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Mercy Allcutt Mystery #1
Lost Among the Angels
Local Secretary Foils Murderer in Lost Among the Angels, a Historical Cozy Mystery from Alice Duncan
1920s, Los Angeles, CA
Mercy Allcutt is ecstatic to move to California where she knows she’ll learn all about life and–to her Boston blue-blood family's horror--get a JOB; no woman in the Allcutt family has ever actually held a JOB.
Mercy lands employment as secretary to Ernie Templeton, Private Investigator. Mercy’s thrilled, and she’s sure, with time and help, she’ll become an invaluable asset to Ernie’s business.
Ernie doesn't yet share Mercy's sunny optimism, but nothing tests the resolve of a new employee quite like murder.
Publisher Note: Readers who enjoy cozy mysteries in historical settings are sure to appreciate the Mercy Allcutt series set in 1920s Los Angeles, California. No vulgarity or explicit sex for those who appreciate a clean and wholesome read.
1920s, Los Angeles, CA
Mercy Allcutt is ecstatic to move to California where she knows she’ll learn all about life and–to her Boston blue-blood family's horror--get a JOB; no woman in the Allcutt family has ever actually held a JOB.
Mercy lands employment as secretary to Ernie Templeton, Private Investigator. Mercy’s thrilled, and she’s sure, with time and help, she’ll become an invaluable asset to Ernie’s business.
Ernie doesn't yet share Mercy's sunny optimism, but nothing tests the resolve of a new employee quite like murder.
Publisher Note: Readers who enjoy cozy mysteries in historical settings are sure to appreciate the Mercy Allcutt series set in 1920s Los Angeles, California. No vulgarity or explicit sex for those who appreciate a clean and wholesome read.
276 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 2006
285 people are currently reading
248 people want to read
About the author
Alice Duncan
103 books112 followersAlso writes as Emma Craig, Rachel Wilson, Anne Robins and wrote two books under the name of Jon Sharpe (Pecos Belle Brigade and California Crusader).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
November 6, 2019
I am a huge fan of the Daisy Gumm mysteries so I was very excited to read this new series by Alice Duncan. While both are historical mysteries set in California in the generally same time period they found not be more different. And that is excellent. Mercy is a transplant to LA from an old monied family in Boston. Longing for a bit of freedom and independence she moves to LA to live with her sister who is married to a movie mogul. She longs to write novels but doesn’t have the life experience she can draw on coming from such a sheltered background. She gets a job as a secretary to a PI and shenanigans ensue. She struggles to overcome her oh so proper upbringing and soft hearted nature to better fit in to the more relaxed atmosphere of LA. Ernie Templeton the ex-cop now PI who gives her a job struggles to overcome her naivety and eagerness to be more than just a secretary. Yet working together they are able to solve not only the case he is hired for but so much more. A great beginning to a new series. If you’re a fan of Daisy Gumm you will love Mercy Allcutt!
I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily review this book. This is my honest review.
I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily review this book. This is my honest review.
October 4, 2020
Mercedes "Mercy" Louise Alcutt (named for an old, wealthy aunt Louise May Alcutt, perhaps a distant relation of Louisa May Alcott), is white, free and now 21. Now Mercy is legal, she's eager to leave her parents' stuffy, proper, upper-class home in Boston and join her older sister in Los Angeles. Chloe's husband works for the movie industry, "new money," but Mercy doesn't want a cent from Harvey. She wants to get a JOB (pass the smelling salts) and earn her own money. She thinks a job will provide her with ideas for a novel she plans to write. When Mercy takes a job as secretary for Private Investigator Ernest Templeton, she gets more ideas than she bargained for with a white-haired young receptionist waiting to be discovered, a frequently absent handyman, a tough talking P.I. and a 12-year-old urchin searching for her mother. Soon Mercy gets caught up in an investigation involving blackmail and two involving missing women. How thrilling! When the stakes turn deadly and Ernie forbids Mercy from getting involved, she's determined to see the investigation through. No one tells Mercy Louise Alcutt what to do!
The plot of this story is unusual for a 1920s set cozy mystery. The main mystery involves a missing woman, Babs, an employee of the Kit-Kat Club, a seedy speakeasy. There are other mysteries worked in as well and one involves a murder late in the novel. I thought it was pretty obvious who the murderer was so it wasn't much of a mystery. The mystery of what happened to Babs was more interesting. The wild west setting isn't my thing. It's rough, tough and not at all what Mercy or I am used to. The description of 1920s Los Angeles would be great, if I knew anything about LA. I could come up with a vague picture in my head of the setting because of the description but I kept thinking of San Francisco because of the steep hill. I wish I knew LA because the setting would have been more interesting to me.
The publisher's assurance that this book is clean with nothing vulgar is untrue. This book contains a ton of bad language. The characters routinely swear and use racial epithets. They also toss around a derogatory term for gay men. There's mentions of "white slavery" (prostitution) and a lot of violence. The setting lends itself to a more rough group of characters and it provides a contrast to Mercy's proper upbringing but I wasn't a fan and won't be reading more of this series. While people did use those words and I appreciate the author being bold enough to use period correct language, I just didn't care for that kind of story where the ethnic characters are villains and gangsters. Funny how no one uses an ethnic slur for Italians though, besides gangster. (eyeroll)
At first I feared Mercy would be too naïve and young for my tastes but I grew to like her. I grew up in a less wealthy but still proper household so I could relate to her desire to break free and relate to some of her innocence. Sometimes she was a little too naïve to be believable. She figures out what white slavery is but she doesn't know what "Chink" means? I'm sure she would have heard people use that term. There's a Chinatown in Boston and she's been to a couple of Chinatowns before. Certainly she should know that term. I also didn't believe she wouldn't know what a bottle blond was. Her worry about Lulu's hair was plain silly. The reader can quickly figure out the contrast between goody-goody Mercy and wannabe starlet Lulu without it. Mercy's naivety extends to her big heart. I think she's a little too compassionate for a woman of her time and background. Ernie comments that if Babs wanted to be a gun moll she shouldn't have had a kid and Mercy reflects that perhaps Babs didn't have a choice in either of those things. While I agree that is probably the case, at the very least about the kid (although she could probably have found a way to terminate the unwanted pregnancy it would have been at great risk to her own health), I don't think it's accurate for Mercy to feel so sympathetic. My parents' generation wouldn't be so understanding! Mercy's big heart is going to get her into trouble. Mercy's stubbornness is also a problem. While it isn't nice of men to tell women what to do, she is Ernie's employee and he has every right to tell her what to do. He points this out and she still gets mad. She puts herself into danger because she is unwilling to listen.
On the plus side, Mercy is a quick thinker. I love the way she handled the Rosie situation. I don't think I would have been to sneaky about it. In that situation though her "breeding" (class) comes in handy. In the thrilling dénouement of the novel, Mercy is also quick to think on her feet, or her knees as the case may be. (hey, Mercy, our knees match!)
Chloe's sister is more accepting of the social structure of society in the 1920s but also rejects some of her mother's stuffy rules. Chloe loves her sister but Chloe is too concerned about fitting in and how Mercy's behavior reflects on her husband. I doubt her husband's reputation is sterling.
Ernie Templeton is the exact opposite of Mercy. He's brash, tough and uninterested in social niceties and proper behavior. He's grown cynical after a stint with the corrupt LAPD. Ernie's a little too casual in his dealings with his clients. While he doesn't have to let Mercy know what he's up to, he could tell she's nosy and eager to assist and let her know that if she wants to keep her job, she'll stay out of his business. It seems Ernie has a softer heart that he lets own. I think Mercy grows on him from a needle in his side to someone he cares about.
Barbara-Ann is an urchin, street wise at 12-years old and proud but still vulnerable. She still needs and wants her mother around even though her mother is not the best and can't take care of her. It's easy to see why Mercy is drawn to this tough, spunky little girl. What will happen to her if her mother is never found or worse? Babs isn't much of a mother but we only get to know her through other people. We never hear about her feelings and whether she feels she's doing all she can to raise her daughter or if she's purely selfish. Babs certainly keeps some bad company. Her boyfriend, Matty Bumpas, is a gangster and troublemaker. He doesn't seem like such a hardened gangster.
He's more weak and whiny than tough. Han Li is a stereotypical Chinese man involved in some shady business but trying to deny it. The portrayal of a Chinese man mixed up in some bad business made me uncomfortable. As did the eye-talian gangsters. *sigh* Yes these people existed and I'm sure LA was as bad as New York but do we HAVE to go there? Why oh why can't there be a nice story about a nice Italian immigrant?
Lulu is a typical Los Angeles resident of the time. She's a wannabe starlet. She seems lazy though because she's always filing her nails and not doing anything like going on auditions and such. Ned, the building handyman, is a weird man. He seems a little off and really lazy. He enjoys Mercy's bossiness maybe a little too much. I think he's going to be a problem. Mr. Godfrey is also a weirdo. He is sneaky and suspicious. Mrs. Von Schilling is a suspicious character too. Who is she and what's she doing she doesn't want her husband to know? She's up to something dubious, hence the hat and veil. She seems like she's a man-eater and could hold her own against a blackmailer if it didn't involve Rosie. I love Rosie! Mr. Easthope is Mercy's suitor. Her sister keeps pushing him on Mercy because he's kind, rich and safe. He's also a bit timid and a lot gay. The men seem to think Mr. Easthope is gay and I think Easthope hinted as much to Mercy but she is too naïve to understand. He fits the effeminate gay man stereotype anyway and that was also problematic. He can be gay and not be so effeminate.
June Williams is my favorite character because she seems sensible and she works as a bookseller. I really feel horrible for her that the laws in the 1920s didn't protect women enough. I was horrified they didn't have laws against stalking at the time and the police would only protect a woman if the guy hurt her and by then it was too late and if it wasn't too late, she had to prove he hurt her in front of witnesses! WHAT THE HECK????!! That would make me so mad! Women had the right to vote so they should start threatening the men in power that those men would lose their votes if they didn't change the laws. I hope they did! I read a modern cozy with the same situation and the law was certainly on her side. Ernie's friend Phil is a good guy for a cop. He's thorough and aware of everything that's going on.
I liked this book well enough but I prefer Mercy's world. It's an escape from the real world. The newspaper is full of stories about gangs, drugs, poor people and corrupt police. I don't need to read about it in a novel. Hard pass on the rest of the series.
The plot of this story is unusual for a 1920s set cozy mystery. The main mystery involves a missing woman, Babs, an employee of the Kit-Kat Club, a seedy speakeasy. There are other mysteries worked in as well and one involves a murder late in the novel. I thought it was pretty obvious who the murderer was so it wasn't much of a mystery. The mystery of what happened to Babs was more interesting. The wild west setting isn't my thing. It's rough, tough and not at all what Mercy or I am used to. The description of 1920s Los Angeles would be great, if I knew anything about LA. I could come up with a vague picture in my head of the setting because of the description but I kept thinking of San Francisco because of the steep hill. I wish I knew LA because the setting would have been more interesting to me.
The publisher's assurance that this book is clean with nothing vulgar is untrue. This book contains a ton of bad language. The characters routinely swear and use racial epithets. They also toss around a derogatory term for gay men. There's mentions of "white slavery" (prostitution) and a lot of violence. The setting lends itself to a more rough group of characters and it provides a contrast to Mercy's proper upbringing but I wasn't a fan and won't be reading more of this series. While people did use those words and I appreciate the author being bold enough to use period correct language, I just didn't care for that kind of story where the ethnic characters are villains and gangsters. Funny how no one uses an ethnic slur for Italians though, besides gangster. (eyeroll)
At first I feared Mercy would be too naïve and young for my tastes but I grew to like her. I grew up in a less wealthy but still proper household so I could relate to her desire to break free and relate to some of her innocence. Sometimes she was a little too naïve to be believable. She figures out what white slavery is but she doesn't know what "Chink" means? I'm sure she would have heard people use that term. There's a Chinatown in Boston and she's been to a couple of Chinatowns before. Certainly she should know that term. I also didn't believe she wouldn't know what a bottle blond was. Her worry about Lulu's hair was plain silly. The reader can quickly figure out the contrast between goody-goody Mercy and wannabe starlet Lulu without it. Mercy's naivety extends to her big heart. I think she's a little too compassionate for a woman of her time and background. Ernie comments that if Babs wanted to be a gun moll she shouldn't have had a kid and Mercy reflects that perhaps Babs didn't have a choice in either of those things. While I agree that is probably the case, at the very least about the kid (although she could probably have found a way to terminate the unwanted pregnancy it would have been at great risk to her own health), I don't think it's accurate for Mercy to feel so sympathetic. My parents' generation wouldn't be so understanding! Mercy's big heart is going to get her into trouble. Mercy's stubbornness is also a problem. While it isn't nice of men to tell women what to do, she is Ernie's employee and he has every right to tell her what to do. He points this out and she still gets mad. She puts herself into danger because she is unwilling to listen.
On the plus side, Mercy is a quick thinker. I love the way she handled the Rosie situation. I don't think I would have been to sneaky about it. In that situation though her "breeding" (class) comes in handy. In the thrilling dénouement of the novel, Mercy is also quick to think on her feet, or her knees as the case may be. (hey, Mercy, our knees match!)
Chloe's sister is more accepting of the social structure of society in the 1920s but also rejects some of her mother's stuffy rules. Chloe loves her sister but Chloe is too concerned about fitting in and how Mercy's behavior reflects on her husband. I doubt her husband's reputation is sterling.
Ernie Templeton is the exact opposite of Mercy. He's brash, tough and uninterested in social niceties and proper behavior. He's grown cynical after a stint with the corrupt LAPD. Ernie's a little too casual in his dealings with his clients. While he doesn't have to let Mercy know what he's up to, he could tell she's nosy and eager to assist and let her know that if she wants to keep her job, she'll stay out of his business. It seems Ernie has a softer heart that he lets own. I think Mercy grows on him from a needle in his side to someone he cares about.
Barbara-Ann is an urchin, street wise at 12-years old and proud but still vulnerable. She still needs and wants her mother around even though her mother is not the best and can't take care of her. It's easy to see why Mercy is drawn to this tough, spunky little girl. What will happen to her if her mother is never found or worse? Babs isn't much of a mother but we only get to know her through other people. We never hear about her feelings and whether she feels she's doing all she can to raise her daughter or if she's purely selfish. Babs certainly keeps some bad company. Her boyfriend, Matty Bumpas, is a gangster and troublemaker. He doesn't seem like such a hardened gangster.
He's more weak and whiny than tough. Han Li is a stereotypical Chinese man involved in some shady business but trying to deny it. The portrayal of a Chinese man mixed up in some bad business made me uncomfortable. As did the eye-talian gangsters. *sigh* Yes these people existed and I'm sure LA was as bad as New York but do we HAVE to go there? Why oh why can't there be a nice story about a nice Italian immigrant?
Lulu is a typical Los Angeles resident of the time. She's a wannabe starlet. She seems lazy though because she's always filing her nails and not doing anything like going on auditions and such. Ned, the building handyman, is a weird man. He seems a little off and really lazy. He enjoys Mercy's bossiness maybe a little too much. I think he's going to be a problem. Mr. Godfrey is also a weirdo. He is sneaky and suspicious. Mrs. Von Schilling is a suspicious character too. Who is she and what's she doing she doesn't want her husband to know? She's up to something dubious, hence the hat and veil. She seems like she's a man-eater and could hold her own against a blackmailer if it didn't involve Rosie. I love Rosie! Mr. Easthope is Mercy's suitor. Her sister keeps pushing him on Mercy because he's kind, rich and safe. He's also a bit timid and a lot gay. The men seem to think Mr. Easthope is gay and I think Easthope hinted as much to Mercy but she is too naïve to understand. He fits the effeminate gay man stereotype anyway and that was also problematic. He can be gay and not be so effeminate.
June Williams is my favorite character because she seems sensible and she works as a bookseller. I really feel horrible for her that the laws in the 1920s didn't protect women enough. I was horrified they didn't have laws against stalking at the time and the police would only protect a woman if the guy hurt her and by then it was too late and if it wasn't too late, she had to prove he hurt her in front of witnesses! WHAT THE HECK????!! That would make me so mad! Women had the right to vote so they should start threatening the men in power that those men would lose their votes if they didn't change the laws. I hope they did! I read a modern cozy with the same situation and the law was certainly on her side. Ernie's friend Phil is a good guy for a cop. He's thorough and aware of everything that's going on.
I liked this book well enough but I prefer Mercy's world. It's an escape from the real world. The newspaper is full of stories about gangs, drugs, poor people and corrupt police. I don't need to read about it in a novel. Hard pass on the rest of the series.
March 3, 2012
Mercedes Louise Allcut has moved to Pasadena, California to live with her sister and her brother-in-law, who works in that new-fangled industry of motion pictures. Mercy would do anything to get away from her mother and father and her stuffy upbringing in hide-bound Boston. Mercy wants to write novels and so she decides she needs to get a job and experience life so she can write about it. She sets out one morning and ends up getting hired as a Gal Friday for Ernest Templeton, Private Investigator. Ernie used to be on the LA police force, but got in trouble during the Fatty Arbuckle/William Desmond murder investigation for not being corrupt, like many other policeman at that time. Mercy soon finds herself investigating a kidnapping; a murder and a missing dog. Life out in LA is sure faster paced than Boston! Full of laughs, this was a cute look at life in early LA. I'm looking forward to more adventures with Ernie and Mercy
July 25, 2023
The epithet too dumb to live may well have been designed specifically for our heroine Mercy Allcutt. Luckily she has a privileged background to cushion her from life’s realities, so that it’s all one jolly grand adventure instead.
It’s a testament to Alice Duncan’s talent that I actually enjoyed this book. Having devoured her Daisy Gumm series I was very happy to discover another series, set in the same era, I could immerse myself into. Problem is I LOVED Daisy - Mercy not so much.
I’m hopeful that the lead character will develop beyond the unbelievable naivety and entitlement she exhibits. Case in point, without spoilers, is her belief that a character with platinum blonde hair must be terminally ill to have white hair at such a young age.
The ‘who dunnit’ was obvious to everyone except Mercy. The rest of the cast of characters are far more enjoyable, bringing a distinct noir-ish air to the 1920s Los Angeles setting. Mercy seems to be there to provide the comedic edge, and to stumble into saving the day of course. Fair warning though, the racial slurs of the era are freely thrown about, although all apparently new and indecipherable to Mercy’s delicate Bostonian lobes.
It’s a testament to Alice Duncan’s talent that I actually enjoyed this book. Having devoured her Daisy Gumm series I was very happy to discover another series, set in the same era, I could immerse myself into. Problem is I LOVED Daisy - Mercy not so much.
I’m hopeful that the lead character will develop beyond the unbelievable naivety and entitlement she exhibits. Case in point, without spoilers, is her belief that a character with platinum blonde hair must be terminally ill to have white hair at such a young age.
The ‘who dunnit’ was obvious to everyone except Mercy. The rest of the cast of characters are far more enjoyable, bringing a distinct noir-ish air to the 1920s Los Angeles setting. Mercy seems to be there to provide the comedic edge, and to stumble into saving the day of course. Fair warning though, the racial slurs of the era are freely thrown about, although all apparently new and indecipherable to Mercy’s delicate Bostonian lobes.
July 11, 2021
2 1/2 stars. A historical mystery set in L.A. in the 1920s. It conjures up images and expectations. Overall a middle of the way book. There are parts that are very funny for Mercy, a Boston blue-blood, is a fish out of water among workers. Her expectations, her enjoyment of everyday things, and her cluelessness are rich for humor. But she is also somewhat prissy. That annoys me at times.
Even though this was only a paragraph I don't buy it: that she had never experienced being treated as less than men or to be thought not to have much of a brain by a man until she arrived in L.A. Particularly in the monied, high society class of New England and New York, women were expected to get married. That's it. They weren't to work, they weren't discussing politics or business. No matter how sheltered, she would not have been treated as the equal of a male. There is no way she could not have realized that. There were would have been tons of restrictions on her life to make sure she acted appropriate and her reputation wasn't damaged. That means she wasn't treated as the equal of a male.
Still, I had fun with it.
Even though this was only a paragraph I don't buy it: that she had never experienced being treated as less than men or to be thought not to have much of a brain by a man until she arrived in L.A. Particularly in the monied, high society class of New England and New York, women were expected to get married. That's it. They weren't to work, they weren't discussing politics or business. No matter how sheltered, she would not have been treated as the equal of a male. There is no way she could not have realized that. There were would have been tons of restrictions on her life to make sure she acted appropriate and her reputation wasn't damaged. That means she wasn't treated as the equal of a male.
Still, I had fun with it.
January 8, 2020
Fun quick read
The characters are entertaining the mystery is engaging. There is adventure, intrigue, and lighthearted dialogue. The main character is a bit naive but a strong woman and it is interesting to watch her insights and her character shine as she embraces challenges and learns more of life outside her sheltered upbringing .
The characters are entertaining the mystery is engaging. There is adventure, intrigue, and lighthearted dialogue. The main character is a bit naive but a strong woman and it is interesting to watch her insights and her character shine as she embraces challenges and learns more of life outside her sheltered upbringing .
September 6, 2021
Read in an afternoon. Your really have to first enjoy a certain genre of old movies to appreciate the timing of the dialog and the pacing and naivete of the story. Pretty dang fun.
December 2, 2020
Mercedes Louise Allcut
Mercy is a rich young woman who has moved away from her stuffy and very correct parents in Boston to live with her married sister Clovilla, Chloe, in Los Angeles. Despite not needing to she's decided to get a job and work so she will have lots of experiences to write about when she finally starts writing her first novel.
She's taken on by Earnest Templeton a PI, and meets several clients in her first day notably the young Barbara-Ann a 12 year old who's mother is missing, Mr Godfrey who's fiancé has disappeared and Mrs Von Sweeting who is trying to retrieve some stolen property. There's also lazy Ned who is the caretaker at the offices, and Lulu the nail filing receptionist. Can Mercy stick it through her first week? Will she prove up to the task when Ernie takes her out on a job? And can she keep her head in a crisis? All will be answered by the end of this tale.
I'm not sure about Mercy.. I prefer Daisy even despite the last book (15) being weaker than the rest of the series. Maybe it's just settling in to a new character in the same era.. we'll see.
Mercy is a rich young woman who has moved away from her stuffy and very correct parents in Boston to live with her married sister Clovilla, Chloe, in Los Angeles. Despite not needing to she's decided to get a job and work so she will have lots of experiences to write about when she finally starts writing her first novel.
She's taken on by Earnest Templeton a PI, and meets several clients in her first day notably the young Barbara-Ann a 12 year old who's mother is missing, Mr Godfrey who's fiancé has disappeared and Mrs Von Sweeting who is trying to retrieve some stolen property. There's also lazy Ned who is the caretaker at the offices, and Lulu the nail filing receptionist. Can Mercy stick it through her first week? Will she prove up to the task when Ernie takes her out on a job? And can she keep her head in a crisis? All will be answered by the end of this tale.
I'm not sure about Mercy.. I prefer Daisy even despite the last book (15) being weaker than the rest of the series. Maybe it's just settling in to a new character in the same era.. we'll see.
March 3, 2021
LOST AMONG THE ANGELS BY ALICE DUNCAN introduces the readers to Mercy Allcutt.
Mercy's family is of "OLD MONEY BOSTON" and Mercy wants to live the life of an independent woman of the 1920s,so she moves to California and is living with her sister who is married to "NEW MONEY" Mercy lands a job as the secretary of not so famous PI, Ernie Templeton. While Mercy has zero clue on being a secretary,let alone being a PI she gets tangled up in a kidnapping, the mob as well as murder all in one fell swoop!
I found this cozy mystery and start of what I hope is a comical series quite entertaining and fun to listen to. Her bumbling and stumbling into and out of trouble makes LOST AMONG THE ANGELS BY ALICE DUNCAN well worth the listen.
Darlene Allen,the narrator makes the story flow well and kept me interested right to the very end.
Mercy's family is of "OLD MONEY BOSTON" and Mercy wants to live the life of an independent woman of the 1920s,so she moves to California and is living with her sister who is married to "NEW MONEY" Mercy lands a job as the secretary of not so famous PI, Ernie Templeton. While Mercy has zero clue on being a secretary,let alone being a PI she gets tangled up in a kidnapping, the mob as well as murder all in one fell swoop!
I found this cozy mystery and start of what I hope is a comical series quite entertaining and fun to listen to. Her bumbling and stumbling into and out of trouble makes LOST AMONG THE ANGELS BY ALICE DUNCAN well worth the listen.
Darlene Allen,the narrator makes the story flow well and kept me interested right to the very end.
April 25, 2021
What a delightful book! I enjoyed the humor, the mystery, and most of all the characters. Mercy is just so lovable and amazingly independent for the 1920's. Her nemesis, and boss, Ernie, is so opposed to everything Mercy does, but it is becoming obvious that it comes from his concern for Mercy. I am so looking forward to the next book.
Darlene Allen does a phenomenal job with the narration! The characters come alive and her use of different voices is one of the best I've ever heard.
I requested this audio book from Audiobooks Unleashed and have voluntarily left this review.
Darlene Allen does a phenomenal job with the narration! The characters come alive and her use of different voices is one of the best I've ever heard.
I requested this audio book from Audiobooks Unleashed and have voluntarily left this review.
August 12, 2021
I love Alice Duncan mysteries. They are always fun and full of great characters. Immensely naive Mercy Alcott craves adventure and excitement, which, according to Mercy, she has none of in her very stoic life in Boston. Showing up at her sisters' home in California she gets a JOB! This is not acceptable in her family. Mercy wants to experience the life of the "working proletariat". The trouble starts her first day and gets worse from there. You will love this book and end up wanting to read the rest of the series.
January 12, 2026
A fun story. Yes, there was a kidnapping, a murder, and clueless men deciding a woman who was nice to them wanted to marry them, but there was also a rich girl learning the facts of life that had absolutely nothing to do with sex, and basically learning the language of the common man. She also met her employer who learned the fact although she was clueless about his basic facts of life she also had moments where she absolutely shined. I definitely recommend this story and look forward to the next one.
January 15, 2020
I started the book in the hope I was getting an intelligent, independent young woman. The story began quite well, but quite quickly I started having doubts.
It didn’t take long for me to think the author was over doing the naivety. I thought Mercy might improve as the story progressed, but she remained gullible and slow on the uptake for most of the book.
Having said that, Mercy does have a charm all of her own and had the story been a bit ‘stronger’ I may have given three stars.
It didn’t take long for me to think the author was over doing the naivety. I thought Mercy might improve as the story progressed, but she remained gullible and slow on the uptake for most of the book.
Having said that, Mercy does have a charm all of her own and had the story been a bit ‘stronger’ I may have given three stars.
February 14, 2021
Reading this book was like watching a tv series/movie where you go back in time and observe life in this time period. Mercy Allcutt is quite a modern woman for the time (1926). She thinks she wants to write novels but to do this she needs to experience life since she comes from an aristocratic privileged Boston family. She moves to Los Angeles to live with her sister and that is where her adventure begins!
June 9, 2020
Another hit!
Just finished the first in the Mercy Allcutt series and I really enjoyed it. I have read all of the Daisy Gumm Majesty series and I recommend those as well. If you enjoy a good story with great characters and a heroine with a sense of humor either of these series (or both) might interest you.
Just finished the first in the Mercy Allcutt series and I really enjoyed it. I have read all of the Daisy Gumm Majesty series and I recommend those as well. If you enjoy a good story with great characters and a heroine with a sense of humor either of these series (or both) might interest you.
June 13, 2020
A delightful cozy mystery with the setting in the 20’s when even with the money Mercy has, she wants a job. She hit the jackpot with a private investigator In LA. A lot of mayhem and murder, like her character, believes in people, and upbeat. Enjoyed the audio and Mercy character came thru. Given audio for my voluntary review and my honest opinion
November 1, 2020
Meet Merecedes Allcutt recently escaped from stuffy Boston to find frame and fortune as a PI's secretary in up and coming LA. This is another fun series by Alice Duncan looking at California living in the 20s from a different prospective. But I am in love with her character as much as I love Daisy Gumm Majesty!
August 1, 2023
Lost Among the Angels Book 1 Mery Alcutt Mystery
Mercy Alcutt joins her sister Chloe and er ovie director in Los Angeles to get a job and move away from their mothers suffocating control. Mercy gets hired by a P.I. and s taught more than she dreamed of dared to learn. Blackmail, opium and prohibition and a half from the streets seeking her mother. A ga Bk and a clean read
Mercy Alcutt joins her sister Chloe and er ovie director in Los Angeles to get a job and move away from their mothers suffocating control. Mercy gets hired by a P.I. and s taught more than she dreamed of dared to learn. Blackmail, opium and prohibition and a half from the streets seeking her mother. A ga Bk and a clean read
October 19, 2019
A lady of impeccable breeding moves away from her parents to her sister who only wants to turn her into a flapper!
Mercy have other ideas and finds employment with a PI.
How else must she gain experience to write novels?
A love story line with great characters.
Mercy have other ideas and finds employment with a PI.
How else must she gain experience to write novels?
A love story line with great characters.
October 18, 2020
I needed a break from a very detailed biography and read this book. It provided the break but the mystery was solved very early in the story. I liked the Daisy Gumm mystery series and decided to try this one.
April 18, 2021
Cute and lively tale of a sheltered Boston society girl taking on an actual JOB in 1920s LA. Great characters and action. Mercy is too simple-minded and naive to be believable, but maybe she will huff and puff less in future episodes.
March 5, 2022
Boston meets LA
When a naive socialite from Boston meets life in Los Angeles, feathers get ruffled and misunderstanding s and abound. Mercy gets a job with a jaded gunshot hoping to broaden her experiences. Mission accomplished. Lots of chuckles and lots of excitement.
When a naive socialite from Boston meets life in Los Angeles, feathers get ruffled and misunderstanding s and abound. Mercy gets a job with a jaded gunshot hoping to broaden her experiences. Mission accomplished. Lots of chuckles and lots of excitement.
June 13, 2022
Loved it...gonna start on yhe next one right away !,!
Would definatately recommed it , especally to anyone who enjoys stuff set in that tlme frame ( 1920'-s) and looking for d
Would definatately recommed it , especally to anyone who enjoys stuff set in that tlme frame ( 1920'-s) and looking for d
September 9, 2022
✿●✿●✿●✿
This looked like an interesting plot, and it being of a historical fiction genre piqued my interest in an area in which I am greatly interested, namely the 1920s. Clean language, too, which I appreciate.
✿▬✿●✿▬✿
🏮Kindle Unlimited version.
This looked like an interesting plot, and it being of a historical fiction genre piqued my interest in an area in which I am greatly interested, namely the 1920s. Clean language, too, which I appreciate.
✿▬✿●✿▬✿
🏮Kindle Unlimited version.
September 28, 2022
Wonderful book
Mercy Allcutt is a young lady from a wealthy family. She decides to take a job working as a private investigators receptionist. She ends up helping with the arrest of criminals and murderers. It was quite a fun read I can't wait to read the next book.
Mercy Allcutt is a young lady from a wealthy family. She decides to take a job working as a private investigators receptionist. She ends up helping with the arrest of criminals and murderers. It was quite a fun read I can't wait to read the next book.
March 16, 2024
Funny Cozy Mystery
This is a comical cozy mystery. I don't think I would've expected so much fun in this mystery. I borrowed this book from Kindle Unlimited. This in no way affects my opinion of this book.
This is a comical cozy mystery. I don't think I would've expected so much fun in this mystery. I borrowed this book from Kindle Unlimited. This in no way affects my opinion of this book.
May 28, 2024
Pretty entertaining, though Mercy's naïveté is extremely inconsistent, making it more of a punchline or plot crutch than a characterization. Still, I smiled a few times at the voice and found it quite enjoyable.
February 6, 2025
This is the first of a new (to me) series by Alice Duncan. It centers around a young, wealthy but inexperienced Boston Socialite who decides to get a job in 1926 Los Angeles as the secretary to a Private Investigator. The result is a fun little cozy mystery.
January 9, 2020
Entertaining. I hope to read more...
February 18, 2020
Cleverly written “who done it” set in the 20’s with a very naive heroine. Quick read no real surprises but a fun read.
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