Customer Reviews

Murder at Bertram's Bower: A Beacon Hill Mystery

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Has Jack the Ripper moved from London to prey on reforming prostitutes living in Bertram's Bower? When two are found brutally slashed to death, Victorian Boston goes into panic. Fearing her childhood friend's rescue mission will be destroyed, Caroline Ames forces her brother Addington and friend MacKenzie to help her investigate--despite opposition from the police and even her friend.

Cynthia Peale does an excellent job presenting characters that are both believable in the context of the Victorian era, and still sympathetic in our own day. She brings in enough history for flavor without overwhelming the reader with research.

The mystery is well crafted (although it is not especially difficult to guess the perpetrator) and well seasoned both with the historical detail and also with a strong romantic element. MacKenzie is completely infatuated with Caroline, yet cannot simply declare his affection. Addington has an even more serious problem--he admires an actress with a scandalous past. This, of course, would be completely inappropriate.

Peale does a fine job making her three primary characters sympathetic. When they are put in danger by their continued investigations, the reader really cares.

Well done.

In 1892 South End Boston, police officer Joseph Flynn discovers the horribly slashed body of twenty year old Mary Flaherty. The victim worked as a secretary to Agatha Montgomery, the head of Bertram's Bower, a place for wayward women. Mary lived in the Bower. The next evening, someone brutally murders Mary's roommate Bridget Brown in the same manner.

Besides her near mental collapse from shock, Agatha's reputation as well as that of her brother Reverend Randolph Montgomery takes a beating with the two homicides. Her close friend Caroline Ames, a once a week teacher at Bertram's Bower, persuades her brother Addington to investigate the murders even though Inspector Crippen will object. With the help of their border Dr. John MacKenzie, the sleuths begin to unravel dark secrets that place the intrepid trio at risk of becoming the next victims.

MURDER AT BERTRAM'S BOWER, the second Ames Victorian mystery (see THE DEATH OF COLONEL MANN) is a fascinating historical tale that brings the gay nineties to life. Although the use of actual past events and items add depth to the tale, the plot belong to the characters, especially Caroline, who are warm, lively, and caring. The subplot of a budding romance between Caroline and John augment the feel of authenticity. The budding romance, along with a fine who-done-it will appeal to sub-genre fans.

Harriet Klausner

This is the second book in the "Beacon Hill Series." The first book is "The Death of Colonel Mann." The next book, which I will definitely read, is "The White Crow."

Boston was always the most "upright" of the American cities, and the Victorian period exacerbated this tendency. This is the background for this series. The author catches the tone of the times and provides a great plot with the slightest hint of a romance in the offing. I figured out who the murderer was, but that in no way spoiled the story. I liked this book slightly better than the first which I also liked. This means this is not one of those series that starts with a great book and goes downhill from there.

This is a second mystery by Ms.Peale set in late XIX century Boston. She is masterful in describing the rigid class system of the Brahman elite and its tight hold on the pulse of the city. Her characters are well developed and seem alive. The only problem are her puzzles. They are not very complex and guessing a murderer doesn't pose a problem. Nevertheless I enjoyed reading this book and I rate it 3 1/2 stars.

It is a tribute to Ms. Peale's talent that despite the fact I found none of her characters to be particularly sympathetic, I was drawn irresistibly into this story about murdered reformed prostitutes and do gooders.

The Boston portrayed in this book is almost stulifying in its insularity and self righteousness. Upright men of the Watch and Ward prowl the red light section searching for moral offenses and offenders. A single misstep by a woman leads to social and familial ostracism and eventually death-- if the woman is not lucky enough to attract the attention of Agatha Montgomery, Directoress of Bertram's Bower, a facility for the reclaiming of fallen women.

Addington and Caroline Ames (with their devoted Dr. McKenzie)set out to aid Agatha and by extention the habitues of Bertram's by trying to help the police solve the case of the murdered ex-prostitutes. The reader who sets out with them gets a fascinating look at Boston in the 1890's, warts and all. The contrasts are striking. Along the way we meet a woman who was a passionate abolitionist in her youth in the same city where the advertisements for jobs that state NINA (No Irish Need Apply). One of the good things about this book is that Ms. Peale lays this information out without preachiness. The reader is allowed to discover things for herself.

During the course of the investigation, Addington is tempted from his uprightness by a fallen woman turned actress and Caroline begins to wonder if maybe it isn't some one else's turn to do some good.

This book reminds me of those fascinating interior photographs of Victorian homes-- rooms crammed so full of treasures that the eye has trouble making sense of it, but a rich trove once the pattern is decerned.

Ms. Peale writes a great Victorian mystery. She makes the era come to life expertly. In this book we are introduced to a home for "fallen" women - something quite common during this era when the ordinary citizen took responsibility for people in need because there were no social safety nets. In the book it appears that there is a crazed killer out attacking girls from Bertram's Bower (one of the homes as I've mentioned). The nature of the killing has the public worrying that the Whitechapel murderer, Jack the Ripper, has moved his base of operation to Boston. Caroline and her brother set out to try to determine who is committing these very bloody crimes because one of Caroline's dear friends runs Bertram's Bower, and it's her girls getting killed. Along the way we are exposed to the seemier side of Boston in 1892. The portrait painted of Boston from this time is very authentic, even though the mystery is easy to figure out. I really enjoy this series. It's a pleasure to find an author who knows how to create a believable Victorian mystery.

Again, a solid plot and wonderful old Boston atmosphere satisfy the mystery reader in the second book in the Beacon Hill series.

The discovery of the first book in a small bookshop in Cape Cod led to my returning within days to Books By The Sea to buy up the remaining two. I've not been disappointed thus far.

I want to see less of Caroline's headstrong ways (yawn) and more about Ames. I look forward to a little more character development in the future installments in the series.

This was my first introduction to Cynthia Peale's Mysteries. It is one of the best mysteries I have ever read. With the perfect mystery backdrop of Victorian Boston, Gaslights and Fog. This book twists and turns and just when you think you got it...you didn't! The ending is hair raising.

I'm looking forward to reading Colonel Mann and the White Crow. I applaud her work!

This was my first introduction to Cynthia Peale's Mysteries. It is one of the best mysteries I have ever read. With the perfect mystery backdrop of Victorian Boston, Gaslights and Fog. This book twists and turns and just when you think you got it...you didn't! The ending is hair raising.

I'm looking forward to reading Colonel Mann and the White Crow. I applaud her work!

When two women are murdered from a refuge for poor women, Caroline Ames feels obligated to help her friend Agatha Montgomery, who runs the Bower clear the reputation of the institution. With the help of her brother Addington and Dr McKenzie, she investigates the murders in 1870's Boston.

This mystery gives the reader a real feel for the Boston Brahmin society of the 1800's and the mystery is very good. It started out a bit slowly, but I got into it soon enough and couldn't put it down until the last page.