The Widow Hamilton: An Eliza Hamilton Mystery

An Eliza Hamilton Mystery #2

by Mollie Ann Cox

The widow of Alexander Hamilton faces another mystery in the second Eliza Hamilton mystery, perfect for fans of Deanna Raybourn.

It’s December 1805 and Eliza Hamilton is determined to seek justice. One young woman is dead, another has vanished—both residents of a house where Eliza’s friend, Alice, lives among other craftswomen struggling to survive in a city unforgiving toward widows and orphans.

With no help from the constabulary because the young woman’s body was found in a bad part of town–and was dressed as a man–Eliza vows to protect the women and uncover the truth. She suspects a connection between the death and the disappearance, especially given that the young lady who disappeared went missing while searching for the woman who was later found dead. 

As Eliza traces their last known steps, she unearths a hidden world of dangerous secrets lurking beneath the city—secrets that could tear apart everything she holds dear.

This pulse-racing historical mystery will intrigue and delight anyone fascinated by the founding fathers and feminist history.

336 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication February 10, 2026

Reviews

[Jeannine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm so glad Eliza Hamilton is back! This series is quickly becoming a favorite because of how it weaves together real events of Eliza's life and fascinating mysteries. We see Eliza dealing with the terribly financial situation Alexander left her, her many children, and a mystery involving a house full of women supporting themselves (we met them in the first book, The Lace Widow).

One woman from the house is murdered and another has disappeared. Eliza decides to help track them down, as the police don't seem interested. Meanwhile, there's a group of zealots who think all women should be married and they are selling women to men, mostly outside the city. Despite the darkness all around her, Eliza is relentless in her pursuit of justice for one woman and safety for the other.

There's a nice reprieve from Eliza's personal stress when Angelica visits. It's so nice to see the sisters together, especially when Eliza seems to have the world on her shoulders.

Bonus: There's great representation here!

[Elaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

For some reason, this one just didn’t resonate with me…
Don’t get me wrong, the story was good and so was the narration… but it just wasn’t for me.

Surprising, as I usually love historical fiction…

In any case, Mrs. General Hamilton is facing many problems in her life right now, but the most troubling is the death of one of her close friends…
And off she goes in an attempt to solve the mystery. BUT, while doing so, another close friend goes missing…

As she and her friends “investigate” they seem to unravel more and more problems along the way….

But in the end, they DO solve it… and what a surprise it is!

3 bold stars for me! ⭐️⭐️⭐️

#TheWidowHamilton by @MollieAnnCox and narrated nicely by @CassandraCampbell.

This one has not been released yet. Look 👀 for it on 2/10/26.

Thanks so much to #NetGalley, @HighBridgeAudio and @HighBridgeMedia for an ALC of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review!!

You can also find my reviews on: Goodreads,
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My Facebook Book Club: Book Reviews With Elaine

Thanks so much for reading! And if you ‘liked’ my review, please share with your friends, & click ‘LIKE’ below… And, let me know YOUR thoughts if you read it!! 📚⭐️

[Tamara Hamilton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley and High-rise Audio for my ALC in exchange for my honest review.

The Widow Hamilton is a great historical fiction/mystery. Very fun and intriguing read. It's the second book of the Eliza Hamilton series. I haven't read the first book yet. But was able to enjoy this, the second, book without confusion.
Cassandra Campbell was a brilliant narrator. She is a gifte to authors.

Expected release date February 10 2026

[Courtney Pityer · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Widow Hamilton is an upcoming historical fiction novel which is the second book in the Eliza Hamilton mystery series. While I haven't read the first book I will say I was quite impressed with how this story turned out. The idea of Alexander Hamilton's wife reinventing herself as a amateur sleuth is an excellent plotline.

This book takes place in December of 1805 and strange things are happening. One woman has disappeared and another is dead. Eliza is deeply disturbed because both of these women reside in the same house as her friend Alice. The law has no interest in seeking justice as one of the bodies was found in a rough part of town.

However, Eliza decides to take matters into her own hands and retrace the step that the women took before their deaths. The journey will lead her on a trail of danger and secrets. But in the end she will hopefully find the answers she is looking for.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had never given much thought to what became of Alexander Hamilton’s widow, but Mollie Ann Cox is here to provide readers with the details of this remarkable woman’s life. Though she wasn’t actually a sleuth as posited here, she did live a long life with her many children, founded a large orphanage, and dedicated much of her life to preserving her husband’s legacy, organizing his papers and keeping him in the public eye. Along with Dolley Madison and Louisa Adams, she raised the funds for the Washington Monument.

But back to this novel – in this story, Eliza has only been a widow for a year, has a houseful of children, and is worrying that the home she built with Alexander will be repossessed by the bank. Meanwhile, she continues visiting friends of hers – women who live together, making a living with their sewing (lacemaking, embroidery, quilting, etc.). Two of the women have disappeared, and one of them is found dead, the other remaining missing, The woman who is the defacto head of this all female household, Alice, is not letting things lie, however, and neither is Eliza, who uses her position to insist that the police investigate.

One of the things I appreciated about this book was simply the portrayal of women’s lives. Eliza is not ordinary herself but like many a mystery heroine, she can straddle several social and economic groups, with the difference that when she is introduced as “Mrs. General Hamilton” she is granted respect, an audience, and sometimes, answers. Helping her in her sleuthing is her sister Angelica, who is a bit more bold than Eliza.

As the two women visit the apothecary where the women were last seen, the constabulary, and the home where the women sewers make their living, a portrait of early New York City is formed: a small town growing into a large one. Eliza’s sons bemoan the fact that they used to know every alleyway, but continual change and building is changing the town where they grew up. They are some help in the investigation but most of it belongs to Eliza.

The investigation leads to the discovery of several nefarious activities that find Eliza charging all over town, to the dismay of her coach driver, and to the dismay of her children who are merely wanting to celebrate Advent and Christmas as a family. This dynamic is as powerful in the 1800’s as it is now. It’s really the characters and the portrayal of their lives that drive the novel. The sleuthing is on the gentle side, the characters, on the memorable side.

As I read this book during a snowstorm I appreciated Eliza’s search for warmth in a cold city, and I enjoyed meeting the many women she encounters. The wrap up to the mystery is a good one and quite surprising as well, which is a neat trick for any author to pull off successfully. This is a real bit of armchair time travel.

[Kristina Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

This mystery is perfect for anyone who loves historical fiction, strong female characters, and, of course, the musical HAMILTON! This second installment in the Eliza Hamilton Mystery Series by Mollie Ann Cox follows the disappearance of two young ladies who make clothe stuffs. Eliza and the visiting, Angelica, work alongside their friend, Alice to uncover what has happened to Rebecca and Jo and why. There are many suspects and lots of period humor.

I found this to be a light mystery story that had enough intrigue to keep me guessing and a good pace. The narrator, Cassandra Campbell, differentiated the different voices as best as possible, but it was sometimes challenging to ascertain which Hamilton son was talking without the specific cues of "Alexander said..."

Thank you to #NetGalley and Highbridge Audio for providing access to this audiobook for my listening pleasure!

I am already waiting on the next book in this series!

[MokeysMaw · Rating 3 out of 5]

First, thank you to Netgalley and RBmedia for the advance audiobook copy in exchange for an honest review.

3.5* rounded down.

Despite jumping into this series without having read the first book, I was able to follow along without feeling like I was missing too much backstory.

New York 1805
Eliza Hamilton, wife of the late Alexander Hamilton (hello the musical "Hamilton"), along with her friend Alice, embark on a search to uncover the truth behind what happened to their friends Rebecca and Jo in this historical fiction/mystery.

It started off slow and I was worried I would lose interest, but once the pacing picked up, it kept my attention.
Overall, I found this to be a memorable story and will definitely read more by Mollie Ann Cox.
Also a shout out to Cassandra Campbell whose narration was spot on.

[Giselle's Reading Nook · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a pleasant and accessible historical mystery.

The Widow Hamilton follows Eliza Hamilton, widow of Alexander Hamilton, as an amateur sleuth when a woman is found murdered and another goes missing. Determined to help uncover the truth, Eliza involves herself in the investigation, bringing a thoughtful and observant perspective to the case.

The characters were likable, and I appreciated the subtle anti-patriarchy thread woven throughout the story. While the mystery itself is fairly straightforward, the historical setting adds charm and makes this an engaging read.

Overall, this was a quick and easy historical mystery. I would recommend it to readers who enjoy light murder mysteries set against a historical backdrop.

My thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the advanced e-copy.

[Crystal Kelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Widow Hamilton is the second book in a series based on Eliza Hamilton written by Mollie Ann Cox. I really enjoyed the historical aspects in the book along with the mystery. It was well written and there are lessons we can learn even today from this book. I haven’t read the first book in the series but hope to soon!

Thank you to NetGalley and RBmedia for this advanced audiobook! (I also really liked the narrator!)

[Alicia Alford · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher for this audio ARC copy! With the second novel in the series of Eliza Hamilton, this mystery was a lot more engaging than the first book. Though there were so many repetitive notes. For example, taking in orphans and the fact that oh they needed more money it became distracting from the plot and felt like filler.

[Michaela H.]

great book

[Stacey · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 I enjoyed this one and really like the characters but I liked the first one better which had more true facts of Eliza Hamilton's life included.