The Ghost of Christmas Past

Molly Murphy #17

by Rhys Bowen

Molly Murphy sucht ein verschwundenes Mädchen … und weckt schlafende Hunde
In der Cosy Crime-Reihe von Rhys Bowen weihnachtet es sehr

Nach dem verhängnisvollen Erdbeben in San Francisco und dessen schrecklichen Folgen wollen Molly Murphy und ihre Familie friedlich Weihnachten feiern. Als sie über die Feiertage in ein Herrenhaus am Hudson River eingeladen werden, nehmen sie daher begeistert an. Doch schon bald spüren sie die angespannte Atmosphäre des Haushalts. Sie erfahren, dass Charlotte, die kleine Tochter der Gastgeber, vor 10 Jahren verschwand und weder sie selbst noch ein Hinweis auf ihren Verbleib je aufgetaucht sind. Molly möchte helfen, merkt jedoch bald, dass die Familienmitglieder mehr wissen, als sie zugeben. Als das verschwundene Mädchen tatsächlich wieder auftaucht, behauptet der Vater, sie wäre nicht die echte Charlotte …

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Christmas, Fiction, Historical Mystery, Historical, Holiday

267 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 14, 2017

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

[Diane S ☔ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Molly has now been in America for five years, married to Daniel, a police Captain, and mother of two year old Liam. She has officially given up her private detective business, but this does not stop her from involving herself in things she sees as mysterious. Daniel has run afoul of Tammany Hall, and is waiting to see if the newly appointed police Commissioner is welcoming, or if he needs to seek a new job. They have suffered a recent grief that has left Molly depressed, very unlike herself. When the are invited to spend Christmas at a Manor on the Hudson, Daniel accepts, hoping the time away will help bring his Molly back. At the Manor they find that the three year old daughter of the house had gone missing ten years previous, the mistress of the house still seemed to be reeling from grief. Of course, Molly must try to help.

This is one of a handful of cozies that I read, and I have grown to love these characters. They always contains some history, in this case the suffragette movement, which had separated many in their opinion. Molly, though married is not quite the normal woman of the times, she goes her own way most times, with or without Daniels approval. Daniel, to his credit, despite his disapproval, often ends up helping Molly. There are two interesting side characters, two women, Sid and Gus, who live together in a somewhat bohemian lifestyle. A young ward, who they all love, may have to leave them, my children to their dismay. Much going on this Christmas, and much to discover at the Manor.

I have to mention, how much they seemed to eat, so many dinners, courses within, but enjoyed this look at the inner workings of a Manor house. These are fun, never graphic, and it is interesting watching how Molly puts all the pieces together. A cozy read, for a cold Saturday.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Patchin Place in Greenwich Village holds many a New York tale for Molly Murphy Sullivan and her husband Captain Daniel Sullivan. They have a lively young son, Liam, who is touching on two years old.

The usual Irish lilt to Molly's voice has taken more of a somber tone. It's December of 1906 and Molly feels the heavy weight of a recent miscarriage. She and Daniel had been in San Francisco while he served in the U.S. Secret Service. The loss was due to a misadventure during the intensity of the earthquake that occured during that time.

But the pages of the calendar seem to turn rapidly and the Christmas season is upon them. Home and hearth are to be the plan until Daniel's mother invites them to spend the holiday with her friend Florence in the upscale Greenbriars. Although hesitant, Molly and her little family, including their young ward, Bridie, decide to leave the city for the countryside.

Cedric and Winnie Van Aiken have a luxurious estate. They welcome all the Sullivans and the holiday celebrations begin. Molly's Celtic Sixth Sense is in overdrive. Something is not quite right among all the gilded decor and elaborate artwork. She notices the tension between the Van Aikens. Quite by accident, Molly uncovers one of their dark secrets. Their three year old daughter, Charlotte, wandered away from the estate on her own or was kidnapped. She was never found.

Weave a few unfortunate mature dead bodies along the pattern of this Christmas quilt and you have the makings of a mystery of many threads. Rhys Bowen brings one of our favorite characters, Molly Murphy Sullivan, into the turn of the century with the changing times. Molly has taken an interest in the women's suffrage movement as well which brings some sharp-ended moments between her and Daniel. But then, Molly has always been ahead of the parade when it comes to the rights of all.

Bowen creates more of a novella here with 196 pages of non-stop holiday curiosity to be published in November. The Ghost of Christmas Past can be read as a standalone. It is certainly not as indepth of an adventure that Bowen usually turns out. This one is specifically intended to give the reader a short glimpse into the lives of the highly interesting Sullivans with a holiday flavor. A short read with just enough sprinkles.

I received a copy of The Ghost of Christmas Past through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Minotaur Books and to Rhys Bowen for the opportunity.

[Deanne Patterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well I do believe I've discovered a new favorite genre. I've always enjoyed historical fiction but this is historical mystery and it was wonderful! I need to look into this genre more!
This is also a new to me author an I will admit the gorgeous cover drew me to this book then the summary was the deciding point. It was even better than I thought it would be. Lucky me as this is book 17 in the series now I have a bunch more books to read when I have the chance.
Molly Murphy Sullivan suffers from depression after a miscarriage following her adventure in San Francisco during the earthquake of 1906. Molly is a semi-retired private detective and he husband,Daniel a police captain. Upon getting an invitation to rest at a mansion on the Hudson for the Christmas season they jump at the chance. Rest and relaxation makes us forget our troubles and this couple needs the healing it will provide. Upon arriving at the mansion they see the opulence and rich lifestyle the couple live in. Riches don't make us all happy though if we have other problems and something strange is going on. 10 years ago the couples only child, a 3 year old girl wandered out into the snow in the middle of the night and was never seen again. The wife has not come to terms with it and her husband is tired of her moodiness and shows no compassion. Molly being the detective she is and with a mother's heart wants to figure out what happened to the poor child and unwillingly drags her husband into this mystery solving with her. Strange things happen as the cold case is investigated. I kind of figured out what happened but there were surprising twists and turns and I really didn't see what happened coming. Very good and I loved the fact that the mystery was historical.
Pub Date 14 Nov 2017
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a review copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Aisling · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first part of this book is deceptively calm--be warned! Once you hit the mystery you will not be able to put this down. And then WHAM it gets even more exciting. I only expected to start this book but ended up staying up until 2:30 in the morning to finish it.

I love this series and enjoy seeing all the old familiar faces (Gus and Sid, Captain Sullivan-now husband--and his mother, Bridie,) and love that no matter where they are set there is a feeling of continuity. Rhys Bowen is perfecting her craft and each book is better than the last. I particularly like that this is not an 'excuse of a Christmas book" that a lot of authors crank out at this time of year. This is a substantive, full length mystery that just happens to be set in the days leading up to and over Christmas.

[~☆~Autumn · Rating 5 out of 5]

6 Stars! This was a great Christmas story and I am sorry it is over. Highly recommended.

23rd, just finished it again and this time only 4 stars as it stretched my credibility too much. Still it is a fun read especially if you like Molly and her Sixth sense.

So 4 and 1/2 stars this time.

[Mark Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

December of 1906 finds Molly Murphy Sullivan hoping that the new year will bring some changes and good news. When she, her husband Daniel, and their son Liam get invited to a house party for Christmas on the Hudson, Molly thinks this might help take her mind off everything going on in her life. However, she finds the household has a weird tension to it, with relationships she can’t quite read. Then she learns that a child disappeared from this house 10 years before right before Christmas. Molly is determined to figure out what happened, but has it been too long?

As is often the case, we start out with some updates on the series regulars before Molly fully plunges into the mystery, but once she does, I was hooked. In fact, as soon as I got off work, I sat down to finish. While I don’t feel like Daniel has grown, I love the rest of the cast, and the new characters are very strong. There is a more serious tone than you might expect from a Christmas mystery, but the contrast works well in this case.

Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.

[The Lit Bitch · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one series that I really need to go back and enjoy from beginning to end! While most of the Molly Murphy books can be read as stand alone books, why deprive yourself of such fun reading?

I’ve only read one of the books in this series but I was very impressed with the quality of writing and mystery of that book and I was eager to read more by her. I’ve read one of her stand alone books and while good, I think her mystery books are better personally.

My mom keeps giving me a copy of popular series, HER ROYAL SPYNESS, I have like 4 copies now. So her books are clearly popular! So when this Christmas book in the Molly Murphy series came up, I was happy to jump back in and review another one of her novels!

For a novel that was more of a novella in length for me, this book packed a punch. While not technically a novella, it was shorter than I was expecting but as I said it packed a punch that I wasn’t expecting from the length.

It had a lot of things to enjoy but what I think I liked the most was watching Molly’s transformation in this book. She starts out depressed from a recent miscarriage and by the end she is coming back into herself. I loved watching her heal through her work. It was touching and made me love her all the more.

As I said, most of the books read fine as stand alone books however as with so many series that stretch to this many volumes, I am sure there are plenty of bits that I am missing from previous books. But I think that Bowen does a great job at helping new readers navigate the past while keeping up on what’s going on in the current book.

I also loved how much holiday cheer this novel had, if you are looking for holiday reading but don’t really want to go the romance route, consider picking this one up instead. I loved the way Bowen describes the holiday season at the turn of the century, it was interesting and I loved how well researched and detailed her descriptions were.

Bowen’s writing quality is superior and I can see why so many people love her books. Well written, well researched, with satisfying mysteries. This is a series that I really need to start from the beginning but have no issues with picking up books randomly throughout and still finding things to enjoy! Again….quality, quality, quality!

See my full review here

[Scott Rezer]

The Ghost of Christmas Past was a Christmas read for me to round out the year, and it ended on a high note. I’ve read several of Rhys Bowen’s books in the past, but none in her Molly Murphy series, and I must say I enjoyed it thoroughly. Even though this is #17 in the series, I didn’t feel the least bit lost, and it read like a stand alone novel, without info dumping to catch the reader up. It read like the first in a series.

A fun, cozy, historical mystery set in upstate New York during the Christmas season in the early nineteen hundreds involving family secrets and few unexpected surprises. I’ve come to expect quality in Ms. Bowen’s novels, and this was no exception.

Of course, now I may have to go back and read the entire series!

[Jonathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Molly Murphy-Sullivan so much! The Christmas theme and the mystery were excellent, and, even though I know she says it's getting harder to write, I hope that Rhys Bowen continues this series.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Ghost of Christmas Past by Rhys Bowen was just the perfect book for me to read at this time. As I am unpacking Christmas decorations and putting ornaments on the tree, I couldn't have asked for a better book to start bringing out my Christmas spirit. I am a fan of all the Molly Murphy books, but this one was was so timely and its story was such a gift. I had thought to save it for closer to Christmas, but I'm so happy that I didn't wait.

Molly has had a most trying year in 1906, with the nightmare of being in the San Francisco earthquake and suffering a miscarriage. Husband Daniel's job with the NYCPD is in jeopardy due to his commitment to honor and not Tammany Hall. And, Bridie's father has contacted Molly and Daniel saying he plans to return and take Bridie, their precious ward, back to Ireland with him. Depression has settled in to haunt Molly, and she is hoping for a nice, quiet Christmas at home in Patchin Place in Greenwich Village with Daniel, son Liam, and Bridie. When Daniel's mother arranges for them to be invited to a mansion on the Hudson in the country where she is staying, along with her young maid-in-training Ivy, for Christmas, Daniel decides it will be a good change of pace and a relaxing opportunity for Molly. So, off they go to experience a grand style Christmas in a picturesque setting.

However, it doesn't take long for Molly to get a sense of all not being right with their hosts, the Van Aikens. Learning of their daughter's disappearance ten years prior when the girl was only three years at Christmas time old helps to explain Winnie Van Aiken's melancholy state. Winnie's husband Cedric seems quite past it though. There is much to enjoy at this magnificent estate for Molly and her family over the holidays, and it does help to lift Molly's spirits. More of the old Molly comes back when a young girl appears at the Van Aikens' door on Christmas Eve claiming to be their long-lost daughter Charlotte, and Molly works her investigative skills trying to put the pieces of this extraordinary puzzle together. There are unexpected twists that only make sense when the whole picture is revealed.

For those of us who are steadfast followers of the Molly Murphy series, you will be delighted with this new addition. Although it has some darkness to it, I didn't at any point feel that as the overwhelming tone. For those who are just now reading the first Molly Murphy in this Christmas book, you too will be thrilled, and, of course, you will develop a great desire and need to go back and read the series from the beginning. Rhys Bowen is such a master storyteller, combining the elements of character, plot, and setting into tales that captivate the reader. The historical details that run throughout this series and Bowen's Lady Georgie series are smoothly intertwined and spot on accurate. It's not hard to imagine how readers become invested in this author's characters, who are both true to their period of time and yet wanting more of their lives and the world. Take a look at The Ghost of Christmas Past's cover and know that what's inside is as wonderful as the outside.

[Maureen Timerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author gives us a look into the world of the wealthy, as we visit a Hudson NY mansion for the Christmas Holidays.
We are with the main character Molly, a young mother and amateur detective, also an immigrant from Ireland, her husband, young son, and her ward, and also her Mother-In-Law, who is the reason we gain entrance into the world of the elite.
We enjoy the life of luxury, for a while at least until, we find out that a young child, and only child of the hosting couple, went missing ten years ago. Then odd things begin to happen, and of course our amateur is feeling the need to solve the mystery, and drags her police detective husband into helping her.
We are in for several surprises and find out some upsetting things about these wealthy people. A neat read for something different Holiday entertainment.
I received this book through Net Galley and Minotaur Books, and was not required to give a positive review.

[Jacqie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley for providing a copy of this book for review.

First, I'm very impressed that I came into the 17th book in the series knowing nothing more than the name of the main character and the time period in which it was set but was able to seamlessly get into the flow of the storyline and understand what was going on with all the relationships and characters in the book. I instantly cared about and/or was annoyed by them- really a sign of an excellent author to give their characters such life and individuality.

In this book, Molly is struggling with depression. Her family apparently went through quite a bit of trauma in the previous book. She feels that she needs to be strong and not a bother to anyone, so she can't quite manage to find anyone to confide in. Eventually she and her husband and young son are invited to spend Christmas in the country house where her mother-in-law is staying as a guest.

The mystery wasn't the important part to me of the story- that's probably true for me with a lot of mysteries. In my opinion, the author wasn't especially subtle in setting up the bad guys. And maybe that's because both she and I were more interested in Molly and her friends. It turns out that Molly's bohemian friends from across the street at home are staying not too far away, in a house filled with turn-of-the-century radical feminists. Molly is trying to negotiate the pleasure that she finds in these women's company with her husbands' disapproval. I don't know if her husband doesn't care for these people because they are feminists, gay, or both, but I'm assuming there was a very good reason Molly married him- he comes across as someone with kind of a stick up his ass in this book. She does talk about how he's one of the few police who have ethics and aren't on the take, so maybe that's it.

Molly tries to ask around and find out about a girl gone missing long ago- I saw the solution to this issue coming a mile away too- and she also tries to figure out how to be a good house guest and how to give her family a good holiday. The description of snowball fights and building snowmen in the country, a Christmas tree lit with real candles and the joy little girls get from receiving something as simple as a snow globe for a gift all served to transport me back more than a century. The historic details felt accurate without being too sentimental for me and I enjoyed spending this Christmas with Molly, even if there was a murder or two. I think this series is well worth checking out. But which book should I read next after starting with #17?

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book! I wish I started with the first book of the series.

[Bam cooks the books · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this first taste of Rhys Bowen's long-running Molly Murphy mystery series and now look forward to the pleasure of catching up with the rest of the books.

This novel is set in New York in December, 1906. Molly is married to Captain Daniel Sullivan of the New York Police and is the mother of a two-year-old son, Liam. Molly is feeling a bit blue because she has recently suffered a miscarriage. But she is also terribly sad over unexpected news they've had--that the father of her young friend, Bridie, is returning from South America and plans to take his daughter back to Ireland with him after the new year.

But for now, the Sullivan family along with Bridie have been invited to the Greenbriars estate in Scarborough, NY, for the holidays by Cedric and Winnie Van Aiken. Were they nudged to invite total strangers by Winnie's formidable Aunt Florence? She is good friends with Daniel's mother who is already staying at Greenbriars with her young companion, Ivy, a child from the local orphanage she has taken under her wing.

After the Sullivans arrive and settle in, Molly begins to notice a sadness about Winnie Van Aiken, almost bordering on depression, and learns that the Van Aikens' sole child disappeared without a trace one winter night exactly ten years ago. Molly, a detective in her own right, desires to try to make everything 'right' or at least find some answers for poor Winnie.

My favorite thing about this story is the look at New York society of the early 1900s and how they celebrated the Christmas season. I would say read it for its Christmas charm alone. Then appreciate the bonus of an interesting cold-case mystery with well-developed characters and a lovely setting. The only reason the book didn't rate higher in my estimation is the way things worked out in the conclusion, a little too pat and 'feel-good' for my tastes.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for providing me with an arc of this book for an honest review. Rhys Bowen has a new fan in this reader.

[Hermien · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful as ever.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was very delighted to receive a copy to review on Netgalley yesterday. Rhys Bowen is as many of you know a very good author. This is the first for me in the Molly Murphy Mystery series and book 17 of 18. It was very easy to see why this is such a long running and popular series. This book was full of timeless emotion and all the pulls the holiday can bring. This book felt very real and Molly very relatable even though this is a period based cozy, it felt very relevant. The theme of family resonates throughout this book and I simply could not put it down. I read it November 14th, on the most perfect of reading evenings, a most dark and stormy night. I could not put this book down and was delighted and enchanted by it. A very good holiday read!

[Niki · Rating 4 out of 5]

let us say 3.5 - it's been a long time since i hadn't read a molly murphy mystery, and it was nice to find her back - I'd stopped reading these mysteries because I discovered the other series written by Rhys Bowen (her Royal Highness), but I think I'll go back now to molly murphy from time to time - I was attracted by the title, it was quite a nice cozy little mystery

[Rachel McMillan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to receive the most recent installment in what continues to be an all-time favourite series from Netgalley.

There is just something about Molly: even though her life trajectory has changed and she is a wife and mother, the irrepressible part of her private investigative spirit still drives the series. I also must admit--as much as he drives me crazy--- Daniel Sullivan though seemingly restrictive is a true to life composite of a man of his age and circumstance and when seen in a close lens quite lenient and forward given the structure of his time and opinions.

This is a lovely little Agatha Christie-esque manor house Christmas tale that kept me guessing until the very end.

Like my favourite mystery series ( Martha Grimes, for one) , I read more to follow the adventures of the characters and to sink into a resplendent setting than I do for a plot--- HOWEVER, Bowen counterbalances both nicely in this snapshot of the Sullivan family stumbling into a maze of hidden secrets and treacherous pasts.

[Gerry · Rating 1 out of 5]

Having read and enjoyed one of Rhys Bowen's 'Her Royal Spyness Mysteries' I thought I would try a Molly Murphy Mystery, especially as it had a Christmas flavour; just the right time to read a novel of this kind, I thought.

Sadly it turned out to be a bad decision for I could not get into the book at all, despite many trying attempts. The dialogue was flat, the characters did not jump of the page to be identified, the location was not memorable and the story line was, well, what was it? I don't really know, all I know is that people were constantly meeting one another and chattering with no definite outcome; I began to forget who was who and had to keep looking back to see what was happening.

I kept persevering but in the end I am afraid I had to give it up as it got no better the farther I got into it so I am afraid I will not be trying another Molly Murphy mystery. I do wonder if it was me as I notice plenty of great reviews of this book but unfortunately I could not bring myself to slog on with it.

[Diana Conner-Marks · Rating 5 out of 5]

love the molly murphy series. wish the author would write more often for this series although I understand she wants to branch out and is doing a fabulous job at it. I just miss Molly Murphy and Lady Georgiana.

[Kate Baxter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I admit it...cozy Christmas mysteries are a personal guilty pleasure and this one was among the best. This is my second foray into a book written by gifted author, Rhys Bowen. Again, I was transported in time and place but this time to New York, 1906 where Irish immigrant, Molly Murphy (and former lady detective) has settled into a life of marriage and motherhood. Of course, her skills of observation and detection will play their part in this story as they have in the sixteen previous books of this series. I'll definitely be delving into more of this series and Bowen's writing.

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Ghost of Christmas Past was a highly entertaining read that completely sucked me in and had me turning pages as a rapid-fire pace. I was instantly drawn to Molly and her family and couldn’t be happier this series is so long – I can’t wait to have more Molly Murphy in my life!

For the full review and more, head over to The Pretty Good Gatsby!

[Pareena Padiyar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rhys Bowen has to be my most favourite author ever !!!
I’m in love with her heroines & look up to their courage & determination!

This was such an amazing instalment! Love it to bits

[Laura Knaapen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good little story with interesting characters, but then coincidence began to interfere with my enjoyment of it all. But it did come to a mostly satisfactory resolution. And you don't need to have read all the other Molly Murphy books to enjoy this one.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was another Molly Murphy mystery complete with her usual charming characters and great descriptions of New York City at the turn of the 20th Century. Like all the Molly Murphy mysteries that came before it was a delight to read.

[Suzy Dominey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love reading Christmas themed books at Christmas and a mystery as well

[Bookworm · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have read all the early Molly Murphy books and liked them. There were some really exciting things happening and important issues were explored. At the time that Molly is coming to America and establishing her detective agency, women have yet to get the right to vote. So the suffragist aspects of her story are very interesting. The problem I have now (and thus my low rating), is that ever since Molly and Daniel have married, he has become insufferable and she has become much less likable. He is belittling, pompous, bossy, and - for a captain in the NYC police - extremely obtuse about crime solving. He is also hostile toward her gay friends. She is manipulative and sneaky. They really don’t seem to like each other very much and it seems a poor example of a marriage. Anyway, this story line is pretty good. They get out of New York to upstate, houseguests in a mansion full of secrets and tragedy. There is quite the coincidence with a character we have met before. None of the characters and story are given much depth, but that is typical of this sort of read, a read that fulfills our wish for “light reading”.

[Suzy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second Molly Murphy book I have read as part of my holiday reads in December, the first being Away in a Manger. I enjoyed them both! In this entry, Molly Murphy Sullivan and her husband Daniel are invited to join his mother at a very wealthy couple's home for Christmas. Molly learns that the couple's toddler daughter disappeared on Christmas Eve ten years ago, the likely cause of the tension that fills the home and the couple's relationship all these years later. Former private detective Molly can't help herself but to try to solve the mystery of what happened to the girl. Does she succeed? You'll have to get a copy of the book and see for yourself. For a cozy mystery series, these are surprisingly unputdownable, a testimony to the Rhys Bowen's wonderful writing.

I'm not sure that I'm enticed to read the entire series - this is book 17 - but if I decide to read from the beginning, I will definitely listen. The delightful Nicola Barber narrates the entire series.

[Lilyane · Rating 2 out of 5]

I haven't read a Molly Murphy book before this one. Not sure I will.

Had it figured out several pages in, and I dislike Molly's husband. Their relationship is strange, to say the least. Perhaps if I knew the backstory, this book might have made more sense.

But no.

[Linda Munro · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC via a goodreads giveaway.

Set at Christmas shortly after the turn of the 20th century; this historical mystery is filled with twist and turns.

It is strange to think that a family unknown to a host would receive an invitation to spend the holidays at a grand home; but the era was quite different and such events did occur.

Semi-retired Detective, Molly Murphy Sullivan is still suffering depression over her miscarriage during the San Francisco earthquake of 1906. So when she and her husband, NYPD Captain Daniel Sullivan are invited to bring their young son and ward to spend a peaceful holiday at a mansion along the Hudson, the family accepts. Daniel’s mother and the girl who has been retrieved from an orphanage are already there.

Unfortunately, there is a tension in the air; the home is filled with grief and dismay and Molly sets out to learn the cause. What she learns is that while the house itself has been in the Van Aiken family for years, the money to support the family comes from the wife’s side of the family. Her father had arranged a marriage to ensure he himself climbed the social ladder. If that wasn’t enough to totally disgust Molly, she also learned that the father had done the same to another daughter, when she refused, he kicked her out, totally disowning her; but the more she learns, the more Molly wishes she didn’t know.

When Molly realizes that a child simply disappeared on Christmas Eve ten years prior with no clues left, and that a gardener was found dead on the property after the Spring thaw; she gives Danielle a list of all her suspicions and send him back to NY City to see if he can make any sense to this mystery.

Will Danielle find the missing link; will Molly realize the truth before it’s too late? A grand whodunit brings satisfaction by reading only!