Gaslight Mystery # 13
Victoria Thompson
Berkley
June 7, 2011/ ISBN 0425241157
Historical Mystery
Amazon
Reviewed
by Brenda Weeaks
Sarah Brandt is once again rescuing the unfortunate,
this time with the help of the NY COS (New York Charity Organization
Society) and Rahab's Daughters (a charity that rescues prostitutes).
Sarah is taken to Sisters' Row, an infamous group of seven houses
named after seven New England sisters who each ran a bordello catering
to the rich. She delivers a baby for a young woman named Amy. Amy
wants to be rescued before the madam takes her baby away. Sarah
tells Amy where to get help. Right after Amy is rescued a member
of the charity is murdered. Sarah seems stunned, but Detective Sargent
Malloy isn't. He warned Sarah the rich bordellos were protected
by the police and the rich of New York. Malloy continues to avoid
his personal feelings for Sarah, but does show his frustration concerning
the case and her luck with murders. The two follow their own avenues
of clues and Malloy warns Sarah to protect herself. But does she
listen?
Murder on Sisters' Row is quite the puzzler.
The mystery and the scenes move back and forth between various suspects,
as well as Sarah and Malloy. The two make a great tag team when
investigating. The culprit is a well-kept secret until the very
end. Thanks to Sarah's late husband, a doctor, she makes a living
as a midwife and lives in the real world. Sarah can't say the same
for her parents, but she's determined to enlighten her mother and
other wealthy people on the plight of the poor and unemployed. Sarah
has two girls to take care of and she, too, continues to hide her
feelings for Malloy. And Malloy is on his own now because his mother
and deaf son are living at the School for the Deaf. His son does
make a brief appearance.
It was nice to be back in Sarah's world; I haven't
kept up with the Gaslight
Mystery series, but I do remember its beginning. Thompson continues
to draw out the best in her characters. The mid-century atmosphere
is flawless, yet sad as it moves from the wealthy, closed-minded
class to the bare existence of the poor. The Gaslight Mystery series
continues to entertain historical mystery readers. Still Highly
Recommended.
Reviews
of other titles in this series
Murder
on Astor Place #1 [review]
Murder on St Mark's Place #2 [review]
Murder on Lenox Hill #7 [review]
Murder on Sisters' Row #13 [review]
Murder on Fifth Avenue #14 [review]
Murder in Chelsea #15 [review]
Murder in Murray Hill #16 [review]
Murder on Amsterdam Avenue #17 [review]
Murder in the Bowery #20 [review]
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