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Rose Gallagher #3
The Silver Shooter
Erin Lindsey's third historical mystery The Silver Shooter follows Rose Gallagher as she tracks a monster and searches for treasure in the wilds of the Dakota Territory.
It's the spring of 1887, and Rose Gallagher is finally coming into her own. She's the proud owner of a lovely little home near Washington Square, where she lives with her mother and friend Pietro, and she's making a name for herself as a Pinkerton agent with a specialty in things . . . otherworldly. She and her partner Thomas are working together better than ever, and mostly managing to push aside romantic feelings for one another. Mostly.
Things are almost too good to be true—so Rose is hardly surprised when Theodore Roosevelt descends on them like a storm cloud, hiring them for a mysterious job out west. A series of strange occurrences in the Badlands surrounding his ranch has Roosevelt convinced something supernatural is afoot.
It began with livestock disappearing from the range, their bodies later discovered torn apart by something monstrously powerful. Now people are dying, too. Meanwhile, a successful prospector has gone missing, and rumors about his lost stash of gold have attracted treasure hunters from far and wide – but they keep disappearing, too. To top it all off, this past winter, a mysterious weather phenomenon devastated the land, leaving the locals hungry, broke, and looking for someone to blame.
With tensions mounting and the body count rising, Roosevelt fears a single spark will be all it takes to set the Badlands aflame. It’s up to Rose and Thomas to get to the bottom of it, but they’re against the clock and an unknown enemy, and the west will prove wilder than they could possibly imagine…
It's the spring of 1887, and Rose Gallagher is finally coming into her own. She's the proud owner of a lovely little home near Washington Square, where she lives with her mother and friend Pietro, and she's making a name for herself as a Pinkerton agent with a specialty in things . . . otherworldly. She and her partner Thomas are working together better than ever, and mostly managing to push aside romantic feelings for one another. Mostly.
Things are almost too good to be true—so Rose is hardly surprised when Theodore Roosevelt descends on them like a storm cloud, hiring them for a mysterious job out west. A series of strange occurrences in the Badlands surrounding his ranch has Roosevelt convinced something supernatural is afoot.
It began with livestock disappearing from the range, their bodies later discovered torn apart by something monstrously powerful. Now people are dying, too. Meanwhile, a successful prospector has gone missing, and rumors about his lost stash of gold have attracted treasure hunters from far and wide – but they keep disappearing, too. To top it all off, this past winter, a mysterious weather phenomenon devastated the land, leaving the locals hungry, broke, and looking for someone to blame.
With tensions mounting and the body count rising, Roosevelt fears a single spark will be all it takes to set the Badlands aflame. It’s up to Rose and Thomas to get to the bottom of it, but they’re against the clock and an unknown enemy, and the west will prove wilder than they could possibly imagine…
345 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 17, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 108 reviews
October 17, 2020
At one month prior to publication, here is my review.
THE SILVER SHOOTER by Erin Lindsey is the third book in the Rose Gallagher paranormal historical mystery series and is set in New York and in the Badlands of the Dakotas during 1887. Rose Gallagher and Thomas Wilshire are Pinkerton agents in its special branch which deals with the paranormal. This novel brings in historical figures such as Theodore Roosevelt as well as others and does a nice job of blending fiction and history including a note from the author at the end of the book. In this book, Theodore Roosevelt is Rose and Thomas’ client. He has lost over 65 percent of his cattle on his ranch in the Badlands. Something is leaving bloody carcasses of animals and humans.
Rose and Thomas are a great team that support each other. Their characters are definitely someone you can root for and they both have flaws and virtues that made this reader easily connect with them. Their goals were clear and their motivations were believable even in a story that has a paranormal aspect to it. The stakes were high and there was plenty of action and tension as well as a few romantic moments. Themes include family, class distinctions and prejudices, women’s occupations and attire, murder, assault, and much more.
Overall, I enjoyed this unique, engrossing, appealing, and entertaining story. I definitely want to go back and read the first two books in the series as well as reading her Nicolas Lenoir mystery series and her Bloodbound fantasy trilogy. I recommend this to those that enjoy some paranormal with their historical mysteries.
St. Martin’s Press and Erin Lindsey provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.
---------------------------------------------------------
Review to be posted around October 17th (one month prior to publication).
THE SILVER SHOOTER by Erin Lindsey is the third book in the Rose Gallagher paranormal historical mystery series and is set in New York and in the Badlands of the Dakotas during 1887. Rose Gallagher and Thomas Wilshire are Pinkerton agents in its special branch which deals with the paranormal. This novel brings in historical figures such as Theodore Roosevelt as well as others and does a nice job of blending fiction and history including a note from the author at the end of the book. In this book, Theodore Roosevelt is Rose and Thomas’ client. He has lost over 65 percent of his cattle on his ranch in the Badlands. Something is leaving bloody carcasses of animals and humans.
Rose and Thomas are a great team that support each other. Their characters are definitely someone you can root for and they both have flaws and virtues that made this reader easily connect with them. Their goals were clear and their motivations were believable even in a story that has a paranormal aspect to it. The stakes were high and there was plenty of action and tension as well as a few romantic moments. Themes include family, class distinctions and prejudices, women’s occupations and attire, murder, assault, and much more.
Overall, I enjoyed this unique, engrossing, appealing, and entertaining story. I definitely want to go back and read the first two books in the series as well as reading her Nicolas Lenoir mystery series and her Bloodbound fantasy trilogy. I recommend this to those that enjoy some paranormal with their historical mysteries.
St. Martin’s Press and Erin Lindsey provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.
---------------------------------------------------------
Review to be posted around October 17th (one month prior to publication).
September 4, 2020
"In a fit of Irish cussedness, I drank his too."
With a tip of her hat, we meet Rose Gallagher, former maid and now an active member of the Pinkerton National Detective Agency. Based in New York City in 1866, Rose finds herself locked up in The Tombs for breaking and entering. After a night of chasing off fleas and vermin, Rose is finally rescued by her partner, Thomas Wiltshire. Wiltshire sports his gentleman attire and attitude contrasting to Rose's straightforwardness. But they do work well together.
Casting quite the image in their office is Theodore Roosevelt. He's come to present a case to Rose and Thomas regarding his ranch in the Badlands, The Maltese Cross. Roosevelt has lost over 65 percent of his cattle to some monstrous thing that has left the bloody carcasses scattered in the fields. Even the Lakota believe that it may be an evil spirit from the other world. Rose and Thomas have solved similar cases in the past. But this one appears to be quite the challenge.
This case will take them from New York City to the highly unfamiliar Badlands of the West. Upon arriving in Medora, Rose finds it necessary to leave behind her wide skirts and dons a pair of denim jeans and shirt. Out of necessity, she'll put to use her training as well as new skills that she adapts.
The Silver Shooter is the third in this series. It reads as a standalone, but I'm going back to the first two to get a better feel for how this wildly different pair got started. Erin Lindsey lines this one with humorous happenings here and there, and yet, creates some eerie happenings along the way as well. There's quite a cast of characters involved in this small Western town and the outlining areas. I enjoyed the inclusion of the Lakota and their wisdom and knowledge of the wilderness. And there's nothing like the presence of Teddy Roosevelt to set this one on fire. A really good series with much potential.
I received a copy of The Silver Shooter through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to St. Martin's Press and to Erin Lindsey for the opportunity.
With a tip of her hat, we meet Rose Gallagher, former maid and now an active member of the Pinkerton National Detective Agency. Based in New York City in 1866, Rose finds herself locked up in The Tombs for breaking and entering. After a night of chasing off fleas and vermin, Rose is finally rescued by her partner, Thomas Wiltshire. Wiltshire sports his gentleman attire and attitude contrasting to Rose's straightforwardness. But they do work well together.
Casting quite the image in their office is Theodore Roosevelt. He's come to present a case to Rose and Thomas regarding his ranch in the Badlands, The Maltese Cross. Roosevelt has lost over 65 percent of his cattle to some monstrous thing that has left the bloody carcasses scattered in the fields. Even the Lakota believe that it may be an evil spirit from the other world. Rose and Thomas have solved similar cases in the past. But this one appears to be quite the challenge.
This case will take them from New York City to the highly unfamiliar Badlands of the West. Upon arriving in Medora, Rose finds it necessary to leave behind her wide skirts and dons a pair of denim jeans and shirt. Out of necessity, she'll put to use her training as well as new skills that she adapts.
The Silver Shooter is the third in this series. It reads as a standalone, but I'm going back to the first two to get a better feel for how this wildly different pair got started. Erin Lindsey lines this one with humorous happenings here and there, and yet, creates some eerie happenings along the way as well. There's quite a cast of characters involved in this small Western town and the outlining areas. I enjoyed the inclusion of the Lakota and their wisdom and knowledge of the wilderness. And there's nothing like the presence of Teddy Roosevelt to set this one on fire. A really good series with much potential.
I received a copy of The Silver Shooter through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to St. Martin's Press and to Erin Lindsey for the opportunity.
December 25, 2021
3.5 stars
This terrible romance has finally crossed the line from 'slight annoyance' to 'ruining the story' and it makes me so mad. I loved so much about The Silver Shooter - the western setting, magic and alchemy, the introduction of the Lakota people into the narrative - but why? Why do we have to deal with this stupid social status romance nonsense?
It felt at times like the characters were running around in circles. They kept commenting on how little time they had to figure things out due to the deadly nature of the case - especially once someone they care about is arrested - but they spend an awful lot of time hanging out in the saloon and kissing. And thinking about kissing. I wish the focus had been more on the magic and the mystery. Because it is such a good mystery.
Burrows and Edith are quickly becoming so much more interesting than Rose and Thomas. I would love a spinoff where these two realise they're perfect for each other. Mainly because then we wouldn't have to deal with this social status drama bullshit. It can't be a coincidence, either, that the more Clara is cut out of the narrative, the more annoying it gets.
And the ending. Really? I could not have ended this worse if I had tried. I went digging, looking for even the hint of a possibility of another book in the Rose Gallagher Mystery series. I finally found a blog entry on Erin Lindsey's website confirming that there will be a fourth book, but it took a lot of effort to find even that small nugget of hope. I hate romantic complications based on people not fucking talking to each other. Dumb. So freaking dumb. I swear, if there isn't another book to clear up all this nonsense, I will have lost all faith in Lindsey. Which would suck, considering she's quickly becoming one of my favourite authors.
"I shook my head wonderingly. 'The cases we deal with … luck, witchcraft, ghosts … all these supernatural things, and yet when it comes right down to it, the motives are so very ordinary. Greed. Politics. Revenge. The same as any old case that might land on Sergeant Chapman's desk.'"
Review originally posted here on Britt's Book Blurbs.
Other books in the Rose Gallagher Mystery series:
#1: Murder on Millionaires' Row ⭐⭐⭐⭐
#2: A Golden Grave ⭐⭐⭐⭐
This terrible romance has finally crossed the line from 'slight annoyance' to 'ruining the story' and it makes me so mad. I loved so much about The Silver Shooter - the western setting, magic and alchemy, the introduction of the Lakota people into the narrative - but why? Why do we have to deal with this stupid social status romance nonsense?
It felt at times like the characters were running around in circles. They kept commenting on how little time they had to figure things out due to the deadly nature of the case - especially once someone they care about is arrested - but they spend an awful lot of time hanging out in the saloon and kissing. And thinking about kissing. I wish the focus had been more on the magic and the mystery. Because it is such a good mystery.
Burrows and Edith are quickly becoming so much more interesting than Rose and Thomas. I would love a spinoff where these two realise they're perfect for each other. Mainly because then we wouldn't have to deal with this social status drama bullshit. It can't be a coincidence, either, that the more Clara is cut out of the narrative, the more annoying it gets.
And the ending. Really? I could not have ended this worse if I had tried. I went digging, looking for even the hint of a possibility of another book in the Rose Gallagher Mystery series. I finally found a blog entry on Erin Lindsey's website confirming that there will be a fourth book, but it took a lot of effort to find even that small nugget of hope. I hate romantic complications based on people not fucking talking to each other. Dumb. So freaking dumb. I swear, if there isn't another book to clear up all this nonsense, I will have lost all faith in Lindsey. Which would suck, considering she's quickly becoming one of my favourite authors.
"I shook my head wonderingly. 'The cases we deal with … luck, witchcraft, ghosts … all these supernatural things, and yet when it comes right down to it, the motives are so very ordinary. Greed. Politics. Revenge. The same as any old case that might land on Sergeant Chapman's desk.'"
Review originally posted here on Britt's Book Blurbs.
Other books in the Rose Gallagher Mystery series:
#1: Murder on Millionaires' Row ⭐⭐⭐⭐
#2: A Golden Grave ⭐⭐⭐⭐
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November 22, 2020
'It's the spring of 1887, and Rose Gallagher is finally coming into her own. She's the proud owner of a lovely little home near Washington Square, where she lives with her mother and friend Pietro, and she's making a name for herself as a Pinkerton agent with a specialty in things . . . otherworldly. She and her partner Thomas are working together better than ever, and mostly managing to push aside romantic feelings for one another. Mostly.
Things are almost too good to be true—so Rose is hardly surprised when Theodore Roosevelt descends on them like a storm cloud, hiring them for a mysterious job out west. A series of strange occurrences in the Badlands surrounding his ranch has Roosevelt convinced something supernatural is afoot.
It began with livestock disappearing from the range, their bodies later discovered torn apart by something monstrously powerful. Now people are dying, too. Meanwhile, a successful prospector has gone missing, and rumors about his lost stash of gold have attracted treasure hunters from far and wide – but they keep disappearing, too. To top it all off, this past winter, a mysterious weather phenomenon devastated the land, leaving the locals hungry, broke, and looking for someone to blame.
With tensions mounting and the body count rising, Roosevelt fears a single spark will be all it takes to set the Badlands aflame. It’s up to Rose and Thomas to get to the bottom of it, but they’re against the clock and an unknown enemy, and the west will prove wilder than they could possibly imagine…'
__________________________________
3.5 stars, rounded down to 3 stars.
The Silver Shooter is the third book in Erin Lindsey's A Rose Gallagher Mystery series and is a historical mystery with a paranormal spin.
Theodore Roosevelt is back for this book and enlisting the paranormal aid of Thomas and Rose again on behalf of the Pinkerton Agency and this time their assignment will take them to the Badlands of the Dakotas.
I really love a historical mystery with paranormal elements, as they seem to be few and far between. Especially finding one that has a good balance of the paranormal, which I have found that this series has done well with so far.
I have adored the first two books in this series, but I found that this one just wasn't as intuiging as the others. I believe it may have been the pacing as it felt like quite a decent portion of the book was setting up the the conflict. From being recruited to traveling across states and then learning how to navigate their way around in their new surroundings, it just didn't pull me into the story the way the previous books did. Not to say that there isn't danger and excitement along the way, because there certainly is and some very big things happen in relations to the plot of the entire series that leave me anxious about how things will go from here. But it felt like the two conflicting mysteries(the ghost and the creature) yo-yoed in and out as the focus of the book's plot which made it feel less compelling.
It seems to me that the third book in a mystery series often ends up serving as kind of a lull in the series and then everything picks back up for the fourth book. So although I did not enjoy this book as much as I have the first two books and I'm worried with the way things were left between them, I am still looking forward to the next book in the series and am disappointed to have to wait a year to see how things will progress from where they left off.
_____
I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books for sharing an eARC of The Silver Shooter with me. This is my honest review.
Things are almost too good to be true—so Rose is hardly surprised when Theodore Roosevelt descends on them like a storm cloud, hiring them for a mysterious job out west. A series of strange occurrences in the Badlands surrounding his ranch has Roosevelt convinced something supernatural is afoot.
It began with livestock disappearing from the range, their bodies later discovered torn apart by something monstrously powerful. Now people are dying, too. Meanwhile, a successful prospector has gone missing, and rumors about his lost stash of gold have attracted treasure hunters from far and wide – but they keep disappearing, too. To top it all off, this past winter, a mysterious weather phenomenon devastated the land, leaving the locals hungry, broke, and looking for someone to blame.
With tensions mounting and the body count rising, Roosevelt fears a single spark will be all it takes to set the Badlands aflame. It’s up to Rose and Thomas to get to the bottom of it, but they’re against the clock and an unknown enemy, and the west will prove wilder than they could possibly imagine…'
__________________________________
3.5 stars, rounded down to 3 stars.
The Silver Shooter is the third book in Erin Lindsey's A Rose Gallagher Mystery series and is a historical mystery with a paranormal spin.
Theodore Roosevelt is back for this book and enlisting the paranormal aid of Thomas and Rose again on behalf of the Pinkerton Agency and this time their assignment will take them to the Badlands of the Dakotas.
I really love a historical mystery with paranormal elements, as they seem to be few and far between. Especially finding one that has a good balance of the paranormal, which I have found that this series has done well with so far.
I have adored the first two books in this series, but I found that this one just wasn't as intuiging as the others. I believe it may have been the pacing as it felt like quite a decent portion of the book was setting up the the conflict. From being recruited to traveling across states and then learning how to navigate their way around in their new surroundings, it just didn't pull me into the story the way the previous books did. Not to say that there isn't danger and excitement along the way, because there certainly is and some very big things happen in relations to the plot of the entire series that leave me anxious about how things will go from here. But it felt like the two conflicting mysteries(the ghost and the creature) yo-yoed in and out as the focus of the book's plot which made it feel less compelling.
It seems to me that the third book in a mystery series often ends up serving as kind of a lull in the series and then everything picks back up for the fourth book. So although I did not enjoy this book as much as I have the first two books and I'm worried with the way things were left between them, I am still looking forward to the next book in the series and am disappointed to have to wait a year to see how things will progress from where they left off.
_____
I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books for sharing an eARC of The Silver Shooter with me. This is my honest review.
October 2, 2020
The two detectives – Rose and Thomas are back again with a new mystery at hand to solve.
Rose owns a lovely home and lives with her mother and a friend – Pietro. She is making astounding progress as a Pinkerton Agent and has a brilliant partner to work with. Just when things are going good, Theodore Roosevelt rains on their parade. This time there is a mysterious job awaiting out west. A series of strange occurrences take place which doesn’t seem natural. What involves is something supernatural and now it lies in the hands of these two detectives to solve this paranormal puzzle.
It started with the disappearance and death of livestock. When the cadavers are found, it has been torn apart by a herculean monster. No one is able to figure out the happenings and it just doesn’t stop at livestock. It now begins with human beings disappearing and dying in the same way as animals. Does it stop here? No it definitely doesn’t. Amidst all the carcass and chaos, a murder takes place.
– Who is murdered and for what?
– Is the monster going to be found?
– What is the supernatural element?
– Can the two detectives solve this?
Rating – 5/5 Stars
Recommendation – Very High
Conclusion,
This supremely captivating book centers around -A Murder, A Monster and Magic. It takes us through the Badlands with people and animals dying and the carcasses found are a ghoulish sight. Something seems amiss and the people are having a really hard time in this town to survive. The plot is enrapturing and this book keeps the reader hooked right from he beginning until the end. Even though this is my first Rose Gallagher Mystery, I was enthralled from the start and now I cannot wait to go back to read the other two books.
Trigger Warnings – Involves Death, Killings and Supernatural Element.
P.S: Thank You Netgalley for this ecopy in exchange for an honest review.
Rose owns a lovely home and lives with her mother and a friend – Pietro. She is making astounding progress as a Pinkerton Agent and has a brilliant partner to work with. Just when things are going good, Theodore Roosevelt rains on their parade. This time there is a mysterious job awaiting out west. A series of strange occurrences take place which doesn’t seem natural. What involves is something supernatural and now it lies in the hands of these two detectives to solve this paranormal puzzle.
It started with the disappearance and death of livestock. When the cadavers are found, it has been torn apart by a herculean monster. No one is able to figure out the happenings and it just doesn’t stop at livestock. It now begins with human beings disappearing and dying in the same way as animals. Does it stop here? No it definitely doesn’t. Amidst all the carcass and chaos, a murder takes place.
– Who is murdered and for what?
– Is the monster going to be found?
– What is the supernatural element?
– Can the two detectives solve this?
Rating – 5/5 Stars
Recommendation – Very High
Conclusion,
This supremely captivating book centers around -A Murder, A Monster and Magic. It takes us through the Badlands with people and animals dying and the carcasses found are a ghoulish sight. Something seems amiss and the people are having a really hard time in this town to survive. The plot is enrapturing and this book keeps the reader hooked right from he beginning until the end. Even though this is my first Rose Gallagher Mystery, I was enthralled from the start and now I cannot wait to go back to read the other two books.
Trigger Warnings – Involves Death, Killings and Supernatural Element.
P.S: Thank You Netgalley for this ecopy in exchange for an honest review.
November 20, 2020
Love this series! The audio versions are awesome! But that sad ending is why I usually wait until much more of a series is published and then binge read through all the relationship ups and downs. Now I'll have to wait a year before I hear more from Rose. Too long . . .
December 7, 2020
4 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2020/12/07/...
I’d like to think Erin Lindsey and I are on similar wavelengths! I’ve been really enjoying her Gilded Age paranormal historical mystery series, and at some point while reading the last book, the thought did cross my mind that given the time period, wouldn’t it be amazing if she did a story set out in the Old West?
Enter the third Rose Gallagher novel, The Silver Shooter, which is exactly that! The intro sees our protagonist settling into her new life as a Pinkerton agent, working with her former-employer-now-partner Thomas in their special area of supernatural investigations. The job means keeping a low profile and the real nature of their work hush-hush, of course, but that’s not the only secret Rose has to keep. The romantic feelings between her and Thomas have been smoldering for a while, but because of the difference in their stations, she knows nothing could ever come of them.
Still, no one could have expected the ever-charismatic Theodore Roosevelt to step in, hiring the two of them to investigate a series of troubling occurrences happening around his ranch out in the Badlands. Horses and cattle have been disappearing, taken by something neither human nor animal. The mutilated bodies would be discovered later, torn apart by something huge and powerful. Lately, it is said that humans have been going missing too, many of them starry-eyed prospectors who have come from far and wide, drawn to the rumors of a lost treasure buried somewhere among the hills. Now, it’s up to Rose and Thomas to get to the bottom of the mystery before the fear and panic can boil over, taking the town down with it.
Oh, my Westerns-loving heart was so happy reading this book, and not just because it was set in the wild frontier of the 1880s Dakotas. It was also a nice change of pace for Rose and Thomas to be out of New York, far removed from their natural habitat and comfort zone of the city, not to mention a good opportunity to introduce a different kind of story with never before seen elements from this series. While the previous volumes have dealt mostly with ghosts and spirit trouble, in The Silver Shooter our protagonists are trying to chase down a creature that is far more tangible and dangerous. A powerful mystery still persists throughout the central plotline, of course, but for the first time in this series, we also get a strong sense of action and adventure.
And then there was the effect of the environment on our characters. Away from the swells of Manhattan, Thomas experiences a transformation, losing his upper crust rigidity and becoming more spontaneous and passionate, which I enjoyed seeing. Obviously, it was a change Rose could appreciate as well, finding the new Thomas irresistible. On her part, the lawlessness of the west also meant Rose was able to let loose and get away with many of the “improprieties” that would have gotten her spurned back home (like wearing trousers, how scandalous!) Free from having to keep up appearances, the romance between them really took off in this novel, and I think readers will delight in the progression of their love story which has been relatively lowkey and slow-burning thus far.
Now, whether these effects will last beyond the ending, I will not say as not to spoil anything, but if you’ve read the author before, you’ll know that she has a talent for writing a well-balanced romance that doesn’t distract from the main plot. Mixing swoony fun with deep emotion, this story has just enough romance and suspense to keep you rooting for Thomas and Rose to get together, but it is still a monster-hunting mystery at its core. Given that there will be more supernatural adventures in our characters’ futures (at least I hope), Lindsey is definitely saving more relationship development for later books!
When all is said and done, what we have here is a stellar sequel, and it is very encouraging to see both character and story still going strong. If you’re a fan of speculative fiction with just a dash of romance, I highly recommend checking out Erin Lindsey’s books, and if you also happen to enjoy historicals, you’ll find that the Rose Gallagher series has that added appeal. Like the volumes before it, The Silver Shooter is fantastically well-researched and richly detailed, helping bring the Old West setting to life. After the new elements introduced in this book, I am even more excited to see where the series will take us next.
Audiobook Comments: This was the first book in the Rose Gallagher series I listened to in audio, and I was really surprised how well narrator Barrie Kreinik’s voice matched up with my idea of Rose. I liked her performance very much, and thought she did an excellent job bringing the story and characters’ personalities to life.
I’d like to think Erin Lindsey and I are on similar wavelengths! I’ve been really enjoying her Gilded Age paranormal historical mystery series, and at some point while reading the last book, the thought did cross my mind that given the time period, wouldn’t it be amazing if she did a story set out in the Old West?
Enter the third Rose Gallagher novel, The Silver Shooter, which is exactly that! The intro sees our protagonist settling into her new life as a Pinkerton agent, working with her former-employer-now-partner Thomas in their special area of supernatural investigations. The job means keeping a low profile and the real nature of their work hush-hush, of course, but that’s not the only secret Rose has to keep. The romantic feelings between her and Thomas have been smoldering for a while, but because of the difference in their stations, she knows nothing could ever come of them.
Still, no one could have expected the ever-charismatic Theodore Roosevelt to step in, hiring the two of them to investigate a series of troubling occurrences happening around his ranch out in the Badlands. Horses and cattle have been disappearing, taken by something neither human nor animal. The mutilated bodies would be discovered later, torn apart by something huge and powerful. Lately, it is said that humans have been going missing too, many of them starry-eyed prospectors who have come from far and wide, drawn to the rumors of a lost treasure buried somewhere among the hills. Now, it’s up to Rose and Thomas to get to the bottom of the mystery before the fear and panic can boil over, taking the town down with it.
Oh, my Westerns-loving heart was so happy reading this book, and not just because it was set in the wild frontier of the 1880s Dakotas. It was also a nice change of pace for Rose and Thomas to be out of New York, far removed from their natural habitat and comfort zone of the city, not to mention a good opportunity to introduce a different kind of story with never before seen elements from this series. While the previous volumes have dealt mostly with ghosts and spirit trouble, in The Silver Shooter our protagonists are trying to chase down a creature that is far more tangible and dangerous. A powerful mystery still persists throughout the central plotline, of course, but for the first time in this series, we also get a strong sense of action and adventure.
And then there was the effect of the environment on our characters. Away from the swells of Manhattan, Thomas experiences a transformation, losing his upper crust rigidity and becoming more spontaneous and passionate, which I enjoyed seeing. Obviously, it was a change Rose could appreciate as well, finding the new Thomas irresistible. On her part, the lawlessness of the west also meant Rose was able to let loose and get away with many of the “improprieties” that would have gotten her spurned back home (like wearing trousers, how scandalous!) Free from having to keep up appearances, the romance between them really took off in this novel, and I think readers will delight in the progression of their love story which has been relatively lowkey and slow-burning thus far.
Now, whether these effects will last beyond the ending, I will not say as not to spoil anything, but if you’ve read the author before, you’ll know that she has a talent for writing a well-balanced romance that doesn’t distract from the main plot. Mixing swoony fun with deep emotion, this story has just enough romance and suspense to keep you rooting for Thomas and Rose to get together, but it is still a monster-hunting mystery at its core. Given that there will be more supernatural adventures in our characters’ futures (at least I hope), Lindsey is definitely saving more relationship development for later books!
When all is said and done, what we have here is a stellar sequel, and it is very encouraging to see both character and story still going strong. If you’re a fan of speculative fiction with just a dash of romance, I highly recommend checking out Erin Lindsey’s books, and if you also happen to enjoy historicals, you’ll find that the Rose Gallagher series has that added appeal. Like the volumes before it, The Silver Shooter is fantastically well-researched and richly detailed, helping bring the Old West setting to life. After the new elements introduced in this book, I am even more excited to see where the series will take us next.
Audiobook Comments: This was the first book in the Rose Gallagher series I listened to in audio, and I was really surprised how well narrator Barrie Kreinik’s voice matched up with my idea of Rose. I liked her performance very much, and thought she did an excellent job bringing the story and characters’ personalities to life.
May 18, 2022
Thank you to Minotaur Books for gifting me a review copy of The Silver Shooter by Erin Lindsey. This is the third in the Rose Gallagher series, and while I may have gotten more out of it if I'd read the other two first I thought this worked ok as a stand-alone story.
This is a historical mystery with a touch of paranormal, a genre that I wasn't sure I'd enjoy but I absolutely did. I need to find more!
It's 1887, and Rose Gallagher is making a name for herself as a 'Pinkerton agent', and she specializes in all things otherworldly. Suddenly, her and her partner Thomas are hired by none other than Theodore Roosevelt for a mysterious job out west in the Dakota Territory.
Livestock and people are dying, and there is a rumor of a large treasure stash, but people keep going missing when they try to find it.
Can Rose get to the bottom of it all, and come out the other side alive?
The plot was exciting, the setting captivating, and the characters wonderful. What more could you want in a book?!
I really enjoyed both Rose and Thomas' characters. They felt real, flawed, and relatable. Plus the romantic tension between the two is a fun addition to the story. I saw some reviewers say how annoying they felt that part of the story, but I quite liked it.
Anyway, if you're in need of something a bit different then you can't go past this one!
This is a historical mystery with a touch of paranormal, a genre that I wasn't sure I'd enjoy but I absolutely did. I need to find more!
It's 1887, and Rose Gallagher is making a name for herself as a 'Pinkerton agent', and she specializes in all things otherworldly. Suddenly, her and her partner Thomas are hired by none other than Theodore Roosevelt for a mysterious job out west in the Dakota Territory.
Livestock and people are dying, and there is a rumor of a large treasure stash, but people keep going missing when they try to find it.
Can Rose get to the bottom of it all, and come out the other side alive?
The plot was exciting, the setting captivating, and the characters wonderful. What more could you want in a book?!
I really enjoyed both Rose and Thomas' characters. They felt real, flawed, and relatable. Plus the romantic tension between the two is a fun addition to the story. I saw some reviewers say how annoying they felt that part of the story, but I quite liked it.
Anyway, if you're in need of something a bit different then you can't go past this one!
February 11, 2024
I enjoyed this one much more than I expected. I'm not typically drawn to "Westerns," so I took a while too long to pick up this third book in the series, even though I had loved the first two. Great writing as usual, and it was pretty fun to experience the wild west along with Rose, who is one of my most favorite book characters. I haven't been a huge fan of Thomas in the series. He's a nice person and all, but he wasn't as easy to get to know as Rose. A closed book for his character. So I personally loved the ending, as it addressed my misgivings and set Rose on a better path. I sure hope more books are planned.
October 11, 2020
It's the spring of 1887, and Rose Gallagher is finally coming into her own. She's the proud owner of a lovely little home near Washington Square, where she lives with her mother and friend Pietro, and she's making a name for herself as a Pinkerton agent with a specialty in things . . . otherworldly. She and her partner Thomas are working together better than ever, and mostly managing to push aside romantic feelings for one another. Mostly.
Things are almost too good to be true—so Rose is hardly surprised when Theodore Roosevelt descends on them like a storm cloud, hiring them for a mysterious job out west. A series of strange occurrences in the Badlands surrounding his ranch has Roosevelt convinced something supernatural is afoot.
It began with livestock disappearing from the range, their bodies later discovered torn apart by something monstrously powerful. Now people are dying, too. Meanwhile, a successful prospector has gone missing, and rumors about his lost stash of gold have attracted treasure hunters from far and wide – but they keep disappearing, too. To top it all off, this past winter, a mysterious weather phenomenon devastated the land, leaving the locals hungry, broke, and looking for someone to blame.
With tensions mounting and the body count rising, Roosevelt fears a single spark will be all it takes to set the Badlands aflame. It’s up to Rose and Thomas to get to the bottom of it, but they’re against the clock and an unknown enemy, and the west will prove wilder than they could possibly imagine…
3.5 stars.
This is the third installment in the Gilded Age Mystery series, and it was quite enjoyable. I like the change of setting and the fact that Rose was able to do more as a Pinkerton agent. I especially liked that Theodore Roosevelt was included in the story. He was such a larger than life character, and I feel like the author conveyed that really well in this story.
This is a historical mystery series with a paranormal twist and I really like that about it. It makes it a bit different from the other mysteries I read. However, the paranormal element in this one was just ok. I did not enjoy it as much as I did in the two previous books.
I liked that the romance heated up a bit in this book, but the ending was kind of sad. It definitely made we want to read the next book, because things just can't end that way. I need to know what happens next!
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an ARC of this book.
Things are almost too good to be true—so Rose is hardly surprised when Theodore Roosevelt descends on them like a storm cloud, hiring them for a mysterious job out west. A series of strange occurrences in the Badlands surrounding his ranch has Roosevelt convinced something supernatural is afoot.
It began with livestock disappearing from the range, their bodies later discovered torn apart by something monstrously powerful. Now people are dying, too. Meanwhile, a successful prospector has gone missing, and rumors about his lost stash of gold have attracted treasure hunters from far and wide – but they keep disappearing, too. To top it all off, this past winter, a mysterious weather phenomenon devastated the land, leaving the locals hungry, broke, and looking for someone to blame.
With tensions mounting and the body count rising, Roosevelt fears a single spark will be all it takes to set the Badlands aflame. It’s up to Rose and Thomas to get to the bottom of it, but they’re against the clock and an unknown enemy, and the west will prove wilder than they could possibly imagine…
3.5 stars.
This is the third installment in the Gilded Age Mystery series, and it was quite enjoyable. I like the change of setting and the fact that Rose was able to do more as a Pinkerton agent. I especially liked that Theodore Roosevelt was included in the story. He was such a larger than life character, and I feel like the author conveyed that really well in this story.
This is a historical mystery series with a paranormal twist and I really like that about it. It makes it a bit different from the other mysteries I read. However, the paranormal element in this one was just ok. I did not enjoy it as much as I did in the two previous books.
I liked that the romance heated up a bit in this book, but the ending was kind of sad. It definitely made we want to read the next book, because things just can't end that way. I need to know what happens next!
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an ARC of this book.
October 29, 2020
A fine historical fiction that had me looking up incidents (and yes blowing up Flood Rock is a real thing) to see if they really happened. The characters are interesting and that romantic spark will keep me coming back for future books in the Rose Gallagher series to see what happens between Rose and Thomas.
Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.
Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.
February 3, 2022
Ummm there better be another book…
SPOILER IN 3..2..1
•
•
We did not just read 3 books of a slow burn romance storyline only for it to end because of what?? miscommunication and two people not talking about their feelings??
Okay, but the mystery and the western setting I absolutely adore. What a great way to change up the dynamic and add something new. I loved that.
More of that please and thank you.
Please let there be a book 4
SPOILER IN 3..2..1
•
•
We did not just read 3 books of a slow burn romance storyline only for it to end because of what?? miscommunication and two people not talking about their feelings??
Okay, but the mystery and the western setting I absolutely adore. What a great way to change up the dynamic and add something new. I loved that.
More of that please and thank you.
Please let there be a book 4
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 24, 2021
I read this book for my mystery book club. Please note that I haven't read any previous books in the series.
In this book, Rose Gallagher starts off in jail for reasons that are not at all relevant to the plot, so I don't remember them. Once she gets out (I don't believe she was charged with anything), she and her work partner, Thomas—both of whom work for the Pinkerton agency, which seems to specialize in paranormal investigations in this universe—are sent off to the Wild West to investigate various animals and people being mauled and eaten by a paranormal something-something with a voracious appetite for anything warm-blooded. Rose and Thomas have to figure out what the something-something is while trying not to get shot by basically everyone in town (everyone is very prone to shooting with little to no provocation in this book) and keeping a handle on a romance that is inconvenient for both of them because of large differences in class status. Meanwhile, lots of people and livestock are dying, the townspeople and the Native Americans are giving each other a pretty ugly side-eye, and the instigator of this mess is pulling as many strings as possible to prevent the mystery from being unraveled.
Although there is a decent amount of paranormal activity in this book, it didn't ring true as a paranormal mystery. It was more of a mystery/romance with some paranormal activity. This is really strange, because Rose and Thomas both have paranormal abilities, there are ghosts and monsters all over the plot, and other characters have paranormal abilities, called "luck". But everything feels sort of stapled together. I don't know how much world building went into this series, but the world doesn't feel right to me. It doesn't feel like it would work as a world; maybe my brain is picking up on inconsistencies in culture and events that I can't articulate. At any rate, the concept of luck as a sort of personal divining rod for a random substance isn't the best magic system for me. Maybe it would be better if it was called something other than luck.
There is some social commentary in this book, but I felt it was too obvious, like someone was sitting next to me poking me in the ribs. The commentary included wealth hoarding, Irish generally being socially unacceptable (you'd think the luck of the Irish would have inverted that, but nope), the colonization of Native American land, class differences being fairly ridiculous, perceptions of women, and a few other things. It's all important messaging, but I prefer more subtlety in my social commentary. Or at least some humor or sarcasm.
The characters and plot pacing are all right. Rose is pretty firey in certain ways, but more unsure of herself in others. Thomas is kind of like very nice wallpaper and a bit too polished to be really believable. I wish he had some kind of odd habit, like always forgetting his hat in random places or wearing only pinstripe pants. Something to make him more real. The other characters are all right; I liked the Native American characters best because they seemed to be more stable than most of the others. The dialogue was pretty good and the plot moved along fast enough to prevent me from skipping to the end to see what would happen.
I could definitely have done without the romance. Having read way more than my share of romance novels, this romance was frankly awful. There was nothing original about it. Rich dude meets lower-class chick and they can't be together because reasons. Also, rich dude is overly perfect and emotionally repressed, except when he's making out with lower-class chick, who usually ends up with a case of the vapors when this happens. Because of the emotional repression, there is ALWAYS a problem due to lack of communication, usually resulting in dramatic overreactions, tears, shouting, pouting, and me really, really hoping both of these nitwits get over themselves long enough to figure out a better strategy for making the relationship work. Rose has plenty of gumption, so I don't see why she doesn't just demand they have everything out until they both understand what the other is thinking.
3/5 for a fairly mundane paranormal mystery, which manages not to be a contradiction in terms, and a ho hum romance as stuffing.
In this book, Rose Gallagher starts off in jail for reasons that are not at all relevant to the plot, so I don't remember them. Once she gets out (I don't believe she was charged with anything), she and her work partner, Thomas—both of whom work for the Pinkerton agency, which seems to specialize in paranormal investigations in this universe—are sent off to the Wild West to investigate various animals and people being mauled and eaten by a paranormal something-something with a voracious appetite for anything warm-blooded. Rose and Thomas have to figure out what the something-something is while trying not to get shot by basically everyone in town (everyone is very prone to shooting with little to no provocation in this book) and keeping a handle on a romance that is inconvenient for both of them because of large differences in class status. Meanwhile, lots of people and livestock are dying, the townspeople and the Native Americans are giving each other a pretty ugly side-eye, and the instigator of this mess is pulling as many strings as possible to prevent the mystery from being unraveled.
Although there is a decent amount of paranormal activity in this book, it didn't ring true as a paranormal mystery. It was more of a mystery/romance with some paranormal activity. This is really strange, because Rose and Thomas both have paranormal abilities, there are ghosts and monsters all over the plot, and other characters have paranormal abilities, called "luck". But everything feels sort of stapled together. I don't know how much world building went into this series, but the world doesn't feel right to me. It doesn't feel like it would work as a world; maybe my brain is picking up on inconsistencies in culture and events that I can't articulate. At any rate, the concept of luck as a sort of personal divining rod for a random substance isn't the best magic system for me. Maybe it would be better if it was called something other than luck.
There is some social commentary in this book, but I felt it was too obvious, like someone was sitting next to me poking me in the ribs. The commentary included wealth hoarding, Irish generally being socially unacceptable (you'd think the luck of the Irish would have inverted that, but nope), the colonization of Native American land, class differences being fairly ridiculous, perceptions of women, and a few other things. It's all important messaging, but I prefer more subtlety in my social commentary. Or at least some humor or sarcasm.
The characters and plot pacing are all right. Rose is pretty firey in certain ways, but more unsure of herself in others. Thomas is kind of like very nice wallpaper and a bit too polished to be really believable. I wish he had some kind of odd habit, like always forgetting his hat in random places or wearing only pinstripe pants. Something to make him more real. The other characters are all right; I liked the Native American characters best because they seemed to be more stable than most of the others. The dialogue was pretty good and the plot moved along fast enough to prevent me from skipping to the end to see what would happen.
I could definitely have done without the romance. Having read way more than my share of romance novels, this romance was frankly awful. There was nothing original about it. Rich dude meets lower-class chick and they can't be together because reasons. Also, rich dude is overly perfect and emotionally repressed, except when he's making out with lower-class chick, who usually ends up with a case of the vapors when this happens. Because of the emotional repression, there is ALWAYS a problem due to lack of communication, usually resulting in dramatic overreactions, tears, shouting, pouting, and me really, really hoping both of these nitwits get over themselves long enough to figure out a better strategy for making the relationship work. Rose has plenty of gumption, so I don't see why she doesn't just demand they have everything out until they both understand what the other is thinking.
3/5 for a fairly mundane paranormal mystery, which manages not to be a contradiction in terms, and a ho hum romance as stuffing.
November 22, 2020
The Silver Shooter is a romp of an adventure. Third in the Rose Gallagher Mystery series but the first one I’ve had a chance to read, this book takes place mainly in the Dakota Territory in 1887, with just a bit of Manhattan at the beginning and end of the book. Although historical fiction, the author has tossed in several real-life characters, most prominently the future president, Theodore Roosevelt. Along the way I got an excellent sense of what life was like in the Badlands in those days. Rose Gallagher is a great main character, and I could see her confidence in her abilities grow through the novel. What sets it apart from other historical fiction series is the element of the paranormal in the stories. Rose and her partner, Thomas Wiltshire, work for a “special branch” of the Pinkerton Detective agency. There is also a budding romance between Rose and Thomas that adds to the story.
Thank you to NetGalley and St, Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to NetGalley and St, Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
December 16, 2021
This is the first book I've read in the series, and it worked just fine. However, when I saw it in the bookstore I missed the review on the back, at the bottom of the page, with the word "paranormal" in it, and nowhere else did anything give a hint of the paranormal aspects of the story, so it wasn't what I expected. I do read paranormal books, too, but when I'm expecting them. I say that because it may have effected how I felt while reading this. There was a good sense of place - as a girl I've camped a few times in the badlands, so the setting was familiar. But it seemed to me that maybe the mystery/magical elements weren't well balanced. Anyway, I give the book 2.5 stars, rounded up to 3 because my initial expectations were off. I'll probably read more in this series, though I won't be dashing out to get another right away.
September 28, 2020
Historical mystery, with a dash of the supernatural and a trip to the Wild West? Yup, I'm in. Rose Gallagher continues to be a delightful heroine, and I enjoyed seeing her grow in this book. Pants! She wears pants! The only drawback of the book, is how annoying the ending was. Annoying, b/c I need to know what happens next! Will Thomas and Rose ever resolve their feelings? Will Rose continue to rise the ranks of the Pinkertons? Will Clara finish nursing school? So much to look forward to in future books.
I'm here for it.
I'm here for it.
August 25, 2020
This is the 3rd in the Rose Gallagher series. This is historical mystery series with paranormal twists which is really unique. The story starts in New York City in the late 1880’s and Rose Gallagher is working as a Pinkerton agent. She was formerly a housemaid who worked for her now partner Thomas Wiltshire. There is a strong romantic attraction which is burning very slow but let’s be honest times were very different back then. Teddy Roosevelt hires Rose and Thomas to investigate some suspicious activity near his ranch in the badlands of the Dakota territory. Livestock is going missing and being found torn apart, people go missing and Roosevelt is convinced something is supernatural. Rose is getting more and more independent and it is so easy to sucked into this story and this time period. This is a great series and the supernatural element in the historical period is not something you see everywhere. The story keeps you engaged and the mystery is solid. This is such a unique series and Rose is such a great character. The next book in this series can not come soon enough. Need to know what happens next with Rose.
November 25, 2020
The problem with reading books so quickly after they're published, is that there is a massive wait for the next one in the series.
November 11, 2025
This one was very good. Loved the note from the author at the end; that was some cool history.
Didn't love the ending, but it DOES make the upcoming book seem waaaaay more interesting! ;-)
Didn't love the ending, but it DOES make the upcoming book seem waaaaay more interesting! ;-)
November 24, 2020
Full review can be found here: https://www.criminalelement.com/book-...
January 30, 2021
I was really really looking forward to this third installment. It places our characters out of their normal world. It made them change and grow in interesting ways. It didn't grab me like the last ones until about halfway in, though the first half was still nice. I liked the freedom that the setting gave the characters, the growth of Rose, and of Rose and Thomas' relationship. It was nice to learn about North Dakota and look into the history as I listened to the book. I enjoyed this quite a bit.
I tried to delay listening to this, fearing that I would be angry at the end, WANTING the fourth book. Like Cassandra, my prediction came true.
So now I sit and wait. Wait for the next one. With bated breath. Wondering how I will fill my days. Why do I never learn?
I tried to delay listening to this, fearing that I would be angry at the end, WANTING the fourth book. Like Cassandra, my prediction came true.
So now I sit and wait. Wait for the next one. With bated breath. Wondering how I will fill my days. Why do I never learn?
November 18, 2020
The Silver Shooter is the third book in the historical fiction mystery series featuring Rose Gallagher and written by Erin Lindsey. The first two books are (1) Murder on Millionaires’ Row and (2) A Golden Grave, all mystery stories with a paranormal touch. I have read all three in book number order. These stories take place in the late 1880’s during the “Gilded Age” time period, (the years between the Civil War and the turn of the 20th century), when wealthy tycoons held the most political power and influence in the United States. Books 1 and 2 are set in New York City; book 3 takes place in NYC and in the Dakota Territory out west.
Rose Gallagher, formerly an Irish housemaid for millionaire Thomas Wiltshire, but now his Pinkerton detective partner, has always dreamed of finding adventure far away from her origins in the poor, dangerous neighborhood of Five Points in lower Manhattan. Her evolution from housemaid to detective is presented through books 1 and 2.
In Murder on Millionaires’ Row, Rose is a housemaid in the employ of millionaire Thomas Wiltshire who is secretly in love with her employer. When Thomas mysteriously disappears, Rose does not receive satisfaction from the police and solves his kidnapping using her own intuitive skills. Rose learns that Thomas, along with other Fifth Avenue millionaires, has special abilities, a.k.a. “luck”. “Luck” refers to a breed of extraordinary abilities possessed by a small population who make up a paranormal community of gifted, wealthy individuals. Thomas is actually a Pinkerton detective working in a special unit that focuses on cases involving paranormal events and beings. He is impressed with Rose’s success in locating him and accepts her assistance in a case involving ghosts, murder and the opening of a portal to the Underworld.
Rose is determined, spunky and courageous even when faced with dangerous situations. She survives a near death experience with a ghost and discovers afterward that she has developed the ability to sense and communicate with ghostly beings. She may not have the”luck”, but her ability plays an important role in solving the case. Rose is asked to join the special unit of the Pinkerton Detective Agency and to work alongside Thomas as his partner.
Rose continues to adapt to her new station in life, (from housemaid to detective), while struggling to overcome class differences. In book 2, A Golden Grave, she is now partnered with Thomas and has to deal with her continuing feelings towards him, while working alongside him in a new capacity. Rose and Thomas are from diverse backgrounds but complement each other as detective partners. They rely upon each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Rose and Thomas are called upon to prevent the assassination of Republican candidate Theodore Roosevelt, who is running for Mayor of New York City.
Rose may not have the “luck” naturally, but her ability to sense the presence of sprits remains. She and Thomas must discover why other politicians have been mysteriously murdered; the police are baffled. The two Pinkertons suspect supernatural foul play and have several close calls with paranormal beings and death before the case is solved.
The latest book in this series, The Silver Shooter, finds the two detectives, Rose and Thomas, dispatched to the Dakota Territory of the Wild West by their client, Theodore Roosevelt. They are asked to investigate mysterious murders that may have supernatural origins. The West is wild beyond their expectations; several attacks on people and livestock have occurred and it is thought that some unknown creature is involved. The change in setting from New York City to the Dakotas, away from societal and class differences among people, provides Rose and Thomas the opportunity to begin to express their feelings towards one another, without the obstacles of status that restrain them from pursuing a romantic relationship.
The chapters are short but full of plot content and actions. There are twists and turns as the story becomes more complex and gripping. This book seems longer in length than the first two, (I own them in paperback and I read book 3 as a Net Galley ebook), but the ambushes, snipers, stampedes, kidnapping, monstrous creatures, near death experiences - both shoot ‘em up and supernatural, kept me motivated to keep reading on. Several new characters are introduced and recurring characters join forces with Rose and Thomas to solve this case. This book ends with a surprising plot deviation; it will be quite interesting to see the continuing growth and development of Rose as a Pinkerton detective. She has definitely found the adventure she sought.
I strongly recommend reading these books in order. These stories contain plenty of action and adventure and the mysteries to be solved are not so easily predictable. If you are a fan of historical fiction mystery writers such as Deanna Raybourn, Anna Lee Huber, Tasha Alexander, Shelly Noble, to name but a few, then you will thoroughly enjoy this book and the entire series by Erin Lindsey. I look forward to book 4.
Rose Gallagher, formerly an Irish housemaid for millionaire Thomas Wiltshire, but now his Pinkerton detective partner, has always dreamed of finding adventure far away from her origins in the poor, dangerous neighborhood of Five Points in lower Manhattan. Her evolution from housemaid to detective is presented through books 1 and 2.
In Murder on Millionaires’ Row, Rose is a housemaid in the employ of millionaire Thomas Wiltshire who is secretly in love with her employer. When Thomas mysteriously disappears, Rose does not receive satisfaction from the police and solves his kidnapping using her own intuitive skills. Rose learns that Thomas, along with other Fifth Avenue millionaires, has special abilities, a.k.a. “luck”. “Luck” refers to a breed of extraordinary abilities possessed by a small population who make up a paranormal community of gifted, wealthy individuals. Thomas is actually a Pinkerton detective working in a special unit that focuses on cases involving paranormal events and beings. He is impressed with Rose’s success in locating him and accepts her assistance in a case involving ghosts, murder and the opening of a portal to the Underworld.
Rose is determined, spunky and courageous even when faced with dangerous situations. She survives a near death experience with a ghost and discovers afterward that she has developed the ability to sense and communicate with ghostly beings. She may not have the”luck”, but her ability plays an important role in solving the case. Rose is asked to join the special unit of the Pinkerton Detective Agency and to work alongside Thomas as his partner.
Rose continues to adapt to her new station in life, (from housemaid to detective), while struggling to overcome class differences. In book 2, A Golden Grave, she is now partnered with Thomas and has to deal with her continuing feelings towards him, while working alongside him in a new capacity. Rose and Thomas are from diverse backgrounds but complement each other as detective partners. They rely upon each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Rose and Thomas are called upon to prevent the assassination of Republican candidate Theodore Roosevelt, who is running for Mayor of New York City.
Rose may not have the “luck” naturally, but her ability to sense the presence of sprits remains. She and Thomas must discover why other politicians have been mysteriously murdered; the police are baffled. The two Pinkertons suspect supernatural foul play and have several close calls with paranormal beings and death before the case is solved.
The latest book in this series, The Silver Shooter, finds the two detectives, Rose and Thomas, dispatched to the Dakota Territory of the Wild West by their client, Theodore Roosevelt. They are asked to investigate mysterious murders that may have supernatural origins. The West is wild beyond their expectations; several attacks on people and livestock have occurred and it is thought that some unknown creature is involved. The change in setting from New York City to the Dakotas, away from societal and class differences among people, provides Rose and Thomas the opportunity to begin to express their feelings towards one another, without the obstacles of status that restrain them from pursuing a romantic relationship.
The chapters are short but full of plot content and actions. There are twists and turns as the story becomes more complex and gripping. This book seems longer in length than the first two, (I own them in paperback and I read book 3 as a Net Galley ebook), but the ambushes, snipers, stampedes, kidnapping, monstrous creatures, near death experiences - both shoot ‘em up and supernatural, kept me motivated to keep reading on. Several new characters are introduced and recurring characters join forces with Rose and Thomas to solve this case. This book ends with a surprising plot deviation; it will be quite interesting to see the continuing growth and development of Rose as a Pinkerton detective. She has definitely found the adventure she sought.
I strongly recommend reading these books in order. These stories contain plenty of action and adventure and the mysteries to be solved are not so easily predictable. If you are a fan of historical fiction mystery writers such as Deanna Raybourn, Anna Lee Huber, Tasha Alexander, Shelly Noble, to name but a few, then you will thoroughly enjoy this book and the entire series by Erin Lindsey. I look forward to book 4.
November 19, 2021
I just read a string of particularly grim books so the thought of sinking into the pleasantries of a cozy mystery (by a Calgary author no less!) was more than appealing. The Silver Shooter, A Rose Gallagher Mystery by Erin Lindsey was released in 2020, and although it has been on my shelf for over a year I was always drawn to the promise of a simple and satisfying mystery. Some stories are hard to read because the line between good and bad is so blurry, but that’s why I love cozy mysteries; there are clear black and white rules to follow, and the baddies always get it in the end while the heroes reign triumphant. It’s no different in this novel either.
Plot Summary
It is 1887, and Rose Gallagher has been called away on agency business with her very handsome and wealthy partner Thomas to the badlands in the west. They belong to the famous Pinkerton Detective Agency, but are members of the secret paranormal branch which explores ghosts, portals to the otherworld and the like. Their client Theodore Roosevelt (yes, that one) who also has a the gift of the sixth sense, suspects there is a magical creature preying on ranches out there and hires Thomas and Rose to go investigate. Once there, they become caught in between a few mysteries; the persistent ghost of a murdered businessman desperate for justice, the brutal attacks from the aforementioned creature who may or may not be supernatural, and the local ranchers desperate to pin their economic woes on the local Lakota tribe. With this many-threaded plot comes a love story too – Rose and Thomas are smitten with each other, but unable to express their true feelings because they reside in opposite classes of wealth. Rose is a woman before her time; she can handle a gun with confidence and decides to wear pants for the majority because it’s much easier to ride a horse that way, but she is still bound by societal conventions more often than not.
My Thoughts
There’s much to love about this book, and Rose is certainly one of them. She’s torn between the expectations of her time, and her fierce determination to help those less fortunate, so you can’t help but root for her. There’s a particularly memorable scene where she annihilates a bunch of cowboys at a game of poker, which instilled a surprising moment of pride in me as a female reader – we independent women love to subvert expectations! Rose is also quick to defend the Lakota people against the unfair accusations from the ranchers. Tensions are high between the ranchers and Lakota who butt up against each other on shared land, but it’s obvious that racism has quite a bit to do with it, so in that way, Rose is also ahead of her time. The depiction of the Indigenous characters was well-done too; instead of being lumped in as one kind of people, their separate personalities came alive on the page becoming one of the more interesting groups of characters Rose and Thomas come across in their travels. Using their Indigenous knowledge of the spirit world, they were also very helpful in solving the final mystery.
This book is the third in the Rose Gallagher mystery series, but having never read the first two, I can assuredly say there is no requirement to read from the beginning, although reading a series in order is always more pleasurable especially because it’s what the author intended. Rose and Thomas’s romance is turned up a notch due to their travels outside of the city, but what happens between them at the very end of this novel comes as a bit of a shock, so now I’m considering reading the next installment when it’s published because my interest has been successfully piqued.
Although there are a lot of competing elements in this plot (ghosts! man-eating monsters! racist cowboys! a treasure hunt!) I never felt overwhelmed or lost. The pacing works nicely, and Rose keeps everything and everyone grounded around her, including the reader. Although she’s not my favourite female detective of all time (Jessica Fletcher will always hold that torch) she’s certainly one I’d like to continue following; her can-do attitude is something we all need a little more of in our lives right now.
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Plot Summary
It is 1887, and Rose Gallagher has been called away on agency business with her very handsome and wealthy partner Thomas to the badlands in the west. They belong to the famous Pinkerton Detective Agency, but are members of the secret paranormal branch which explores ghosts, portals to the otherworld and the like. Their client Theodore Roosevelt (yes, that one) who also has a the gift of the sixth sense, suspects there is a magical creature preying on ranches out there and hires Thomas and Rose to go investigate. Once there, they become caught in between a few mysteries; the persistent ghost of a murdered businessman desperate for justice, the brutal attacks from the aforementioned creature who may or may not be supernatural, and the local ranchers desperate to pin their economic woes on the local Lakota tribe. With this many-threaded plot comes a love story too – Rose and Thomas are smitten with each other, but unable to express their true feelings because they reside in opposite classes of wealth. Rose is a woman before her time; she can handle a gun with confidence and decides to wear pants for the majority because it’s much easier to ride a horse that way, but she is still bound by societal conventions more often than not.
My Thoughts
There’s much to love about this book, and Rose is certainly one of them. She’s torn between the expectations of her time, and her fierce determination to help those less fortunate, so you can’t help but root for her. There’s a particularly memorable scene where she annihilates a bunch of cowboys at a game of poker, which instilled a surprising moment of pride in me as a female reader – we independent women love to subvert expectations! Rose is also quick to defend the Lakota people against the unfair accusations from the ranchers. Tensions are high between the ranchers and Lakota who butt up against each other on shared land, but it’s obvious that racism has quite a bit to do with it, so in that way, Rose is also ahead of her time. The depiction of the Indigenous characters was well-done too; instead of being lumped in as one kind of people, their separate personalities came alive on the page becoming one of the more interesting groups of characters Rose and Thomas come across in their travels. Using their Indigenous knowledge of the spirit world, they were also very helpful in solving the final mystery.
This book is the third in the Rose Gallagher mystery series, but having never read the first two, I can assuredly say there is no requirement to read from the beginning, although reading a series in order is always more pleasurable especially because it’s what the author intended. Rose and Thomas’s romance is turned up a notch due to their travels outside of the city, but what happens between them at the very end of this novel comes as a bit of a shock, so now I’m considering reading the next installment when it’s published because my interest has been successfully piqued.
Although there are a lot of competing elements in this plot (ghosts! man-eating monsters! racist cowboys! a treasure hunt!) I never felt overwhelmed or lost. The pacing works nicely, and Rose keeps everything and everyone grounded around her, including the reader. Although she’s not my favourite female detective of all time (Jessica Fletcher will always hold that torch) she’s certainly one I’d like to continue following; her can-do attitude is something we all need a little more of in our lives right now.
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November 19, 2020
The Silver Shooter is the third book in Erin Lindsey's rip-roaring Rose Gallagher series. You don't need to read the two previous books in order to enjoy this one, as the story stands alone. However, this series is such a hoot you won't want to miss a word. Who knew a historical mystery with paranormal elements could be so much fun?
Rose Gallagher was formerly a maid for handsome and urbane Thomas Wiltshire in New York. She is now a Pinkerton agent and Thomas's partner. They aren't usual Pinkerton agents, however - they deal in unusual paranormal cases. Rose is finally getting the hang of the work, though she struggles with her feelings for Thomas. Enter Theodore Roosevelt (yes, THAT Theodore Roosevelt); there are weird occurrences happening near his ranch in the Badlands, and Mr. Roosevelt wants them to investigate the seemingly paranormal situation. The city slickers head West and are soon caught up in a frightening investigation. A horrible winter has decimated herds of cattle. There's a ghost in their hotel, and dangerous men are looking for the deceased man's hidden treasure. To round it all off, there's a mysterious creature ripping apart and devouring horses, cattle, and now men. How can these terrifying situations possibly be related to one another? Will they survive long enough to find out?
I have absolutely grown to love the fascinating characters in this series! Rose came from humble beginnings as an Irish maid, but now she's living in a nice little home with her mother and friend Pietro. She's also become quite the kickass agent who's capable of throwing grown men over her shoulder. She has a sarcastic wit that I just adore. Thomas is a wealthy man who can go from a formal ballroom in New York to the Wild West with apparent ease...though most cowboys don't have nice new jeans and silk shirts. Rose and Thomas seem to be moving closer in their romance; out West they feel free to express their growing relationship. The mystery here is fun and exciting; after all, we have cowboys, outlaws, treasure hunters, Lakota Indians...and let's not forget the monster! Ms. Lindsey does a fantastic job of weaving historical characters and events into her novels. Once again Teddy Roosevelt and Nikola Tesla make appearances, together with some other genuine western characters. The action had me sitting on the edge of my seat. The ending also had me in tears. I won't give it away, but I will beg Ms. Lindsey to hurry up and get that next book out. I'll be on pins and needles impatiently waiting to see how things are resolved!
I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.
Rose Gallagher was formerly a maid for handsome and urbane Thomas Wiltshire in New York. She is now a Pinkerton agent and Thomas's partner. They aren't usual Pinkerton agents, however - they deal in unusual paranormal cases. Rose is finally getting the hang of the work, though she struggles with her feelings for Thomas. Enter Theodore Roosevelt (yes, THAT Theodore Roosevelt); there are weird occurrences happening near his ranch in the Badlands, and Mr. Roosevelt wants them to investigate the seemingly paranormal situation. The city slickers head West and are soon caught up in a frightening investigation. A horrible winter has decimated herds of cattle. There's a ghost in their hotel, and dangerous men are looking for the deceased man's hidden treasure. To round it all off, there's a mysterious creature ripping apart and devouring horses, cattle, and now men. How can these terrifying situations possibly be related to one another? Will they survive long enough to find out?
I have absolutely grown to love the fascinating characters in this series! Rose came from humble beginnings as an Irish maid, but now she's living in a nice little home with her mother and friend Pietro. She's also become quite the kickass agent who's capable of throwing grown men over her shoulder. She has a sarcastic wit that I just adore. Thomas is a wealthy man who can go from a formal ballroom in New York to the Wild West with apparent ease...though most cowboys don't have nice new jeans and silk shirts. Rose and Thomas seem to be moving closer in their romance; out West they feel free to express their growing relationship. The mystery here is fun and exciting; after all, we have cowboys, outlaws, treasure hunters, Lakota Indians...and let's not forget the monster! Ms. Lindsey does a fantastic job of weaving historical characters and events into her novels. Once again Teddy Roosevelt and Nikola Tesla make appearances, together with some other genuine western characters. The action had me sitting on the edge of my seat. The ending also had me in tears. I won't give it away, but I will beg Ms. Lindsey to hurry up and get that next book out. I'll be on pins and needles impatiently waiting to see how things are resolved!
I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.
October 3, 2020
New York City during the Gilded Age has always fascinated me, so I've enjoyed reading Erin Lindsey's Rose Gallagher mysteries with fantasy. Aside from supernatural phenomena, in Lindsey's world there is the concept of "luck". Though only about 1% of the population has "luck"/supernatural powers, this special gift is prevalent among the wealthiest citizens. In this 3nd installment, The Silver Shooter, Rose Gallagher is further from her role as former housemaid and comfortable in her position as Pinkerton partner to her former employer the dashing and wealthy Thomas Wiltshire of Fifth Avenue/England. Rose and Thomas work in the Pinkerton Agency's Special Branch and are hired to deal with supernatural problems/phenomena. Rose Gallagher's special skills in identifying and dealing with the dead are critical to their investigations.
When Erin Lindsey takes us to New York City's Gilded Age, she doesn't hold back. In the previous book, Rose and Thomas worked to save Teddy Roosevelt's life during his unsuccessful run for mayor. Roosevelt has luck in the form of his unusual charisma and a physical draw that he has on people. This time, Teddy Roosevelt is back and has requested their help to deal with strange and large scale deaths of cattle in the Badlands.
I like the characters and Gilded Age New York as Erin Lindsey paints it. Lindsey gives us a diverse city with ethnic neighborhoods but there is respect for the different cultures and what the Asians ("Celestials") and other new immigrants (Italian, Irish, etc) face. I like how Rose mingles and befriends people from the different communities from Chinese Mei and her father Wang to African American Clara and her family's longtime Italian tenant Pietro. In Lindsey's New York the differences exist without animosity, racism or cruelty.
As an aside, I've read books that proclaim their historical or cultural authenticity with open displays of prejudice. Sure, the character may think and say "chink" or "gook" but I don't have to spend time in that world with that character. Even if I was getting into the book, the "chink" is enough to stop the suspension of disbelief and set me looking for something else to read. Rose Gallagher's books have the opposite reaction -- they are a sort of celebration of hope and it comes across clearly.
In The Silver Shooter, we go beyond New York City to the Dakotas on the request of Teddy Roosevelt. Before leaving, Rose and Thomas approach Tesla to ask if he has any inventions that will help them identify "luck". Telsa's abilities as an inventor are magnified by his "luck" working with electricity and inventiveness. The appearance of historical figures in the narrative are a wink to the reader and much appreciated.
But the real problem that Rose and Thomas face is finding the cause of deaths of cattle and men in the Dakotas. The destruction, thievery, loss of horses and cattle has increased the tensions between the ranchers and the Native Americans. The few Native Americans in the area have already been forced out of their land and homes but are in danger of being destroyed by the US Army on the request of powerful ranchers. Thomas and their team must determine what is causing the attacks and find a way to solve the problem before the loss of another innocent life. Rose, Thomas and their friends from New York's Fifth Avenue set risk life and limb. Erin Lindsey delivers another fun, engrossing read!
When Erin Lindsey takes us to New York City's Gilded Age, she doesn't hold back. In the previous book, Rose and Thomas worked to save Teddy Roosevelt's life during his unsuccessful run for mayor. Roosevelt has luck in the form of his unusual charisma and a physical draw that he has on people. This time, Teddy Roosevelt is back and has requested their help to deal with strange and large scale deaths of cattle in the Badlands.
I like the characters and Gilded Age New York as Erin Lindsey paints it. Lindsey gives us a diverse city with ethnic neighborhoods but there is respect for the different cultures and what the Asians ("Celestials") and other new immigrants (Italian, Irish, etc) face. I like how Rose mingles and befriends people from the different communities from Chinese Mei and her father Wang to African American Clara and her family's longtime Italian tenant Pietro. In Lindsey's New York the differences exist without animosity, racism or cruelty.
As an aside, I've read books that proclaim their historical or cultural authenticity with open displays of prejudice. Sure, the character may think and say "chink" or "gook" but I don't have to spend time in that world with that character. Even if I was getting into the book, the "chink" is enough to stop the suspension of disbelief and set me looking for something else to read. Rose Gallagher's books have the opposite reaction -- they are a sort of celebration of hope and it comes across clearly.
In The Silver Shooter, we go beyond New York City to the Dakotas on the request of Teddy Roosevelt. Before leaving, Rose and Thomas approach Tesla to ask if he has any inventions that will help them identify "luck". Telsa's abilities as an inventor are magnified by his "luck" working with electricity and inventiveness. The appearance of historical figures in the narrative are a wink to the reader and much appreciated.
But the real problem that Rose and Thomas face is finding the cause of deaths of cattle and men in the Dakotas. The destruction, thievery, loss of horses and cattle has increased the tensions between the ranchers and the Native Americans. The few Native Americans in the area have already been forced out of their land and homes but are in danger of being destroyed by the US Army on the request of powerful ranchers. Thomas and their team must determine what is causing the attacks and find a way to solve the problem before the loss of another innocent life. Rose, Thomas and their friends from New York's Fifth Avenue set risk life and limb. Erin Lindsey delivers another fun, engrossing read!
November 16, 2020
Working as a maid for Pinkerton agent Thomas Wiltshire, Rose Gallagher displayed a sensitivity that brought her to his attention. She is now a trained Pinkerton for their Special Branch, which deals with unexplained phenomena. In a past case, she aided Teddy Roosevelt and he has now returned with another assignment. In the Dakotas the past winter had been unnaturally harsh and the ranchers lost a great deal of cattle. Now more cattle and horses have disappeared, only to be found brutally slaughtered.
Thomas and Rose head for the western town of Medora, a once thriving town in the Dakota badlands. Accusations have been made by both the ranchers and a band of Lakota tribe members and tensions are high. On their first night Rose is visited by the ghost of a murdered prospector. After being drawn into the actual murder scene as she slept, she is determined to also find his killer. As the Pinkertons investigate there is an actual sighting of the creature that is causing a panic as more livestock and people are attacked. The creature seems to be a combination of several animals. Its’ size and speed confirm that it has been created for a purpose and is being controlled by someone. Somehow it must be trapped and stopped.
Working in the west is a great change for Rose, who discovers the freedom of wearing pants and a love of riding. She is a trained agent and this assignment tests the skills that she has learned. The two agents have feelings for each other that they were forced to conceal from New York society. As a former maid Rose would never be accepted, but in Medora there are no such restrictions. She has to ask herself if they will once again be able to accept restrictions when they return to New York.
The Silver Shooter takes you back to the Wild West with a touch of the supernatural. Poker games at the saloon, a shootout in the streets, horse thieves and gold prospectors all play a part in Erin Lindsey’s tale. She also touches on the plight of the Indians. The story moves quickly and is populated with memorable characters. This was a delight to read and I hope to encounter Thomas and Rose once again in the future. I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing my review of this book.
Thomas and Rose head for the western town of Medora, a once thriving town in the Dakota badlands. Accusations have been made by both the ranchers and a band of Lakota tribe members and tensions are high. On their first night Rose is visited by the ghost of a murdered prospector. After being drawn into the actual murder scene as she slept, she is determined to also find his killer. As the Pinkertons investigate there is an actual sighting of the creature that is causing a panic as more livestock and people are attacked. The creature seems to be a combination of several animals. Its’ size and speed confirm that it has been created for a purpose and is being controlled by someone. Somehow it must be trapped and stopped.
Working in the west is a great change for Rose, who discovers the freedom of wearing pants and a love of riding. She is a trained agent and this assignment tests the skills that she has learned. The two agents have feelings for each other that they were forced to conceal from New York society. As a former maid Rose would never be accepted, but in Medora there are no such restrictions. She has to ask herself if they will once again be able to accept restrictions when they return to New York.
The Silver Shooter takes you back to the Wild West with a touch of the supernatural. Poker games at the saloon, a shootout in the streets, horse thieves and gold prospectors all play a part in Erin Lindsey’s tale. She also touches on the plight of the Indians. The story moves quickly and is populated with memorable characters. This was a delight to read and I hope to encounter Thomas and Rose once again in the future. I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing my review of this book.
Currently reading
July 22, 2021On the whole, I like her writing, but I'm not buying her description of the town & built environment in the Badlands.
The town they go to has a hotel & a saloon, but isn't big enough to have a platform at the station. I lived when young in a hamlet in Arizona, which had one commercial building, that combined the general store, the post office & the gas station. A town the size she apparently is imagining might have a general store that is also the saloon & the hotel, at least so I imagine. There might have been a population of about 1000 in the surrounding 3oo mile radius, at a guess, not enough to support as much commercial activity as she describes.
Our heros go to a ranch & buy two horses. The horses apparently come with saddles (the place had two extra saddles to sell?). The woman rides side saddle back to town? I don't think so. The saddles would have been western style. I am just not seeing anyone trying to ride a western style saddle side-saddle, that is a special kind of saddle that you would not find anywhere near a ranch.
I spent a couple of hours on top of a horse some years ago. My knees were screaming with pain after not a long time. I can buy that her heroine can spend 12 hours on a horse, but I do believe it was painful.
She talks about the ranch hands being paid on Friday & coming into town to spend their money. I asked my mother, who grew up on a ranch in the 30s. She said they hired ranch hands for the round up & paid them at the end of the job. It also was an all day trip to go to town, you wouldn't just go in for a Friday night, leaving aside the not getting paid on Friday's part.
My image of the Badlands in the early 20th century is more or less nowhere cubed, at least in terms of human activity. She seems to think it's like a town in upstate New York, that barely can support a Walmart.
The story is fine, but I'm distracted by thinking of all the things the author provides that I just don't believe would be in that place & time.
The town they go to has a hotel & a saloon, but isn't big enough to have a platform at the station. I lived when young in a hamlet in Arizona, which had one commercial building, that combined the general store, the post office & the gas station. A town the size she apparently is imagining might have a general store that is also the saloon & the hotel, at least so I imagine. There might have been a population of about 1000 in the surrounding 3oo mile radius, at a guess, not enough to support as much commercial activity as she describes.
Our heros go to a ranch & buy two horses. The horses apparently come with saddles (the place had two extra saddles to sell?). The woman rides side saddle back to town? I don't think so. The saddles would have been western style. I am just not seeing anyone trying to ride a western style saddle side-saddle, that is a special kind of saddle that you would not find anywhere near a ranch.
I spent a couple of hours on top of a horse some years ago. My knees were screaming with pain after not a long time. I can buy that her heroine can spend 12 hours on a horse, but I do believe it was painful.
She talks about the ranch hands being paid on Friday & coming into town to spend their money. I asked my mother, who grew up on a ranch in the 30s. She said they hired ranch hands for the round up & paid them at the end of the job. It also was an all day trip to go to town, you wouldn't just go in for a Friday night, leaving aside the not getting paid on Friday's part.
My image of the Badlands in the early 20th century is more or less nowhere cubed, at least in terms of human activity. She seems to think it's like a town in upstate New York, that barely can support a Walmart.
The story is fine, but I'm distracted by thinking of all the things the author provides that I just don't believe would be in that place & time.
November 13, 2020
This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Review copy was received from Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I have enjoyed this author in the fantasy realm and now her works of historical mysteries with magic, which is akin to fantasy, just not quite as far back in history? The Rose Gallagher series is set in New York City at the time of Roosevelt, part of the gilded age which is charming but also so class oriented. Rose begins as a housemaid to Sir Thomas, an Englishman of wealth. Now there will be a few spoilers who have not read any of the series, as The Silver Shooter is the third book.
Rose has been infatuated with Thomas, which led to her saving his life. In the process, she discovers that most of the wealthy are lucky, which means they have some sort of magic. She also learns Thomas is a Pinkerton agent She becomes an agent under his mentoring. Now they have a case in the wild west and Roosevelt is their client.
Our story is told from Rose's point of view. She works well with Thomas and she has learned much. Her theories and strategies are welcomed and praised. Rose does much of the work on this case. I enjoyed their joint efforts along with old friends and some new ones, in solving the dangerous case.
Being away from New York and the pervasive class system, Rose and Thomas allow their romantic feelings to blossom a bit. I'm all for it. But what happens when they go home? I am getting a little bit of the why can't two adults have an adult conversation irritation. So I look forward to the next book, to see how things continue. I'm left frustrated by the rigid, ridiculous class systems, although it happens often in stories of this time period.
Review copy was received from Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I have enjoyed this author in the fantasy realm and now her works of historical mysteries with magic, which is akin to fantasy, just not quite as far back in history? The Rose Gallagher series is set in New York City at the time of Roosevelt, part of the gilded age which is charming but also so class oriented. Rose begins as a housemaid to Sir Thomas, an Englishman of wealth. Now there will be a few spoilers who have not read any of the series, as The Silver Shooter is the third book.
Rose has been infatuated with Thomas, which led to her saving his life. In the process, she discovers that most of the wealthy are lucky, which means they have some sort of magic. She also learns Thomas is a Pinkerton agent She becomes an agent under his mentoring. Now they have a case in the wild west and Roosevelt is their client.
Our story is told from Rose's point of view. She works well with Thomas and she has learned much. Her theories and strategies are welcomed and praised. Rose does much of the work on this case. I enjoyed their joint efforts along with old friends and some new ones, in solving the dangerous case.
Being away from New York and the pervasive class system, Rose and Thomas allow their romantic feelings to blossom a bit. I'm all for it. But what happens when they go home? I am getting a little bit of the why can't two adults have an adult conversation irritation. So I look forward to the next book, to see how things continue. I'm left frustrated by the rigid, ridiculous class systems, although it happens often in stories of this time period.
November 18, 2020
This series has it all - mystery, history and the paranormal with just a touch of romantic tension. It reads fine as a stand alone but, if this is the first one you are reading, make sure to have the previous two lined up for a binge read.
Rose Gallagher is the only child of an Irish immigrant mother and worked as a maid in the home of the posh gentleman, Thomas Wiltshire. (Her mother thinks she is still a maid) They have become investigative partners working for Pinkerton's special unit that investigates paranormal events and items. Rose is cooling her heels in The Tombs after getting caught trying to retrieve a paranormal piece of rock. Thomas finally manages to spring her and it isn't long before they are on to their next strange case. Their client is none other than Teddy Roosevelt. He has a big problem - a large number of his cattle have been mysteriously killed on his ranch out in the Badlands. Even the Lakota are spooked by the killings. Time for Rose and Thomas to trade in their familiar world of New York City and the attire that they are accustomed to wearing and off to the Wild West, on a ranch. Rose won't need her usual dresses and Thomas won't need a top hat and cane. What they will need is their wits if they are going to get to the bottom of this paranormal case.
This is one of my favorite series, the perfect escape for these trying times. The characters are wonderful with a nice banter and partnership between Rose and Thomas. The mystery itself kept me turning the pages way past my bedtime. I hope the series has a long run, it has a permanent spot on my must be read list.
My thanks to the publisher Minotaur Books and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
Rose Gallagher is the only child of an Irish immigrant mother and worked as a maid in the home of the posh gentleman, Thomas Wiltshire. (Her mother thinks she is still a maid) They have become investigative partners working for Pinkerton's special unit that investigates paranormal events and items. Rose is cooling her heels in The Tombs after getting caught trying to retrieve a paranormal piece of rock. Thomas finally manages to spring her and it isn't long before they are on to their next strange case. Their client is none other than Teddy Roosevelt. He has a big problem - a large number of his cattle have been mysteriously killed on his ranch out in the Badlands. Even the Lakota are spooked by the killings. Time for Rose and Thomas to trade in their familiar world of New York City and the attire that they are accustomed to wearing and off to the Wild West, on a ranch. Rose won't need her usual dresses and Thomas won't need a top hat and cane. What they will need is their wits if they are going to get to the bottom of this paranormal case.
This is one of my favorite series, the perfect escape for these trying times. The characters are wonderful with a nice banter and partnership between Rose and Thomas. The mystery itself kept me turning the pages way past my bedtime. I hope the series has a long run, it has a permanent spot on my must be read list.
My thanks to the publisher Minotaur Books and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
January 19, 2021
Best book in the series by far.
I like that Rose, the main character, is coming into her own. She spends far less time second guessing herself because of her background in this third book. She's more of a person in this book and less of an Irish ex-maid. I also think removing the characters from their [illusory] shackles in NYC helped--it made them more raw. They had to focus more on the tasks at hand and solving the problem than overthinking and overcomplicating everything.
I was disappointed in the ending, as it concludes on a somber note and leaves a cliffhanger for the next book. Well, at least I hope it's a cliffhanger that will be resolved.
I also think this book would be hard to pick up standalone. You need to read the first two books to understand this semi-supernatural world and the characters. Lindsey doesn't spend much time on backstory or explaining anything that she's ever explained before. For a reader experienced with this series, it made the book move faster, but a newbie to the series would be seriously confused.
I also wouldn't classify this book as a mystery. The main henchman is not a well-known character in the book, so there is no one to unmask. It's a good suspense...but not a mystery. I would have preferred it if the henchman ended up secretly being someone more prevalent in the book so that the readers had to solve part of the mystery/crime for themselves, but the solution still works.
Very enjoyable overall. This one makes me excited for the next book!
I like that Rose, the main character, is coming into her own. She spends far less time second guessing herself because of her background in this third book. She's more of a person in this book and less of an Irish ex-maid. I also think removing the characters from their [illusory] shackles in NYC helped--it made them more raw. They had to focus more on the tasks at hand and solving the problem than overthinking and overcomplicating everything.
I was disappointed in the ending, as it concludes on a somber note and leaves a cliffhanger for the next book. Well, at least I hope it's a cliffhanger that will be resolved.
I also think this book would be hard to pick up standalone. You need to read the first two books to understand this semi-supernatural world and the characters. Lindsey doesn't spend much time on backstory or explaining anything that she's ever explained before. For a reader experienced with this series, it made the book move faster, but a newbie to the series would be seriously confused.
I also wouldn't classify this book as a mystery. The main henchman is not a well-known character in the book, so there is no one to unmask. It's a good suspense...but not a mystery. I would have preferred it if the henchman ended up secretly being someone more prevalent in the book so that the readers had to solve part of the mystery/crime for themselves, but the solution still works.
Very enjoyable overall. This one makes me excited for the next book!
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