Victoria Thompson (1) (1948–)

Sarah Brandt is from a wealthy family and is a widow but is now estranged from her parents and working as a midwife. While visiting one of her patients she finds that a resident in the boarding house has been murdered and that the victim was the sister of an old friend. She is then determined to help Detective Frank Malloy find the killer and bring him to justice.

I liked the characters and how their backgrounds are revealed bit by bit as the story progresses and am looking forward to reading more of the series… (altro)

historical-fiction, historical-figures, historical-places-events, historical-research, historical-setting, history-and-culture, private-investigators, wealthy, entitled-attitude, NYC, politics, politicians, family-business, family-drama, family-dynamics, family-expectations*****

It all started on the day POTUS Wm. McKinley was shot and concluded on the day he died and Teddy Roosevelt became the POTUS. A young woman from a wealthy dysfunctional family wanted to emulate Ida Tarbell in her investigative journalism. But she was murdered for her efforts and the police decided that it was unsolvable, so they stopped trying within hours. When she died she happened to have Sarah Molloy's calling card in her pocket, so the distraught father came to Sarah who then took him to her husband's Private Investigation office. And now the game is afoot with both Tom's employees and the enthusiastic (if unwise) help of Sarah's society mother. Well done!
All the while we learn historical things like attitudes, behaviors, gas vs electric cars, political turmoil, and most importantly, all the dirt about "Patent Medicines".
I requested and received a free temporary EARC from Berkley Publishing Group | Berkley via NetGalley. Thank you… (altro)

The story begins when Louisa Rodgers comes to the women's clinic where Sarah volunteers to find out what they know about patent medicines. Louisa is a socialite who wants to be a journalist and is hoping to write an article exposing the dangers of patent medicines.

When Bernard Rodgers comes to see Frank a few days later, he wants Malloy to discover who murdered his daughter Louisa. There are plenty of suspects including a delusional stalker who claims he and Louisa were engaged, a fellow boarder at Louisa's boarding house who claims to be Louisa's best friend, and the owner of a company that makes patent medicines.

As Frank and Sarah investigate, they learn that all was not well in the Rodgers' home. While her father doted on Louisa and disparaged his son Oscar, her mother was just the opposite.

Then Mr. Rodgers is found dead of an apparent suicide which greatly complicates the case.

I liked the setting and the historical detail as the story takes place the same time McKinlay was shot and later died making Theodore Roosevelt, an acquaintance of the Malloys, president. I liked the information about patent medicines. I liked Sarah's electric car.

This was an entertaining historical mystery which is the 27th book in the series.… (altro)