Book Review
Gaslight Mysteries, by Victoria Thompson
Victoria Thompson hit upon a gold mine when she started this series. Her heroine is Sarah Brandt, a New York city midwife at the turn of the twentieth century. Mrs. Brant is a little unusual for her profession; she happens to be the daughter of a wealthy businessman, raised for a life of upper crust living. How she happened to be providing her own living after the death of her physician husband is explained in Murder on Astor Place, the first Sarah Brandt and Frank Malloy mystery.
Who is Frank Malloy? An Irish policeman whose background is a total contrast to Sarah's. You can guess it because of a crime their paths cross.
Currently there are over twenty gaslight mysteries in publication. I found the first one interesting, a little gritty and tragic, and perhaps a little disjointed. But it was good enough to keep my interest and keep me reading as the next books in the series came off the press. I strongly recommend you read them in order, although not doing so won't seriously dampen your enjoyment of the stories.
The author quickly did a good job in further development of her main characters, came up with interesting plots, and has provided subplots pertaining to Sarah and Frank that round out the stories well, moving them along through time and the development of their relationship. She also pays attention to the reality of the time and place that provide the backdrop to her series, lending it plausibility.
Any lover of amateur female sleuth mysteries who hasn't discovered The Gaslight Mysteries will want to give them a try. Because there are so many books in this series, I think the author has done a better job in some than others, which is to be expected. A reader will choose favorites. If you are looking for a star rating, mine would be a 4.
I've come across them before, but not tried them yet!
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