Silent as the Grave

Molly Murphy #21

by Rhys Bowen, Clare Broyles

With a newborn and two children, Molly Murphy Sullivan is tackling motherhood. Her husband, Daniel, is off to work in Washington as Easter break begins in New York. Her dear friend and writer, Ryan O’Hara, is shooting a movie, one of the first to involve a real plot and actors. He invites Molly and the children to visit the set and watch the excitement. When one of the actresses is fired, Molly’s adopted daughter, Bridie, is called to replace her in the scene. Turns out she’s a natural and is asked to star in the rest of the film. Molly is skeptical about leaving Bridie alone on set, but her great friends, Sid and Gus, offer to chaperone her.

The movie industry is still experimenting with ways to get the best shot, like pretending to tie Bridie to real train tracks. But soon, their special effects start to malfunction. After a few mishaps where no one is hurt, the special effects turn deadly. With rumors of a feud between studios, Molly believes these malfunctions are sabotage. She is invited to go undercover on set to investigate the burgeoning film war. Once again, Rhys Bowen and Clare Broyles deliver an engaging mystery full of vibrant historical details and thrilling escapades featuring one of mystery's most beloved sleuths.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical Mystery, Historical, Cozy Mystery, Mystery Thriller

471 pages, Hardcover

Published July 30, 2025

About the author

I'm a New York Times bestselling mystery author, winner of both Agatha and Anthony awards for my Molly Murphy mysteries, set in 1902 New York City.

I have recently published four internationally bestselling WWII novels, one of them a #1 Kindle bestseller, and the Tuscan Child selling almost a million copies to date. In Farleigh Field won three major awards and was nominated for an Edgar. My other stand-alone novels are The Victory Garden, about land girls in WWI and Above the Bay of Angels, featuring a young woman who becomes chef for Queen Victoria.
April 2021 will mark the publication of THE VENICE SKETCHBOOK--another sweeping historical novel of love, loss and intrigue.

My books are currently translated into 29 languages and I have fans worldwide.

I also write the Agatha-winning Royal Spyness series, about the British royal family in the 1930s. It's lighter, sexier, funnier, wicked satire. It was voted by readers as best mystery series one year.
I am also known for my Constable Evans books, set in North Wales, and for my award-winning short stories.

I was born and raised in England but currently divide my time between California and Arizona where I go to escape from the harsh California winters
When I am not writing I love to travel, sing, hike, play my Celtic harp.
Series:
* Constable Evan Mystery
* Molly Murphy Mysteries
* Her Royal Spyness Mysteries

Awards:
Agatha Award
◊ Best Novel (2001): Murphy's Law
Reviewer's Choice Award
◊ Historical Mystery (2001): Murphy's Law

Reviews

[PamG · Rating 4 out of 5]

Accidents, malfunctions, suspense, and a movie studio are featured in the twenty-first book in the mystery series featuring Molly Murphy Sullivan, Silent as the Grave. It starts with a heartrending prologue that immediately pulls readers into the story. Set in New York City during eight days in April 1909, this intriguing novel takes readers to the beginnings of silent movies.

Molly is juggling a newborn, a five-year-old son, and fourteen-year-old daughter Bridie, along with household chores. Playwright and friend Ryan O’Hara is shooting a silent film involving a real plot and actors, and Molly and the children are invited to the set. When Bridie gets a chance to replace a fired actress, Molly reluctantly agrees to let friends and neighbors Sid and Gus to chaperone Bridie.

As things continue to go wrong during the shooting of the movie, the situation turns deadly. Is there a saboteur or simply malfunctions and accidents? Molly is invited to go undercover on the set to investigate.

Molly misses the days when she had her own detective agency. She is curious and enjoys life more when there’s a spark of danger. She’s observant, but tends to disregard her safety at times. While she can be headstrong, it seems she has mellowed somewhat with marriage and children. Molly’s husband Daniel is a police homicide captain. He takes his job seriously and worries that Molly gets herself into dangerous situations. Bridie has a large role in this story as well. She felt relatable as a teenager for the times.

Combining information about the early days of the movie industry with a mystery worked well. Additionally, along with the fictional characters, there are a mixture real people like Thomas Edison and Mary Pickford that added realism to the story. The book is descriptive, making for great world-building, but the pacing was somewhat slow, but interspersed with action scenes.

Along with the information about the film industry, there are discussions of women’s roles, as well as several inventions, and the beginning of a federal Bureau of Investigations. Friendship and family dynamics add to the depth of the story. The author adds enough twists to keep readers guessing, and there is one strong emotional scene.

Overall, this was an entertaining and suspenseful novel that kept me engaged. Readers who enjoy historical mysteries or are interested in the early days of silent movies will likely enjoy this novel. While this is the first book I have read in the series, I had no trouble reading it as a standalone.

St. Martin’s Press – Minotaur Books, Rhys Bowen, and Clare Broyles provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for March 11, 2025. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.

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My 3.7 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.

[Toni Osborne · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Molly Murphy Mystery #21

In a few words:

Molly’s daughter Birdie is asked to replace a lead female in D.W. Griffith’s latest film. Everything goes smoothly till Birdie nearly dies while filming a dangerous stunt. To Molly something is not right and decides to jump back into PI work and go undercover on the set to figure out who may be behind all this brouhaha…..

My thoughts:

From time to time, I like to pick up an engaging mystery full of vibrant historical details. The magic of New York City in 1909 and the growing film industry should have made an interesting read. But the authors were not that convincing evoking the period, less so when it came to real-life figures (Griffith and Thomas Edison). I thought they were more comical characters that visionaries and inventors but that is me you may think differently. As for the tempo, it drags a little too much for my taste, at times I had some difficulty staying in tune with Molly escapade my mind wandering too much…maybe I was somewhat bored.

Even if this latest is not my preferred installment in this series I will admit this story is a satisfying domestic mystery even with all its predictability and its silly moments.

I received this ARC from St-Martin’s Press via Netgalley for my thoughts: this is the way I see it

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would rate this book 3.5 stars overall, but I really enjoyed the last 3 hours of the audiobook. Those final chapters made the experience much more engaging for me. I will purchase the next audiobook.

[Leigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favourite in this series. Sadly it seems Molly has slipped since the author paired up with her daughter. The books are still enjoyable but it lacks something since they paired up. In this installment Molly investigates sabotage on the set of silent films. Lights falling over sometimes into tanks of water, trains racing toward people tied to the tracks without the engineers realizing it was a film. Creepy pervy producers and directors showing not much has changed in a century. Sid, Gus and Ryan O'Hare are here. Ryan is writing scripts for these films and Bridie begs Molly to go to set and eventually gets a role herself during her school vacation. Bridie continues to be a whiny obnoxious idiot who really needs actual discipline like a good smack cause boy do they let her get away with a lot. Sid and Gus are terrible friends and continue to get worse as friends to Molly not the kind of people she can count on like asking them to chaperon Bridie on the movie set and they selfishly go off and learn how to shoot film leaving her vulnerable. Time to ditch them. These books tend to have lousy best friends. Georgie has Belinda who's equally awful as a friend more of a user really. Sid and Gus are the cause of that sweet little girl Bridie becoming a raging brat. But there were some interesting facts about the movie industry and it's early days, why we use certain terms like shooting, the character Alice who's based on a real person from France. The book ends on an interesting note with Daniel's job about to take a new turn so I'll hope things improve and wait for the next installment as I do love this series and am not ready to give up on it just yet.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was ok. I have read all of this series. This was not my favorite. Seemed to drag a bit but maybe that was just my sense of the flow of the story. Still enjoy the characters.

[Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

The characters don’t seem to have the same depth any more, so I did not finish this book.
I had enjoyed the entire series, but won’t be reading any more.

[Pamela · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 21 st. novel that features Molly and Daniel. They are married now for years, and have two children, plus raising Birdie, who is now 14. Daniel is a captain for the New York police department. Molly is supposed to be a mother, and a home maker, but she has always had a mind for solving mysteries. The book introduces us to the beginning of silent films. In 1908. How very dangerous they could be to make , and how an air tight patent owned by Mr. Edison, kept many new movie makers under his thumb. Ryan O’Hara is back in town, and is not only a play writer, but an actor in his own silent movie . . He takes Molly, Sid , and Gus to a performance. The studio he works with is plagued with mishaps. They are dangerous, and one nearly caused Birdie her life. Daniel has been called to Washington, so of course Molly takes a job to find who is behind these so called accidents. Molly does a good job , but soon finds herself over her head. Daniel comes home just in time. He takes over the case, yet gets help from Molly on the workings of the theater, and the cast, and crew. A person was pointed to, then another murder takes place. I wasn’t convinced that the man pointed out was indeed the culprit, and I thought he was a false lead. Another murder is committed, and now all the murders have directly hurt the studio. Then after more investigation ,and time spent in the story I picked out my killer. I was right. It was a good murder mystery , and it taught me new things about Edison. I love Molly’s family, and how much her , and Daniel are in love. There is a surprise at the end. I really have enjoyed these mysteries. Rhys Bowen is an excellent author. 4 stars. I would have given it 5, but the verdict of the trial was not back yet, by the end of the book I would have like to know the sentence that was handed down. .

[Heather Moll · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good addition to the series and best read by readers familiar with Molly. There’s a lot of “history of early motion pictures” to set the stage. The pacing picked up late in the game but the resolution was good. Mary seems to have outgrown her friends and only keeping house, and it’d be nice to see more character development and her investigations be done with more support from Daniel.

And apparently in 1909, women couldn’t drive as well as men because of their tight corsets, which might be one of the dumbest things I’ve read in historical fiction.

3.5 stars I received an arc from NetGalley

[Sharyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I came to this series late, and now here is #21. I enjoy Rhys Bowen, and this series is no exception. i like that each is a mystery that involves real people. This book features Thomas Edison ( not presented in a particularly good light, which I am sure is accurate) and DW Griffith making movies at the Biograph studios with Mary Pickford. I looked up the history of the studios in NY, and it was fascinating.
Bridee gets a job on a movie set, and when she is almost killed, Molly, true to form, decides to investigate.
Daniel is away in DC, so Molly is on her own in her usual impetuous way.
I do so enjoy the setting in NY in the early 1900's, and I look forward to the next book, as we find out at the end how Daniel is moving up in the realm of law enforcement.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the Evan Evans series by Rhys back in the day and I wanted to see what she had these days. I found this book and it is written by her and her daughter. I always wonder, "How do they do that?" The book was great,,,very true to the era I felt. I knew that Thomas Edison had a wealth of accomplishments. However, I was surprised to learn (from this book) that he owned a film studio. Fascinating. I liked Molly's spunk and her relationship with a cast of others in the story. I liked her relationship with her husband Daniel. I would definitely read another in the series for the history and the mystery.

[Maia L · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love whenever real people are written in; I didn't realize how many of the characters in this book were real people. D.W. Griffith, the Martin brothers, Alice, and the Italian lieutenant
also the disappearance of Louis Prince being real and having a daughter in law named Fanny Prince? so cool

[Lovenia Barker · Rating 5 out of 5]

As with all the Molly Murphy Mysteries, I loved this one. Number 21 in the series and I’ve read them all. Hopefully there will be another one. I love the setting of New York in the 1920s.

[Ruth Cook · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Joy Stephens · Rating 4 out of 5]

so cool. I learned how moving pictures got their start.

[𝓜𝓲𝓬𝓱𝓮𝓵𝓵𝓮 𝐆𝓸𝓲𝓴 · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is book 21 in the Molly Murphy Mysteries series.

This cozy mystery did not disappoint! Keep them coming, ladies!

[Anna]

Meh, I think I’m done with this series.

[Madeleine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm afraid this series is feeling more and more formulaic :( Still reasonably entertaining, though. I had the opportunity to view and ARC and here is my honest review, because I follow the rules.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I tend to prefer Bowen’s Royal Spyness series but I thought this was a very strong (21st!) entry for Molly Sullivan in 1909, now with three kids to mother. Eldest Bridie gets involved in the nascent moviemaking business and of course Molly stumbles across a murder (or two) and sets the stage for investigation so her husband can arrest the perpetrator. It was fun to see some of the people of the day, helpful too as I ruled them out as murder suspects early on.

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Silent as the Grave is the 21st book in the ever-popular Molly Murphy Mystery series by Rhys Bowen and Clare Broyles. As is my way, I started this series on book 18 and have thoroughly enjoyed all those I've read. When I have time, I am going to catch up on all I missed. But the particular mysteries in each volume of this series stand alone, so no worries. This go-round, we have a fun mystery involving Molly, her family and friends, plus real-life figures such as Mary Pickford, DW Griffith and Thomas Edison!

It's April 1909, and it's the dawn of motion pictures. Molly Murphy Sullivan is busy juggling her newborn baby Mary Kate, 5-year-old Liam and 14-year-old Bridie. That's a handful, especially when her husband Daniel, a New York City police captain, is off to Washington to discuss a new federal bureau for police investigations. It's the beginning of Easter break, and Molly's flamboyant dear friend and playwright Ryan O’Hara is in New York to shoot a movie, one of the first to involve a real plot and actors. He invites Molly and the children to visit the set, and all are excited. When an actress is fired from the film, they ask Bridie to replace her in the scene that's being shot. Apparently she's really good at it, as she is asked to continue in the role until the film is completed. Molly doesn't feel comfortable about leaving her alone on the set as she tends to the other children, but dear friends and self-appointed godparents Sid and Gus offer to chaperone her. Cameramen are trying to figure out exciting ways to get the perfect shot, but their special effects begin to go wrong. When Bridie is put in danger that's bad enough, but then after a few mishaps where no one was hurt, someone winds up dead. There's rumors of a feud between studios - with one studio headed by Thomas Edison - and Molly is asked to go undercover to investigate. Things are getting dicey!

Authors Rhys Bowen and Clare Broyles are the mother-and-daughter writing team of this series, and they have magic as partners. These characters are still going strong, and the stories that I've read always seem fresh. With wonderful characters like these, how could they go wrong?! Molly is a delight, as always. She grew up poor in Ireland, emigrated to the United States, worked a private investigator, and then became a wife to a policeman, and a mother. Though she adores her family life and her home, there's still a part of her that will always remain a private investigator. Molly is often the smartest person in the room, and she often puts clues together that no one else seems to see. Husband Daniel is a police captain, and he would prefer that Molly just tend to the family and stay safe. Ha! Like that's gonna happen! He often becomes exasperated with Molly jumping into situations that may lead to danger, but he also respects her intelligence and sometimes seeks her help. I'm still not totally warmed up to Daniel yet, but there's obviously love and affection between Molly and Daniel. And I must also keep in mind that this book is set in 1909, and that was a whole other world! Molly's friend Ryan is always entertaining when he shows up; he's funny and snarky. My favorite supporting characters are Sid and Gus, a female couple who are the dearest friends of Molly, and they love Molly's kids. They always make me smile when they appear. This time they get into the spirit of filmmaking, and they purchase a movie camera and write scenes to film. I just adore them! Bridie is charming, vacillating between being a kid and a young woman. She doesn't know if she wants to be an actress now, or a policeman like her Papa. This was a great mystery. At first it appeared that accidents were happening, but then a death occurs. So was it an accident? And when another death occurs, Molly is pretty sure it was murder! There were feuds between two studios, and one of the studios was led by Thomas Edison. Surely you've heard that name before... Mary Pickford the actress appeared in the story, as did D.W. Griffith, whose film "The Birth of a Nation" may be one of the most controversial US films ever made. There were plenty of suspects, and I admit that I just KNEW who the killer was. Except I was wrong! This was a fun installment in the series, and I hope our writing duo is busily working on Molly's next adventure!

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

[virginia · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a reader just beginning to enjoy Molly Murphy Sullivan’s adventures, I thoroughly enjoyed this latest installment. Having read all of Rhys Bowen’s ‘standalones’ over the past few years, I recently began picking my way through the Molly Sullivan cozy murder mysteries.

What can I say? Rhys Bowen had me as a fan from the first book I read, In Farleigh Field. I look forward to every book she writes, keeping track of her latest works via Facebook groups and local bookstore announcements. Adding her daughter Clare as an author is a fabulous idea. Silent as the Grave was as enjoyable as it was fun trying to figure out who the killer might be. The setting was perfect, the details rich and believable, and the history of silent film stars like Mary Pickford was a bonus.

I felt elated when Net Galley approved my request to read an ARC copy. My Rhys Bowen must-read list keeps growing the more I read her work. (Now onward to The Rose Arbor)

Using a silent film studio scenario as a setting for a great murder mystery gave me another glimpse into how versatile Bowen is as an author while giving me insight into Molly’s character. I was glad to see Daniel, her detective husband, play a more significant role in this book in the series because Molly’s character is so nuanced and well-developed that she seems like a friend I could easily relate to. I love Molly Sullivan’s solid female persona and the subtle yet effective ways she works with her husband to live life her way in eras when women didn’t challenge men.

Since I have been reading this series out of order, I am getting more backstory on the side characters, Gus, Sid, and Bridie. Of course, we can’t forget the hilarious all-about-me playwright Ryan O’Hare, who is so perfectly developed I can picture him days after I finish the story.

One of the author’s greatest strengths is her winding murder twists, but I have to say that her character development never ceases to amaze and amuse me. Her snappy dialogue and vivid settings, when combined, create a great read I couldn’t put down until I finished the last page.

I love how Rhys and Clare ended this story, giving us a cliffhanger for her next book in the series, as Molly’s husband, Daniel, wraps up his tenure at the NYPD to work for a national organization. I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but this era in the new agency is so rich in history and challenges that I cannot wait to read the next book about Molly and her family adventures. As Molly tackles motherhood with Liam and the spirited infant, Mary Kate, I expect a few future Molly adventures as she tries to keep up with this rambunctious replica of herself.

Silent as the Grave captivates readers with its rich characters, many plot twists and turns, and just enough humor and nuttiness from the side characters to keep us all laughing as we attempt to solve another great who-dun-it from Rhys Bowen and daughter Clare.

This is an unputdownable beach read, an easy five-star murder mystery that will keep you reading as the kettle whistles repeatedly until The End.

Thank you, Net Galley, for the opportunity to read this free advanced copy. My review is voluntary and mine alone.

[June Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful tale that manages to combine the magic of NYC in the early 1900s, the burgeoning silent film industry, and murder. Make that murder plural. I've enjoyed this series from the beginning and it's been a delight to follow Molly as she's matured and grown into a young mother. She's now married to police captain Daniel with not just an adopted 14-year old daughter, Bridie, but toddler Liam and baby Mary Kate. Let's just say, Mary Kate's loud demands to be fed -- remember this is set in the early 1900's before bottle feeding became common -- keep Molly tied to home and hearth. For the most part she doesn't mind, in fact, she loves it, but, well, as a former female detective, she does miss that rush, too. The characters, both regulars and the rest, are well fleshed out and you'll love getting a peek at how early silent movies were made, including how dangerous it was at times. Dangerous and competitive. Be sure to read the historical notes at the end to discover who was real (I think Mary Pickford is obvious, as is Edison), who wasn't and more.

The story centers around daughter Bridie being asked to fill in after a female star is fired. Bridie is only 14 but Molly agrees with the stipulation that it's just this once and she'll return to school the next week. Yes, silent movies were written, rehearsed, and filmed in only a matter of days. While disturbed by several accidents on set, Molly accepts that it's all part of the nature of the art initially while keeping a close watch over Bridie, who seems a natural. Than, there is a death. Accident or murder? Bridie has a close call that Molly is unable to accept was 100% an accident. Then there is another death. And... well, I won't detail any more of the plot except to share my amazement that Thomas Edison was depicted by the movie people as the potential murderer all for his determination to lead the charge in the new industry. Since history tells us he wasn't a murderer, it was intriguing to see Molly put her detective skills back in motion and follow the clues to find the real killer.

Bottom line, I was probably as captivated seeing how silent movies got their beginnings. It was great fun to discover some of the camera tricks used for special effects, not to mention how some tense scenes were done. All with little budget and quickly. Definitely fun to spend some time with Molly's friends Sid and Gus, who were captivated by the art of film making. Flamboyant friend Ryan is on hand, too, as both a film script writer and actor, giving us another vantage point on how these early reels were cranked out super quickly. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing where Daniel's new job with what appears to be the fledgling FBI office in NYC leads them. Something tells me him being employed by the government won't keep Molly out of investigating. Thanks to #StMartin'sPress - #MinotaurBooks for allowing me this early virtual visit via the time machine back to NYC to catch up with Molly and the rest. Will Bridie be content to leave the spotlight now that she's felt the rush of film making? What exactly will Daniel's new job involve?

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Silent as the Grave combined factual information on the early movie industry in New York with a mystery, and this worked very well. Fresh off reading the non-ficton book Daughter of Daring, a book about one of the first stuntwomen in Hollywood, I was thrilled to read more about the early movie days, this time on the opposite side of the US. There was a lot of discussion on women’s roles in the industry as well as themes involving money, technology, theft, secrecy, loyalty, and friendship.

Being the 21st book in the series, character development for Molly is not necessarily needed, but I did enjoy reading about her struggles with a daughter who is a bit difficult and demanding. When I say I enjoyed it, I mean I completely sympathized with her as I have a daughter who was like that as an infant so I completely understood when she was frazzled. What I particularly enjoyed was the development of her adopted daughter Bridie as she is now 14 years old and starting to really come into her own. I love how she changes her mind about things every two minutes as this really reflects the young girl she is, trying to act grown-up one minute, but behaving immaturely the next. I also loved the inclusion of historical figures Mary Pickford at the beginning of her career and Thomas Edison, who was known to be quite difficult to work with and was one of the reasons why so many directors left NY for Hollywood.

The plot includes a lot of information about the early days of the film industry, something that I enjoyed tremendously, but I did find the overall mystery to be somewhat predictable even if I enjoyed it. The themes of friendship, loyalty, family, and trust as well as the beginnings of a monopoly on a fledgling movie industry added depth to the story. However, the overall pacing to the story was still somewhat slow and did get bogged down in details at times, sometimes to the point where I wondered where the author was going with the information.

Silent as the Grave was an interesting and entertaining entry into this long-running series. While the pacing was a bit slower than usual, the early days of the movie industry and its stars was something a bit different than the usual story and I enjoyed it quite a bit. There were lots of twists and turns, although if you are familiar with the books you may be able to pick them out, but the author has this way of making scenes emotional so you don’t really care if you figured things out. And while this is a long-running series, you could jump into this book and understand what is happening without having read the previous books.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher Minotaur Books and Goodreads for providing me with an ARC of this book.

This story takes place in 1909, the early days of the motion picture industry. We meet Molly Sullivan, a homemaker and mother to three children including a 14 year old adopted daughter named Bridie. Molly's husband, Daniel Sullivan, is a Captain of the New York Police Department, who plans to attend a funeral for a policeman who has been killed while on duty.

Molly's daughter, Bridie, announces that she is going to be an actress in a movie being filmed. Molly is very concerned and makes sure someone is always there to supervise her. We are also introduced to Mary Pickford, an actual real-life star from that time in history. Molly is a tough woman and caring parent to her kids. She used to work as a detective and puts her detective hat back on to help solve mysterious happenings and close calls on the set of the movie being filmed.

The story is a little predictable and silly in spots, but in general it is just an old fashioned mystery that kept me engaged and turning the pages for most of the book. There is naivety and innocence within the story, which adds to its charm and made it a delight to read. Feminists would not be happy with this book (Lol!) An example of a comment made by Molly on Page 233 was: "So, in the morning, I shall spend time with my darling babies and cleaning our sweet little house." "You see, Daniel, I won't neglect my duties as wife and mother." Say, what???? This would not go over well in this day and age; but I believe this line of thinking was the norm in those days.

The story dragged on a little longer than it should and began to lose my interest during the end of the investigation. Molly turns out to be a bit of a busy body who points out to her husband what he should be doing in the investigation, even though he is the Captain of the Police Department, which was kind of funny. The Captain also discusses his findings in the case with his wife and her friends, which seemed very unrealistic to me.

Altogether, this book was a very big change of pace for me, I actually enjoyed it quite a bit. The authors have written a number of Molly Murphy Mystery books already, and it looks like they have plans to write more. A pleasant read!

[Barbara Schultz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: Silent as the Grave
Authors: Rhys Bowen and Clare Broyles
Series: Molly Murphy
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press- Minotaur Books
Genre: Historical Fiction
Pub Date: March 11, 2025
My Rating: 4 Stars
Pages 336

After twenty books in the Molly Murphy series Detective Molly Murphy Sullivan is now officially retired and goes undercover.
I have not read ALL twenty but I certainly enjoyed the ones I have read.

Story is based in New York City Date April 1909.
Molly Murphy Sullivan is a bit overloaded with motherhood- baby Mary Kay is five months old and Liam is a toddler and adopted daughter Birdie fourteen. Daniel is a police captain and has a responsibility on Washington as Easter break begins in New York.
When Molly’s friend Ryan O’Hara, invites Molly, little Liam and Birdie to visit him on the movie set he is current shooting - she thinks – why not?
However when one of the actresses is fired, Molly’s adopted daughter, Bridie, is asked to replace her in the scene. Who knew that Birdie would be perfect? Next thing
Birdie is asked to continue in the rest of the film, Molly is not sure but her friends, Sid and Gus, offer to chaperone Birdie. ( This movie turns out to be one of this the first silent films.

As always our retired Molly still gets caught in this complex investigation. There are many details as well as many suspects.

Additionally I always enjoy with a story includes the protagonist family get involved.

Yes! Just as the blurb mentioned ~
Mother/Daughter authors Rhys Bowen and Clare Broyles deliver an engaging mystery full of vibrant historical details and thrilling escapades featuring one of mystery's most beloved sleuths.

I also love when a story is Historical Fiction that we are told was id fiction and what actually happened.
Our authors stated they tried to be true regarding the aspects of the early movie-making but did fictionalized most of the characters. They them give us a break down on whom the fictional characters were based on.
I encourage readers to be sure to take time to read the “Historical Note’ at the end of the story.

Want to thank NetGalley and St. Marin’s Press ~ Minotaur Books for this great early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for March 11, 2025.

[Connie · Rating 3 out of 5]

1909

Molly Sullivan is married to police captain Daniel Sullivan. It’s easter week and he has been sent to Washington, D.C. to meet with the Secret Service on some planning mission. That leaves Molly at home with their adopted daughter, Bridie, 14, young son Liam, and infant daughter Mary Kate.

When Molly’s friend, Ryan O’Hare, an Irish playwright, arrives in town, he invites her and Bridie to the theater to watch them shoot a movie. Bridie is fascinated and when an actress is fired, Bridie is asked to fill in for her. She is thrilled and turns out to be a natural. However, some of the scenes are downright dangerous and Bridie is almost serious injured. Molly doesn’t not want to her to continue. But as Molly was once a detective and had her own agency, she is asked by a member of the crew to watch the happenings on the set as there have been some scary things happening and they wonder is someone is trying to sabotage the film. But things escalate when someone is found dead and believed to be murdered. Will Molly be able to solve the crime?

This is the fourth Molly Murphy book that I have read. I agree that it is well thought out, however, this particular subject matter of film making didn’t really interest me. I admit to getting somewhat bored but I did want to finish it as I knew the ending would be good which it is.

I have loved Her Royal Spyness Mysteries by Rhys Bowen. I haven’t read all of them because, sadly, the publisher handling that series and who shall remain unnamed, seems to only approve requests by reviewers on NetGalley if they are a Librarian. So unfair. There are so many terrific reviewers out there who would love to be approved to read and review this wonderful author’s books but are not being approved. This stifles publicity for the author.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Amber McKee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rhys Bowen and Clare Broyles are a mother daughter team who wrote this book together. I think that is very interesting. I have read books by Rhys Bowen and enjoyed them. Prior to reading this book I was unfamiliar with the Molly Murphy murder mystery series.
It is 1909 in New York City. Men rule the world. A woman's place is in the home, caring for the children. Molly was an investigator before she became a wife and mother. Now Molly has a teenage daughter, a 5 year old son, and a baby girl at home. Her husband, Daniel, is a police captain. He is called to Washington to work on starting the FBI. It's Easter break. Molly's theater friends talk her and her adopted teenage daughter Bridie, into coming by the studio to see the making of a silent film. The movie business is very new. Bridie is asked to step in and replace an actress who was fired. It's exciting, but she is almost killed due to an act of sabotage. Many things have malfunctioned on set, the crew think the studio is haunted. Molly who is on a breast feeding schedule is asked to investigate. When the studio owners, who are twin brothers, die in the same week the investigation intensifies. Daniel is asked to return to investigate. He seems reluctant to allow her to help and keeps information from her. She uses her instincts and intelligence to seek out the murderer.
This book showcases inventors like Thomas Edison, the creation of moving pictures, electricity, and more. The prologue grabs your attention. But the first 40% of the book felt slow. There was a lot of mundane details. I even contemplated not finishing the book and just reading enough reviews to find out the ending. But I continued reading until the end. The writing is good. It is written in a way that you don't suspect the murderer until the very end when they show their true self and motivations.

[Madalyn Muldowney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am so excited that I was given the opportunity to read this upcoming release by Rhys Bowen! I have read the entire Molly Murphy series and adore it! If you love mystery books, strong female leads and books set in the early 1900’s this is the series for you! Each character in this book is enjoyable and engaging. From Molly and her small family to her best friends Sid and Gus, to the movie industry that she becomes involved in. Eerie things are happening at the studio her daughter is filming at and once again Molly finds herself solving yet another mystery. Several people in this tight knit community have reason to want the owner dead but who actually did it? Or was it an accident like his brother believes.

I love how in each of her books, Rhys Bowen brings New York City to life. Weaving fact and fiction to bring us a captivating mystery that will have you obsessively wanting the next book. A fiery female from Ireland who, now a mother, still loves to investigate like she once did at her private detective agency, a police captain husband who would prefer if she stayed home with the children and not involve him in her schemes, two best friend neighbors who are larger than life and a now teen daughter who just wants to be grown up. Mix in some early movie production that has Thomas Edison making several appearances, a murder...or two...or more, multiple suspects and several dangerous situations. What is not to love about this set up?! Silent as the Grave will have you up late into the night just to see what happens next. I am on the edge of my seat waiting to see what is next for Molly Murphy and her family.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, Rhys Bowen and Clare Broyles for an advanced copy for review.

[Randee Green · Rating 4 out of 5]

While her husband is off in Washington D.C. consulting with the president on the development of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Molly finds herself spending time on set at the Biograph Company’s movie studio. When one of the actresses is fired, Molly’s adopted daughter, Bridie, gets the role. Molly isn’t exactly pleased with Bridie’s budding career in silent films, but it gets worse when Bridie is almost struck by a train while filming a stunt that almost goes tragically wrong. It’s not the first incident on set, nor is it the first time an actor’s life was put in danger due to sabotage. Molly refuses to let Bridie return to the set, but Molly takes a job as a makeup artist so that she can investigate who is sabotaging the studio. Her investigation even takes her to Thomas Edison’s studio in the Bronx. When one of the owners of Biograph Company dies in the studio, Molly realizes that there is a murderer on set. She enlists her husband, Daniel, to help with the investigation.

As always, Molly Murphy Sullivan takes the reader into the world of New York City in the early 1900s. She’s never afraid to venture into every area of the city—be it the slums of the Lower East Side or the mansions along Central Park—to track down a lead. While the mystery aspect was interesting and I enjoyed learning more about the early film industry, the story dragged on at times. And, sadly, Molly has become the stereotypical woman from the early 1900s whose main concerns are her children and cleaning her house. With each new addition to the series, I miss the spunky, headstrong Molly of old. Of course, I expect her character to develop and grow throughout the series. But I’d like to see some of her old spirit shine through.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Silent as the Grave by Rhys Bowen and Clare Broyles is a Molly Murphy book. Molly, as we know, is irrepressible and curious. A dangerous combination. Molly’s friend, Ryan, a playwright, is back with a new career: movie actor. He invites Molly and her daughter, Bridie, and Sid and Gus to come and watch the filming. Fifteen minute silent film, made in a week, at a house converted into a movie studio. It is exciting and by a fluke, Bridie is invited to take part. It turns out she is pretty good and given that it is a school holiday and Daniel is out of town, Molly allows it...until there is an accident and Bridie comes too close to being hit by a train. That is not the only accident, as it turns out.

We have watched Molly’s life since she arrived from Ireland and it has been a journey. What a great character she is. She now has two children: Five-year-old, Liam and infant, Mary Kate. She loves being a wife and mother but when something tweaks her curiosity there is no stopping her. She has a fabulous resource in her police captain husband, and although he is never happy, he always assists. Good mystery with several historical figures putting in appearances, dead and alive. Sid and Gus are, as always, a source of amusement. Molly’s friends serve to broaden Daniel’s horizons, albeit, kicking and screaming. Great characters, excellent historical research, as well as an intriguing setting and mystery make this a must read.

I was invited to read Silent as the Grave bySt Martin’s Press. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #StMartinsPress #RhysBowen #ClareBroyles #SilentAsTheGrave

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

SILENT AS THE GRAVE by Rhys Bowen and Clare Broyles
A Molly Murphy Mystery

A delightful and fascinating look at early movie-making, with a twisty plot. Who is sabotaging the work on Ryan O’Hare’s film at Biography Studios? Fierce competition with Thomas.Edison plays a part, but is Edison ruthless enough to commit murder?
I love Molly Murphy, now Sullivan, her independent-minded friends, and her lovely family. Daniel is realistic enough to know Molly will never be a sedate stay-at-home wife, but still, the demands of three children do complicate matters. Infant Mary Kate needs to be fed, young Liam needs watching and entertainment, and Bridie, 14, needs chaperoning. I’m reminded of the parent volunteers at our school who said that in the teen years the potential for big trouble increases, requiring even more loving attention, and she does face heart-stopping danger.
Molly has come so far, but she hasn’t forgotten her Irish “peasant” beginnings, and that empathy and understanding helps her connect with others and get information official investigators might not. Her concern for others makes her that much more determined to help achieve justice.
I also enjoy the historical insights to the period, how films were made, the fire hazard, how early cars worked, how clothing styles restricted or allowed freedom of movement, and so much more.
I found it nearly impossible to put this book down.
Pub. Date in March, giving readers time to read earlier books in the series (though you wouldn’t have to).