As the Great Depression loosens its grip on New York City, Mayor La Guardia and his team meet their greatest foe in the fight against organized crime … a trusted ally, a new ringleader signals the rebirth of an all-too-familiar crime network at home and across the pond …
Spurred on by the possibility of a violent syndicate spreading like wildfire through Europe, Lane sets sail for London—the city where her parents began the undercover work that led to their tragic undoing. And this time, she won’t chase down childhood nightmares without Finn Brodie, who vows to dispel his own difficult secrets abroad …
While Finn confronts a devious sibling’s plot that echoes Orson Welles’s Voodoo Macbeth, Lane discovers that a dazzling pearl dagger may wield the ultimate clue to guide their hunt for justice on two sides of the ocean. With terrors from the past and present converging, Lane can’t save herself unless she starts believing that, like her weapon of choice, she also has the power to be both beautiful and dangerous.
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Set in New York in the 1930s, this series follows the adventures of Lane and her boyfriend Finn. In her job as assistant to the famed Mayor Laguardia, Lane is in a good position to see the seamy underside of New York. In this story, she travels back to Ireland to deal with Finn’s less than loving family and is also on the trail of the woman responsible for the murder of her parents when Lane was just 10 years old. LA Chandlar does a very good job bringing the locations of the past to life. From the nightclubs to NY to the streets of London, you can almost hear the music and smell the heady perfume. I recommend starting with book #1 in the series since there is quite a bit of back story. However, if you start with this one, as I did, you will still be able to thoroughly enjoy it. I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
This is a wonderful series that really brings New York City in the 1930s to life for me. Lane is spunky and I like how she trusts her instincts, and how loyal and supportive she is to her boyfriend Finn, especially in this book. This book takes place in New York City, but Lane and Finn also travel to England to do some research which was a nice change for Lane. The mystery is still unfolding of the story of Lane’s parents which I find very interesting and how it ties in with the current mystery. I love how the author includes real people in the story and how she explains which details are real in the author’s notes at the back of the book. Although all of the books in the series build on each other, they could be read as stand alones. But I would recommend reading them all. I can’t wait for the next book!
I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
This series continues to progress wonderfully.
I suggest reading the books in order for the fullest experience, but any one of them alone with be a satisfying read.
A great look at 1930s New York plus London.
Sharp, interesting characters. Believable plot complications. Historical insights.
All in all, a great read.
This book is so much fun. I love the history it includes about both NYC and London. Finn and Lane are such fun characters. I also found the “bad” guys super fascinating. I haven’t even had a chance to read the first two in the series, but now I want to. This is definitely a good read!
THE PEARL DAGGER by L. A. Chandlar
The Third Art Deco Mystery
Thrilling, exciting, and dangerous, working for Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia is never a walk in the park and Lane Sanders continues to find herself in some tight spots. But Little Flower’s latest push to rid New York City of pinball machines leads to results both unexpected and deadly. While the threats could stem from various gangs vying for power, it seems more likely that the Red Scroll Network is back in business. When the heir to the network is identified Lane and her boyfriend, Detective Finn Brodie, head to London.Will they find a way to end this criminal organization once and for all or will they find themselves beset by demons of a more personal nature?
The third Art Deco Mystery continues highlight the importance of the past. While the threat at first seems to be pinball, it is actual dual threats from the past coming for both Lane and Finn in the forms of the Red Scroll Network and Finn’s family. Unchecked ambition is at the core of our villains, although, unlike Macbeth and his wife, the modern counterparts are much more patient.
Lane Sanders is an amazing woman. She’s strong, intelligent, loyal, determined, and not afraid to be true to herself. I am delighted that I get the opportunity to watch her adventures and see her grow as she learns more about her past. Although she loves fashion and dressing up, Lane is no simpering miss and she doesn’t rely on a man to save her. She’s a partner, able to support and be supported. In fact, the Art Deco Mystery series is filled with strong independent women. Aunt Evelyn, Vivian, Gwen, and Daphne are also fiercely self reliant with definite purpose, surrounding themselves with people to assist them in their endeavors, but fully able to go it alone, for good or evil!
My favorite part of the book is learning about Orson Welles’s VOODOO MACBETH. Indeed the story of MACBETH correlates precisely to THE PEAR DAGGER. I grinned as each similarity appeared. As with Shakespeare’s MACBETH, the characters of Chandlar’s THE PEAR DAGGER feel the pull of ambition and find it leading them to the edge.
THE PEARL DAGGER is a finely crafted mystery bathed in historical detail. Richly developed characters, dramatic chases, and surprising twists make this book a first rate novel you won’t want to miss.
FTC Disclosure – The publisher sent me a copy of this book in the hopes I would review it.
Historical mysteries are tops on my list and when they involve real life people, well, yeas please. Add to that one of the most interesting periods, Art Deco with some of the most beautiful art ever created – from skyscrapers to fashion and it’s a glorious background for a mystery series. This, the third in the series, can be read as a stand alone but the reader, new to the series, would be better served by starting with The Silver Gun and really get to know Lane Sanders, her larger than life boss Mayor LaGuardia and Finn Brodie, her policeman boyfriend. Set against the glitz, glamour and crime of New York City, it’s a feast for the senses.
Partly set in New York City and across the Pond, Lane and Finn follow a crime ring, the Red Scroll, to London which leads them both to secrets from their respective family’s past. We meet Orson Wells and Winston Churchill and we see the party crowds at the Savoy and El Morocco. While the characters were well drawn and the mystery was satisfying, I found the setting to be the biggest draw for me. I am ready for the fourth book and hopefully more than that.