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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2163 KP) rated Murder on Waverly Place in Books

Apr 4, 2020  
Murder on Waverly Place
Murder on Waverly Place
Victoria Thompson | 2009 | Mystery
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Murder at a Séance
Midwife Sarah Brandt is surprised when her mother, Mrs. Decker, begs Sarah to join her at a séance. Mrs. Decker is hoping to reach Maggie, Sarah’s older sister, and obtain forgiveness for something that happened before she passed. Sarah goes, but nothing she experiences convinces her that it is at all real. However, Mrs. Decker goes back a second time, and one of the group members is murdered. They quickly call in Detective Sergeant Frank Malloy. The lights were out, and everyone was holding hands, so how was the victim killed?

Between the how and the who, I was pulled into this story and couldn’t put it down. There are some great twists along the way, and the climax is logical, although one part bothered me. It’s a very minor complaint. Sarah and Frank continue to be strong leads, ably sharing the view point of the story in a way that is easy to follow. They even made me laugh a few times as I was reading. While we don’t see Frank’s family, we do get to see more of the people in Sarah’s life, and I love spending time with them. The new characters are fantastic, and help bring New York City of 1897 to life. I always get lost in Sarah and Frank’s world, and this book was no exception. If you are looking for a historical mystery, I highly recommend this book.
  
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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2163 KP) rated Murder on Sisters’ Row in Books

Aug 14, 2020  
Murder on Sisters’ Row
Murder on Sisters’ Row
Victoria Thompson | 2011 | Mystery
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Rescue Leads to Murder
Midwife Sarah Brandt’s latest client is a woman in an elegant house. However, over the course of her labor, Amy reveals that she is being held against her will by a madam. Sarah enlists some others to help her free Amy and her baby only for someone to turn up dead. With Frank Malloy assigned to the case, the duo finds themselves investigating another intriguing mystery. Can they figure out what happened?

While the book delves into a serious subject, it does it without forcing the details on us, something I appreciated as I read. Instead it does an excellent job of bringing life in 1890’s New York City to life once again and shining the light on another part of society during the time. I love Sarah, Frank, and the rest of the gang. While all the characters shine, there isn’t any movement in the ongoing storylines, so you could jump in here without being too lost. The new characters represent a wide part of society, and they are all brought to life well. The plot kept me engaged. I was a step or two ahead of Sarah and Frank at times, at others I was heading in the wrong direction. Everything comes together for a page turning climax. I’m doing my best to catch up on this series. If you are as behind as I am, you’ll be delighted with this entry in the series.
  
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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2163 KP) rated Murder on Lexington Avenue in Books

Jun 12, 2020  
Murder on Lexington Avenue
Murder on Lexington Avenue
Victoria Thompson | 2010 | Mystery
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Working on Saturday is Murder
New York City Detective Sergeant Frank Malloy is called to a murder scene at a business office on a Saturday afternoon. Frank quickly learns that the man has a deaf daughter and is heavily involved with one of the deaf schools in the area. Frank’s son is deaf as well, so he already has some knowledge of the schools, but he quickly begins to learn more about the deaf community as he investigates. He also realizes that he must bring in midwife Sarah Brandt. Sarah’s involvement turns out to be a good thing since she can get close to the victim’s family. Will she learn enough so that the two of them can solve the case?

Frank gets involved in this case pretty quickly, although Sarah’s involvement takes a little longer to develop. Still, the duo once again make a fantastic team as they work together well to solve the case. Along the way, we get plenty of suspects and twists. I was sure I had it figured out several times before we reached the end. We do get some updates on Frank and Sarah’s families, including something that I think will jump start a new longer mystery arc. I also appreciated how this book explored the deaf community in the 1890’s. You really could jump in here, but whether you start this series here or go back to the beginning, you’ll be pulled back in time with these excellent books.