Who Would Like This Book:
Step back into the vibrant (and gritty!) world of 1890s New York City with this engaging series opener. Historical mystery lovers and fans of strong, unconventional heroines will love Sarah Brandt, a widowed midwife with a headstrong streak, who teams up with the gruff but complex Detective Sergeant Frank Malloy. The setting is richly drawn, revealing class divides, police corruption, and the social norms of the Gilded Age, with plenty of details about everyday life, from superstitious neighbors to city scandals. If you enjoy the Maisie Dobbs mysteries or Anne Perry's Pitt series - or you love shows like Downton Abbey for their class drama - you'll find plenty to savor here.
Who May Not Like This Book:
This book's slow-burn romance and leisurely pace might frustrate readers looking for fast action or a tightly-plotted, twisty whodunit. Some found the mystery predictable and thought the characters fit a few expected historical tropes. Those especially sensitive to outdated social attitudes (common to the period, and sometimes reflected in character dialogue and plot points) may also find certain scenes bothersome. If you need your historical fiction super historically accurate in language and aren't patient with a bit of melodrama, you might struggle here.
About:
"Murder on Astor Place" by Victoria Thompson is the first installment in the Gaslight Mystery series set in turn-of-the-century New York City. The story follows Sarah Brandt, a midwife who becomes involved in solving a murder case when a young girl from a prominent family is found dead in a boarding house. Teaming up with Detective Frank Malloy, Sarah navigates the societal divides, corruption in the police force, and class distinctions of the era to bring the killer to justice. The plot is engaging, the characters are well-developed, and the historical backdrop of New York City in the 1890s adds depth to the narrative.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings include themes involving police corruption, murder, and potential mentions of suicide or mental illness, which could be distressing for some readers.
Has Romance?
There is a medium level of romance, characterized by a slow-building relationship between the main characters, Sarah and Frank.
From The Publisher:
The first novel in the national bestselling Gaslight Mystery series introduces Sarah Brandt, a midwife in the turn-of-the-century tenements of Manhattan who refuses to turn a blind eye to the injustices of the crime-ridden city…
After a routine delivery, Sarah 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. She 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…
Ratings (12)
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Loved It (8) | |
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It Was OK (2) |
Reader Stats (30):
Read It (13) | |
Currently Reading (1) | |
Want To Read (12) | |
Did Not Finish (1) | |
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1 comment(s)
I love historical mysteries where the main characters have some kind of tension that may or may not be resolved. I ESPECIALLY love when they take place in Gilded Age NYC as that’s where I live now. I’m always fascinated by how the city has changed and how’s it’s stayed the same. I especially liked how the author used characters from history. I had no idea about Teddy Roosevelt! I plan on doing additional research just on that!
Anyway, exceedingly enjoyable.
What can you read after
Murder on Astor Place?
About the Author:
Victoria Thompson is the Edgar® and Agatha award-nominated author of the Gaslight Mysteries-including Murder in the Bowery, Murder in Morningside Heights, and Murder on St. Nicholas Avenue-as well as numerous historical novels. She lives in the Chicago area with her…
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