Happy Release Day ~ Murder in Rose Hill (Gaslight Mystery, #27) by Victoria Thompson #CozyMystery ~ @gaslightvt @BerkleyMystery @BerkleyPub

Midwife Sarah Malloy and her private detective husband Frank discover that the cure is worse than the disease when they investigate the death of a promising young woman in this atmospheric, riveting mystery from the USA TODAY bestselling author of Murder on Bedford Street.

ASIN: ‎ B0CCNCVF23
Publisher: ‎ Berkley
Publication Date: ‎ April 23, 2024
Print Length: ‎ 336 pages

Amazon: https://amzn.to/48T2lmM

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/194803815-murder-in-rose-hill

About the Book:

Sarah Malloy has just helped with the delivery of a bouncing baby girl at her women’s clinic, when she receives a visit from an engaging and determined young woman writing an article for New Century Magazine. Louisa Rodgers explains that she is researching the dangers of patent remedies. Sarah is only too happy to tell Louisa exactly what she thinks of the so-called medicines whose ingredients include heavy doses of alcohol and other addictive drugs, and hurt much more than they help.

A few days later, Sarah receives a visit from a bereft Bernard Rodgers, who explains that his daughter, Louisa, has been found strangled in the lobby of the building where New Century has its offices. The police have decided it was a random attack and have made no attempt to investigate, hinting that Louisa got what she deserved for sticking her nose where it didn’t belong. Sarah wants justice for the bright young woman but as she and Frank delve deeper into Louisa’s life, they find that nothing is quite as it seemed and Louisa is not who she claimed to be. The Malloys must first solve the mystery of Louisa’s life before they can figure out who wanted to see her dead…

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Murder on Madison Square (Gaslight Mystery #25) by Victoria Thompson ~ New April Release from @BerkleyMystery @gaslightvt

Sarah and Frank Malloy must catch a scheming killer in this latest gripping installment in the USA Today bestselling Gaslight Mysteries

Former policeman Frank Malloy is frustrated when a woman requests his private detective services to implicate her wealthy husband in adultery, the only legal grounds for divorce in New York state. Although Mrs. Bing seems genuinely distressed about her marriage and desperate to end it, she refuses to tell Frank the reason she absolutely must divorce her husband and admits she has no legal grounds. Frank explains he won't manufacture evidence for her and sends her on her way.

The following week, Frank and Sarah happen to be attending the first ever auto show in Madison Square Garden when they meet the woman's husband, Alfred Bing, who has invested in a company that produces one of the electric motorcars on display. A few days later, the newspapers report that millionaire Alvin Bing has been found dead, pinned beneath one of the wheels of his very own motorcar. But who was driving it? The obvious suspect is Mrs. Bing, but Frank and Sarah find that nothing is as it seems in their puzzling, dangerous search for truth.

Read an Excerpt on Amazon: https://amzn.to/38uW9b1

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09B94NF35
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Berkley (May 3, 2022)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 3, 2022
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 3261 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Print length ‏ : ‎ 348 pages

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3OJ2Bfa
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58647566-murder-on-madison-square

Visit the Author: http://www.victoriathompson.com/

New #CozyMystery Release ~ City of Shadows (Counterfeit Lady #5) by Victoria Thompson @BerkleyMystery

 

Elizabeth Miles is back in this all-new Counterfeit Lady Novel from USA Today bestselling author Victoria Thompson.

Elizabeth Miles Bates has returned from her honeymoon cruise and is taking great pride in having completely forsaken her past life as a con artist. Then her friend, Anna Vanderslice, begs her to use her talents to help save her widowed mother from a disreputable medium. Since the war and the flu epidemic left so many families bereaved, interest in contacting the dead has experienced a revival. Once quite popular, séances have come back into vogue as desperate families mourn their loved ones and long to communicate with them.

Anna's mother has been attending séances in an attempt to contact her son, David, who died of influenza. Anna had thought it a harmless activity, though a heartbreaking one, but she has just learned that Mrs. Vanderslice is paying the medium ever-increasing sums of money in her eagerness to make contact with her deceased son. Since David's death has caused Anna and her mother financial hardship already, Mrs. Vanderslice's obsession is in danger of ruining them.

Madame Ophelia is part of a group of con artists working together to fleece as many New Yorkers as possible before moving onto another city. Several of Mrs. Vanderslice's friends as well as some of Gideon's clients have already been victimized. Elizabeth knows that simply exposing the medium as a fraud will not be enough, and the only way to get at least some of the stolen money back is to con the medium and her cohorts. But will Elizabeth's family help her when it means betraying other con artists? And who can they trust? No one, as it happens, so Elizabeth turns to her aunt, Cybil, and Cybil's partner, Zelda, for help. Although Cybil disapproves of her family's shady profession, she is more than happy to lend a hand. Can Elizabeth and her gang of amateurs fool the professionals?


ASIN: ‎ B08Y8CJB58
Publisher: ‎ Berkley
Publication Date: ‎ December 7, 2021
Print Length: ‎ 331 pages
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3rMYtlD
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57361498-city-of-shadows

Read an Excerpt on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3rMYtlD

Visit the Author's Website: http://www.victoriathompson.com/

#Book Review ~ Murder on Trinity Place (Gaslight Mystery, Book #22) by Victoria Thompson ~ #CozyMystery @BerkleyMystery

Murder on Trinity Place

(Gaslight Mystery, Book #22)

by Victoria Thompson

Book Details:

Print Length: 332 pages

Publisher: Berkley

Publication Date: April 30, 2019

Sold by: Penguin Group (USA) LLC

ASIN: B07G6SCLGZ

About the Book:

The devil's in the details when a man is found murdered near Trinity Church in the latest installment of the national bestselling Gaslight Mystery series...

The year of 1899 is drawing to a close. Frank and Sarah Malloy are getting ready to celebrate the New Year at Trinity Church when they notice Mr. Pritchard, a relative of their neighbor's behaving oddly and annoying the other revelers. Frank tries to convince Pritchard to return home with them, but the man refuses and Frank loses him in the crowd. The next morning Sarah and Frank are horrified to learn Pritchard was murdered sometime in the night, his body left on Trinity Place, the side street near the church.

The police aren't too interested in the murder, and the family are concerned that the circumstances of the death will reflect badly on Pritchard's reputation. To protect the family from scandal, Nelson asks Frank to investigate. Frank and Sarah delve into Pritchard's past and realize there may have been a deadly side to the dawning of the new century.

For More Information and to Purchase:

Amazon

My Review:

Murder on Trinity Place by Victoria Thompson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the first Gaslight Mystery I've had the chance to read. I don't usually start a series from anywhere but the beginning because I don't like to miss out on world building and character development. I can say, however, that not having read the previous 21 books didn't detract from the story. There were a few things referenced that were unfamiliar to me but in no way caused me to be confused or lack understanding of the current goings-on in the book.

I enjoyed the story and found the mystery behind a local dairy owner's death to be interesting and full of twists and turns. The author provides insight into interesting American turn-of-the-century events, customs, and what was considered traditional occurrences during the time period. She tosses in mentions about the “swill milk” scandal that took the lives of thousands of babies and the cows forced to eat the swill.

The author provided several plausible suspects and I found it enjoyable trying to figure out who the culprit was as I read along. The path taken to solve the murder of Mr. Prichard is filled with interesting characters, hidden agendas, lies, deceit, and sadness. I was constantly on edge as Frank Malloy and Gino Donatelli investigated the Murder on Trinity Place.

I did find a few sections of the dialogue awkward – not embarrassing or the like, but not smooth or conversational. Additionally, some of the paragraph, section, and chapter endings were abrupt. These issues didn’t detract from the mystery, the side stories, or the overall enjoyment of the book.
Will I go back and start this series from the beginning? Absolutely. I enjoyed Murder on Trinity Place and look forward to properly meeting Sarah, Frank, and the rest of the cast.

I was given a hardcover copy of this book to read.

View all my reviews

New Book Release ~ Murder on Trinity Place (Gaslight Mystery, Book #22) by Victoria Thompson ~ #CozyMystery @BerkleyMystery

Murder on Trinity Place

(Gaslight Mystery, Book #22)

by Victoria Thompson

Book Details:

Print Length: 332 pages

Publisher: Berkley

Publication Date: April 30, 2019

Sold by: Penguin Group (USA) LLC

ASIN: B07G6SCLGZ

About the Book:

The devil's in the details when a man is found murdered near Trinity Church in the latest installment of the national bestselling Gaslight Mystery series...

The year of 1899 is drawing to a close. Frank and Sarah Malloy are getting ready to celebrate the New Year at Trinity Church when they notice Mr. Pritchard, a relative of their neighbor's behaving oddly and annoying the other revelers. Frank tries to convince Pritchard to return home with them, but the man refuses and Frank loses him in the crowd. The next morning Sarah and Frank are horrified to learn Pritchard was murdered sometime in the night, his body left on Trinity Place, the side street near the church.

The police aren't too interested in the murder, and the family are concerned that the circumstances of the death will reflect badly on Pritchard's reputation. To protect the family from scandal, Nelson asks Frank to investigate. Frank and Sarah delve into Pritchard's past and realize there may have been a deadly side to the dawning of the new century.

For More Information and to Purchase:

Amazon

Saph's Notes:

I am currently reading this book right now. My review will come soon!

Book Review: City of Secrets (Counterfeit Lady #2) by Victoria Thompson ~ #CozyMystery @BerkleyMystery

Book Details:

Print Length: 316 pages
Publisher: Berkley

Publication Date: November 13, 2018
Sold by: Penguin Group (USA) LLC
ASIN: B079R6XBPR
Amazon

Goodreads

About the Book:

Con artist Elizabeth Miles has determined that Society is the biggest con of all. So far, Elizabeth’s only real social success has been with Priscilla Knight. Priscilla is a dedicated suffragist who was recently widowed for the second time in her young life. Her beloved first husband, DeForrest Jenks, died in a tragic accident and left her with two young daughters and a comfortable fortune. Soon after his death, her pastor convinced her she needed a man to look after her. Before she knew it, he had engineered a whirlwind courtship and hasty marriage to fellow parishioner Endicott Knight. Less than nine months later, Endicott is also dead in a somewhat less tragic and even more suspicious accident.

Priscilla confides to Elizabeth that she had understood Endicott was wealthy in his own right, and she had brought a sizeable fortune to the marriage as well. Now her banker is telling her she has hardly any money left and that her house has been mortgaged. The banker has hinted at a scandal that could damage the family’s reputation and her daughters’ future prospects. Fearing destructive gossip, Priscilla doesn’t know whom to trust.

Elizabeth discovers some unsavory evidence that seems to point to the possibility that Endicott’s death may have been connected to blackmail. To save her new friend’s future, Elizabeth must use her special set of skills to find the truth.

My Review:

City of Secrets by Victoria Thompson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

City of Secrets is the second book in the Counterfeit Lady series by Victoria Thompson. Elizabeth, our heroine, is a con artist trying to settle down with an honest lawyer. When a church patron named Priscilla Knight reveals that she doesn’t know why she married her now-deceased second husband and that she doesn’t remember anything about the wedding ceremony, Elizabeth smells a rat. Determined to get to the bottom of the mystery, Elizabeth and Gideon, embark on a case that involves lies, deception, and most of all, secrets. What follows is an investigation involving brothels, blackmail, and the potential to release information that could cause a huge scandal. Elizabeth relies on her family’s set of unique talents to try and make the wrongs done to Priscilla right but at what could be a terrible expense for Elizabeth and Gideon.

City of Secrets is a wonderful book filled with realism and emotion from start to finish. The author’s world building in the book is vivid and descriptive. The author did a great job with the continued character development in City of Secrets. Elizabeth is s a strong character but you must be if the art of the long con is your way of living. She’s also compassionate especially towards Priscilla Knight and her situation. It is easy to identify with Elizabeth, feel her emotions and the emotions of others, and fit right into the story. All the characters were written well, and I enjoyed each one of them.

This book is rich in emotional content and I was engaged in the story from the very beginning. The story is fast paced and truly set up and executed well. I can’t wait to see what the author has instore for Elizabeth next.

I was given a copy of this book to read.

View all my reviews

Book Review & #Giveaway ~ City of Lies (Counterfeit Lady, Book #1) by Victoria Thompson ~ #CozyMystery @BerkleyMystery

City of Lies
Counterfeit Lady, Book #1
Victoria Thompson

Amazon

Goodreads

About the Book:

Elizabeth Miles scours 1920’s Washington, D.C. for a killer in the first Counterfeit Lady novel from the author of the New York Times bestselling Gaslight mysteries.

Every woman plays a part—but some are more dangerous than others…

Like most women, Elizabeth Miles assumes many roles; unlike most, hers have made her a woman on the run. Living on the edge of society, Elizabeth uses her guile to relieve so-called respectable men of their ill-gotten gains. But brutal and greedy entrepreneur Oscar Thornton is out for blood. He’s lost a great deal of money and is not going to forgive a woman for outwitting him. With his thugs hot on her trail, Elizabeth seizes the moment to blend in with a group of women who have an agenda of their own.

She never expects to like or understand these privileged women, but she soon comes to respect their intentions, forming an unlikely bond with the wealthy matriarch of the group whose son Gideon is the rarest of species—an honest man in a dishonest world. She knows she’s playing a risky game, and her deception could be revealed at any moment, possibly even by sharp-eyed Gideon. Nor has she been forgotten by Thornton, who’s biding his time within this gilded orbit, waiting to strike. Elizabeth must draw on her wits and every last ounce of courage she possesses to keep her new life from being cut short by this vicious shadow from her past

My Review:

City of Lies is a book filled with realism and emotion from start to finish. Set during the era when women were fighting for the right to vote in the United States, City of Lies reminds us what women endured to give us equal footing in the world of politics. The author’s world building in the book is vivid and descriptive. I highly doubt any reader will be unaffected by the anxiety, suffering, and abuse the suffragists are subjected to in the first half of the book. These emotional aspects of the book were hard for me to sit and read. I skipped over much of the book set in the prison, only reading little snippets here and there in order to stay abreast with the story. This is, in no way, a negative reflection of the book or the author. It just means that I’m empathetic and the anxiety in the book caused anxiety in me. There is a reason that I don’t typically read anything like this, the Holocaust, slavery, etc. It’s not because I deny the events happened, because I know they absolutely did happen, but because I get too emotionally invested and overly emotional while reading books with high levels of injustice and mistreatment.

That said, City of Lies is a wonderful book set in a turbulent time in America. Our heroine is a con artist who works with her brother to swindle money from unsuspecting marks. Only, this time, they may have tried to steal from the wrong guy. In order to escape Oscar Thornton’s wrath, Elizabeth flees from danger right into the middle of a women’s rights march in front of the White House. If only she realized she was jumping from the frying pan right into the fire. After spending some time in jail, Elizabeth makes a few friends, whom she stays in contact after their release. In order to prevent Thornton from hurting her or her brother, Elizabeth’s deception cranks up a notch and now involves her new friends and some of their family members. Somewhere along the way Elizabeth becomes enamored with the son of one of the women from prison but he’s good and she’s a liar – how could it ever work?

The author did a great job with the character development in City of Lies, especially Elizabeth’s. She’s not exactly the same person she started off being at the beginning. She’s a strong character but you have to be if the art of the long con is your way of living. She’s also compassionate and discovers that she’s lonely not having any friends. Those she shared her jail time with become close to her and they become dear to her, as well. It is easy to identify with Elizabeth, feel her emotions and the emotions of others, and fit right into the story. There is a hint of romance in the book that is lightly touched upon but doesn’t overshadow the story. All of the characters were written well and I enjoyed each one of them.

This book is rich in emotional content and I was engaged in the story from the very beginning, despite having skimmed the prison sections of the book. After that section of the book was over, I had no problem falling right back in with the rest of the book. The story is fast paced and truly set up and executed well.

My Rating:

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