaks for character development. Thompson gives a wonderful picture of the class distinction of the time as well as police corruption and attempted reforms. The motive for the crime was tough to take, but needed to be voiced nonetheless. This is an excellent start to an excellent series. Show Less
LibraryThing member Zumbanista
First of a long series of crime fiction set in New York about 1895 by Victoria Thompson.
The writing was passable and I warmed up to our protagonists, widowed midwife, Sarah Brandt and policeman, Frank Malloy, as the novel progressed. I preferred Frank to Sarah and found their acquaintanceship a bit
The story held my interest as it occasionally plodded on to a very dramatic conclusion. Without spoiling, I was a bit disappointed in the solution to the crime, again feeling it was predictable.
I don't hold this type of light reading to the standard of a more serious novel and overall I was satisfied with the book. I will likely try the next book in this highly rated series as ai enjoy the era.
The writing was passable and I warmed up to our protagonists, widowed midwife, Sarah Brandt and policeman, Frank Malloy, as the novel progressed. I preferred Frank to Sarah and found their acquaintanceship a bit
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trite. The story held my interest as it occasionally plodded on to a very dramatic conclusion. Without spoiling, I was a bit disappointed in the solution to the crime, again feeling it was predictable.
I don't hold this type of light reading to the standard of a more serious novel and overall I was satisfied with the book. I will likely try the next book in this highly rated series as ai enjoy the era.
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LibraryThing member Lauren2013
Murder on Astor Place
4 Stars
As a midwife, Sarah Brandt is no stranger to the struggles of life and death. However, after attending a routine birth at a boarding house, Sarah is shocked to learn not only that one of the other guests has been murdered, but that the young woman is someone she knows.
A good mystery, but it is the dynamic between Sarah Brandt and Frank Malloy that truly make this book shine.
Sarah is a strong willed and independent heroine, and it is impossible not to admire her courage for turning her back on the capricious and prejudiced social strictures of her upbringing. It is more difficult to appreciate Detective Frank Malloy character as his moral compass appears to have gone awry. However, as the circumstances of his life are slowly revealed, it becomes clear that there is more to him than meets the eye and that underneath his gruff facade and bullying manner lies a decent man trying to survive in a harsh world.
The murder investigation is compelling as the victim evokes a strong sense of empathy and sympathy, which makes it all the easier to identify with Sarah's need to get justice for her. There are a variety of suspects and motives, but it is possible to figure it all out by following the clues.
All in all, a well-written mystery with a strong sense of setting and engaging characters. Looking forward to continuing with the series.
4 Stars
As a midwife, Sarah Brandt is no stranger to the struggles of life and death. However, after attending a routine birth at a boarding house, Sarah is shocked to learn not only that one of the other guests has been murdered, but that the young woman is someone she knows.
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When the girl’s prominent family refuses to permit an investigation and the police appear to be just as disinclined, Sarah takes it upon herself to discover the truth.A good mystery, but it is the dynamic between Sarah Brandt and Frank Malloy that truly make this book shine.
Sarah is a strong willed and independent heroine, and it is impossible not to admire her courage for turning her back on the capricious and prejudiced social strictures of her upbringing. It is more difficult to appreciate Detective Frank Malloy character as his moral compass appears to have gone awry. However, as the circumstances of his life are slowly revealed, it becomes clear that there is more to him than meets the eye and that underneath his gruff facade and bullying manner lies a decent man trying to survive in a harsh world.
The murder investigation is compelling as the victim evokes a strong sense of empathy and sympathy, which makes it all the easier to identify with Sarah's need to get justice for her. There are a variety of suspects and motives, but it is possible to figure it all out by following the clues.
All in all, a well-written mystery with a strong sense of setting and engaging characters. Looking forward to continuing with the series.
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