#3 Sarah Brandt Victorian mystery set in turn-of-the-century NY featuring Brandt, a midwife, and Frank Malloy, a detective on the police force. The mystery was ridiculously easy. I figured it out very early on and kept trying to convince myself that I must be mistaken, only to discover that I was dead right. But I still enjoyed the book; I like the main characters and the journey describing how they get to the resolution is still an interesting ride.

I love this series for the historical detail of Victorian NYC and the generally great characters. I can't give it the highest marks because I really didn't care much at all about the victim(s), but I was genuinely surprised to be surprised by the outcome and, as usual, loved the interaction between Sarah and Malloy.

This is the third book in Victoria Thompson's Gaslight Mysteries series. In this story, Detective Sergeant Frank Malloy is called to investigate the suicide of mysterious healer Edmund Blackwell. Malloy notices that certain aspects of the crime scene don't match up with a suicide, and starts to investigate this as a possible murder. He calls in Sarah Brandt, much to his chagrin, to help him with the case because the victim's pregnant young wife found the body, which forced her into labor. We find out that nothing is what it seems under the shiny veneer of Dr. Blackwell, his pretty young wife, or the people they are involved with, leading to many possible suspects in his murder. I agree with Cheryl R (Spuddie)'s review above where she says "I figured it out very early on and kept trying to convince myself that I must be mistaken, only to discover that I was dead right." Still, it is a nice, light read that's a lot of fun. We get a bit more information about Frank's son Brian, but I would love to see a bit more progress on that front, as well as with Sarah and Frank's friendship.

Third book in the series just has good as the first two.

Really good story. I will be reading more from this author.

I really like this series of books. Always keeps me guessing.

This is the third of Thompson's "Gaslight Mysteries." I just finished it and am looking forward to reading the rest of them, as soon as I a get the fourth one.

Lots of twists, turns and surprises.

For those who like turn of the century mysteries. Series gets better with each new book.

Good book... bit of a logic gap... but good none-the-less

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As a midwife in the turn of the century tenements of New York City, Sarah Brandt has seen her share of suffering and joy, birth and death. Now she learns that crime doesn't discriminate when the highest echelons of society are rocked by murder. At a summons from Detective Sergeant Frank Malloy, Sarah arrives at the elegant home of famed magnetic healer Edmund Blackwell to find his wife in labor - and the good doctor dead from an apparent suicide. Only Malloy sees what no one else wants to: that Blackwell was murdered in his own home....

After a successful delivery, the Blackwell baby falls mysteriously ill. Relying on her nurse's training and woman's intuition, Sarah discovers the source of the baby's sickness - and discovers a scandal that leads Malloy's investigation down a gilded path paved with greed, deception and desire ....

Quoted from my review @ http://misscz.wordpress.com

Comments: At the beginning of the book, Frank is relieved that the case he's been assigned to isn't a murder and there is no possible way that Sarah can somehow get involved. Poor guy. Shortly after he arrives, he learns that the very pregnant wife of the late Edmund Blackwell is the person who found the body. The shock has sent her into full labor. There's no question as to who Malloy will send for, and his consolation is that the case is a suicide and there won't be any need for Sarah to get more involved. Again, Malloy is proved wrong, this time by the evidence at the crime scene. He's absolutely sure that the man was murdered.

Sarah becomes necessary to the investigation in her role as the midwife/nurse to Mrs. Blackwell and her baby. Letitia Blackwell is confined to her bed and refuses to receive visitors, and it is improper for Frank to intrude. Sarah's status also allows her to question the staff who are leery of Malloy. Even her Knickerbocker, blue-blood family name comes in handy when dealing with Blackwell's more influential clients. She's more than happy to be involved in any way possible, and she is careful when teasing Malloy, for fear he will exclude her from the investigation entirely.

Before long, suspects and motives mount up. It's like a game of Clue, where Sarah and Frank know the weapon and the room (study/library, with the revolver), but no way to easily eliminate the "who". Could it have been Amos Potter, Blackwell's business partner who seems smitten with Letitia? Was it Letitia, with her many scandalous secrets? Or maybe her over-protective father? Then there's the young man claiming to be Blackwell's son.

Frank spends a great deal of time at Sarah's place, discussing the possible suspect/motive combinations and going through Dr. Brandt's files, looking for a clue to his murder - slim that it may be. Frank continues to be more aware of his feelings toward Sarah than Sarah is about her own feelings for Frank. Sarah still associates seeing Frank with being involved in the murder investigations: anxious to exchange new intelligence and theorize the who and why.

Favorite Quote:
"How did you manage with Brian by yourself?"
"I knocked him unconscious and threw him over my shoulder. He wasn't much trouble at all after that."
- Sarah, Malloy (re: Frank's son, Brian)

This a wonderful series. It's amazing to think about how medicine has improved, how much different women's roles are in our lives and this is just a thoroughly enjoyable look at life in New York.

Book is new, never read. Was a gift and I already had a copy.

Young, pregnant Letitia Blackwell returns from an afternoon of charity work to find her husband Edmund has been brutally murdered in his study. The shock of this discovery causes Letitia to go into labor, and New York NYPD Detective Sergeant Frank Malloy summons his friend and fellow sleuth midwifeSarah Brandt to deliver the baby. This is the third story in Victoria Thompson's "Gaslight Mysteries", which are set in turn-of-the century New York City. As Frank and Sarah try to find Edmunc Blackwell's murderer, they discover many dark secrets in the Blackwell family. The stories in this series keep improving, and "Murder on Gramercy Park" is the best in the series to date.

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