20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
8th entry in Gaslight Mystery series fascinating, September 29, 2006
Murder in Little Italy by Victoria Thompson is the eighth entry in the Gaslight Mystery series featuring New York midwife Sarah Brandt and her occasional suitor Detective Sergeant Frank Malloy. A young pregnant Irish girl marries into an Italian family, but when her baby arrives "prematurely" and roly-poly fat, the family turns on her. The next morning the girl is dead, and as Sarah and Frank try to investigate the Black Hand gets involved and no one is talking. Thompson handles the issue of discrimination and prejudice well without assigning blame to either side. She also works in some great New York history into the story without it feeling forced. The chemistry between Frank and Sarah continues to grow, and the subplots with their families are intriguing and don't interfere with the mystery. My only disappointment is that I have to wait for the next installment to come out!
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16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Thompson saved the best for last, June 13, 2006
Victoria Thompson has written a series of eight Gaslight Mystery books that are superb. This reader cannot provide enough accolades to the writer to compare to the hours of pleasure received while reading this series. Like Bruce Alexander, she is thorough, like Rhys Bowen, she entertains but unlike Anne Perry who has a dark side, Thompson uplifts the reader with imagery of words, deeds of the characters and their ability to cope with unsettling conditions.
The factor that distinguishes Thompson as a writer, is her ability to "tell the story" while teaching the reader about the historical facts of the turn of the last century. She provides details of the powerful and not so powerful elements of society that blend as one to create truth of historical data and enchantment from the fiction. Thompson also piques the interest of the reader by promising a brighter future for the two main characters, but never quite giving into the temptation, thereby leaving the reader wanting more and more and more.
When you have completed each book in her series - Murder at..... Astor Place, St Mark's Place, Gramacey Place, Washington Square, Mulberry Bend, Marble Row, Lenox Hill and finally, Little Italy, the reader is elevated by the quality of the writing, the bonding with the main characters, the fascination of the peripheral characters, and the knowledge gained relative to the genre. Thompson's writing is so close to perfect that it leaves you smiling.
Considering the late 1800's and first part of the twentieth century was anything but easy or fair, the reader must endure assaults on the senses when it comes to cleanliness, brutality, environmental conditions and justice. But Thompson rises above that as the principals muddle through each solution to a dilemma. Both of her main characters, Sarah Brandt, midwife and Frank Malloy, investigator in a corrupt New York City police department, have grown and become more endearing to the reader and to each other because of their most unusual friendship. For the reader, who participates in every caper by imagination, it has been pure joy to experience.
As wonderful as this book is, please take my advice and start at the beginning. Your appreciation for fine writing will grow with each book.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A fine addition to this series, June 28, 2006
The last in Victoria Thompson's excellent series featuring midwife Sarah Brandt and Frank Malloy makes fascinating reading. It gives a vivid picture of the animosity between the Irish and Italians. While there is no romance between Sarah and Malloy, their fondness for each other is plainly there. The characters are very well drawn. I could not put this book down; it is a very good mystery. Hope there is more to come soon.
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