Murder on St. Nicholas Avenue by Victoria Thompson

Historical Mystery

From Goodreads:

The author of Murder on Amsterdam Avenue returns to nineteenth-century New York City to find Christmas in the air, a police detective and a midwife with love in their hearts, and a wealthy newlywed with blood on her hands…

Detective Sergeant Frank Malloy and Sarah Brandt are not the only ones who have recently tied the knot. Family friend Mrs. O’Neill was delighted when her daughter Una wed the seemingly wealthy and charming Randolph Pollock. She didn’t wonder why such an affluent man would want to marry a poor Irish girl, no matter how pretty she was. But now Mrs. O’Neill has a problem.

Pollock’s servants have found their employer bludgeoned to death with Una cradling his body. Rendered mute by the horror of her husband’s death, Una cannot explain what happened, so the police have charged her with murder and locked her away in the Tombs to await trial.

Mrs. O’Neill would like Frank to investigate the case and save Una, yet with Frank and Sarah still on their honeymoon, it’s up to the other members of their newly formed household to do some detective work. But solving the mystery behind Pollock’s death means first discovering the truth about who he really is.

Murder on St. Nicholas Avenue is a bonus book in the Gaslight Mystery series and it is a very good bonus.  Thank you Victoria Thompson for this great Christmas gift.

Frank and Sarah are off on their honeymoon but that does not stop the mysteries that arrive on their door step.  Maeve and Gino join forces with Mr. and Mrs. Decker to solve what turns out to be more than a murder.

This book is great fun.  I loved the scenes between Mr . and Mrs. Decker.  She thinks she is keeping her involvement in this and previous cases from him but it turns out he has his suspicions.  There are some really laugh out loud moments when reading the dialog between the two.

This is a great set up for furture books.  We know more Maeve, Gino, Mrs. Decker and of course Mr. Decker.  A great side note.  Mr Decker did not realize his life was boring until he started helping solve some of the cases.

I look forward to these four have a more important role in future books.  It will add a new dimension to one of my favorite series.

Berkley Crime published Murder on St. Nicholas Avenue by Victoria Thompson in 2015.