Book Review: Murphy's Law

Reviewed By: Carol Schwaderer Dickinson - RAM

Murphy's Law     Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
Rhys Bowen
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Historical   Woman Main Character
Series: Molly Murphy # 1
St. Martins Press 2001 242 pages

This is first in a new historical series featuring Molly Murphy a young Irish woman escaping from difficulties in Ireland she can tell no one where she is going. Friendless and desperate in Liverpool she finds herself suddenly saddled with 3 children belonging to a stranger and as a result under suspicion of murdering a man on Ellis Island. The resolution of these challenges, her discovery of the challenge of Irish immigrants in American, her resolution of the murder and beginning a new life in New York make for fascinating reading. It was a real page turner for me. I enjoy the authors other series featuring Constable Evans but this one will be my favorite. This story was faster paced and I had more empathy for many of the characters in this series. Both the time and place, and the characters were interesting. The plot was more complex than those in this subgenre I have read featuring female detectives. This wasn't quite a cozy in the strictest sense of the genre but close as one can get when writing about life in such difficult times and places. I think anyone who enjoys Victoria Thompson or Deborah Woodward would like this book. It is somewhat similar to Victoria Thompsons series but more energentic.

Carol Schwaderer Dickinson - RAM

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Carol Schwaderer Dickinson - RAM