"Vanished in the Crowd", by Rhys Bowen and Clare Broyles

Molly Murphy Mystery book #22

A cozy mystery

Set in 1909 New York during the Hudson-Fulton celebration. The story follows retired detective Molly Murphy Sullivan as she investigates the disappearance of a female scientist. The story hovers around the suffragette movement, a militant campaign advocating for women’s right to vote.

My thoughts:

The Molly Murphy mysteries give us ample doses of history and wonderful characters while the story moves along at the slow and steady pace. I particularly love Molly and her husband Daniel and how they interact with each other, balancing work and personal life really shows the views may not have changed that much since….of course at center stage is the women’s suffrage movement, science and social divide and class status. Interesting.

To celebrate the 300th anniversary of Henry Hudson’s discovery of the Hudson River , parades, exhibitions and carnivals made for two straight weeks of celebrations which Molly and her friends were part of…till the parade turned deadly and Molly, the sleuth, sprang into action. No mystery without a murder would be captivating. Here we are plunged into a very suspenseful drama, one that has kept me riveted till the very end.

“Vanishing in the Crowd” is an engaging story that weave wonderfully a mystery and historical context and all vividly said to keep us on our toes.

My many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for this ARC.

"Dead of Summer", by John W. Mefford

Alex &Ozzie, Dark Horizon Book #5

What to expect in a few words:

While a heatwave is baking Austin, someone is killing women in the most brutal way one can imagine. While working on a chaotic film set, Alex witnesses a custody battle turn violent, reminding her of a past case that was never solved. But when another body is found, Alex is on the move……

My thoughts:

In his usual signature Mr. Mefford has given us another mind-blowing story with multiple ups and downs which keeps going till the very last page. It is easy to get caught up in the mystery and to try figuring out who is the killer but like any good twisted stories, you have to wait till it all wraps up. Definitely an intriguing saga and a page-turner.

In a few words:

Mr. Mefford makes compelling read for those who enjoy intense and suspenseful narratives and excels in weaving a complex tale to satisfy the most voracious readers.

Keep up the good work John

"The Debt", by Glenn Cooper

Cal Donovan #3

Cal is back at the Vatican Library researching is next paper when he comes across an interesting letter. In 1848 when the Papal States were under attack by revolutionaries, the Vatican borrowed a very large sum of money from the Jewish Sassoon Bank.

Curious, Cal continued his research. Not finding any evidence that the loan was ever paid back, he contacted Pope Celestine VI who then asked him to discreetly research further this loan ……that is when trouble started…..

An unexpected discovery rocks the foundations of the Catholic Church. Have fun reading what comes next.

My thoughts:

The first part is laborious I even thought abandoning this story, nevertheless I stuck with it knowing well Mr. Cooper will move on and gives us an exciting journey into the annals of the Vatican. Its starts with an introduction of a large group of Cardinals and their responsibilities then ¼ in the conspiracy begins.

With intermittent flashbacks the story of the ancient loan is revealed …then we are deep into the conspiracy giving us plenty of suspense, globe trotting, blackmail, sabotage to content with.

Although I was captivated by this religious tale, nevertheless its concept failed to be plausible and the drama lacks in believable characters. Having said this,” The Dept” is smoothly said and its style invites us to keep turning the pages till the very surprising ending.

I am a huge fan of religious conspiracies and Glenn Cooper excels on that topic and each one have been captivating and entertaining.
My thanks to Lascaux Media and Netgalley for giving the privilege to read and review this book.