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Gilded Gotham Mystery #2
Betrayal on the Bowery
In Gilded-Age New York, not all that glitters is gold in a chilling murder mystery that careens from the city's poshest sanctuaries to its meanest streets.
New York City, summer 1889. Society girl-turned-investigative journalist Genevieve Stewart and wealthy Daniel McCaffrey have arrived at the docks to see their friends, Rupert and Esmie Milton, off on their honeymoon. But the romantic idyll comes to a screeching halt when a crazed man bursts into their stateroom screaming about demons and drops dead before their eyes.
The dead man is Marcus Dalrymple, who had once asked Esmie to marry him--and inside Marcus's pocket, Daniel finds a medallion that they trace to a Lower East Side bar called Boyle's Suicide Tavern. The medallions are prizes given to anyone who spends the night there without dying.
Clearly, a visit to Boyle's could prove hazardous, but it may offer the only clue to Dalrymple's death. Genevieve and Daniel barely escape the bar with their lives but learn that the crime could have a connection to the recent disappearance of a sugar baron's daughter. Only after another young man plunges to his death from a rooftop bar--also screaming about demons--do the pieces of the puzzle begin to come together.
The clues lead Genevieve and Daniel far from the city's moneyed environs to a reputedly haunted mansion deep in the Bronx. There, they will confront the truth--and the demon at its heart.
New York City, summer 1889. Society girl-turned-investigative journalist Genevieve Stewart and wealthy Daniel McCaffrey have arrived at the docks to see their friends, Rupert and Esmie Milton, off on their honeymoon. But the romantic idyll comes to a screeching halt when a crazed man bursts into their stateroom screaming about demons and drops dead before their eyes.
The dead man is Marcus Dalrymple, who had once asked Esmie to marry him--and inside Marcus's pocket, Daniel finds a medallion that they trace to a Lower East Side bar called Boyle's Suicide Tavern. The medallions are prizes given to anyone who spends the night there without dying.
Clearly, a visit to Boyle's could prove hazardous, but it may offer the only clue to Dalrymple's death. Genevieve and Daniel barely escape the bar with their lives but learn that the crime could have a connection to the recent disappearance of a sugar baron's daughter. Only after another young man plunges to his death from a rooftop bar--also screaming about demons--do the pieces of the puzzle begin to come together.
The clues lead Genevieve and Daniel far from the city's moneyed environs to a reputedly haunted mansion deep in the Bronx. There, they will confront the truth--and the demon at its heart.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published October 12, 2021
76 people are currently reading
686 people want to read
About the author
Kate Belli
6 books316 followersKate Belli writes thriller and historical mystery. She has lived all over, from Florence, Italy, to Brooklyn, New York, to the Deep South, to a cottage next to Monet’s gardens in Northern France. Today she lives and works in Central Pennsylvania with her husband and son. When not writing, Kate works as a professor or a yogi, depending on the day.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 153 reviews
October 18, 2021
Betrayal on the Bowery continues the story of rich socialite Genevieve Stewart and millionaire with a murky past Daniel McCaffery. This second book in the series was even better than the first.
The plot was detailed and clever and there were lots of bad baddies, several deaths, some spooky houses and quite a few gun fights. There was even time left for some romantic tension and the author successfully kept our two main characters at arms length throughout. There were signs of weakening though.
I enjoyed the historical details of New York in 1889 very much. I loved the part about walking underneath the train tracks and being spattered with sparks. The scenes at the beginning on board the ocean liner were delightfully described too.
It was all very enjoyable and I am definitely going to continue with the series. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
The plot was detailed and clever and there were lots of bad baddies, several deaths, some spooky houses and quite a few gun fights. There was even time left for some romantic tension and the author successfully kept our two main characters at arms length throughout. There were signs of weakening though.
I enjoyed the historical details of New York in 1889 very much. I loved the part about walking underneath the train tracks and being spattered with sparks. The scenes at the beginning on board the ocean liner were delightfully described too.
It was all very enjoyable and I am definitely going to continue with the series. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
October 11, 2021
After the lavish wedding of their friends, Rupert and Esmie Milton, both Daniel McCaffrey and Genevieve Stewart were at the dock waiting to farewell the newleyweds on their honeymoon. But when first a scream, then Rupert waving frantically to Daniel to come aboard ripped the air, the following horror scenes would stay with them. A young man whom Esmie knew well had collapsed in their stateroom and died at their feet. When the police arrived, they informed Rupert and Esmie they wouldn’t be able to leave when the ship departed – they had to return to Esmie’s father’s house for however long it took.
It didn’t take investigative journalist Genevieve, and Daniel to be immersed in investigating the death and also realizing it was mixed up with dark and dangerous gangs, lead by a man Daniel had crossed before. New York’s back streets were well known for their notoriety and nefarious visitors and Daniel was reluctant to become involved again. But when they were asked to investigate the disappearance of a young woman, which was likely linked to the death, they knew they had no choice. When another young man died in a similarly violent manner, and then a third, Genevieve and Daniel knew they were getting close…
Betrayal on the Bowery is the 2nd in the Gilded Gotham Mystery series by Kate Belli and I loved it! Set in 1889 where the rich were very rich and the poor desperately so; where gangs ruled the underworld and the cops turned a blind eye – this historical mystery was gritty and intense, filled with well crafted characters from both sides of the divide. This is my kind of book! I’m looking forward to #3 in the series, and have no hesitation in recommending Betrayal on the Bowery highly.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
It didn’t take investigative journalist Genevieve, and Daniel to be immersed in investigating the death and also realizing it was mixed up with dark and dangerous gangs, lead by a man Daniel had crossed before. New York’s back streets were well known for their notoriety and nefarious visitors and Daniel was reluctant to become involved again. But when they were asked to investigate the disappearance of a young woman, which was likely linked to the death, they knew they had no choice. When another young man died in a similarly violent manner, and then a third, Genevieve and Daniel knew they were getting close…
Betrayal on the Bowery is the 2nd in the Gilded Gotham Mystery series by Kate Belli and I loved it! Set in 1889 where the rich were very rich and the poor desperately so; where gangs ruled the underworld and the cops turned a blind eye – this historical mystery was gritty and intense, filled with well crafted characters from both sides of the divide. This is my kind of book! I’m looking forward to #3 in the series, and have no hesitation in recommending Betrayal on the Bowery highly.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
April 22, 2022
Second book in the series that could be read as a stand-alone, but it is enhanced by having read the first. The romance is lightly woven throughout the book. It really is a mystery with some good twists and turns. I have enjoyed the authors writing and her characters. Enjoyable seeing Genevieve being assertive as a newspaper writer as her mother is a suffragette. Genevieve is active in solving the murders as she as wants to be a crime reporter. She is not going to be left behind while the action is happening. There are multiple deaths to investigate and some bad guys to stop. The layout for the next book is presented and I look forward to reading it.
January 22, 2022
The start of this second book in this wonderful, new series overlaps with the end of the first, but we get to see the scene from a different point of view. The final scene in the first is written from Daniel’s perspective. Here, we open with the same scene from Genevieve’s. It’s always fun to start with an action scene (here, Daniel and Genevieve race onto a cruise ship to find their distressed friends), but to see it from another vantage point is entertaining.
Plot summary isn’t necessary for this review, as the intro above is accurate. I’ll just say that 1889 New York is as much a character as the delightful cast in this series. I’ve heard the term “historical wallpaper” used to describe stories that could have happened anywhere that get plopped into a historical setting. This is not happening in this series.
The cast of characters expands a little bit in this book in that we get to meet Genevieve’s parents in a more significant way. We also see Rupert and Esmie’s marriage of convenience evolving into something more. Genevieve and Daniel are amazing partners and watching them advance and retreat when it comes to acting on their feelings is so entertaining (I’m reminded of when I first read the Veronica Speedwell books, wondering if they’d even get together).
I’m already counting down the months until the third book comes out.
One thing that cracks me up is that this series seems to be using popular tropes in the romance genre. In the last book, there was the fake relationship and in this one, there’s an “only one bed” scene. That was funny, but so sweet.
Plot summary isn’t necessary for this review, as the intro above is accurate. I’ll just say that 1889 New York is as much a character as the delightful cast in this series. I’ve heard the term “historical wallpaper” used to describe stories that could have happened anywhere that get plopped into a historical setting. This is not happening in this series.
The cast of characters expands a little bit in this book in that we get to meet Genevieve’s parents in a more significant way. We also see Rupert and Esmie’s marriage of convenience evolving into something more. Genevieve and Daniel are amazing partners and watching them advance and retreat when it comes to acting on their feelings is so entertaining (I’m reminded of when I first read the Veronica Speedwell books, wondering if they’d even get together).
I’m already counting down the months until the third book comes out.
One thing that cracks me up is that this series seems to be using popular tropes in the romance genre. In the last book, there was the fake relationship and in this one, there’s an “only one bed” scene. That was funny, but so sweet.
March 30, 2022
3.5 stars! (i'm still waffling on whether to round up or down.)
this is the second book in the gilded gotham series by kate belli, the first of which i was lucky enough to also receive an advance copy for review in 2020. while reading this sequel, i was reminded of why i so very much enjoyed deception by gaslight: characters with chemistry, readable prose, and distinctive settings.
like i mentioned in my earlier review, genevieve stewart is exactly the sort of protagonist i love reading about - and betrayal on the bowery cemented this. she's plucky, stubborn, passionate, and - what i appreciate most - so unabashed about it all. meanwhile, daniel mccaffrey is a millionaire and member of new york city's upper echelons, but he comes from unexpected origins: an impoverished childhood in the five points neighbourhood of manhattan, where he ran with a gang.
there's something about how the two are so unapologetically themselves (and protective of / caring for the other) that i found myself drawn to them and their intense-but-desperately-suppressed feelings for each other. i feel such affection for them! in fact, something about the duo remind me of amory and milo ames from another historical cozy mystery series i've enjoyed.
there were parts in this novel that were slower-paced, and the mystery (like in book 1) was not particularly complex. i also wish there'd been more development of genevieve's and daniel's characters (both as individuals and as a pair).
yet what really struck me about betrayal on the bowery was its atmospheric prose (belli is so good at immersing us in gilded age NYC, one of my favourite periods to read about) and its distinctive, sometimes unconventional, settings and scenes. one of the standouts is a decrepit manor on the outskirts of new york city, which the author describes in lush, gothic, evocative prose. there's also a scene featuring genevieve and daniel at a brothel (quietly sex-positive, this series is!) and an unexpected swim in long island sound - both of which i thoroughly enjoyed for their peculiarity/specificity and for the emotions each scene evoked in genevieve and daniel.
lastly, i do want to say that i appreciated the book's subtle signals toward progressive, equity-oriented values: from the way genevieve embodies feminism, to a brief brief scene featuring Black characters (one of whom speaks a singular pivotal sentence), to the sex positivity at the brothel, to acknowledgement of western colonialism. it was not a focus in the series by any means, but i always appreciate subtle signalling like this.
this book also ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, which has left me intrigued as to what will happen to genevieve and daniel in book 3!
thank you netgalley and crooked lane books for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
this is the second book in the gilded gotham series by kate belli, the first of which i was lucky enough to also receive an advance copy for review in 2020. while reading this sequel, i was reminded of why i so very much enjoyed deception by gaslight: characters with chemistry, readable prose, and distinctive settings.
like i mentioned in my earlier review, genevieve stewart is exactly the sort of protagonist i love reading about - and betrayal on the bowery cemented this. she's plucky, stubborn, passionate, and - what i appreciate most - so unabashed about it all. meanwhile, daniel mccaffrey is a millionaire and member of new york city's upper echelons, but he comes from unexpected origins: an impoverished childhood in the five points neighbourhood of manhattan, where he ran with a gang.
there's something about how the two are so unapologetically themselves (and protective of / caring for the other) that i found myself drawn to them and their intense-but-desperately-suppressed feelings for each other. i feel such affection for them! in fact, something about the duo remind me of amory and milo ames from another historical cozy mystery series i've enjoyed.
there were parts in this novel that were slower-paced, and the mystery (like in book 1) was not particularly complex. i also wish there'd been more development of genevieve's and daniel's characters (both as individuals and as a pair).
yet what really struck me about betrayal on the bowery was its atmospheric prose (belli is so good at immersing us in gilded age NYC, one of my favourite periods to read about) and its distinctive, sometimes unconventional, settings and scenes. one of the standouts is a decrepit manor on the outskirts of new york city, which the author describes in lush, gothic, evocative prose. there's also a scene featuring genevieve and daniel at a brothel (quietly sex-positive, this series is!) and an unexpected swim in long island sound - both of which i thoroughly enjoyed for their peculiarity/specificity and for the emotions each scene evoked in genevieve and daniel.
lastly, i do want to say that i appreciated the book's subtle signals toward progressive, equity-oriented values: from the way genevieve embodies feminism, to a brief brief scene featuring Black characters (one of whom speaks a singular pivotal sentence), to the sex positivity at the brothel, to acknowledgement of western colonialism. it was not a focus in the series by any means, but i always appreciate subtle signalling like this.
this book also ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, which has left me intrigued as to what will happen to genevieve and daniel in book 3!
thank you netgalley and crooked lane books for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 22, 2021
This is the second book in the Gilded Gotham mysteries and just as good as the first.
Genevieve and Daniel are back, with another murder to solve. This one involves Daniel's friend Rupert, who is about to depart by ship on his honeymoon when a man is found dead in his cabin.
Set in the late 1880's in New York where a person's reputation and place in society means everything, Genevieve a reporter is bound to find trouble, especially where Daniel is concerned.
A great story, with wonderful characters.
Thank you Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to review this digital ARC.
Genevieve and Daniel are back, with another murder to solve. This one involves Daniel's friend Rupert, who is about to depart by ship on his honeymoon when a man is found dead in his cabin.
Set in the late 1880's in New York where a person's reputation and place in society means everything, Genevieve a reporter is bound to find trouble, especially where Daniel is concerned.
A great story, with wonderful characters.
Thank you Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to review this digital ARC.
December 30, 2021
Genevieve Stewart and Daniel McCaffrey are at the docks to see their newlywed friends Rupert and Esmie Milton off to their honeymoon. The happy occasion is tragically disrupted when a man, later identified as Marcus Dalrymple, comes rushing into the ship's stateroom screaming about demons and falls dead. Daniel finds a medallion in the dead man's pocket which is traced to a bar in one of the meanest neighbourhoods of New York called the Boyle's Suicide Bar. Shaken and still coming to terms with this tragedy, both Daniel and Genevieve witness the death of yet another young man who jumps to his death after screaming about the coming of demons. Their instinct lead Daniel and Genevieve to visit the bar for clues. They barely survive the visit but do learn that these deaths could have a connection with the kidnapping of a merchant baron's daughter, a haunted house, a smuggling operation and a person from Daniel's past.
This is the second book in the Gilded Gotham Mystery series and is as good as the first one. The book is well written, engaging and I really like seeing the partnership between Daniel and Genevieve grow from strength to strength. I particularly love Daniel's character... he is the kind of person I could trust my life with. I have enjoyed reading both the books in the series so far and I look forward to the next installment.
I received an e-Arc of the book from the publisher Crooked Lane Books and the author Kate Belli via NetGalley.
This is the second book in the Gilded Gotham Mystery series and is as good as the first one. The book is well written, engaging and I really like seeing the partnership between Daniel and Genevieve grow from strength to strength. I particularly love Daniel's character... he is the kind of person I could trust my life with. I have enjoyed reading both the books in the series so far and I look forward to the next installment.
I received an e-Arc of the book from the publisher Crooked Lane Books and the author Kate Belli via NetGalley.
October 16, 2021
4.5/5 stars, rounding up. I can't believe we got a "thanks, it has pockets" moment in a Gilded Age mystery novel.
This book coming out in October felt right because, while it's set during the summer and definitely not a Halloween book, it has a Halloween feel at times with the haunted house and some of the generally creepy elements surrounding the mystery.
I just really, really like this series. I love the sense of place and old New York of it, and how some of the supporting characters from the first book - especially Esmie and Rupert, but to an extent, Genevieve's family as well - got to play a bigger roles in this one. The different dining scenes here stood out to me, but the one I loved the most was Daniel eating with the Stewarts and having the sense of their family that he hadn't had since his own was lost to him. I was so glad to see Callie at the end of this - I missed both her and Eliza in this one - and I'm looking forward to figuring out what she's been up to and hopefully having her play a big role in book three. (I've also maybe been pairing her off with one of the Stewart brothers since book one. Probably Gavin, since he's the wild card we haven't met yet and I assume with his impending return to the US, we'll meet him in book three finally.)
The real thing that shines to me in this series though is the partnership between Genevieve and Daniel and how it has grown. They respect each other's abilities and like each other so much, and I just want them to stop being so scared of their past trauma and/or disappointments and be together, please. I mean, come on,
This book coming out in October felt right because, while it's set during the summer and definitely not a Halloween book, it has a Halloween feel at times with the haunted house and some of the generally creepy elements surrounding the mystery.
I just really, really like this series. I love the sense of place and old New York of it, and how some of the supporting characters from the first book - especially Esmie and Rupert, but to an extent, Genevieve's family as well - got to play a bigger roles in this one. The different dining scenes here stood out to me, but the one I loved the most was Daniel eating with the Stewarts and having the sense of their family that he hadn't had since his own was lost to him. I was so glad to see Callie at the end of this - I missed both her and Eliza in this one - and I'm looking forward to figuring out what she's been up to and hopefully having her play a big role in book three. (I've also maybe been pairing her off with one of the Stewart brothers since book one. Probably Gavin, since he's the wild card we haven't met yet and I assume with his impending return to the US, we'll meet him in book three finally.)
The real thing that shines to me in this series though is the partnership between Genevieve and Daniel and how it has grown. They respect each other's abilities and like each other so much, and I just want them to stop being so scared of their past trauma and/or disappointments and be together, please. I mean, come on,
June 21, 2021
Picking up exactly where the first book ended, Betrayal on the Bowery by Kate Belli continues with a new mystery for Daniel and Genevieve set in 1889 in New York City. With settings in the Bowery, a reportedly haunted mansion and the environs of high society, Daniel and Genevieve have not one but two mysteries to solve.
I was clueless as to how the deaths of two young scions of high society and a missing heiress could be related which is great because that is what I like in a mystery. Ms. Belli's descriptive writing made me feel as if I was visiting the Bowery and the haunted mansion along with the characters which kept me gripping my ereader in fear for the characters. Action packed with a dramatic resolution as all the puzzle pieces came together for Daniel and Genevieve.
I voluntarily reviewed a digital Advance Reader Copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. All of the above opinions are my own.
I was clueless as to how the deaths of two young scions of high society and a missing heiress could be related which is great because that is what I like in a mystery. Ms. Belli's descriptive writing made me feel as if I was visiting the Bowery and the haunted mansion along with the characters which kept me gripping my ereader in fear for the characters. Action packed with a dramatic resolution as all the puzzle pieces came together for Daniel and Genevieve.
I voluntarily reviewed a digital Advance Reader Copy of this book from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. All of the above opinions are my own.
December 31, 2022
My last book of the year – which also help me hit my Challenge goal!! Yay. I was kind of wringing my hands over what I'd choose because I'd liked #74 SO damn much ("Thank You For Listening" by Julia Whelan) and ended up just randomly picking something I'd saved to my kobo.
No regrets on the pick: this was fun and interesting, with a great couple of leads with great chemistry. The mystery had a great final twist. I love a good woman-written mystery novel in general, but what I really dug about this one was how "un-cozy" it was – Belli went with legit & deathly stakes, and I found parts of it genuinely pretty tense, which is really rare for women-led detective fiction imo. Genevieve & Daniel are really easy to like together (I miss 'shippy procedurals so much and this really scratched an itch!) and I also found Esmie & Rupert really sweetly distantly root-for-able.
I had a great time! On to 2023!
No regrets on the pick: this was fun and interesting, with a great couple of leads with great chemistry. The mystery had a great final twist. I love a good woman-written mystery novel in general, but what I really dug about this one was how "un-cozy" it was – Belli went with legit & deathly stakes, and I found parts of it genuinely pretty tense, which is really rare for women-led detective fiction imo. Genevieve & Daniel are really easy to like together (I miss 'shippy procedurals so much and this really scratched an itch!) and I also found Esmie & Rupert really sweetly distantly root-for-able.
I had a great time! On to 2023!
July 3, 2023
No second book slump here, but a good mystery and interesting tour of New York City during the summer of 1889.
The blurb is a good one, so I won't recap the set-up.
A few thoughts:
Genevieve has been promoted to the society beat at her newspaper but still yearns to do 'real' (i.e crime) reporting. However, society connections are really important to solving not only the mystery death of young Marcus Dalrymple but also the case of the missing heiress.
I loved all of the small quiet scenes--Genevieve and Daniel at a hotel's rooftop bar, Genevieve's introduction to bagels, the dinner at the Chinese restaurant.
There are a couple of really dramatic set-pieces: the trip to the abandoned house and the rushed cross-city trip to the courthouse, as well as the very intense climax.
I was rather proud of myself for figuring out the twist with the missing heiress. The dramatic ending took care of one baddie, but another is still in an almost untouchable position. We will no doubt meet up with him again.
I am now looking forward to Treachery on Tenth Street. Looks like Genevieve and Daniel are going to get involved with the arts!
The blurb is a good one, so I won't recap the set-up.
A few thoughts:
Genevieve has been promoted to the society beat at her newspaper but still yearns to do 'real' (i.e crime) reporting. However, society connections are really important to solving not only the mystery death of young Marcus Dalrymple but also the case of the missing heiress.
I loved all of the small quiet scenes--Genevieve and Daniel at a hotel's rooftop bar, Genevieve's introduction to bagels, the dinner at the Chinese restaurant.
There are a couple of really dramatic set-pieces: the trip to the abandoned house and the rushed cross-city trip to the courthouse, as well as the very intense climax.
I was rather proud of myself for figuring out the twist with the missing heiress. The dramatic ending took care of one baddie, but another is still in an almost untouchable position. We will no doubt meet up with him again.
I am now looking forward to Treachery on Tenth Street. Looks like Genevieve and Daniel are going to get involved with the arts!
June 19, 2025
This is turning into being a very enjoyable series! This one started out a little shaky to me (the heroine acting a little too "girl reporter stamping her foot" for my tastes) but once her and the hero are on the case of the missing heiress I was hooked. There's several high-stakes dramatic scenes to keep the reader on the edge of their seat and there's a great twist at the end that, I'm ashamed to admit, I didn't see coming (which actually made it all the more thrilling). I'm ready to dive straight into the next book in the series.
February 2, 2025
4.75 🌟
Mood/Seasonal Reading: Summer
I’m angry at myself.
I hesitated to read this book so soon after finishing the first. Not because I wasn’t absolutely absorbed by the story and it’s characters, but because I knew that the third in the series was not yet published. I knew I would feel empty after, just as I do now. But the warmth I had felt from my experience with the first in the series called me back in and I was unable to resist.
The second instalment in the series did it again. The book is so good at providing information in such a way that begs you to read on. Yet, because I knew that elusive third novel was yet to be released, the closer I got to the end the more anxious I got. But I couldn’t stop. It was so intriguing and the slow burn romance was one of the best I have read in ages. It tugged at my heart strings and reminded me the pleasure and warmth that comes from romances such as this.
Genevieve was as capable and admirable as she was in the first instalment. In addition, I absolutely adored Rupert and Esmie’s relationship and the friendship they had with the two main leads. I loved every scene they were in. And Daniel… you’re perfect don’t change a thing.
The mystery this time around was easier to follow. And in fact, I found it more gripping. Once again, Belli was able to weave multiple myserties at once without confusion. And the settings, including the haunted estate, and the circumstances the two main leads got themselves into were ever more interesting. While I had guessed a decent amount of the crime it was still written in a way which I didn’t feel disappointed. And once again the author introduces a thrilling cliffhanger that makes me even angrier about the what seems like years length of time until the third novel is released (it sounds so intriguing too).
Now I will wait, in utter anticipation, for the third book to come out. In fact, for the first time ever in my reading career, I may even preorder a book.
Mood/Seasonal Reading: Summer
I’m angry at myself.
I hesitated to read this book so soon after finishing the first. Not because I wasn’t absolutely absorbed by the story and it’s characters, but because I knew that the third in the series was not yet published. I knew I would feel empty after, just as I do now. But the warmth I had felt from my experience with the first in the series called me back in and I was unable to resist.
The second instalment in the series did it again. The book is so good at providing information in such a way that begs you to read on. Yet, because I knew that elusive third novel was yet to be released, the closer I got to the end the more anxious I got. But I couldn’t stop. It was so intriguing and the slow burn romance was one of the best I have read in ages. It tugged at my heart strings and reminded me the pleasure and warmth that comes from romances such as this.
Genevieve was as capable and admirable as she was in the first instalment. In addition, I absolutely adored Rupert and Esmie’s relationship and the friendship they had with the two main leads. I loved every scene they were in. And Daniel… you’re perfect don’t change a thing.
The mystery this time around was easier to follow. And in fact, I found it more gripping. Once again, Belli was able to weave multiple myserties at once without confusion. And the settings, including the haunted estate, and the circumstances the two main leads got themselves into were ever more interesting. While I had guessed a decent amount of the crime it was still written in a way which I didn’t feel disappointed. And once again the author introduces a thrilling cliffhanger that makes me even angrier about the what seems like years length of time until the third novel is released (it sounds so intriguing too).
Now I will wait, in utter anticipation, for the third book to come out. In fact, for the first time ever in my reading career, I may even preorder a book.
December 21, 2021
I really liked the first book in the Gilded Gotham series. This one was…ok.
There are a lot of mystery series like this one, and while the first book felt like a cut above, this one feels more like one of the crowd.
The mystery itself is fine, and Belli does a lovely job of creating atmosphere and a sense of place. But the plot felt a little repetitive, following a similar trajectory to the first novel in the series, and then there’s Genevieve and Daniel. Ugh.
The romantic tension between them in the first book was fine, fairly minimal and almost beside the point of the story. This time around, there is way too much overwrought, schlocky drama between them that feels like it takes over the book. It’s irritating and detracts from an otherwise clever and entertaining story, and it makes me hesitant to continue the series.
Their interactions feel contrived and filled with posturing and manufactured problems that don’t really need to exist and only serve to annoy readers who are here for the historical mystery, not a wallowing romance.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
There are a lot of mystery series like this one, and while the first book felt like a cut above, this one feels more like one of the crowd.
The mystery itself is fine, and Belli does a lovely job of creating atmosphere and a sense of place. But the plot felt a little repetitive, following a similar trajectory to the first novel in the series, and then there’s Genevieve and Daniel. Ugh.
The romantic tension between them in the first book was fine, fairly minimal and almost beside the point of the story. This time around, there is way too much overwrought, schlocky drama between them that feels like it takes over the book. It’s irritating and detracts from an otherwise clever and entertaining story, and it makes me hesitant to continue the series.
Their interactions feel contrived and filled with posturing and manufactured problems that don’t really need to exist and only serve to annoy readers who are here for the historical mystery, not a wallowing romance.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
September 28, 2025
Loved this so much!
Grabbed the next book from the library already! Can't wait to read all of them!
Grabbed the next book from the library already! Can't wait to read all of them!
October 24, 2021
The best part of shippy mysteries is when they realize what a good team they make and this book was GREAT for that. And I liked the development of Rupert and Esmie so much. This is going to be a good series.
November 25, 2021
I finished this late last night/early this morning so I've had plenty of time to sit with it but my reaction is still very much: !!!!!!!!
There were just so many great scenes and moments that it makes even figuring out where to start with a review hard.
What I think really stood out though was the balance Belli has between the romance and the mystery, which is done well and in a way that only enhances each aspect without shortchanging them.
Miscellaneous things: the continued unspoken looks between Daniel & Genevieve.
The 'non double date' double date in Chinatown!
The visit to his cousin's.
Anyhow, this was great. The entire cast is interesting and compelling; can't wait to see more of them in the next book!
There were just so many great scenes and moments that it makes even figuring out where to start with a review hard.
What I think really stood out though was the balance Belli has between the romance and the mystery, which is done well and in a way that only enhances each aspect without shortchanging them.
Miscellaneous things: the continued unspoken looks between Daniel & Genevieve.
The 'non double date' double date in Chinatown!
The visit to his cousin's.
Anyhow, this was great. The entire cast is interesting and compelling; can't wait to see more of them in the next book!
October 13, 2021
At the end of reading this book, I was very sorry as I had now read both books in this short series. I do hope the author has more coming our way.
Summer 1889 Genievieve Stewart is not your average New York upper crust family girl. Down to earth and wanting to pursue her journalistic bent she is disheartened by always being assigned to society events in the active New York social calendar. Women were still not given positions of eminence in the journalistic world, and despite her success in a previous case - solving a complicated mystery/murder she now has to work almost behind the scenes if she wants
to do anything of substance.
Accompanying her friend Daniel to see off their good friends on a honeymoon cruise, she is confronted with a murder of a well known personality in the cabin of her friends and all hell breaks loose when Rupert the Earl of Umberland is arrested for the murder. Working closely with Daniel to unearth the clues of this random murder which does not seem to be as random as they would think.
Moving between the world of social, aristocratic New Yorkers and its seamier side of gangs and every kind of vice available Genevieve and Daniel have to clear Rupert's name and find out who is behind the murders as deaths mount.
Very descriptive of New York at the time, also of the seamier side of New York as not seen on the surface, it also shows the difficulties that women faced generally at the time.
The story has a lot of history in it and is intense and a page turner.
Summer 1889 Genievieve Stewart is not your average New York upper crust family girl. Down to earth and wanting to pursue her journalistic bent she is disheartened by always being assigned to society events in the active New York social calendar. Women were still not given positions of eminence in the journalistic world, and despite her success in a previous case - solving a complicated mystery/murder she now has to work almost behind the scenes if she wants
to do anything of substance.
Accompanying her friend Daniel to see off their good friends on a honeymoon cruise, she is confronted with a murder of a well known personality in the cabin of her friends and all hell breaks loose when Rupert the Earl of Umberland is arrested for the murder. Working closely with Daniel to unearth the clues of this random murder which does not seem to be as random as they would think.
Moving between the world of social, aristocratic New Yorkers and its seamier side of gangs and every kind of vice available Genevieve and Daniel have to clear Rupert's name and find out who is behind the murders as deaths mount.
Very descriptive of New York at the time, also of the seamier side of New York as not seen on the surface, it also shows the difficulties that women faced generally at the time.
The story has a lot of history in it and is intense and a page turner.
December 18, 2023
One thing I like about this book is that it starts immediately from where the last one ended. So many series have some degree of time passing between books, but with this series, it’s like picking up a next episode. There’s one left. Very excited to read it. Will start on it tonight as well.
January 8, 2022
First, thank you to Crooked Lane Books and Net Galley for providing me a copy for review in exchange for a honest review.
I love Gilded Age setting and this one was a good mix of the rich NYC and the grittier parts of the city. I hadn't read the first book in the series, and I would advise future readers of the series to start with Deception by Gaslight. This book has a lot of the plot that intertwines with the events of the first book and the aftermath of what happened. I plan on going back and reading the first book this year.
Genieve Stewart is a society beat reporter who itches for adventure, love, and a good juicy story to launch her career into more serious journalism. Daniel McCaffrey is a member of the society elite but would rather have a drink in dive bar. They have two friends, a married couple, that are targeted by the police and so part of the mystery is Gen and Dan working together to save their friends from being arrested/convicted of crimes that they are innocent of. I could still follow along with the plot, but I felt that I had a little lack of knowledge on the characters' back stories.
The plot of this book focuses on the mysterious poisonings/deaths of the younger generation of society's upper crust and the disappearance of the daughter of a prominent and very rich business baron. The father hires Gen and Dan to find his daughter and soon the friends' freedoms and the search for the daughter comes together. Although set in the summer, this book would work well for spooky season as it involves a haunted house, demons poisoning rebellious youths, and seedy tavern. Most important, it involves Dan's nemesis, leading to a showdown that was believable and yet satisfying after the journey Dan and Gen were on.
For me, the standout part of this book is the deepening relationship between Dan and Gen. There was a scene with my all-time favorite trope - only one bed. They saw each other at their best and at their worst and both accepted each other at both points. It is a major slow burn (going on two books and relationship status is unclear).
I do look forward to the next book because of the strength of Dan and Gen's relationship, both professional and personal. However, I would like more of Gilded Age-ness NYC in the storytelling - I felt this book could have been set in modern NYC or anywhere else in a big city in America. I wanted a little more real historical events embedded in conversations, or someone reading the paper and have the headlines point to those events.
I will say the ending that involved the missing daughter went the opposite way that I had thought it would and I was very happy to see I was wrong. I wouldn't call it a plot twist, but it was refreshing to have the author give the daughter some agency rather than be seen as an object to be found. I do want to continue this series and see these characters again.
I love Gilded Age setting and this one was a good mix of the rich NYC and the grittier parts of the city. I hadn't read the first book in the series, and I would advise future readers of the series to start with Deception by Gaslight. This book has a lot of the plot that intertwines with the events of the first book and the aftermath of what happened. I plan on going back and reading the first book this year.
Genieve Stewart is a society beat reporter who itches for adventure, love, and a good juicy story to launch her career into more serious journalism. Daniel McCaffrey is a member of the society elite but would rather have a drink in dive bar. They have two friends, a married couple, that are targeted by the police and so part of the mystery is Gen and Dan working together to save their friends from being arrested/convicted of crimes that they are innocent of. I could still follow along with the plot, but I felt that I had a little lack of knowledge on the characters' back stories.
The plot of this book focuses on the mysterious poisonings/deaths of the younger generation of society's upper crust and the disappearance of the daughter of a prominent and very rich business baron. The father hires Gen and Dan to find his daughter and soon the friends' freedoms and the search for the daughter comes together. Although set in the summer, this book would work well for spooky season as it involves a haunted house, demons poisoning rebellious youths, and seedy tavern. Most important, it involves Dan's nemesis, leading to a showdown that was believable and yet satisfying after the journey Dan and Gen were on.
For me, the standout part of this book is the deepening relationship between Dan and Gen. There was a scene with my all-time favorite trope - only one bed. They saw each other at their best and at their worst and both accepted each other at both points. It is a major slow burn (going on two books and relationship status is unclear).
I do look forward to the next book because of the strength of Dan and Gen's relationship, both professional and personal. However, I would like more of Gilded Age-ness NYC in the storytelling - I felt this book could have been set in modern NYC or anywhere else in a big city in America. I wanted a little more real historical events embedded in conversations, or someone reading the paper and have the headlines point to those events.
I will say the ending that involved the missing daughter went the opposite way that I had thought it would and I was very happy to see I was wrong. I wouldn't call it a plot twist, but it was refreshing to have the author give the daughter some agency rather than be seen as an object to be found. I do want to continue this series and see these characters again.
February 6, 2022
I really enjoy this series. Book two was just as engaging as book one.
I love the Gilded Era of New York, with all it's varying light and dark and the multi-levels of society and people it held. This series does a great job of showcasing what a complex time and place this was.
I love the characters in this series. Particularly Daniel and Genevieve, but the supporting characters as as well. They are all really likable and easy to root for.
The mysteries in this series centre on the world these characters would have lived in were they real people and the author does a great job of melding the real events of the time with the fictional plot she sets the characters in.
Daniel and Genevieve are very believeable as investigators, and I love the determination Genevieve has to be a real reporter despite her gender and the society she lives in wanting her to cover parties and clothes. She is a wonderful, strong female character, something that is always a strong draw for me in any book.
I enjoy this series and look forward to reading more books as the author publishes them.
I love the Gilded Era of New York, with all it's varying light and dark and the multi-levels of society and people it held. This series does a great job of showcasing what a complex time and place this was.
I love the characters in this series. Particularly Daniel and Genevieve, but the supporting characters as as well. They are all really likable and easy to root for.
The mysteries in this series centre on the world these characters would have lived in were they real people and the author does a great job of melding the real events of the time with the fictional plot she sets the characters in.
Daniel and Genevieve are very believeable as investigators, and I love the determination Genevieve has to be a real reporter despite her gender and the society she lives in wanting her to cover parties and clothes. She is a wonderful, strong female character, something that is always a strong draw for me in any book.
I enjoy this series and look forward to reading more books as the author publishes them.
December 29, 2021
This is the second book in the Guilded Gotham mystery series and I enjoyed it just as much as the first book. I think this book works well as a stand alone but in order to understand the relationships between the characters, it helps to have read the first book. Rupert and Esmie are on board a ship about to embark on their honeymoon when a young man enters their room shouts a warning and dies in front of them. Because the man had at one time proposed to Esmie, Rupert is under suspicion of murder. Once again, Daniel and Genevieve team up to clear Rupert’s name and solve the murder. More murders, a kidnapping and smuggling come to light as they dig deep into the mystery. I really enjoyed this although I often don’t care for cozy stories. Genevieve is a very strong-willed capable woman in an era where it was quite difficult for woman to be that way. I enjoy her interaction with Daniel and am glad they’ve teamed up again. My one criticism is that they take such a long time to act on clues and leads. When they are asked to investigate a kidnapping, it seemed like it took weeks for them to follow up on a lead. In real life, the victim would probably not have made it. It was a little strange. Other than that, I liked to story and am looking forward to the next book. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
October 30, 2021
Another nail-biting, page-turner, and I loved every page of it. The characters are wonderfully endearing, and I picked up right where I left off in book one. I love the little hint about the next book the author adds to the end. Talk about a tease. A well-written novel set in Old New York, the author certainly did her homework. And the mystery is intriguing. I didn't want to put the book down and was sorry it ended. I can't wait for the next installment to come out.
July 15, 2021
Well this was most certainly interesting but a bit overwhelming at times, but I feel like the characters were introduced a bit too quickly in the beginning?
The plot was good though!
The plot was good though!
October 18, 2021
story was lacking but i'm only here for gen/daniel so idc
August 30, 2022
Next books comes out in Oct. can’t wait
November 21, 2022
I really like like this series, but I do not care for the narrator.
July 9, 2023
4.5 stars
Another terrific book in this series with another very interesting ending- wanting me to read more!
Another terrific book in this series with another very interesting ending- wanting me to read more!
January 20, 2024
I am enjoying this series. And I like an 1800s mystery that takes place in America. I read a lot of them that are in England so this one is good because it’s just a bit different
March 3, 2024
So so so so good!! Even more gripping and surprising than the first book!
As a heads up to others, a lot of the plot has to do with a secret side business of a tavern/brothel so it was a little risqué in some parts.
As a heads up to others, a lot of the plot has to do with a secret side business of a tavern/brothel so it was a little risqué in some parts.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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