Murder on Pleasant Avenue (A Gaslight Mystery)

I so enjoyed the 23rd book in The Gaslight Mysteries series! Ms. Thompson is on top of the time period and you can tell she enjoys getting the historic details correct.This was almost a reunion story, with so many of our favorite characters from previous books making an appearance. The murderer was apparent to me quite early on, but it was fun to see all the rabbit holes our group of intrepid detectives went down before realizing ‘who done it’.The writing and historical accuracy are spot on. I loved how the author wove in more information about Gino and his family, and how the ‘Black Hand’ used extortion and kidnapping to control the Italian populace. The graft and corruption of the city is historically accurate, and a sad time in the history of NYC.As we leave this book, love is in the air. Can you tell I loved the ending? I cannot wait to see where these couples go, and where Ms. Thompson takes us next!

I have read all the books in this series of cozy gaslight mysteries and have thoroughly enjoyed them, for the most part. They take place in New York City at the end of the nineteenth and beginning of the twentieth century. The series features Sarah, a midwife, who is from a socially prominent family, and Frank, a former New York City police sergeant, who is now a private detective and who, through a twist of fate, inherited a fortune. They are now married and live in a home in Manhattan In New York City.When a young female worker of a local settlement house in Italian Harlem is ostensibly kidnapped by the Black Hand, a notorious gang, Gino Donatelli, Frank Malloy’s partner, is contacted by his sister-in-law for help. Their investigation leads to the discovery of the murder of the head of the local Black Hand, a murder for which Gino is initially blamed. The plot thickens,however, and things are not all as they seem, as they soon discover.As always, the book gives enough historical detail to provide authenticity of time and place. There are enough twist and turns to hold one’s interest, though who the murderer turns out to be comes as no surprise. Still, the story is quite an engaging one, and it most certainly will keep the reader turning the pages. This cozy mystery definitely maintains the reader’s attention. I look forward to the next one in the series.

I really enjoyed another visit with Frank, Sarah and the family. It was another nice little history lesson too about New York in those days. I guarantee I learn at least one new and fascinating fact in every one of these books and usually more than one.In this latest book Gino is in the wrong place at the wrong time and is accused of murder. This involves the whole family in working towards clearing his name and finding the real culprit. Apparently fans of the series have been nagging the author to move the almost romance between Maeve and Gino into something more and things do seem to be blossoming!I do not get the feeling that Victoria Thompson has exhausted this series yet so I will look forward to another book in a year (no pressure). However I also just discovered she has another series out there which I am going to start very soon!

This entry in the Gaslight historical mysteries was definitely one of my favorites. One reason is that Ms Thompson writes such fun and colorful characters who interact with each other in ways that are funny and true-to-life. There is much humor in this story that faithful readers of this series will appreciate. Gino is accused of murder, and Malloy, Sarah, Maeve, and relatives of Gino's all work to discover who killed the mobster. The story brings in the "Black Hand," a mafia-like organization that once existed in NYC, and settlement houses and their volunteers. Characters take the elevated train (the el) or drive Frank's "motor" around the city. Period detail is true and fun to learn about. Another delightful romp through NYC!

I have loved every book in the series but I think this was the weakest one and I feel that this series is no longer the series that I fell in love with. Now let me start with the positive I love how Miss Thompson allows us to witness the immigrant experience and we get to "see" the struggles and hardships but also the culture and traditions of those who came to the United States looking for a better life it's one of the things that I love about the earlier books my favorite book was and continues to be Murder in Little Italy so I was very excited about this book I also love the character of Theo and I hope to see her again. Now the reason I am giving this one star only is because I am frustrated at how Sarah and Malloy have become supporting characters to Gino and Maeve and it's not only on this book I find Maeve very unlikable she's ungrateful and entitled and its unrealistic how she decides when to be a nanny or not. Always complaining when she should be thanking her lucky stars. I feel the series have become a spin-off of the original series starring Maeve and Gino. There is no reason why Sarah and Malloy cannot keep growing as characters, they have no development we don't get to witness them as a married couple or as parents they don't even have full scenes where we can witness them having a conversation or banter they don't even kiss for crying out loud as mystery fans we're not asking for sex or anything like that but Sarah is practically an unrecognizable character I actually was dumfounded when the killer was staring her in the face and she was so clueless but Mrs Malloy had solved the case while knitting. I do want to keep reading this books as long as it goes back to Sarah and Frank been front and center. If Mrs Ellsworth can be absent for a whole book so can Maeve. If Maeve continues to be a principal then I bid farewell with gratitude for the great stories that I enjoyed.