The Guilty Client

Pettigrew & Roth #1

by Roberta Rogow

Rogow paints a vivid picture of 1870 New York City in this gripping tale of Civil War intrigue, with a delightful heroine who remains true to her time while acting as her uncle's law clerk.--Rhys Bowen, Agatha and Anthony Award winner.

239 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2009

About the author

Roberta Rogow is the author of the four "Dodgson/Doyle" mysteries. She is currently working on a new series set in Gilded Age New York City. She also reviews juvenile mysteries for Mystery Scene Magazine, and is a writer and performer of Science Fiction "filk" songs. She recently retired from a 37-year career as a Children's Librarian in New Jersey public libraries. "

Reviews

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The law office of Pettigrew and Roth is a far cry from the offices of today with computers, internet access, high-speed printers and copiers. However, Pettigrew and Roth have Miss Peggy Pettigrew, a law clerk who is not only talented in taking notes but is also an artist.

Bertram Delacorte, has just been released from jail where he was being held on the charge of murder but Joshua Roth, Peggy’s Uncle Ephraim’s new partner, has managed to prove Delacorte was far away from the crime scene at the time of the murder.

Before the group can celebrate Delacorte’s body is pulled from the Hudson River. Delacorte’s Uncle Henry Ward Long asks Pettigrew and Joshua Roth to find out what happened.

The setting is New York right after the Civil War. Joshua is a veteran of the war as is Michael Riley. Michael is Associate District Attorney and Uncle Ephraim’s prize protégé. Miss Peggy has lived with Uncle Ephraim since her mother and father left the country and have not been heard of since. Women in business are looked down upon by society but that doesn’t bother Miss Peggy or her uncle.

As the group reviews the crimes and makes a decision that they must investigate further it becomes apparent that there is much more involved than just the murder of Bertram Delacorte. The story is told from the views of Michael, Joshua and Peggy, each one seeing new clues as their investigation progresses.

A wonderful tale of murder and greed that is brought to a very interesting conclusion. This is the first book I have read by Roberta Rogow and I enjoyed her style of writing.

[Jenna · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've really enjoyed many of this author's other book so I was excited that there was a book I had not read, but this one just did not pull me in the way the other have. I am not sure if it was the characters or the plot or what...and I've got too many other books I want to read to try to figure it out...