Murder on Astor Place by Victoria Thompson

Murder on Astor Place by Victoria Thompson
Narrator: Callie Beaulieu
Series: Gaslight Mystery #1
Published by Tantor Audio on October 20, 2015
Source: Library
Genres: Historical Mystery
Length: 8 hrs 32 mins
Pages: 278
Format: Audiobook
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After a routine delivery, midwife Sarah Brandt visits her patient in a rooming house and discovers that another boarder, a young girl, has been killed. At the request of Sergeant Frank Malloy, she searches the girl's room, and discovers that the victim is from one of the most prominent families in New York and the sister of an old friend. The powerful family, fearful of scandal, refuses to permit an investigation. But with Malloy's help, Sarah begins a dangerous quest to bring the killer to justice, before death claims another victim.

I was looking for an audiobook and Murder on Astor Place was available to “read now” through the library. I know people who really enjoy the series and since it was the first, I thought I’d give it a go. I read the blurb and it sounded right up my alley.

The book takes place in the 1890s in New York City, which is a good setting. We see the tenements and the grand houses, meet good, and bad, people from all walks of life. Sarah is a intelligent, resourceful, and able to deal with people from a variety of classes. Sergeant Frank Malloy has asked for her help on this case, which seems a bit out of character, but we have to have the pair to make the book work.

The story was suspenseful. The clues were well-planted. I liked both Frank and Sarah and they do make a good team. I think, maybe if I had read it at a different time, I would have enjoyed it more. This is a dark mystery. The solution is rather awful and I saw it coming which makes it even worse somehow. And there are very few light moments to release the tension. I’ll probably pick up the series again sometime, but maybe when the world has settles out a little.