Rating: 
Summary: A fine new character
Review: Rhys Bowen, author of the Evans series of cozies set in Wales, continues her Celtic course with an Irish protagonist. This time it is a woman and the setting is New York of a century ago. But the Celtic element remains strong - Molly Murphy is an individualist with a strong sense of self and the ability to cut through waffle, semi-truths and untruths so she can pick out the germane and the useful. Molly has the Celtic gift of insight and the ability to make leaps of the imagination, leaving logic far behind.She is a fine character, this Molly, saddled also with imperfections, including that imagination which is at times TOO vivid. Strong characterization is this writer's greatest asset. The setting, especially the class system of New York a century ago, the dialogue, the pacing are all good but it is the true-to-themselves characters that lift this book out of the ordinary. The plot is unusual and well-conceived and the truth remains hidden almost to the end. The historical period and geographic setting combine to strengthen the dramatic tension. But read the book for the pleasure of Molly Murphy's uppity-ness in a time and place that did not sanction the uppity. Read it for a look at life in Greenwich Village a century ago, and enjoy Molly's proud new "parents", Sid and Gus.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent Work, Again!
Review: Rhys has managed to put together another well-written, original mystery, featuring Molly Murphy, an immigrant from Ireland in New York. After helping the police find a murderer, Molly decides that investigation is the field for her. She badgers Paddy Riley into taking her on as his apprentice in his detective agency. Paddy insists that this was no job for a woman, but lets Molly clean and organize his office. Until she walks in on Paddy's murderer. Molly, unsatisfied with the police investigation into her mentor's death, decides to find the man who killed Paddy and attacked her. The story unfolds with Molly's new experiences in New York, her new friends, and her tenacity to investigate. The beginning of the story seemed to take a while to come together, but once it did, I couldn't put it down. Now on to: For the Love of Mike!
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Work, Again!
Review: Rhys has managed to put together another well-written, original mystery, featuring Molly Murphy, an immigrant from Ireland in New York. After helping the police find a murderer, Molly decides that investigation is the field for her. She badgers Paddy Riley into taking her on as his apprentice in his detective agency. Paddy insists that this was no job for a woman, but lets Molly clean and organize his office. Until she walks in on Paddy's murderer. Molly, unsatisfied with the police investigation into her mentor's death, decides to find the man who killed Paddy and attacked her. The story unfolds with Molly's new experiences in New York, her new friends, and her tenacity to investigate. The beginning of the story seemed to take a while to come together, but once it did, I couldn't put it down. Now on to: For the Love of Mike!
| 
