Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Murder on Madison Square by Victoria Thompson Series: Gaslight Mystery #25
Published by Berkley on April 26, 2022
Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery
Pages: 352
Format: eARC
Source: NetGalley
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Former policeman Frank Malloy is frustrated when a woman requests his private detective services to implicate her wealthy husband in adultery, the only legal grounds for divorce in New York state. Although Mrs. Bing seems genuinely distressed about her marriage and desperate to end it, she refuses to tell Frank the reason she absolutely must divorce her husband and admits she has no legal grounds. Frank explains he won't manufacture evidence for her and sends her on her way.
The following week, Frank and Sarah happen to be attending the first ever auto show in Madison Square Garden when they meet the woman's husband, Alfred Bing, who has invested in a company that produces one of the electric motorcars on display. A few days later, the newspapers report that millionaire Alvin Bing has been found dead, pinned beneath one of the wheels of his very own motorcar. But who was driving it? The obvious suspect is Mrs. Bing, but Frank and Sarah find that nothing is as it seems in their puzzling, dangerous search for truth.
I have been loving this Gaslight Mystery series. I enjoy all the characters but particularly Frank and Sarah. I’m glad they are the primary ones investigating rather than Gino and Maeve. It’s a little sad to see less of their children, Brian and Catherine, and Sarah’s parents but they can’t be involved in every case.
The murder and the family involved were not pleasant. I didn’t like or trust any of them very much except for the “widow” who tried to hire Frank to help with her divorce from Mr. Bing and later did hire him to solve her husband’s murder. I won’t spoil the story but the husband really deserved to die. He left a real mess in his wake.
Mr. Bing was an investor in an electric car manufacturer. Frank, Sarah, Gino and Maeve went to an auto show not long before he died and met him. They saw him and learned about the cars. I really enjoyed this part, as I have an electric car. The author’s note gave a lot of the history about car manufacturing and I loved it. The author’s notes with historical information is always a joy for me.
I really loved this exciting mystery with my favorite investigators. They are always compassionate to others’ grief and misfortune. No matter how convoluted, they always ascertain the killer with motive and evidence.
About Victoria Thompson
Victoria Thompson is the USA Today bestselling author of the Edgar® and Agatha nominated Gaslight Mystery series and the Sue Grafton Memorial Award nominated Counterfeit Lady Series. She was nominated for an Edgar Award from Mystery Writers of America in 2001, and in 2012 she received a Career Achievement Award in Mystery Writing from RT Magazine. Six of her Gaslight Mysteries were nominated for an Agatha Award. She also contributed to the award winning writing textbook MANY GENRES/ONE CRAFT and authored a short story for the anthology, SHERLOCK HOLMES IN AMERICA. In her previous life, Victoria Thompson was the bestselling author of twenty historical romances. She earned her Master of Fine Arts degree in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University in 2012, where she has been a mentor and lecturer for 20 years.
“I became enchanted by New York City, and Greenwich Village in particular, while one of my daughters attended NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. After reading many books about the village, and spending many pleasant hours dining, shopping, and just wandering the streets, I was permanently hooked!”
Victoria Thompson is has also written 20 historical romances.
I read all types of books but my favorites are urban fantasy and romantic suspense.I like some romance and some action / adventure / mystery in everything.I like sex in my books but please, only between TWO people.Intimate conversation is equally important to the sex in a book.It lets me see the characters.The other thing I enjoy is humor.
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I love this series, too, and was also glad Frank and Sarah were the main focus. Wonderful review, Anne💜
Thanks Jonetta. The focus plus the electric cars in history make this one of my favorite in the series.
I love the sound of this series. Historic Manhattan sounds like a great place for a mystery.
This series is one of my favorite historical mystery series and I binged thru them very quickly last year to catch up to current. I found them easy to read. I did listen to the first 8 on audio and then they changed narrators so I switched to reading. I tried the new and current narrator but I just kept fighting her in my head to hear the initial one. *shrugs*
As you know, I don’t read a lot of mystery but you have my curiosity piqued. Engaging characters are a draw, of course, but the history lessons are interesting, too. Glad you continue to enjoy this series, Anne.
This author does a great job of including realistic aspects of life in the period. There is an author’s note usually describing even more about the real information about the time period. There have been others with information / plots around women’s health care (Sarah is a nurse and midwife, her first husband was a doctor), Teddy Roosevelt in the police and government, racism and cultural castes in society, and the sad options for women overall.
Wow still loving a series at #25 is quite the feat. Glad you love it
I do really enjoy them. Some themes are more interesting to me than others but they are relatively quick, easy reads with some true historical facts and setting.
I love this series, too! Frank and Sarah are so great together, and I love when Sarah’s mom does end up helping them with a case. She’s so funny! I’m looking forward to reading this one. 🙂
yes, I love the ones with Frank and Sarah as primary most, but the supporting cast is awesome. Both mothers are enjoyable and often helpful with the human nature aspects.
I really enjoyed the books I’ve read in the series. I need to get back to it!
They are relatively short and easy to read. I binged them all over a couple of weeks. I hope you get to progress in the series.
I read one of her books but it was in another series. I might have to give this series a try at some point.
I haven’t read her other series but may get to it at some point.
Wow, book 25? That’s a lot! I should try one day but that’s a lot of books to read
I binged them all last year or maybe it was the year before. I really enjoyed the setting and the author’s notes on the historical facts. They are shorter and quick to read.
Great review Anne:). I’ve been enjoying more murder mysteries recently – so I’m intrigued by this series, which sounds like one I’d enjoy. Thank you for sharing.
I seem to always be a fan of murder mysteries. It gives more plot and a more definite conclusion usually. The author utilizes some true historical parts in the story and shares the facts in more detail in her author’s notes. Yet the books are relatively short and quick to read.
The Gaslight series is my favorite in this genre, followed by C. S. Harris’s Sebastian St. Cyr series, and Anna Lee Huber’s Lady Darby series. I have recently discovered a new author in the genre, Felicity Young. I highly recommend her Dr. Dody McLeland series.
Thanks for sharing more favorites with me. I have collected all the Sebastian St. Cyr books on audio and have read the first 5 and I’m aware of the Anna Lee Huber books. One that I also love is the Andrea Penrose series of Wrexford & Sloane
Oh, yes, love Wrexford and Sloane, too! And, you’re very welcome!