Murder on Sisters' Row (Gaslight Mystery, #13) in 2-3-4 Challenge

Jan 07, 2019 Jonetta rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2019-beat-the-backlist-challenge, 2019-in-2019, 5000-2019, 2019-library-love-challenge, 2019-historical-fiction-challenge, nc-br-digital-library, historical-mystery, group-read

Midwife Sarah Brandt is taken to what she first believes is a boardinghouse for women to help with an imminent delivery for one of the residents. It soon dawns on her that the house is a brothel and her patient asks for her help to escape. She’s given the name of a woman known to help young women like her patient. Sarah agrees to do so and visits the woman, Vivian Van Orner, and gets in deeper than she’d envisioned, enough that she gets a visit from Detective Sergeant Frank Malloy.

One of the st ...more

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Feb 16, 2019 Lauren rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: cop-hero, gilded-age, historical-mystery

Murder on Sisters' Row
3 Stars

Midwife Sarah Brandt is called to assist a young woman in labor at what turns out to be a high end brothel. When the new mother claims she is being held against her will, Sarah becomes involved with a charity that rescues prostitutes. But then the head of the organization is poisoned, and Sarah learns that there is more to the girl's story than meets the eye.

While this installment is enjoyable overall with the informative historical tidbits and the immersive sense o ...more

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Jan 05, 2019 Robin rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2019, mystery

Midwife Sarah Brandt is called upon to deliver a baby in a brothel. The mother is a prostitute named Amy who tells Sarah that she is being held against her will. Sarah agrees to help her and contacts Mrs. Vivian Van Orner, a woman who oversees a charity that helps get prostitutes off of the street. In a matter of days, Mrs. Van Orner's group has taken Amy and her baby from the brothel and placed them in a safe house. But soon after, Mrs. Van Orner is found murdered. Detective Sergeant Frank Mall ...more

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Dec 28, 2018 Connie rated it it was amazing

I was happy to be back in New York during this time period. Mrs. Brandt and Frank Malloy did not disappoint. It always amazes me how Ms. Thompson writes and how you feel like you are right there in that time period.

Mrs. Decker was not in this one too much, it was mostly Sarah Brandt and the list of possible killers. I thought I had it figured out, but was a little surprised when it was revealed.

Great mystery and great depiction of the times. 5 out of 5 stars for me.

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Jan 24, 2020 Sharon Kallenberger Marzola rated it really liked it

Shelves: series, historical, police-procedural, series-in-progress

3.5 Stars

Here is another good story in the Gaslight Mystery series by Victoria Thompson.

A knock at Sarah Brandt’s door is a call for her to help a young woman in labor. She is taken to what she believes is a boardinghouse, only to find that is a brothel. The young girl, Amy, begs Sarah for help. She doesn’t want to be a prostitute, and she knows they will take her baby from her. Sarah is her only hope for escape. Amy directs her to a woman who helps people like her.

Sarah worries about the young 3.5 Stars

Here is another good story in the Gaslight Mystery series by Victoria Thompson.

A knock at Sarah Brandt’s door is a call for her to help a young woman in labor. She is taken to what she believes is a boardinghouse, only to find that is a brothel. The young girl, Amy, begs Sarah for help. She doesn’t want to be a prostitute, and she knows they will take her baby from her. Sarah is her only hope for escape. Amy directs her to a woman who helps people like her.

Sarah worries about the young woman and her child. She makes the decision to look for Mrs. Van Orn and the charity to help with a rescue. They appeal to Sarah to help with the recue, which gets Sarah more involved with Amy. Sarah’s involvement sets up a series of events that end in a murder mystery that had me stumped through most of the book.

As she does in each book in this series, Victoria Thompson shares the New York City history of Sister’s Row, the location of the brothels, the standard operating procedure for police to accept bribes that keep the brothels running, and the charities of the time. The charities during this era are run by society women, but they set up strict rules that limit the help they can offer. It is sad to learn that any help is recorded by the charities so the recipients can’t crossover and get help from a second charity.

Sarah Brandt and Frank Malloy work together nicely on this murder. Frank reacts differently to Sarah’s request for help. I’m hoping this means that their relationship is going to move forward soon. It feels like Frank’s resistance is going on a little too long. I understand his reasoning due to the attitudes of the time, but it is time for the reader—at least this reader.

I enjoyed reading this book. It is filled with historical information that I find interesting and sends me to do additional research of my own. The procedural is well done and kept me turning the pages. There are some tense moments towards the end with an unexpected twist. Another good book in this series.
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