Book Review: The Weeping Woman

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

The Weeping Woman     Amazon US PB Amazon Canada PB
Michael Kilian
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Historical
Series: Jazz Age Mysteries # 1
Berkley, Jun 2001, $5.99, 240 pp.

In 1925 Manhattan, former newspaper reporter Bedford Green enters his own art gallery only to hear his assistant crying. Since Sloane Smith never weeps, Bedford is very concerned and asks what is wrong and can he help? Sloane tells Bedford that her former college crony, Polly Swanscott has sent her a postcard from Paris that implies she is in trouble. Sloane asks Bedford to use his connections here in New York and when he travels to France next week to find and help Polly. Reluctantly Bedford agrees to do what he can.

Bedford begins making inquiries throughout the metropolitan area. He soon finds out that someone burglarized Polly's Manhattan apartment and that another thug killed that robber. He uncovers more information in New York and later on the ocean voyager and then in Paris, Bedford meets some author wannabees like Hemingway and Fitzgerald, but even with their help his efforts to save Polly from an unknown threat seem futile.

THE WEEPING WOMAN is an exciting historical mystery that brings to life Manhattan and Paris during the 1920s. The entertaining story line is fun as readers meet a twice-published Fitzgerald with Zelda, a short story only published Hemingway, and Picasso. Bedford is a rock who supports the plot and the rest of the cast. No one will weep after reading Michael Kilian's enjoyable novel.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner

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