Friday, July 18, 2008

The Gaslight Mysteries


Hello Blog Friends! First, an apology for this coming out on a Friday. I seem to have lost the ability to count to three this month and thought my post was due next week. Ooops. ;) Fortunately, I have a fabulous book for you all... in fact a fabulous series, The Gaslight Mysteries by Victoria Thompson.


I've been anxious to review this series for some time now. I love mysteries and especially love finding a good series. This is one of my favorites by far. Thompson does a fantastic job of weaving in long term plot elements that keep you wanting the next book, while wrapping up the mystery nice and neat for each particular book, so you have a nice sense of resolution.


My absolute favorite mysteries have a touch of romance in them, so of course we have the lovely Sarah Brandt, daughter of privilage who has married outside her social class in 1905 New York. Her husband died years before the series begins leaving her independent, but of high class. She makes her way in the world as a midwife to anyone who needs her services...


This brings her into many parts of New York she otherwise wouldn't see and throws her into the way of Detective Sargent Frank Malloy - an Irish cop, rough around the edges and smitten with Sarah... not that he'd let her know.


They end up solving many murders together while battling their attraction. Also, there's the matter of her husband's death. He was murdered and Frank is determined to give her closure, even when it looks like the answers he finds are not what they'd hoped.


Murder in Washington Square is my favorite of the series so far, so I've highlighted it here. I hope you enjoy it! If you like this series, you may also like Elizabeth Peter's Amelia Peabody series and Susan Kandel's Not a Girl Detective.

4 comments:

Kimber Li said...

Awesome job, Robin!

Tia Nevitt said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Tia Nevitt said...

Must have it! Just the name of the series intrigued me, but the romance sounds fabulous and I love her background and occupation. Plus, I know a friend who would like it as well!

If you liked this one, you ought to try the Maisy Dobbs series by Jacqueline Winspear.

Robyn said...

Sounds fabulous! I love this time period- makes me think of B.J. Hoff's Emerald Balled series.