Frank and Sarah Malloy had been enjoying a lovely day at their home in New York City on the first day of 1900 when their their neighbor, Mrs. Ellsworth, rushed in with very distressing news. Her new daughter-in- law, Theda's father, Clarence Pritchard, a well-respected owner of Pure Milk Diary had been found murdered the night before near Trinity Church. Having just attended a New Year's Eve party where Mr. Pritchard was present, the Malloys are surprised by the news. Who would kill this honest man and why?

Soon frustrated by the lack of interest by the police, Theda asks Frank, a former police officer and now a private investigator, if he would take on the case to find out what happened to her father. As Frank and Sarah follow the few clues they discover, they realize that the truth may be a little closer to home than they imagined. What do they tell the newly married Theda? Is the family still in danger?

MURDER ON TRINITY PLACE is written by bestselling author Victoria Thompson and it is the 22nd book in her her highly regarded Gaslight Mystery series. Thompson's many fans are sure to appreciate this murder mystery with its focus on the wonderful characters of Frank and Sarah, yet it can also be easily read as a stand alone and complete novel on its own.

What I particularly love about MURDER ON TRINITY PLACE and the Gaslight Mystery series is Thompson's ability to immerse the reader into everyday life and the moralistic attitudes of life in the fast-changing city of New York at the turn of the last century. I found it intriguing how she effectively used the change in the milk delivery system with its much-needed emphasis on purity and pasteurization as a strong plot devise while seamlessly bringing in historical facts on social conditions, especially affecting children, into the discussions between the characters.

While I found the story a little slow to start, I was quickly caught up in the story and the investigation by the Malloys. I particularly relished the intertwining story of Sarah's work at her clinic for unwed mothers and especially her creative ways to help people out of difficult situations. Like those new-fangled motor cars; once this story gets going, it really rolls to its very surprising ending!

So, if you are fans of murder mysteries and/or love historical fiction, there is a lot for you to enjoy in old New York and MURDER ON TRINITY PLACE! Read all about it!

Book Summary

The devil's in the details when a man is found murdered near Trinity Church in the latest installment of the national bestselling Gaslight Mystery series...

The year of 1899 is drawing to a close. Frank and Sarah Malloy are getting ready to celebrate the New Year at Trinity Church when they notice Mr. Pritchard, a relative of their neighbor's behaving oddly and annoying the other revelers. Frank tries to convince Pritchard to return home with them, but the man refuses and Frank loses him in the crowd. The next morning Sarah and Frank are horrified to learn Pritchard was murdered sometime in the night, his body left on Trinity Place, the side street near the church.

The police aren't too interested in the murder, and the family are concerned that the circumstances of the death will reflect badly on Pritchard's reputation. To protect the family from scandal, Nelson asks Frank to investigate. Frank and Sarah delve into Pritchard's past and realize there may have been a deadly side to the dawning of the new century.