Murder in Murray Hill

Written by Victoria Thompson

Narrated by Suzanne Toren

Frank Malloy has never known any life other than that of a cop, but his newfound inheritance threatens his position within his department. While trying to keep both his relationship with Sarah and his fortune under wraps, he' s assigned to a new case-- finding a missing young woman for her worried father, Henry Livingston. It seems the girl had been responding to " lonely hearts" ads in the paper for months before she disappeared. Her father thinks that she' s eloped with a deceptive stranger, but Malloy fears the worst, knowing that the grifters who place such ads often do much more than simply abscond with their victims. But as Sarah and Malloy delve deeper into a twisted plot targeting the city' s single women, it' s their partnership-- both professional and private-- that winds up in the greatest peril

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: May 6, 2014
• ISBN: 9781490605234

Victoria Thompson

Victoria Thompson is the author of twenty bestselling historical romances. She is also the Edgar nominated author of the bestselling Gaslight Mystery Series, set in turn-of-the-century New York City and featuring midwife Sarah Brandt. She also contributed to the award winning writing textbook Many Genres/One Craft. A popular speaker, Victoria teaches in the Seton Hill University master's program in writing popular fiction. She lives in Central PA with her husband and a very spoiled little dog.Please visit Victoria Thompson’s www.victoriathompson.homestead.com to learn about new releases and discover old favorites!

Reviews for Murder in Murray Hill

[newsieq · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

NYPD Detective Sergeant Frank Malloy is assigned his last case, although he doesn’t know it’s his last case at the time. It’s not a murder, it’s a missing person: Grace Livingston, spinster. But just when he has a plan in place for finding Grace, he’s fired. Fired because word has leaked out that he is the beneficiary of a multi-million-dollar bequest (and this is 1890s New York) and the jealousy among his peers is palpable.But now that he doesn’t have to abide by the rules police officers are bound by (like his fiancée Sarah Brandt’s helping him with his cases), he can investigate on his own. So when Grace’s father hires him as a private investigator, Frank embarks on his new career. What Frank and Sarah discover is appalling: sex slavery going on in the Murray Hill neighborhood. The author handles the topic with delicacy – much is left to the imagination in the rescued women’s sordid tales. But this is the Gilded Age, when blaming the victim was even more common than it is today, and few families will accept the women back with much affection. This is a riveting tale, despite its overall darkness. I found myself unable to put it down. Looking back, I’ve found all these “Gaslight Mysteries” real page turners. That’s why the series is one of new favorites.

[bettesbooks · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Someone is preying on "lonely" women in this Victorian New York mystery. Frank is assignedthe case of the disappearance of a young woman from her home at the request of her father. At the same time Frank is trying to keep his new financial status and his relationship with Sarah Brandt under wraps.

[olivermagnus · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In the sixteenth book of the Gaslight Mystery series, a young woman is missing and her father comes to Detective Sergeant Frank Malloy for help. It's Malloy's last day working as a police detective in 19th century New York City. When he discovers she's disappeared after responding to a personal ad in the newspaper he decides to take a look for her. Soon he finds out that many other women who answered the ads are missing. With fiancee Sarah Brandt’s help, they search for the women while trying to plan their future.

This has become one of my favorite historical mystery series. I love the atmosphere of turn of the century New York and the fictional incorporation of some of the most famous real life people. The author has done a great job of developing her characters over the course of the series. This book can be read as a standalone but I feel like this is a series best read in order. I would recommend reading the first book, Murder on Astor Place, to get a feel for where the characters started.

[mmoj_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Victoria Thompson doesn't disappoint. Sarah nd Malloy are on the case again. This time they have to track down a woman answering singles ads. What I always love about Thompson's stories is how well researched they are. This is a series so don't read this until after catching up on the others.

[nancyno5 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The latest induction into the Gaslight murder mystery series. In this volume, Sarah and Frank tackle a very modern day problem; the dangers of online dating. However, in this era the crimes are committed through lonely hearts ads placed in local papers. The storyline itself was exciting however I am find all the characters are starting to lose their sparkle. These stories were originally more about Sarah and her job as a midwife. With her the readers was shown more of the seedier side of life in the tenements of NY city. She was the poor man's champion. Now she seems to play second fiddle to Frank.The sexual tension created between she and Frank has now mellowed because they are engaged. I guess this is what happens when an author or writer feels they need to capitulate to public pressure and bring the two formally together. I don't necessarily like that tactic; not in books or in TV. I am curious as to which way Victoria Thompson is going to take this series and how she is going to keep its uniqueness.

[pennykaplan · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A young "spinster's" disappearance leads Frank and Sarah to a man who preys on the hopes and dreams of innocent women. Not such a strong feeling of place in this one.

[delphimo_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Gaslight series by Victoria Thompson shows New York at the turn of the century with the vivid gamut between the rich and the poor. In this mystery, a young, unmarried woman disappears and her father wants to find her. The case involves the "lonely hearts" advertising in the newspaper, and what can happen. Mallory no longer needs to work as a policeman, due to a beneficial twist of fate, but he continues to aid the police department as a private investigator. Mallory and Susan are planning to marry and combine their families into one group. Thompson does an excellent job in depicting both the good and the bad characters. I missed having Susan's mother involved in the story, but not all the characters can appear in every book. The story moves quickly and the book finishes easily.

[romonko · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I love Victoria Thompson's Gaslight series set in turn of the century New York City. For those not in the know, Sarah Brandt is a widow who actually comes from a very rich Old New York family, but she married a doctor who didn't have a moneyed family background. He is murdered and leaves Sarah a young widow who doesn't want to go back to her family. She has a nursing background so she sets up a successful business as a midwife. Detective Sergeant Frank Malloy is a New York City cop, who unlike many in the force at that time is honest and doesn't take bribes. He solves crimes the old fashioned way and tries to bring law and order to the streets of New York City. Sarah and Frank met a few years ago and their romance has blossomed as they started solving crimes together. The series characters are wonderfully written, and I love the personal things that keep coming up about Sarah and Frank and their respective families. In this book Ms. Thompson is taking a swipe at lonely women who are preyed upon by unscrupulous men. Believe it or not, this is not a new phenomenon. The newspaper Lonely Heart ads were just like the cyber preying that is so prevalent nowadays, but at a much slower pace obviously since the women and the cads who tried to trap them had to conduct their business and set up their trysts by post. Sarah and Frank run into a particularly odious villain in this book who preys on the not-so-attractive and lonely women. What he does with them is horrendous and it is difficult to read about the poor women and their trials, but really it's not much different than what is in the news today. Ms. Thompson is a worthy nominate for the Edgar and Agatha Mystery awards with this historical series.

[kathy89_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love Frank Malloy and Sarah Brandt. In the middle of a missing person investigation Frank is fired from the police force when it is learned that he has inherited five million dollars and the other officers resent his good fortune. The missing woman’s father hires him as a private investigator to find her and of course he enlists the help of his fiancée Sarah. I enjoy the descriptions of turn of the century 1900 NYC and Frank and Sarah relationship and that of Mrs. Ellsworth, Frank’s mother, and Sarah’s parents, the Deckers, who were missing in this novel. Anxiously looking forward to the next installment into their lives.