In Murder on Millionaires’ Row, Erin Lindsey’s debut historical mystery, a daring housemaid searches Gilded Age Manhattan for her missing employer and finds a hidden world of magic, ghosts, romance, and Pinkerton detectives. “With a strong, likeable heroine and a well-drawn cast of characters, this highly recommended romp through late 19th-century New York will have readers clamoring for the next … readers clamoring for the next installment.”—Library Journal (Starred)
Rose Gallagher might dream of bigger things, but she’s content enough with her life as a housemaid. After all, it’s not every girl from Five Points who gets to spend her days in a posh Fifth Avenue brownstone, even if only to sweep its floors. But all that changes on the day her boss, Mr. Thomas Wiltshire, disappears. Rose is certain Mr. Wiltshire is in trouble, but the police treat his disappearance as nothing more than the whims of a rich young man behaving badly. Meanwhile, the friend who reported him missing is suspiciously unhelpful. With nowhere left to turn, Rose takes it upon herself to find her handsome young employer.
The investigation takes her from the marble palaces of Fifth Avenue to the sordid streets of Five Points. When a ghostly apparition accosts her on the street, Rose begins to realize that the world around her isn’t at all as it seems—and her place in it is about to change forever.
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Murder on Millionaires’ Row is utterly charming, scrupulously researched, and beautifully felt. I enjoyed every page and cannot wait for Rose to stick her fingers into ever more perilous pies.
I didn’t want to put it down.
Loved! At first I thought it was like so many of the other historical mysteries I’ve read, but then I got to somewhere in the middle and BAM! Plot twist. The BEST kind of plot twist that makes this story stand out from all the rest. Excited to see where the rest of the series goes.
3.5/5
This was an odd book for me. It started out as a straight forward mystery book involving a housemaid (Rose) whose wealthy employer goes missing. She sets out to find out what happened to him.
THEN it takes a huge paranormal turn, out of the blue. There are ghosts, a secret society of people with various special abilities, Pinkertons and an opened portal from the spirit world.
I like paranormals, but this was a bit jarring in its abrupt turn. And in the end it was just an OK for me.
Great beginning to what I hope will be a new series. Well researched with a good who-done-it plot and and well rounded characters.
Well done.
Solid, interesting characters.
Uncertainty as to who can be trusted.
Very capable heroine.
Plenty to supply numerous further adventures.
MURDER ON MILLIONAIRES’ ROW
By Erin Lindsey
In Gilded Age Manhattan Rose Gallagher is a clever girl with a good head on her shoulders. Working as a maid on Fifth Avenue, she doesn’t forget her roots in the rough neighborhood of Five Points. When her boss goes missing, a boss whom she deeply admires, she knows she can’t trust the police to pursue the matter. Despite being warned, Rose takes matters into her own hands and begins to investigate. What she discovers is more than she ever bargained for. A whole new world of ghosts, portals, and luck has opened up and Rose Gallagher’s life is forever changed.
MURDER ON MILLIONAIRES’ ROW starts as a normal historical mystery, but quickly develops into an exciting paranormal adventure. I love the historical nature of the story, the author providing well researched details of life in the late 1800s. I grinned at the mention of the American Society for Psychical Research as well as its British counterpart having read several of their journals!
The depth of characterization here is wonderful, each person unique, with their own story embedded within the mystery itself. Rose is much more than just a love struck girl with gumption. She’s loyal with a good mind and a courageous soul. Subtle nuanced behavior gives readers a glimpse into the minds and motivations of all the characters making me want to learn more about all them. Not so subtle behavior as well adds spice as well – I can picture Clara with her frying pan! Each person is developed to the extent that almost all could star in their own novel! And I’d want to read them all! I want to know more about Mrs. Meyer. I’d love to know how Mrs. Weber and Mr. Smith discovered their abilities. There’s so much more to The Dragon and The Bloodhound. I’d love to explore Wang’s grocery and find the perfect tea for me.
MURDER ON MILLIONAIRES’ ROW is a fantastic debut mystery. A multitude of nuanced characters, life and death situations, and a fascinating storyline create a thrilling mystery that captivated me from start to finish!
FTC Disclosure – The publisher sent me a copy of this book in the hopes I would review it.
Murder on Millionaires’ Row is a debut mystery by Erin Lindsey. Rose Gallagher works as a maid in the household of Mr. Thomas Wiltshire on Fifth Avenue in New York City in 1886. Sunday evening Rose arrives home after her day off and goes to prepare her employers room for the evening. Something feels off and Rose is sure that boss has not been in since Saturday. The next morning the coppers arrive after 5 a.m. because Mr. Jonathan Burrows, a friend of Thomas’, has filed a missing persons report. Rose can tell that Detective Ward is not taking the case seriously, and she decides to pursue the matter on her own. Rose has dreamed of becoming a travel and adventure writer. Little does she realize that searching for Mr. Wiltshire and the mystery he is embroiled in will be the adventure of a lifetime.
Murder on Millionaires’ Row is a complex novel. Ms. Lindsey captured the Gilded Age with her vivid descriptions of the clothing, the architecture, the literature, music, the language and attitudes of the people especially towards the Irish. New York City is brought alive in Murder on Millionaires’ Row. I can envision Fifth Avenue with its cobbled streets, the carriages, ladies decked out in beautiful gowns with their hats and parasols, and the men in their bespoke suits, hats and carrying their walking sticks. Of course, we can also imagine Five Points with children running around, litter in the streets, and thugs on the street corners as well as the Tenderloin with its dangerous bars, illegal businesses and men who will knife you for your money. The author did her research for this story, and I appreciated the author’s note at the end. Rose is a feisty Irish lass who has a crush on her employer. Nothing is going to stand in her way of tracking Mr. Wiltshire down when he goes missing. She is tenacious and intelligent. Thomas Wiltshire is a complex man with a unique position. He introduces Rose to another side of life that she had no idea existed. Another great character is Clara Freeman who is the cook for Mr. Wiltshire. I did feel the Rose’s infatuation with Mr. Wiltshire was mentioned too often. It seems to be the only reason she is searching for her employer. I felt Rose was also curious and needed the challenge (a much better rationale). I cannot believe she managed to keep from being fired by the tartar of a housekeeper. Rose disappeared frequently while looking for Mr. Wiltshire. Clara has hidden layers. We just dig at the surface in Murder on Millionaires’ Row. I found Murder on Millionaires’ Row to be a slow starter. The pace picked up the further I got into the story as well as my interest. I was unprepared for the paranormal aspects, but I was delighted by it. It added another layer to the story along with Pinkerton agents, ciphers and magic. Included in the story are witches, mediums, ghosts, shades and so much more. The mystery is multifaceted. It plays out over the course of the book with new aspects being regularly introduced. At times it does feel overwhelming (there is a lot going on). I would have liked the mystery to have been one that readers could solve along with Rose and Thomas (I love unraveling a puzzle). Murder on Millionaires’ Row is a unique cozy mystery that will take you for a walk on the dark side of New York City.
Sharp, insightful, and more than a little sassy, Rose Gallagher is a heroine to cheer for. Lovers of historical mysteries and all things supernatural will devour Murder on Millionaires’ Row and clamor for more
A charming mystery of manners. Ghosts, murder, magic, and a heroine who’s impulsive but also refreshingly smart about her choices. What’s not to love?
Murder on Millionaires’ Row by Erin Lindsey was an enjoyable look at New York City during the late 1800’s. Ms. Lindsey’s descriptive writing of Park Avenue, Five Points and the Tenderloin districts made me feel like I was there in New York City with Rose, Clara, Mr. Wiltshire and the other characters.
The paranormal aspects of this investigation were complex as well as the murder of two Park Avenue brothers. The book was entertaining although I did find the beginning of the book to be slowly paced. However, it picked up as Rose became more involved in the investigation. The characters are beginning to be developed; and I’m sure that more of them will be revealed if this becomes a series. I admired Rose and her tenacity and determination. However, I found I had to stretch my imagination that the only maid in the household would have so much free time to investigate the disappearance of her employer.
All in all this was an engaging read and I would definitely be happy to read more if this becomes a series.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book provided by Minotaur Books/St. Marin’s Press. All of the above opinions are my own.