Death of a Butterfly

Sigrid Harald #2

by Margaret Maron

An award-winning mystery novelist and New York Times Bestseller, Margaret Maron uses her North Carolina background when writing the popular Judge Deborah Knott series.

But before Deborah Knott, there was Lt. Sigrid Harald, a homicide detective with the NYPD. Death of a Butterfly is the second book in this series. In this book, Lt. Harald investigates the death of Julie Redmond, a beautiful but cold, self-centered and demanding woman. Sigrid digs into Julie Redmond's past, untangling a web of blackmail and murder and half a million dollars' worth of stolen gems, revealing a ruthless mastermind whose cruelty has finally caught up with her.

Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine has said, "Harald is no stereotypical policewoman....Getting to know her is a pleasure;" while the San Diego Union-Tribune says, "Maron combines a lighthearted style, surefooted suspense, and a captivating cast."

Genres: Mystery, Procedural, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, New York, Murder Mystery, Adult

179 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1984

About the author

Born and raised in central North Carolina, Margaret Maron lived in Italy before returning to the USA. In addition to a collection of short stories she also authored numerous mystery novels.

Her works have been translated into seven languages her Bootlegger's Daughter, a Washington Post Bestseller won Edgar Anthony, Agatha, and Macavity awards.

She was a past president of Sisters in Crime and of the American Crime writers' league, and a director on the national board for Mystery Writers of America.

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Reviews

[Kathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

NYPD homicide detective Sigrid Harald is assigned a murder case that seems pretty clear from the beginning to the reader. The people are artificial or stereotypes and the action held little interest for me.
I chose this nice clean paperback at the library because I was perusing the Marsh books to try to find one I had not read. Next visit I will have made a list of those I seek.
I imagine some readers would find this "novelty" of a female homicide cop in 1984 of interest as there were many references as to the astonishment of how a female could have such a job...But, then, maybe not. Not for me.


Library Loan

[Pamela Mclaren · Rating 3 out of 5]

A police lieutenant learns a lot about herself and others as she investigates the death of a young mother bludgeoned in her apartment. While her death is tragic, there are few people who are grieved by the death of Julie Redmond: certainly not her ex-husband, who she took for everything she could; an ex-boyfriend she blackmailed; or the older couple who are her neighbors and have seen how she has treated/mistreated her only child.

So who had the means, motive and opportunity to kill Redmond? Lt. Sigrid Harald digs deep and slowly, like the opening of a flower or the transformation of a caterpillar to a butterfly, she is able to pull together clues and instinct for the solution.

Clever, astute and entirely enjoyable reading. I wouldn't mind find out more about the author Maraget Maron and what other stories she had crafted.

[Abbey · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second of the Sigrid Harald series, this early book from Margaret Maron (1984) is nonetheless well-crafted and surprisingly deep psychologically. A woman you love to hate (steals from, cheats, and/or blackmails several folks, and emotionally bullies her child) is murdered and Sigrid can't seem to make all the pieces fit.

There's a pretty elaborate timetable element here, and the writing is a mite awkward, but strong enough to pull you through. The real richness is in the characters - multifaceted and mostly likable, Maron shows a sure hand and a kind heart as she slowly develops her regular cast of characters and introduces us to the current cast of suspects.

I love this series, and am rereading it as preparation for the newest book just out, in which it is rumoured that Sigrid will make an appearance - the last novel of the Harald series itself was 1995, and Maron has stated she will write no more in that series but is allowing both her characters Deborah Knott and Sigrid Harald to meet in her new Knott book. Sounds good to me.

Bottom line: a good, solid mystery, with a strong plot and great characters, only slightly diminished by a rather melodramatic ending that doesn't quite "work" for me the second time around; the first time, although I can't really remember it, I suspect it did work beautifully - it's a sentimental and powerful ending, it just didn't "ring true" to me this second read-through.

[Stef Rozitis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked a lot about this book including the precocious teenager that may or may not become a regular in the series (I want to read more of these and find out). I also liked that Sigrid's personal life and self-esteem issues were low key...makes her quite relatable. In some ways she is the "more attractive than she thinks" trope but in a charming every-woman sort of a way that self-defeats. It might as easily be a political statement as a fantasy. The feminism too was realistic (women force barriers and bullying) without being dramatised and taking over from the plot. Most of Sigrid's problems relating to people were more complex than just situated in gender. Her maybe lovelife too was nicely understated by the guy (I did not like him) leaving town.

The mystery itself was nicely plotted. I did not guess it, perhaps partly because I did not want to. There's a big unanswerable moral question at the end and Sigrid answers it (as we all have to in life) but I am not sure I agree with her. The question is whether punishment/retribution achieves anything especially if it is private. I see shades of hypocrisyin the answer Sigrid posits, but it may well be that she is written flawed on purpose.

I will read more of these, in places the writing was a bit clunky and self-conscious but that is a small flaw and the intricacies of the plot soon swept me up. I read the book in two days which is a sign of me really enjoying it.

[Betty · Rating 2 out of 5]

Roman Gets a Seat at the Table

Another murder. Sigrid and Tillie are untangling the web of suspects. They make a good pair. Tillie is methodical and detail oriented which serves Sigrid well. Sigrid is more cerebral and intuitive. As Tillie's partner and superior, she never pulls rank or makes an issue when he is mistaken for being in charge.

Book 2 allows further character development without overwhelming the reader. A more thorough editing would have prevented the annoying distractions. Not sure what title has to do with murder victim, certainly not dainty, delicate, and beautiful as butterflies.

As cozy readers go, a fully developed Sigrid and friends will become familiar reads.

Roman finishes chair.

[Debbie Maskus · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second Sigrid Harald novel, and I must say that I enjoyed this novel so much better than the first book, One Coffee With. I felt that Maron expanded on Ingrid's character in this novel. The characters are better developed, in relation to their relationship with Ingrid. Margaret Maron builds up the intensity in the search for the killer of Julie Redmond. A few loose clues point to various people involved in Julie's ending, but when Ingrid discovers the real killer the reader feels disbelief and sadness. Is this the real killer? Many of the characters wiggle into the reader's heart. Will these characters survive until the next novel, or will they disappear?

[Linda Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is #2 in the Sigrid Harold series. I like the main character, Police Lieutenant Sigrid Harold and have purchased all 9 in this short series. Different from most mystery series, the books average around 200 pages which is a pleasant change. The characters are described well and are likable (except perhaps for the killers), and the investigations conducted in the NYC metropolitan area (with which I'm familiar), are interesting. I read one of the books in this series several years ago and never forgot how I enjoyed the character Sigrid Harold. Now that I have more time to read, I decided to read the other 8 books in the series.

[Ruthiella · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second in series featuring NYPD Lieutenant Sigrid Harald. It was a pretty good mystery. A young mother is bludgeoned to death but while there were plenty of people with motive, no one could have possibly had the opportunity given the times provided by eye witnesses in the building. As I felt in the first book, Detective Harald is a little hard to warm to, but with time maybe that will change. What this series, published mainly in 1980s, does showcase is the ingrained sexism and gender expectations in the police force and the public at large during that decade.

[Crystal Toller · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the second book of the Sigrid Harald series, Sigrid is called to a murder in an apartment house. Sigrid eventually figures out the murderer but it is a mostly circumstantial case and she may never get a conviction. There were a lot of different characters but they were easy to keep track of and some I liked much more than others. This book reveals more of Sigrid's insecurities and more of her character. I am enjoying this series very much.

[Miriam Kahn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A complex murder mystery set in early 1980s New York City. The theft of gems, blackmail, and a tangled web of lies and spying are the basis for the second book in the Sigrid Harald series.

I've come to this series late and am now hooked on both Sigrid Harald and Maraaret Maron's mystery writing style. The books are short, the clues complex, and the mysteries an enjoyable braintwister.

On to book 3.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really starting to learn more about the series characters in this book and I'm definitely wanting to read more about them. The mystery was pretty good, but I didn't much like the conclusion. This was one of those tough mysteries where you find out that the person who was killed pretty much deserved it, so bringing the perpetrator "to justice" just doesn't feel right.

[Richard Brand · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a nicely crafted tale of a nasty young woman and her death. It has a lot of "asides" with Sigrid's romance and new roommate. Her back story of her lack of physical beauty, her southern family, and her father's death. Maron updates the read in all her stories. This is one of those modern mystery stories where the end is known but there is no "justice"

[Merlot58 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unfortunately, this series is not as good as Maron's other series with Deborah Knott (a big favorite of mine). It is OK, the plot is good, but I am not finding the lead character interesting. I don't have to like a main character, but I usually find that the reading goes by quicker if I am interested in the person (in a good or bad way).

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sigrid Herald and her team investigate the death of Julie Richmond, a rich, beautiful woman who wasn't very nice. So there are a lot of suspects.

Great writer and mystery. This mystery series was started in the 1970s.

[Gayle Stever · Rating 3 out of 5]

These are solid stories with great endings and this one is better than the first one. Since there are Maron's earlier works, I imagine that her work on this series set her up for her far superior work on the Deborah Knott series. Worth checking these out if you like murder mysteries.

[Jayme · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sigrid Harald is growing on me, and I love mysteries! This was a good one!

[Kurt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was disappointed in the ending.

[Yves Lefevre · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really good plot. And interesting characters too.

[Dora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good mystery. I think the Sigrid Harald mysteries are better than the Deborah Knott ones, maybe because she’s a pricklier character. Not unlikeable, but more… believable?

[Wayne Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read and character study

I liked the different characters that were developed through out the story. Looking forward to the next in the series

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like this series.

[Marilyn Allis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very detailed descriptions of people, clothing, things

[Linda Baker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lt. Harald is called to the murder scene of Julie Richmond, a young divorced woman with lots of secrets and even more people who might want to see her dead. Sigrid and Tillie (her partner) have to puzzle their way through all these motives, but as seems to be usual, Sigrid's flash of intuition solves the case. There is a lot of emphasis on a timeline in this case-not a favorite plot device for me. I tend to get bogged down in timelines!

I would probably give this entry in the Sigrid Harald series closer to 3 1/2 stars if I had the option. I became interested in the series after reading Three-Day Town in Maron's Deborah Knott series. The first two books have been short, fast reads with a mystery to solve and lots of character development. Since character development is important to me, I am happy to watch Sigrid open up and blossom away from the repressed and solitary young woman of the first book. Oscar Nauman (who we know is destined to become her lover) is present only peripherally in Death of a Butterfly. His influence in the background is considerable however. All the secondary characters are vivid and well-drawn.

I'm looking forward to Death in Blue Folders.

[Crystal Karre · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rich in a story of amazing depth.

[Nell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent mystery. The NYC setting for this mystery with a police detective as the main character is unusual for a cozy mystery yet Maron pulls it off. This one is set on one floor of an apartment building. One of the occupants is murdered and as the story unfolds she is revealed as an amoral person who committed despicable acts. Still it is the detective's job to identify the culprit and she does so brilliantly. The author plays on our presumptions to hide a killer in plain sight.
I really like the main character. The backstory of her personal life, her social awkwardness and professional competence. Enticing nuggets in each of the first two novels concerning her personal history portend of turmoil to come. A personal relationship growing despite her prickly denials and interactions with colorful characters in her life set the stage for scenes that are LOL.
A delightful read. Glad this older series is available again in ebook format. I've already downloaded the next one.

[Ed · Rating 4 out of 5]

#2 in NYPD Lt. Sigrid Harald series.

Murder is very definitely the business of New York policewoman Sigrid Harald. It is not the tragedy of Julie Redmond's death that involves her; it is Redmond's life that becomes the center of interest, her death only highlighting the scars this woman left on those who are still alive. For as Lieutenant Harald quickly discovers, there are plenty of people who could have motives for killing Julie Redmond, who was a beautiful but cold, self-centered, and demanding woman. There are her next-door neighbors, who have provided Julie's son, Timmy, with the love she never gave him. And then there's Mickey Novak, Julie's criminally adept brother to whom Julie never offered much sisterly attention. With the help of a precocious fifteen-year-old sleuth, Lieutenant Harald untangles a web of blackmail and murder and half a million dollars' worth of stolen gems, revealing a ruthless mastermind whose cruelty has finally caught up with her.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book just as much and maybe more on this second (maybe third) reading. Lt. Sigrid Harald of the NYPD comes across as a very real person who may seem to be repressed to many. Actually she is a quiet deep person who is just now starting to unfurl her petals.

In this outing she is investigating the murder of a attractive young woman who at first glance had the appearance of a butterfly as she lay crumpled on the floor surrounded by a colorful wrap. Sigrid needs to find out what kind of a creature she really is before she can solve this murder.

The touches of feminism or anti male chauvinism set this story in a particular era that younger readers might appreciate even if they did not live through it.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not finding this series as satisfying as the other series by this author - the Judge Deborah Knott series. Sigrid, a police detective, is a sympathetic character, but not as easy to like as Deborah Knott. She's a much more reserved, controlled, almost cold person; but she' really not cold - she just appears that way to most people.

These books also (I must admit,though, that I've only read two so far), don't seem as fleshed out as the Deborah Knott series. However, I've still found them satisfying so far.

I'm not excited however, about the series, so it remains to be seen how far I will continue.

[Ellen Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting mystery--the second I have read (but not in order) in the Sigrid Harald series. The main character, Sigrid, is extremely reserved and private. She reveals very little personal information to anyone including the reader, and I find it difficult to relate to her. In fact, at times in both books I have read, I have the distinct impression that her assistant Tillie is doing the majority of the investigating. I still find it almost impossible to believe that this series and the Deborah Knotts series are written by the same author since they are so different.

[Lynda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first Sigrid Harald mystery I have read. I love the Deborah Knott series and thought I would try this series by the same author. Sigrid, a New York City detective is entirely different from judge Deborah Knott. She is reserved and doesn't seem to have close friends or much family. She is good at her job. This novels involves the death of an unpleasant single mother with many possible suspects.