Turn-of-the-century New York City shines in the Gaslight mystery series. Midwife and sleuth Sarah Brandt and Detective Sergeant Frank Malloy must protect Sarah’s mother from scandal after she tries to contact her dead daughter during a séance that sends one of the attendees into the afterlife. But first, they have to determine how the woman was murdered in the pitch dark when all the suspects … all the suspects were holding hands.
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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.
Sarah Brandt receives a strange request from her mother, Elizabeth Brandt. She wants Sarah to accompany her to a seance led by a spiritualist who was being vouched for by a friend. Flabbergasted, Sarah agrees but is alarmed at some of the things that happened during the session and makes her mother promise not to attend anymore. Well, that didn’t work and the next session ends when one of the attendees ends up murdered.
I couldn’t imagine why Elizabeth Decker would want to attend a seance given her normally levelheaded nature. But, once her motivations were revealed, I understood completely and settled into this strange and curious story. It was challenging trying to figure out if Madam Serafina was the real deal and had special gifts while attempting to unearth the identity of the killer. If you pay close attention, the clues are all there to solve both.
I enjoyed this story, which was a bit of a departure from the rest but still containing some interesting factoids (i.e., origin of the flashlight and how it got its name). Everyone has a role, including Maeve and Mrs. Ellsworth. Mrs. Decker was a bonus! She and Frank Malloy got to spend some serious quality time together and it won’t be long before he becomes more acceptable to the family as a potential son-in-law.
A murder takes at the home where Sarah’s mother is attending a séance. The description of mediums and spirit guides during that era and the tricks used during séance sessions were humorous and entertaining. Sarah’s mother didn’t seem like the type to get involved in a séance, but she was a perfect character to use considering her circumstances.
I loved it!
I have read and kept all of Thompson’s “Murder On “ books. Always hoping there will be another. The main characters have become like family members. Her description of New York City at the turn of the 20th Century is so colorful and interesting. A great deal of research must have been done to recreate the ambiance. Come on Victoria write faster.