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Higgins & Hawke Mystery #6
Death at King's Chapel
Death is so cryptic!
In 1932, Boston’s chief medical examiner, Dr. Haley Higgins is called to view bones at the crypt at King’s Chapel. Finding old bones in a crypt isn’t unusual, but finding new bones is! Together with her good friend and investigative journalist Samantha Hawke and in co-operation with the police, Haley works to unravel the mystery behind the lost soul abandoned in the crypt. Who was the victim and why was the body left in the crypt?
Suspects range from caretakers at King’s Chapel, to members of the Freedom Trail historical society, to local government officials.
As the mystery unravels, it’s clear to Haley that they’re dealing with a sinister mind and a culprit who wouldn’t stop at killing again.
In 1932, Boston’s chief medical examiner, Dr. Haley Higgins is called to view bones at the crypt at King’s Chapel. Finding old bones in a crypt isn’t unusual, but finding new bones is! Together with her good friend and investigative journalist Samantha Hawke and in co-operation with the police, Haley works to unravel the mystery behind the lost soul abandoned in the crypt. Who was the victim and why was the body left in the crypt?
Suspects range from caretakers at King’s Chapel, to members of the Freedom Trail historical society, to local government officials.
As the mystery unravels, it’s clear to Haley that they’re dealing with a sinister mind and a culprit who wouldn’t stop at killing again.
236 pages, Paperback
First published July 23, 2024
About the author
Lee Strauss
137 books2,352 followersFor fans of Golden Age who-dun-its ~ from a USA TODAY Bestselling author!
You'll adore Lady Gold from the acclaimed Ginger Gold Mysteries series, and the spin of series, Higgins & Hawke.
Look for the connected 1950s era Rosa Reed Mysteries.
NEW ~ The Velvet Spy ~ The Wartime Journal of Ginger Gold
For more info visit: leestraussbooks.com
You'll adore Lady Gold from the acclaimed Ginger Gold Mysteries series, and the spin of series, Higgins & Hawke.
Look for the connected 1950s era Rosa Reed Mysteries.
NEW ~ The Velvet Spy ~ The Wartime Journal of Ginger Gold
For more info visit: leestraussbooks.com
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August 6, 2024FULL BOOK AVAILABLE NOW!
Death at King's Chapel - Chapter 1 Excerpt
A call to visit a cemetery wasn't something out of the ordinary. As Boston's chief medical examiner, Dr. Haley Higgins' job was advocating for the dead and providing answers for the living. Haley lived and breathed forensic science, and the 1930s looked promising for new breakthroughs in the field, which could only help her do her best at her job.
With many of the first settlers making their home in Boston, the city had some of the oldest burying grounds in the country, and King's Chapel's burying ground was the oldest of those.
Parking her '29 DeSoto on Tremont, Haley grabbed her medical bag and walked across the grounds to the church entrance, where she'd agreed to meet Detective Brock. The cemetery's grand prestige didn't match its actual size. The old plot held rows of tilted, weather-worn headstones like crooked teeth. The lawns surrounding them were well kept, and the trees and bushes were trimmed and pruned. The shade created there kept the grass soft and damp, and it squished under Haley's weight.
The crypt lay underneath the chapel, and Haley found the now familiar form of Noah Brock waiting inside, his shoulders slouching as if to compensate for his above-average height—a temptation Haley knew well, being overly tall herself. His hat, dented at the front, sat slightly askew on a round head. Although some considered him physically and socially awkward, Haley found him endearing. And, to her dismay, she now considered his nicely symmetrical face rather attractive. Even more concerning was how her cheeks grew warm when he acknowledged her with a tip of his hat and how she impulsively responded by pushing runaway curls behind her ears.
"Dr. Higgins," Detective Brock said.
"Detective." Their initial conversation was brief, as they'd just gotten off the telephone with each other. During the call, Detective Brock had made Haley aware of a grim discovery.
Haley greeted his accompanying officers before taking in the sanctuary of King's Chapel.
Considering the Romanesque multi-column exterior, the interior was plain, with white-washed walls and pillars. A couple of simple chandeliers hung from ceilings, with wooden boxed seating instead of pews below them.
The secretary to the minister, a serious, thin-faced man, talked as he led the group down the stone steps. "We've got electrical lighting upstairs, but we still rely on oil lamps down here."
The door to the crypt was opened, the mouth lit by the oil lamps.
Detective Brock picked up one of the lamps. "Normally, I'd say ladies first, but perhaps it would be best if I lead the way down."
Haley didn't protest, carefully following the detective, once again thankful that her height kept her from purchasing fashionable high-heeled shoes—a style that had come into vogue for women over the previous few years.
"Have you been down already?" Haley asked.
Detective Brock looked even taller in the crypt. His hat brushed against a ceiling beam that pushed the fedora off his head. He bent with bony knees to retrieve it. "Yes, but I didn't touch anything and gave firm directives that no one else touch anything either."
"In no way did I suspect you to be guilty of tampering with the scene of a possible crime, Detective," Haley quickly replied.
"I didn't mean to imply that you did. It's worth stating so for the record."
The tomb opened at the bottom of the steps. The remains of those buried were hidden behind a brick wall, and Haley could only presume the decision to do so in the last century had been for preservation. Stone-carved nameplates were mounted on the brick surface, identifying the individuals on the other side, such as William Emerson, Elizabeth Pain, and John Winthrop. However, many names had worn away with time.
Haley swallowed hard as a drop of perspiration worked its way down the back of her neck and spine. Detective Brock held the lamp's bright light in front of her face, and she blinked. "Are you all right, Dr. Higgins?"
Haley placed a palm to her heart, willing the beat to slow. "Yes. Fine. I'm a little claustrophobic."
"I see. Well, let's hurry with it then, shall we?"
Detective Brock held the lamp over the remains that had brought Haley to the tomb in the first place. She focused on what was left of the body—the bones wrapped in linen. She pushed back the blackness of the walls and imposed an imagined field around them instead, lying to herself that the dank air she breathed in came from damp fields after a recent rainfall.
"How often is the crypt inspected?" Haley asked.
"According to the secretary, the groundskeeper, who doubles as a custodian, comes in at least once a month. Just for a sweep and dusting. There hasn't been a new placement here since 1895."
Haley studied the victim. "It looks as if it was placed here with purpose, not simply tossed down the steps."
"This vault may be of some significance." The detective moved the oil lamp along the bricked-in wall and ran a finger along a name plate at eye level. "This one says General something or other. They've been down here for ages, and the etching is hard to make out." He turned to face Haley. "Can you tell me anything from this first cursory observation?"
"Hold the lamp closer, please." Haley tugged on her skirt and squatted by the corpse. She produced a pencil from her medical bag, shifted the ragged-looking sheath with the tip, and uncovered the bones. "Male, I'd say. Probably stabbing."
"You can tell that from just looking?"
"The male cranium is larger with pronounced brow and jaw. The subcostal angle of the ribs—the angle formed where the lower ribs meet the sternum—is sharper in males and the sternum is typically longer and thicker, both demonstrated here. Two ribs have distinct nicks, possibly from a knife or some sort of blade. I'll be able to tell you more once the bones have been brought to my morgue."
Standing, she caught her breath. The illusion of the open field had evaporated, and the sense of walls closing in pressed against her chest. She didn't even register that Detective Brock had taken her hand and was leading her up the stairs to the open space of the sanctuary.
Haley headed straight outside and, once there, took several breaths. She blinked in the view of the burying ground, the rows of jagged headstones—as beautiful to her as any pastoral view.
"Doctor?"
Haley turned to Detective Brock's voice; his dark brow raised in concern.
Embarrassed by apparent weakness, Haley pushed her shoulders back and forced a smile. "I'm fine. I promise. Do you need me for anything else?"
"I think I can carry on without your presence, Dr. Higgins. You can expect delivery of the remains in short order."
After a curt nod, Haley turned on her heel and headed across the burying ground, zigzagging around the ancient headstones until she reached her car. She still felt out of sorts as she maneuvered through traffic—a mix of rumbling motorcars and the slower horse-and-buggy contraptions—until she was parked again, this time at Massachusetts General Hospital at the corner of Allen and Charles.
Dr. Thomas Martin, who, in Haley's opinion, looked too youthful for his position, was seated at his desk inside the entrance of the morgue. A slim man in his late twenties, he was clean-shaven with hair trimmed short at the neck and temples and longer on top, parted sharply from one side.
"You appear a bit flustered, Dr. Higgins," he said. "Is everything all right?"
Haley huffed. She should've taken a minute to examine her appearance in the rearview mirror. Removing her hat, she used her fingers to tidy her hair, fighting with the ponytail she typically wore.
"There's a body coming," she said without answering her assistant's question.
Dr. Martin jumped to his feet. "I'll prepare for the autopsy. Did you want me to start the Y incision?"
"That won't be necessary for this, Dr. Martin. I hope you paid attention in your classes on osteology."
Dr. Martin gazed back at Haley with interest. "Is there something special about the bones in this case?"
"You could say that." Haley relayed the news about the body in the crypt. "The interesting thing is that the body was recently moved there. Whoever did it must've known the groundskeeper would eventually discover it."
"If we're talking bones, then the body had to have been kept somewhere all this time."
"Yes, I'd say at least a year. Detective Brock has an interesting case on his hands."
Haley went to her office, which had a glass wall facing the morgue. It gave her a good view of the space, brighter than one would think a basement area could be due to the white-painted walls and ceiling and the installation of electric lights. A ceramic surgical table sat in the middle of the room. Dr. Martin wiped it down with disinfectant to prepare for the new arrival. He angled the large cone-shaped lamp overhead. Shelves had all the equipment needed for the work done in a morgue, such as Bunsen burners, test tubes, measuring utensils, and drawers with scalpels, tongs, and spatulas.
Though Haley appreciated the view of her morgue as she sat at her desk doing paperwork, she wouldn't have minded a little privacy. She rarely wore makeup, but it wasn't like she didn't engage in a bit of vanity and would like to give her mop a good brushing. Her hair had been the bane of her existence since childhood. The genetics for curly hair were strong in her family. Her parents both had dark curls, a trait passed on to her and her three older brothers. They, at least, kept their locks short and weren't bothered by the odd curl. On the other hand, Haley found caring for her hair to be more work than caring for a child.
She shook her head. That thought was overdramatic.
Now that she had an actual child living under her roof, she couldn't continue to make that unfair comparison. Her roommate, Samantha Rosenbaum, was a single mother raising a young daughter. She was the one who had to work hard, juggling parenting and work as a reporter at The Boston Daily Record. Putting up with those jokers at the paper wasn't even half of it. Though it wasn't unheard of to find women working in journalism in these modern times, they were few. A lot of vitriol was shot Sam's way for taking a man's job.
Haley was proud of her friend, who had repeatedly dealt with public pressure and proved herself worthy. Investigative journalism wasn't an easy line of work.
Thinking about Samantha . . . Haley wondered if she should call her. Certainly, there was a story here. It wasn't every day a nearly decomposed body was randomly found in a crypt.
However, Detective Brock might frown on that. As chief medical examiner, Haley worked closely with the police, and it was her duty to consider things from their perspective first, and she knew the police loathed involving the press.
However, the press would be involved; it was inevitable. And why shouldn't Samantha get the break?
Haley was saved from making an immediate decision on her dilemma by the ringing of the bell. The body had arrived.
Death at King's Chapel - Chapter 1 Excerpt
A call to visit a cemetery wasn't something out of the ordinary. As Boston's chief medical examiner, Dr. Haley Higgins' job was advocating for the dead and providing answers for the living. Haley lived and breathed forensic science, and the 1930s looked promising for new breakthroughs in the field, which could only help her do her best at her job.
With many of the first settlers making their home in Boston, the city had some of the oldest burying grounds in the country, and King's Chapel's burying ground was the oldest of those.
Parking her '29 DeSoto on Tremont, Haley grabbed her medical bag and walked across the grounds to the church entrance, where she'd agreed to meet Detective Brock. The cemetery's grand prestige didn't match its actual size. The old plot held rows of tilted, weather-worn headstones like crooked teeth. The lawns surrounding them were well kept, and the trees and bushes were trimmed and pruned. The shade created there kept the grass soft and damp, and it squished under Haley's weight.
The crypt lay underneath the chapel, and Haley found the now familiar form of Noah Brock waiting inside, his shoulders slouching as if to compensate for his above-average height—a temptation Haley knew well, being overly tall herself. His hat, dented at the front, sat slightly askew on a round head. Although some considered him physically and socially awkward, Haley found him endearing. And, to her dismay, she now considered his nicely symmetrical face rather attractive. Even more concerning was how her cheeks grew warm when he acknowledged her with a tip of his hat and how she impulsively responded by pushing runaway curls behind her ears.
"Dr. Higgins," Detective Brock said.
"Detective." Their initial conversation was brief, as they'd just gotten off the telephone with each other. During the call, Detective Brock had made Haley aware of a grim discovery.
Haley greeted his accompanying officers before taking in the sanctuary of King's Chapel.
Considering the Romanesque multi-column exterior, the interior was plain, with white-washed walls and pillars. A couple of simple chandeliers hung from ceilings, with wooden boxed seating instead of pews below them.
The secretary to the minister, a serious, thin-faced man, talked as he led the group down the stone steps. "We've got electrical lighting upstairs, but we still rely on oil lamps down here."
The door to the crypt was opened, the mouth lit by the oil lamps.
Detective Brock picked up one of the lamps. "Normally, I'd say ladies first, but perhaps it would be best if I lead the way down."
Haley didn't protest, carefully following the detective, once again thankful that her height kept her from purchasing fashionable high-heeled shoes—a style that had come into vogue for women over the previous few years.
"Have you been down already?" Haley asked.
Detective Brock looked even taller in the crypt. His hat brushed against a ceiling beam that pushed the fedora off his head. He bent with bony knees to retrieve it. "Yes, but I didn't touch anything and gave firm directives that no one else touch anything either."
"In no way did I suspect you to be guilty of tampering with the scene of a possible crime, Detective," Haley quickly replied.
"I didn't mean to imply that you did. It's worth stating so for the record."
The tomb opened at the bottom of the steps. The remains of those buried were hidden behind a brick wall, and Haley could only presume the decision to do so in the last century had been for preservation. Stone-carved nameplates were mounted on the brick surface, identifying the individuals on the other side, such as William Emerson, Elizabeth Pain, and John Winthrop. However, many names had worn away with time.
Haley swallowed hard as a drop of perspiration worked its way down the back of her neck and spine. Detective Brock held the lamp's bright light in front of her face, and she blinked. "Are you all right, Dr. Higgins?"
Haley placed a palm to her heart, willing the beat to slow. "Yes. Fine. I'm a little claustrophobic."
"I see. Well, let's hurry with it then, shall we?"
Detective Brock held the lamp over the remains that had brought Haley to the tomb in the first place. She focused on what was left of the body—the bones wrapped in linen. She pushed back the blackness of the walls and imposed an imagined field around them instead, lying to herself that the dank air she breathed in came from damp fields after a recent rainfall.
"How often is the crypt inspected?" Haley asked.
"According to the secretary, the groundskeeper, who doubles as a custodian, comes in at least once a month. Just for a sweep and dusting. There hasn't been a new placement here since 1895."
Haley studied the victim. "It looks as if it was placed here with purpose, not simply tossed down the steps."
"This vault may be of some significance." The detective moved the oil lamp along the bricked-in wall and ran a finger along a name plate at eye level. "This one says General something or other. They've been down here for ages, and the etching is hard to make out." He turned to face Haley. "Can you tell me anything from this first cursory observation?"
"Hold the lamp closer, please." Haley tugged on her skirt and squatted by the corpse. She produced a pencil from her medical bag, shifted the ragged-looking sheath with the tip, and uncovered the bones. "Male, I'd say. Probably stabbing."
"You can tell that from just looking?"
"The male cranium is larger with pronounced brow and jaw. The subcostal angle of the ribs—the angle formed where the lower ribs meet the sternum—is sharper in males and the sternum is typically longer and thicker, both demonstrated here. Two ribs have distinct nicks, possibly from a knife or some sort of blade. I'll be able to tell you more once the bones have been brought to my morgue."
Standing, she caught her breath. The illusion of the open field had evaporated, and the sense of walls closing in pressed against her chest. She didn't even register that Detective Brock had taken her hand and was leading her up the stairs to the open space of the sanctuary.
Haley headed straight outside and, once there, took several breaths. She blinked in the view of the burying ground, the rows of jagged headstones—as beautiful to her as any pastoral view.
"Doctor?"
Haley turned to Detective Brock's voice; his dark brow raised in concern.
Embarrassed by apparent weakness, Haley pushed her shoulders back and forced a smile. "I'm fine. I promise. Do you need me for anything else?"
"I think I can carry on without your presence, Dr. Higgins. You can expect delivery of the remains in short order."
After a curt nod, Haley turned on her heel and headed across the burying ground, zigzagging around the ancient headstones until she reached her car. She still felt out of sorts as she maneuvered through traffic—a mix of rumbling motorcars and the slower horse-and-buggy contraptions—until she was parked again, this time at Massachusetts General Hospital at the corner of Allen and Charles.
Dr. Thomas Martin, who, in Haley's opinion, looked too youthful for his position, was seated at his desk inside the entrance of the morgue. A slim man in his late twenties, he was clean-shaven with hair trimmed short at the neck and temples and longer on top, parted sharply from one side.
"You appear a bit flustered, Dr. Higgins," he said. "Is everything all right?"
Haley huffed. She should've taken a minute to examine her appearance in the rearview mirror. Removing her hat, she used her fingers to tidy her hair, fighting with the ponytail she typically wore.
"There's a body coming," she said without answering her assistant's question.
Dr. Martin jumped to his feet. "I'll prepare for the autopsy. Did you want me to start the Y incision?"
"That won't be necessary for this, Dr. Martin. I hope you paid attention in your classes on osteology."
Dr. Martin gazed back at Haley with interest. "Is there something special about the bones in this case?"
"You could say that." Haley relayed the news about the body in the crypt. "The interesting thing is that the body was recently moved there. Whoever did it must've known the groundskeeper would eventually discover it."
"If we're talking bones, then the body had to have been kept somewhere all this time."
"Yes, I'd say at least a year. Detective Brock has an interesting case on his hands."
Haley went to her office, which had a glass wall facing the morgue. It gave her a good view of the space, brighter than one would think a basement area could be due to the white-painted walls and ceiling and the installation of electric lights. A ceramic surgical table sat in the middle of the room. Dr. Martin wiped it down with disinfectant to prepare for the new arrival. He angled the large cone-shaped lamp overhead. Shelves had all the equipment needed for the work done in a morgue, such as Bunsen burners, test tubes, measuring utensils, and drawers with scalpels, tongs, and spatulas.
Though Haley appreciated the view of her morgue as she sat at her desk doing paperwork, she wouldn't have minded a little privacy. She rarely wore makeup, but it wasn't like she didn't engage in a bit of vanity and would like to give her mop a good brushing. Her hair had been the bane of her existence since childhood. The genetics for curly hair were strong in her family. Her parents both had dark curls, a trait passed on to her and her three older brothers. They, at least, kept their locks short and weren't bothered by the odd curl. On the other hand, Haley found caring for her hair to be more work than caring for a child.
She shook her head. That thought was overdramatic.
Now that she had an actual child living under her roof, she couldn't continue to make that unfair comparison. Her roommate, Samantha Rosenbaum, was a single mother raising a young daughter. She was the one who had to work hard, juggling parenting and work as a reporter at The Boston Daily Record. Putting up with those jokers at the paper wasn't even half of it. Though it wasn't unheard of to find women working in journalism in these modern times, they were few. A lot of vitriol was shot Sam's way for taking a man's job.
Haley was proud of her friend, who had repeatedly dealt with public pressure and proved herself worthy. Investigative journalism wasn't an easy line of work.
Thinking about Samantha . . . Haley wondered if she should call her. Certainly, there was a story here. It wasn't every day a nearly decomposed body was randomly found in a crypt.
However, Detective Brock might frown on that. As chief medical examiner, Haley worked closely with the police, and it was her duty to consider things from their perspective first, and she knew the police loathed involving the press.
However, the press would be involved; it was inevitable. And why shouldn't Samantha get the break?
Haley was saved from making an immediate decision on her dilemma by the ringing of the bell. The body had arrived.
April 23, 2025
Hawke was especially terrible in this novel. She was getting mad at her co workers for doing their job… just annoying. But once again the mystery is interesting.
July 31, 2024
I’m always thrilled to return to the lives of Haley Higgins and her friend Samantha Hawke - two bright, independent women forging their ways in male dominated professions in the depression-era world of 1930’s Boston.
In Death at King’s Chapel, the murder mystery gets a little close to home for them both, and I enjoyed the interweaving of their combined efforts to get to the solution - and of course the breathless conclusion. I adore the way Lee Strauss makes us care for her characters, in this series and all her other series too. Here, the developing characters of Detective Brock and Johnny Milwaukee are firm favourites of mine!
I recommend this addictive cosy historical mystery series, and also those of Ginger Gold (1920’s) and Rosa Reed (1950’s). It’s even better to read the books within each series in order if you can. There’s always so many little Easter eggs to enjoy for those who have followed the characters from the beginning. And whichever era she’s writing in, Lee Strauss brings it alive with authentic historical and social details. They’re never overdone, they just brilliantly set the scene, environment and atmosphere in just a few well chosen words.
I’m always sad to end a new Lee Strauss book, and already can’t wait for the next one.
I read this as an ARC for an honest review. I think you can probably tell I’m a die-hard fan of this author!
In Death at King’s Chapel, the murder mystery gets a little close to home for them both, and I enjoyed the interweaving of their combined efforts to get to the solution - and of course the breathless conclusion. I adore the way Lee Strauss makes us care for her characters, in this series and all her other series too. Here, the developing characters of Detective Brock and Johnny Milwaukee are firm favourites of mine!
I recommend this addictive cosy historical mystery series, and also those of Ginger Gold (1920’s) and Rosa Reed (1950’s). It’s even better to read the books within each series in order if you can. There’s always so many little Easter eggs to enjoy for those who have followed the characters from the beginning. And whichever era she’s writing in, Lee Strauss brings it alive with authentic historical and social details. They’re never overdone, they just brilliantly set the scene, environment and atmosphere in just a few well chosen words.
I’m always sad to end a new Lee Strauss book, and already can’t wait for the next one.
I read this as an ARC for an honest review. I think you can probably tell I’m a die-hard fan of this author!
August 2, 2024
The latest edition in the Higgins and Hawke Mystery Series is a fascinating read. The finding of bones in a Boston crypt at King’s Chapel leads to a missing person’s case that could involve an influential family whose ancestor was a general in the Revolutionary War.
Both Dr Haley Higgins and reporter Samantha Hawke are busy following the clues, especially since they are leading close to home. Dr Higgins is working with a detective while Samantha is trying to stay ahead of male reporters competing for the same story. The mystery was resolved in a logical manner with an unexpected outcome.
The main characters and those that interact with them on a regular basis are well developed and generally likable, especially Haley Higgins and Samantha Hawke who live together along with Samantha’s school aged daughter.
Because of further surprises at the end of the story, I can’t wait to read the next installment of this intriguing series set in the 30’s with two women with non traditional careers.
Both Dr Haley Higgins and reporter Samantha Hawke are busy following the clues, especially since they are leading close to home. Dr Higgins is working with a detective while Samantha is trying to stay ahead of male reporters competing for the same story. The mystery was resolved in a logical manner with an unexpected outcome.
The main characters and those that interact with them on a regular basis are well developed and generally likable, especially Haley Higgins and Samantha Hawke who live together along with Samantha’s school aged daughter.
Because of further surprises at the end of the story, I can’t wait to read the next installment of this intriguing series set in the 30’s with two women with non traditional careers.
August 1, 2024
Taking place in the 1930s, Dr. Haley Higgins, medical examiner, was called by detective Brock to the cemetery to investigate bones of a dead body. But isn't that where dead bodies go? What is unusual about this one is the bones of this dead body was only recently left there. Who do these bones belong to? Along with her friend and investigative journalist, Samantha Hawke, they delve into the mystery. First figure out who the bones belong to and second find out who murdered the victim. With so many twists and turns and suspects they have their job ahead. How and why is Haley's beloved housekeeper and friend a suspect? What is the connection. So many red-herrings and potential danger. Can Haley and Hawke solve the murder? This is a fast paced read that grabs you from the beginning and never lets you go! I highly recommend this series as well as this 6th book! I received and ARC of this book but the opinions expressed here is strictly my own.
August 1, 2024
I'm very much enjoying this spin off series featuring a character introduced in the Ginger Gold mysteries. Once again, Strauss has crafted compelling characters, women who resist traditional roles either out of need (single parent having earn money to raise their child) or a drive toward fulfilling potential in order to better serve society as a whole (Haley becoming a doctor and pathologist and now Chief Pathologist). The result is the characters become like old friends, so I'm eager for each new book to see how they are doing and the mystery in each book, the twists and turns, is a bonus. I'm enjoying the direction Strauss is taking these two lead characters. Now, if we could just finally find out what happened to Haley's beloved brother.... but I'm sure that mystery will eventually be addressed in a future book.
August 1, 2024
Dr. Haley Higgins and Samantha Hawke are back in this entertaining historical cozy. The time period is 1932 and both of these women are strong-willed, trail-blazing women. Medical examiner Dr. Higgins is called to view bones discovered in a crypt at King's Chapel and is shocked to discover they were recently placed there. Along with her friend investigator Samantha Hawke and the local police the mystery surrounding the identity of who the bones belong to and the victim's demise is slowly, methodically unraveled. These stories always have the perfect balance of historical background (placing the reader in 1930's Boston), interesting characters with insight to their personal lives, and an intriguing mystery to solve. A definite must read for cozy mystery lovers. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 26, 2024
Haley and Samantha get involved when bones are discovered in a famous crypt. Additional wrinkle this time - their friend and housekeeper is implicated.
This was a very fast paced story. The motive behind the murder was an unexpected twist and I loved how Samantha and Haley worked the case separately and together to solve the murders.
Lee Strauss has the ability to develop characters fully with few words. Her blog adds flavour as support for the setting and story and I highly recommend taking the time to indulge in it.
With every book in this series I become more invested in the characters and their lives. I can’t wait for the next one!
Highly recommend.
This was a very fast paced story. The motive behind the murder was an unexpected twist and I loved how Samantha and Haley worked the case separately and together to solve the murders.
Lee Strauss has the ability to develop characters fully with few words. Her blog adds flavour as support for the setting and story and I highly recommend taking the time to indulge in it.
With every book in this series I become more invested in the characters and their lives. I can’t wait for the next one!
Highly recommend.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 19, 2024
Death at King's Chapel by Lee Strauss is a wonderful addition to the Higgins and Hawke historical mystery series.
The mystery of the extra remains in the crypt is complex, with new suspects at every turn, including Hayley's beloved housekeeper. As always, the historical setting provides information on the status of women at the time that is both fascinating and eye opening.
The development of the characters' relationships holds lots of promise for great stories ahead.
I am thrilled to have received an ARC of this excellent book from the author.
The mystery of the extra remains in the crypt is complex, with new suspects at every turn, including Hayley's beloved housekeeper. As always, the historical setting provides information on the status of women at the time that is both fascinating and eye opening.
The development of the characters' relationships holds lots of promise for great stories ahead.
I am thrilled to have received an ARC of this excellent book from the author.
August 4, 2024
Another outstanding story
I don’t know if this is the end of the Higgins and Hawke series, but it could be, because the storylines of the previous books are all tied up in a beautiful bow at the end of this one. Lee Strauss is a magnificent storyteller. I love how she weaves real historical events into her narratives. Her characters seem so real, so human. I love this series, and if it is the end, it’s been a wonderful journey with Haley and Samantha. If it’s not the end — bring on the next book, please.
I don’t know if this is the end of the Higgins and Hawke series, but it could be, because the storylines of the previous books are all tied up in a beautiful bow at the end of this one. Lee Strauss is a magnificent storyteller. I love how she weaves real historical events into her narratives. Her characters seem so real, so human. I love this series, and if it is the end, it’s been a wonderful journey with Haley and Samantha. If it’s not the end — bring on the next book, please.
August 16, 2024
Couldn't Put It Down
Lee Strauss has done it again and I look forward to more books in this series of Haley and Samantha solving more crimes. This one is a real page turner and enough historical details to lend a solid reality to it all. Highly recommend this book if you are looking for solid character development and a plot that is quite plausible. I especially enjoyed the throw a ways o Status Christie and the description of Harvard. All in all solid work from a writer I have always admired from her Ginger series. This a winner you won't be disappointed.
Lee Strauss has done it again and I look forward to more books in this series of Haley and Samantha solving more crimes. This one is a real page turner and enough historical details to lend a solid reality to it all. Highly recommend this book if you are looking for solid character development and a plot that is quite plausible. I especially enjoyed the throw a ways o Status Christie and the description of Harvard. All in all solid work from a writer I have always admired from her Ginger series. This a winner you won't be disappointed.
August 9, 2024
The newest book in the Higgins and Hawke series. Hailey Higgins is a well loved character from the Ginger Gold series.
Hailey is now the coroner in Boston and has a new partner Samantha (Sam) Hawke an intrepid reporter.
Skeletal remains are found in a crypt.Hailey must id the remains and determine the cause of death.
Well written. This is a 1930s cozy mystery that manages to educate the reader on the 1930s era as well as entertain.
Strong independent female characters in unusual careers for women in that time period
Hailey is now the coroner in Boston and has a new partner Samantha (Sam) Hawke an intrepid reporter.
Skeletal remains are found in a crypt.Hailey must id the remains and determine the cause of death.
Well written. This is a 1930s cozy mystery that manages to educate the reader on the 1930s era as well as entertain.
Strong independent female characters in unusual careers for women in that time period
June 17, 2025
3 stars.
For some reason, I couldn't get into this one. It felt the author might have run out of steam and just wanted to close out the series. The case started quite interesting but then it sort of petered out.
There's a bit of a scramble at the end there to pair off both Haley and Samantha, so I guess it's a strong indication that this is the last instalment. Overall, a reasonably entertaining series.
For some reason, I couldn't get into this one. It felt the author might have run out of steam and just wanted to close out the series. The case started quite interesting but then it sort of petered out.
There's a bit of a scramble at the end there to pair off both Haley and Samantha, so I guess it's a strong indication that this is the last instalment. Overall, a reasonably entertaining series.
August 2, 2024
Old bones and older lies.
An exceptionally well woven mystery. An unexpected skeleton is discovered in a the basement crypt of an historical church. Hayley and Samantha become involved in uncovering its identity. Lightly woven in is a hint of romance in the newsroom and the police department.
An exceptionally well woven mystery. An unexpected skeleton is discovered in a the basement crypt of an historical church. Hayley and Samantha become involved in uncovering its identity. Lightly woven in is a hint of romance in the newsroom and the police department.
August 25, 2024
This addition to the series is excellent in every way. Well written, interesting storyline and a well plotted mystery combine for time well spent reading. Of course as is always the case for this author, the characters were engaging.
I received an arc of this book and voluntarily provided a review.
I received an arc of this book and voluntarily provided a review.
September 3, 2024
Did NOT See That Coming
I love all the Ginger Reed, Rosa Reed and Higgins & Hawke books!!! I love the characters, Dr Haley Higgins and Samantha Rosenbaum and all the rest of the people in these stories. I love that I can't figure out who did what that ended in death. I also like how I can't anticipate any romantic leanings. Once again, this book is a winner.
I love all the Ginger Reed, Rosa Reed and Higgins & Hawke books!!! I love the characters, Dr Haley Higgins and Samantha Rosenbaum and all the rest of the people in these stories. I love that I can't figure out who did what that ended in death. I also like how I can't anticipate any romantic leanings. Once again, this book is a winner.
September 28, 2024
Lee Strauss has written another solid mystery that kept me turning the pages. The characters are well developed now; and I appreciated the historical references to Boston and the attitudes toward women working in the 1930's. Twists and turns as Haley and Detective Brock investigate with limited suspects held my attention from the first page to the last.
August 7, 2024
Higgins and Hawke
Just finished another great book with two of my favorite characters. Characters are being developed and I feel like I am a part of their lives (@ a distance, of course.) Plus I get a bit of history to learn about. My problem is I can't wait for the next book!!
Just finished another great book with two of my favorite characters. Characters are being developed and I feel like I am a part of their lives (@ a distance, of course.) Plus I get a bit of history to learn about. My problem is I can't wait for the next book!!
August 10, 2024
okay
Not my favorite of the series. It was nice to hear from the characters again but there was little development of the characters until the final few pages. The mystery was fairly obvious.
Not my favorite of the series. It was nice to hear from the characters again but there was little development of the characters until the final few pages. The mystery was fairly obvious.
August 12, 2024
Love this series!!
Oh wait! I love every book this Author writes. This Higgins and Hawke is the best one yet!! But, saying that every book she writes is fast paced, full of mystery and very fun to read!!! Can’t wait for #7!!!
Oh wait! I love every book this Author writes. This Higgins and Hawke is the best one yet!! But, saying that every book she writes is fast paced, full of mystery and very fun to read!!! Can’t wait for #7!!!
August 17, 2024
I love this author. The latest book for Higgins and Hawke was outstanding. Haley and Samantha are struggling in male dominated fields but are pushing back to gain their footing. They are growing as characters and with confidence. Well written and I can’t wait for the next instalment.
August 20, 2024
If you like mysteries this is for you. Higgins is the Chief Medical Examiner and Hawke is the upcoming crime reporter. Follow along as they combine their talents in crime solving while having personal lives in the early 1930's of Boston, Mass. Very entertaining and hard to put down
August 29, 2024
Absolutely loved reading about Haley and Sam again! And just like previous books, it was full of suspense and whimsical fun. I really like how the characters continue developing and the mysteries continue to unfold. Thank you!
September 17, 2024
Haley is called by the police to visit Kings Chapel, where a new set of bones has suddenly appeared. They appear to be the bones of a man about 40, who died from a stab attack. The puzzle is, where have the bones been hidden since the murder….and why dump them now?
March 2, 2025
Interesting Historical Mystery
This series is easy to read. This book has interesting characters. The mystery itself isn't difficult to guess the ending. But that said its still an effective mystery. The time the book takes place in adds to its readability!
This series is easy to read. This book has interesting characters. The mystery itself isn't difficult to guess the ending. But that said its still an effective mystery. The time the book takes place in adds to its readability!
July 31, 2024
Read in one session. I highly recommend this book. Love the interactions between Higgins and Hawke and other quirky characters. The mystery comes to an interesting conclusion.
August 6, 2024
Murder and Romance. I liked seeing how they solved the murders. There was movement on dating for the main characters. I enjoyed the book and will read more in the series and by the author.
August 8, 2024
as expected
Awesome! Love this series with intrepid women. The people, their interactions, the plots, the historic details but most of all, the Women.
Awesome! Love this series with intrepid women. The people, their interactions, the plots, the historic details but most of all, the Women.
August 12, 2024
Enjoyed
This author always delivers a great story. It is obvious the author researches the background for each storyline. I totally enjoy her series.
This author always delivers a great story. It is obvious the author researches the background for each storyline. I totally enjoy her series.
August 14, 2024
Another Suspenseful Good Read
Haley and Samantha find themselves once again embroiled in a mystery involving a prominent Boston family and a touch of romance for fun!
Haley and Samantha find themselves once again embroiled in a mystery involving a prominent Boston family and a touch of romance for fun!
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