The Amersham Rubies: A Molly Murphy Story

By Rhys Bowen

A delightful short story from Rhys Bowen featuring turn-of-the-century private investigator Molly Murphy

Before Molly Murphy crossed the Atlantic or even had an inkling that she might someday become a much sought after private investigator in New York City, young Molly lived in Ireland in a small cottage with her father, brothers and little else.

While keeping herself and her home together, Molly receives a request from Lady Hartley—the lady of the country estate where Molly lives, and the family that employs Molly's father and brothers. The Hartleys are hosting a ball at their manor house, and there will be so many fine gentlemen and ladies in attendance that Lady Hartley needs Molly to help some of her guests prepare for the ball.

Beautiful debutantes, dresses of the finest fabrics, and sparkling chandeliers are all on display, as are heirloom jewels like the Amersham rubies—a stunning and priceless ruby necklace that has been in the Amersham family for generations. When the rubies go inexplicably missing from Lady Amersham's neck in the middle of the party, the high-spirited Molly must rely on her wits to solve her first case in Rhys Bowen's The Amersham Rubies, the charming prequel to her beloved Anthony and Agatha Award–winning historical mystery series.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Macmillan Publishers
• Release date: May 10, 2011
• ISBN: 9781429925105

Rhys Bowen

RHYS BOWEN is the New York Times bestselling author of the Anthony Award- and Agatha Award-winning Molly Murphy mysteries, the Edgar Award-nominated Evan Evans series, the Royal Spyness series, and several stand-alone novels including In Farleigh Field. Born in England, she lives in San Rafael, CA.

Book preview

Contents

The Amersham Rubies

Excerpt: Time of Fog and Fire

Other Books by Rhys Bowen

County Mayo, Ireland, in the last years of the 19th Century.

Liam’s got a message for you. My youngest brother Malachy burst in through our cottage door, bringing with him a great gust of wind that sent ashes swirling in the grate and threatened to put out the peat fire.

Not another. Who is it from this time? I asked. Not that awful Ted Shaughnessy again. Several boys in the village had been pestering me to go to the midsummer’s eve dance with them, but they were all clod hopping louts, having never read a book in their lives and interested only in girls and beer. Every night I prayed that I’d find a way out of this place and wouldn’t end up married to one of them.

Not Ted Shaughnessy, Malachy looked back at the open door. Tell her, Liam.

The two older boys sauntered in, flinging their lunch pails down on the floor for me to pick up.

From the big house, Liam said. From the mistress herself. She wants to see you.

Lady Hartley wants to see me? What about?

Liam looked at me scornfully. You don’t think the mistress of the manor discusses her business with the likes of me, do you? The butler told Mr. Murphy and Mr. Murphy told me when he handed me my pay packet.

Pay packets? I had forgotten what day it was. I looked around and realized that someone was missing. Where’s Da? I asked.

Off down the pub as fast as his legs could carry him, of course, Liam said.

Oh no. You didn’t try to stop him?

I don’t enjoy getting hit around the head myself, Liam muttered.

I sighed. You’d better all give me your pay packets right now since there won’t be much left of Father’s this week. Since our mam had died he had taken to drinking. Lately he was more drunk than sober, and he took it out on us children, which was why I was eighteen years old and still stuck at home. I couldn’t leave until the boys were grown up and safely on their own.

My thoughts returned to more cheerful subjects. So when does the mistress want to see me?

As soon as you can get there, I suppose, Liam said.

Supper is all ready in the pot. I glanced at the open door. I suppose I can trust you to serve yourselves and not set the place on fire if I go now. I grabbed my shawl from the hook beside the door. Tell Da where I am if he shows up.

With that I ran out, standing for a moment on the doorstep and letting the breeze blow in my face. It was a lovely clear evening with the sun still setting over the ocean on the western horizon. At this time of year it didn’t go down until almost 10 p.m., so I had plenty of time to get to the big house and back before it became dark. It was a good mile’s walk and I didn’t relish it in the darkness.

I think I ran most of the way. Anyway I was quite out of breath and in a state of excitement by the time I

Reviews for The Amersham Rubies

[bettesbooks · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I have tried to read this book 3 times now. And each time I put it down and walked away. The story sounds interesting and it appears to be written in a Christie-like manner. Yet I still wouldn't have finished if I hadn't skimmed thru the majority of pages.

[carlathelibrarian · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This was a very short but sweet introduction to the Molly Murphy series. This is a prequel to the series, where we meet Molly. She is asked to help out at a function as a ladies maid, where she solves a theft. I think I will read the first in the series to find out if I will enjoy this series or not.

[aharey · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This was not very good. I gave it two stars, however, because I think the author has potential and this prequel might be good if I knew the characters.

[jfe16 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Review of eBookMolly Murphy, living in a small peasant cottage in County Mayo, Ireland with her father and brothers, receives a request from Lady Hartley, the mistress of the estate where her father and brothers work. As a child, she’d taken lessons with the Hartley girls, Vanessa and Henrietta. Molly knows there will be a coming-out ball for Henrietta; she wonders if Lady Hartley wants her to attend.But Lady Hartley seems to have forgotten about the time the three girls spent together; since there will be a shortage of maids, she wants Molly to assist some of the ladies with their preparations prior to the ball. Molly agrees and, on the evening of the ball, finds herself assisting Lady Amersham.But when the priceless family heirloom Lady Amersham is wearing suddenly disappears, can Molly help solve the case and find the ruby necklace?A prequel to the author’s popular, award-winning Molly Murphy series, this short story introduces Molly and sets the stage for her career as a private investigator. Fans of the series will enjoy seeing Molly solve her very first case.As for the story itself, things fall into place a bit too easily for Molly, who solves the case because of her careful observation of people and events [definitely a hallmark of a good detective]. Readers may be disappointed that there’s not a bit more to the telling of the tale [and the rather abrupt ending], but meeting Molly and discovering her propensity for observation and case-solving is a treat for those who enjoy the series and have followed the young woman’s adventures. A three-chapter preview of the sixteenth book in the series, “Time of Fog and Fire,” is included with this prequel story.

[ddjtj1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

THE AMERSHAM RUBIES IS #0.5 IN THE MOLLY MURPHY MYSTERIES BY RHYS BOWEN. This is the first exposure to the character Molly Murphy, Irish , poor and mystery solver. I found THE AMERSHAM RUBIES short enough to curl up with in the evening and a pretty fair intro to the Molly Murphy series. I have just begun reading and enjoying Rhys Bowen's works and this was a pretty good way to be introduced into another one of her series.

[kybunnies · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This was two separate stories in this one short book. The first story was a little interesting but the second story left the reader hanging. It seemed like the author forgot to finish the story. This was a free book in the Kindle Store.

[annertan · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Not really a short story fan. But love Molly. I started reading the series because of this freebie.

[staceyhh · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

The problem with this "prequel" is not that it is short (although it's much shorter than anticipated,) but that it is stupid. The young, poor, put-upon heroine figures out a deep and complicated mystery, from a mark, a bruise (that shouldn't be showing yet,) and a passing sentence. It was just a little too Encyclopedia Brown. Not only that, but on the sheer strength of her character (as a poor working class servant,) threatens and shames the wealthy upper class into admitting their crimes.

WOULD
NEVER
HAPPEN.

The other problem with this so-called prequel is that 65% of the Kindle book is taken up with a tease for another book. IMO, that's a blatant bait and switch, especially since there's no mention of the teaser.

I know that authors of series often put out little short stories and scenes, like easter eggs, for regular readers of the series novels. I like them. But at least make some attempt to make the stories coherent and complete within the short story format. The story itself should be the hook, not the extended surprise teaser. The story should be smart enough, or funny enough, or scary enough... according to the genre, to make me want to seek out those characters.

Instead, in this short, we have a young, female character with entitlement issues, who figures out a mystery with a few glances, from facts not in evidence to the reader, and totally wins the "make the rich men confess" game. Yeah, that makes me want more. *rolls eyes so hard they pop out*

[auntieknickers · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Although I've been hearing praise of Rhys Bowen's Molly Murphy series for years, somehow I had yet to read one until this short story appeared for a nominal fee on my Kindle. Since I like to read series from the beginning, it's nice that The Amersham Rubies is listed as "Molly Murphy 0.5." While most of the stories take place in turn-of-the-century New York, this one takes us back to Molly's beginnings in Ireland. We get a little of her backstory and an inkling of the keen observer and detective she will become. The basic plot is not an unfamiliar one to readers of Golden Age mysteries -- it's the character of Molly that really makes this story worth reading. I'll definitely be coming back for more Molly Murphy.