Publication date March 12, 2024

Summary

When typhoid arrives in New York City, Molly heads to the countryside with her children to stay with her mother-in-law. She’s neither excited about staying with her husband’s critical mother, nor happy to leave her husband behind, but because she is pregnant, she agrees it is the correct decision to make. 

Soon, an opportunity arises to visit her neighbors and friends, Sid and Gus, at an artists’ retreat in the Catskills. Her mother-in-law encourages her to visit, but once there, a dead body threatens to keep her away longer than planned. 

This is the 20th book in the Molly Murphy Mystery Series.

My Thoughts

This is the first Molly Murphy mystery that I have read, but  I found it was no problem at all jumping in on book 20. 

The book was well-researched, engagingly written, and well-plotted. The mystery kept me guessing until the end. 

Set in the early 1900s, the authors added details that gave a feeling of authenticity. They also created vivid descriptions of the settings. 

I had a few questions unanswered by the end of the story, but all the major ones had been addressed. 

I received a free eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Content Warnings

Because it’s set in the early 1900s, there is a good deal of misogynistic behavior. Also, there is a Jewish community involved, and there is a local officer who is antisemitic. Two women discuss sexual assaults. There are references to prior pregnancy loss.

My Rating 4/5

About the Authors

Credit: Douglas Sonders

Rhys Bowen is the New York Times bestselling author of more than forty novels, including The Victory Garden, The Tuscan Child, and the World War II-based In Farleigh Field, the winner of the Left Coast Crime Award for Best Historical Mystery Novel and the Agatha Award for Best Historical Novel. 2021’s The Venice Sketchbook was nominated for the Edgar Award for Best Novel of the Year. Bowen’s work has won over twenty honors to date, including multiple Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity awards. Her books have been translated into many languages, and she has fans around the world, including over 60,000 Facebook followers. A transplanted Brit, Bowen divides her time between California and Arizona.

To learn more about Rhys and her work be sure to visit her website.

Clare Broyles is an author, teacher and musician. She is the daughter of Rhys Bowen and has worked with her mother on three of the Molly Murphy Mysteries. You can find her website here.