The Dead Cry Justice

Gilded Age Mystery #6

by Rosemary Simpson, Sarah Zimmerman (Narrator)

Heiress-turned-sleuth Prudence MacKenzie and ex-Pinkerton Geoffrey Hunter step out of the elite society of Gilded Age New York as they venture into the city’s crime ridden streets and most dangerous neighborhoods to search for two missing children . . .

THE DEAD CRY JUSTICE

May 1890: As NYU Law School finally agrees to admit female law students, Judge MacKenzie’s daughter Prudence weighs her choices carefully. Chief among her concerns is how her decision would affect the Hunter and MacKenzie Investigative Law agency and her professional and personal relationship with the partner who is currently recuperating from a near fatal shooting.

But an even more pressing issue presents itself in the form of a street urchin, whose act of petty theft inadvertently leads Prudence to a badly beaten girl he is protecting. Fearing for the girl’s life, Prudence rushes her to the Friends Refuge for the Sick Poor, run by the compassionate Charity Sloan. When the boy and girl slip out of their care and run away, Prudence suspects they are fleeing a dangerous predator and is desperate to find them.

Aided by the photographer and social reformer Jacob Riis and the famous journalist Nellie Bly, Prudence and Geoffrey scour the tenements and brothels of Five Points. Their only clue is a mysterious doll with an odd resemblance to the missing girl. But as the destitute orphans they encounter whisper the nickname of the killer who stalks them—Il diavolo—Prudence and Geoffrey must race against time to find the missing children before their merciless enemies do . . .

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Historical, Historical Mystery, Fiction, Adult, Audiobook

Audiobook

First published November 30, 2021

About the author

Rosemary Simpson's What the Dead Leave Behind is set in Gilded Age New York where the Great Blizzard of 1888 brings both disaster and independence to her wealthy and unconventional heroine. Lies that Comfort and Betray is the second in the Gilded Age Mystery series, to be followed by Let the Dead Keep Their Secrets
Rosemary is also the author of two stand-alone historical novels, The Seven Hills of Paradise and Dreams and Shadows.

She is a member of Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers, and the Historical Novel Society. Educated in France and the United States, she now lives near Tucson, Arizona.

Reviews

[Merry · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a series that I have enjoyed...now I will say I have enjoyed some books more than others....this falls into the less category. This book is part of a series and would not do well as a stand alone book. I am going to mention parts of the story that may be difficult for some readers regarding child abuse and forced child prostitution. I was 1/3 of the way through the book and found it to be just going in circles. I didn't really understand the reasoning for solving the mystery. Mentioning Nellie Bly was an interesting historical tidbit, but the plot never really grabs me. One of the real pleasures of reading Rosemary Simpson is her description of New York during the Gilded Age. You get the feeling of the sights and the times. The sanitation problems...the poor begging for scraps of food. Simpson also shows the reader the corruption both by the poor and by wealthy men abusing women. I didn't think this book did anything to really advance the romance or the overall storyline. Some very good side characters were added to the plot, so it gets a 3.25* from me.

[Heidi (can’t retire soon enough) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This may be the darkest glimpse into the ugliness and debouchery of the Gilded Age yet in this surprisingly good series. Wealth and beauty was as often a front for depravity then as any other time.

A strong, dark and disconcerting mystery envelopes our investigative duo— eventually leading to a secret society and kidnapped young girls. I won’t lie, this was hard to read about and despite the justice meted out by the end, the tragedies are hard to forget.

I look forward to how the author follows this entry up in the series. This series continues to find unique mysteries while highlighting so many of the regular supporting cast in one of my favorite locales and time periods!

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

It all began with the swift theft of a package of sandwiches......

Rosemary Simpson takes us back into the Gilded Age in 1890, once again, in New York City. She paints a panoramic view of a lush park setting in which Prudence MacKenzie sits enjoying the warmth of the afternoon sun. Alongside her is her Golden Retriever, Blossom, equally at rest near her feet. Blossom is aware that a package of tasty sandwiches is within reach on that bench. But it's not Blossom who is guilty of coveting that little bundle. Within seconds, a pair of hands grabs the sandwiches and runs off toward New York University.

But know one thing.....Prudence is up for a chase. She's the daughter of the late Judge MacKenzie and part owner of a detective agency run with Geoffrey Hunter, an ex Pinkerton agent and an attorney in investigative law. Prudence is eyeing a limited slot finally allowing women to enter the New York Law School. And aside from all this.....a fast pair of feet and determination trumps all.

Our little thief darts into the basement of the university with Prudence seconds behind him. And it's here that she comes across two unfortunate children, Bella and Zander, who are in dire straits. Prudence manages to get the children to the Quaker House of Healing run by Dr. Charity Sloan. The children remain silent. By morning, they've escaped.

Prudence will use her hard-nosed skills to try and locate the escapees. What she comes upon is the reality of life on the seedier streets of New York City. Doors are slammed in her face and no one wishes to discuss what really goes on in private clubs and brothels. But once you've been introduced to Prudence MacKenzie, you know that quitting doesn't dare strike a shadow near her.

Rosemary Simpson's Gilded Age Mysteries are not just to entertain her readers. Each book in the series is lined with impeccable research into the historical facts of the time. She'll also include renowned individuals of the day as part of the storyline. Although the weight of the story deals with the kidnapping and exploitation of young girls and women, you can count on Simpson to bring the elements full circle into the solid interventions of both individuals and organizations who've realized that stepping forward is a true commitment to humanity.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Kensington Publishers and to Rosemary Simpson for the opportunity.

[Phrynne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just seeing the words 'Gilded Age Mystery" is enough to make me pick up a book and this one should have been exactly my cup of tea. As it turned out it was okay but not one of my favourite reads. Maybe it would have been better if I had read the previous books instead of coming in at book 6.

Daughter of Judge, Prudence Mackenzie, and former Pinkerton agent, Geoffrey Hunter, work together to solve crimes and this one drops into their laps when a child snatches a packet of sandwiches from Prudence in the park. Events that follow lead to the investigation of some very seedy crimes indeed, and involvement with some very rich and very dangerous men.

New York in 1890 was well described. Conditions for the poor were dreadful and crime was rife. However I felt the author tried a bit too hard to paint her black picture of the evils of rich men who could buy anything or anyone and escape scot free. I was overwhelmed by the misery and started to skim. That's never a good sign!

For me therefore, an okay book but not enough to make me go looking for the earlier ones.

Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Tammie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this latest book in The Gilded Age Mystery Series. This series has been up and down for me, but I thought the plot line for this one was pretty good. There were some things that were hard to read about with the child trafficking, but nothing was described in too much detail. I really felt heartsick for those children as I was reading, and I liked that the author was able to invoke that much emotion from me.

Prudence once again did some reckless things that irritated me, this is mainly due to the fact that she takes some chances that I think she shouldn't take, by not letting anyone know what she is going to do. I get why she thinks she has to hide it, but it's still stupid of her. Also, she makes a really dumb mistake at one point that puts her in real danger, and it was so irritating. I want to think of her as a smart woman, and she supposedly is, but then she goes and makes this blunder and it ruins any credibility she has, and it just makes her seem silly, and then the men in her life seem justified for not wanting her to put herself in any sort of danger.

I was hoping for more relationship progress than what was actually in the book, but at least the series seems to be headed in that direction. There are also some random odd POV changes, like that of the dog and cat, and I still don't think the animals in this series behave like real animals would behave, but overall I liked this book and I do want to continue to read more of this series.


Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me with an ARC of this book.

Review also posted at Writings of a Reader.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 STARS

This series has such potential, but I always find certain aspects lacking while others are stronger; they are seldom in agreeance. The mystery and historical facts were intriguing, but the character growth was minimal at best. I appreciated Prudence's attempts at independence, but several of her actions were downright dangerous and thoughtless. I am a fan of slow burn romance, but six books in, I expected much more in terms of the personal relationship between Prudence and Geoffrey. I will likely continue with the series for at least one more book.

Thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley for my advanced review copy

[Jeannine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have liked that this series shows the darker side of the gilded age, but I was not prepared for sec trafficking of little girls and mutilation. The team also goes vigilante here, though all villains aren’t held accountable.

I’m going to need time to process this one.

[KOMET · Rating 5 out of 5]

On so many levels, The Dead Cry Justice has been one of the most gripping and suspenseful mystery novels that I've yet read. And what I also valued so much from reading this novel are the perspectives and insights it gave me into life in Gilded Age New York society. Were it not for the interest I've acquired for this era in U.S. history from watching the current HBO series The Gilded Age, I would not have come to this book.

The story begins in Washington Square Park in May of 1890. Prudence MacKenzie, a young, affluent, and well-to-do woman whose late father had been a distinguished and much respected judge in New York, is enjoying an outing with her beloved Blossom, a big, imposing, playful, red gold dog. Suddenly, as if out of nowhere, "{a] grimy, barefoot urchin in tattered shirt and ragged pants streaked across the grass, swooped within inches of the bench on which Prudence sat, and snatched up the package of sandwiches she hadn't yet opened." Prudence and Blossom managed to track down this boy to a basement in the University Building. There the boy has made a shelter and refuge for himself and a girl (who would prove to be his sister as the story unfolds) who is seriously ill and shows signs of having been brutalized.

With considerable effort, Prudence convinces the boy that she wants to help him and the girl and takes them to The Friends Refuge for the Sick Poor, a charity hospital run by the Quakers and staffed with volunteer workers and Dr. Charity Sloan, who has dedicated her life to caring for poor, abused children and women compelled to live on the fringes of society. Prudence, who has a keen interest in the law and works in an investigative law agency with Geoffrey Hunter, a former Pinkerton agent recovering from a gunshot injury that has forced him to rely on a cane for support, is weighing her choices as to whether or not to study law now that New York University's law school had at long last agreed to admit female students.

After ensuring both children are safe in The Refuge, Prudence returns the following day to find out that both of them had absconded from the building overnight, sight unseen. She is highly concerned about their welfare for the streets of New York can be extremely dangerous for children having to fend for themselves. Prudence suspects that both children are in danger and it is that concern that drives her on a quest to find them. This quest spurs the novel forward and exposes the reader to the grim poverty, violent crime, the lifestyles, wealth and power as represented by the Goulds and the Astors, the corruption of Tammany Hall and the local police, as well as views of the seedy side of life in a big city teeming with immigrants and the new technology as represented by the telephone and electricity that is gradually making inroads into the life and culture of New York (shortly before the advent of the subway and automobile).

Prudence, Geoffrey, and a variety of richly developed characters including the real life personages of Jacob Riis and the journalist Nellie Bly form part of a compelling drama that makes The Dead Cry Justice a real spellbinder. So much so, that I had to at times step away from the novel after reading a couple of chapters in quick succession because of the visceral reactions it triggered in me.

For anyone in search of a captivating and gripping historical mystery novel, look no further. It will be time well spent.

[Sarah-Hope · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm having mixed feelings about Rosemary Simpson's The Dead Cry Justice. It's the first of her mysteries I've read, and I found the cast of characters quite appealing: a judge's daughter turned private investigator, several former Pinkerton agents, a few individuals whose backgrounds are still mysterious, even though the series is up to its sixth volume, and a gang of street children who are the equivalent of Holmes' Baker Street Irregulars. I would be quite happy to spend more time with them by moving both backwards and forwards in this series.

But... (you knew there'd be a "but" didn't you?) the mystery in this particular title pushed the limits of what I want to read as entertainment. It's not a spoiler to say that The Dead Cry Justice revolves around the abuse suffered by street children during New York's gilded age. But the particular nature of that abuse made finishing this title a challenge for me. I'm hoping that if I go back and look over the other volumes in this series that I'll be able to find some that don't leave me teetering on that brink of discomfort. I want to spend more time with these characters—but only if I can do so on my own terms.

I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.

[Vintagebooklvr · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Gilded Age Mystery. The glitter of that age draws many to read about it but as the word is defined there is a baser material beneath and that is what this mystery deals with: the sexual exploitation of women (which happens in all times). Prudence MacKenzie and her partner Geoffrey Hunter try to help two street urchins, one has been badly beaten and sexually used. When the two disappear Prudence and Geoffrey must hunt the dangerous Five Points of New York to try to find them before the vicious predator they are running from finds them.

It is not my favorite subject to read about which lessened my enjoyment of the mystery. However, it is well written and researched. The characters are engaging. While it is the first book of this series that I have read it was easy to follow.

I would like to read the earlier books in the series to see how a rich heiress ends up being a partner with an ex-Pinkerton agent solving mysteries.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest opinion.

[Sherry Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series, this book was great.

[Laur · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heartbreaking read over the plight of street urchins that have been cast away, stolen, or orphaned children left and roaming the streets for survival.

Fast paced story with plenty of red herrings and twists.
Audio Narration is perfect.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

An entertaining series set in New York City in the late 1800’s (its Gilded Age) and centered around a young society woman, daughter of a judge, who co-operates a private investigation business with an ex-Pinkerton agent. Prudence MacKenzie is intelligent, warm-hearted and too bold for her own good. Her partner, Geoffrey Hunter, trusts her capable and intuitive investigative style for the most part but is constantly fighting his desire to protect her from harm. In this installment, Geoffrey is recovering from gunshot wounds that nearly killed him and Prudence is wrestling with the idea of pursuing a law education now that women are allowed in the law schools of New York University. She stumbles upon a couple of kids living on the street, likely a brother and sister, who are in need of help as the sister is gravely injured. Prudence finds medical help for the girl and soon realizes that she and her brother are in danger. As she and Geoffrey dive more into the sibling’s background they unearth a heinous underground sex club that victimizes young girls. With the help of their loyal associates like ex-cop Ned Hayes and Hansom-driver, Danny Dennis and their underground network of ex-Pinkerton agents and young sweeper boys who work for Danny, these two investigators work to bring down the club’s rich, privileged and depraved members. Certain elements of the plot of this story come off as contrived or implausible which is understandable with an investigative mystery centred around a young woman from the late 1800’s; a time where women were so constrained by lack of education, restrictive laws and societal norms. That said, The Dead Cry Justice moves at a fast pace with much suspense and many twists and turns and is an enjoyable read all the same.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 6th book in Simpson’s Gilded Age series and they just keep getting better and better.

Prudence MacKenzie is sitting on a park bench contemplating joining the first class of women allowed to study law at New York University when a young boy steals her sandwich. When she follows the child, she is quickly thrust into a mystery that involves the depraved underbelly of gilded age New York.

Simpson has done such a great job of creating a cast of reoccurring characters that are all so well developed that a big reason to read this series is to get to spend time with these characters again. However, her ability to craft a intricate historical mystery is really the main draw.

You can tell that there was a lot of research done for each of these books, and this book was no exception. I personally enjoy how each of the books relies heavily on the social discourse of the time such as the recently ended Civil War, immigration, and class disparity. Prudence, a relatively sheltered but highly intelligent young woman is our ‘in’ into the discourse as she is frequently exposed to the darker sides of her city for the first time while investigating each mystery.

This novel focuses a lot on child poverty and the mistreatment of young girls and women. This mystery is on the darker side and not a read for everyone, so be sure to check trigger warnings (I’ve included some below).

Read if your looking for, a dark mystery, gilded age setting, or a plot driven novel with well developed characters.

Content Warnings: mentions of sexual assault, incest, abuse, and neglect.

Note: I received and eARC of this book, but the thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.

[GONZA · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I like the historical reconstruction very much, as well as the detective story that characterizes each volume, I would like Prudence not to be so stupidly reckless and that after 6 books, the relationship between her and Geoffrey would take some precise path, because it would be time.

Se da una parte la ricostruzione storica mi piace molto, cosí come spesso anche il giallo che caratterizza ogni volume, mi piacerebbe che Prudence non fosse cosí stupidamente incosciente e che dopo 6 libri, la relazione tra lei e Geoffrey prendesse una qualche strada precisa, anche perché sarebbe anche ora.

[Eileen Lynx · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another good story. Shows the reader the seedy side of the “Gilded Age”.

[Randee Green · Rating 4 out of 5]

The future of Hunter and MacKenzie Investigative Law may be in jeopardy—Geoffrey Hunter is slowly recovering from a near-fatal shooting and Prudence MacKenzie has been invited to be one of the first women to be welcomed into New York University's Law School. While debating her next step, Prudence gets caught up in a new investigation as she tries to help two badly mistreated children. The sexually abused teenage girl has been permanently made up to look like a fancy, porcelain doll and her younger brother is determined to protect her from further abuse. Despite multiple people trying to help them, the two children flee into the teeming slums of New York City. While searching for the children, Prudence, Geoffrey, and their associates search the city from the elite private clubs to the brothels. They are trying to stay one step ahead of the person hunting the children, but their investigation leads Prudence straight into the fiend's clutches and puts her at risk of becoming the next human doll in one of New York's most elite and depraved secret clubs.

As usual, Rosemary Simpson brings to life the gilded era of New York City through her detailed descriptions. She also incorporates some real-life/well-known people into Prudence's and Geoffrey's investigation—including Jay Gould, Jacob Riis, and Nellie Bly. The subject matter (sex-trafficking and child abuse) will be disturbing for some readers, and it makes this novel darker/heavier than the previous novels. Overall, it was an interesting story, and the plot kept moving at a steady pace. I appreciate the various points of view and how they give the reader a fuller perspective of what is going on overall. Prudence is evolving into a very strong character, but she still has her flaws. Geoffrey is also allowing her more headway into conducing her own investigations. That being said, he is still very protective of her as she is still naive and has a tendency to accidentally get herself into serious trouble. Their personal relationship also seems to have moved on to a new level, and I'm excited to see what happens with them in the next novel.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

[Vicki Kondelik · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Dead Cry Justice is the sixth book in Rosemary Simpson's mystery series set in Gilded Age New York City, featuring Prudence MacKenzie, the daughter of a prominent judge, and Geoffrey Hunter, a former Pinkerton agent, who run a detective agency together. Prudence is in her early twenties and has suffered from laudanum addiction after the death of her father. She is frowned on by the high society of the Astors and Vanderbilts because she has decided to work for a living and formed a professional partnership with a man considered below her station. In spite of this, she is not completely shunned, and she still has connections in the world of New York's elite.

Geoffrey is quite a bit older than Prudence. His age is never stated, but he was an adult during the Civil War, so he is at least in his forties. Geoffrey is a Southerner who escaped from his family because of his anti-slavery views. As this book begins, Geoffrey is recovering from a near-fatal shooting. He knows he is lucky to be alive, but he wants to get back to solving cases as soon as possible, and is frustrated by his need to use a cane because it hampers his movement while chasing after criminals. Geoffrey and Prudence are clearly attracted to each other, although it was not love at first sight. Their relationship has developed gradually through the series. They still have not declared their feelings for each other. As Simpson's narrative takes us inside their heads, we know they want to, but they are concerned about what the consequences would be for their professional lives, and in terms of how they would be regarded by the outside world.

This book takes place in 1890, just as New York University's law school has finally decided to admit women. Prudence is trying to decide whether she wants to be part of that first female law class. Part of her wants to do it, but, as a friend of her late father points out to her, she has learned so much about the law from her father that she could probably pass the bar exam without going to law school. As she is sitting on a bench outside the law school with her golden retriever, Blossom, and contemplating her decision, a street urchin steals her sandwiches. When she goes after him, she finds he is hiding his teenage sister, who is very ill, in the cellar of the law school. Prudence has the girl taken to a refuge run by Quakers, where a female doctor who is a friend of Prudence's, Dr. Sloan, examines her and finds the girl has been sexually abused.

The children disappear from the refuge, and Prudence's and Geoffrey's initial investigation leads them to an orphanage, where it turns out that two boys matching the street urchin's description have been murdered. They have obviously been mistaken for the boy Prudence and Geoffrey are trying to find. The children's lives are in danger, but all the early investigations lead to dead ends. A madam at a high-class brothel, who had helped Prudence on an earlier case, tells her that the girl, like so many others, has probably been sold into prostitution.

Prudence and Geoffrey receive help from several real-life historical figures, including the photographer and social reformer Jacob Riis, whose picture of the two missing children, which he took as part of his important series of pictures of New York's tenement dwellers, showing the horrible conditions in which they lived, is the only image they have of the children. Also making an appearance is the investigative reporter Nellie Bly, who wishes she could be of more help, but who thinks that girls being sold into prostitution is such a commonplace occurrence that it wouldn't be newsworthy. (Having read a wonderful novel about Nellie Bly, What Girls Are Good For by David Blixt, I was hoping to see more of her in this novel. I wonder if she will reappear in a future book in the series.)

Bly does, however, introduce Prudence to a new character, Detective Warren Lowry, who became a police detective because his teenage sister has disappeared, and Prudence suspects she has been taken to the same place as the girl she's trying to find. Lowry has solved every case that has come to him, except the one dearest to his heart: the disappearance of his sister. Prudence and Lowry have a certain chemistry when they're together, and I wonder if he will become a rival to Geoffrey for Prudence's affections.

An important clue arrives in the form of a porcelain doll, sent anonymously to Prudence, which bears a strong resemblance to the missing girl. When Prudence visits the shop where the doll was made, she finds it is full of lifelike dolls dressed in the latest fashions, which upper-class women buy for their daughters. Soon Prudence realizes the shop is a front for an exclusive brothel where wealthy men indulge their depraved tastes for young girls, and that time is running out for her to rescue the missing girl.

Simpson's series includes amazing details of life in late 19th century New York, from the gilded parlors and ballrooms of the upper classes to the horrific conditions in the tenements, alleyways, and brothels. This particular book is darker in tone than the previous one, and covers a distasteful topic, the sale of young girls into prostitution, which, sadly, is still with us today. But Simpson writes very sensitively about her topic, and conveys a sense of what these girls had to face without being excessively graphic. In a way, the suggestion of what they went through is more powerful than being shown the gruesome details.

Prudence and Geoffrey are very sympathetic characters, and the reader wants them to get together (although Lowry is rather appealing, as well). Prudence often puts herself in danger and doesn't tell Geoffrey where she's going because she knows he will try to stop her. Not to give away too much, but she is lucky she gets out alive. There are several wonderful characters who are regulars in the series. I have already mentioned Dr. Sloan, the female Quaker doctor. Also important is Danny Dennis, an Irish hansom cab driver, who drives around the city with his magnificent white horse, Mr. Washington, and has a network of street urchins who run errands for him and help Prudence and Geoffrey with their cases. Ned Hayes is a former policeman who was forced off the police because of alcoholism and because he saved the life of one of the leaders of New York's criminal underworld. He is an old friend of Geoffrey's and uses his connections to the criminal gangs to help him and Prudence in their investigations. I highly recommend this book to people who love historical mysteries. It stands on its own, and it is not necessary to have read the previous books in the series. I have not read all of them. It certainly made me want to go back and read the ones I've missed.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of my favourite series', and this book continued my enjoyment of it.

One of the things I enjoy about the series is that the author provides history of the Gilded Age era in New York (and occasionally other places in the US) that is combined with her fictional plots for her characters. Books that provide a history lesson in addition to a good story are ones that I usually enjoy.

The story here is a disturbing reminder of how consistently men take advantage of, brutalize, and violate women in virtually every era of history. Some of what happens here is difficult to read, but a good thing to remember so we can try to guard against it whenever possible.

I very much enjoy the characters in this series, Prudence and Geoffrey particularly, but also all the people in their orbit who form part of their created family. Prudence insisting on being a detective with Geoffrey in every sense of the word makes her a likable character and someone a reader can connect with and root for as she tries to forge a new path despite the insistence of her society that she should be docile, polite and vacant, and I love her for that determination against all odds.

I definitely plan to continue with this series. Each book is another terrific read!

[BOOKLOVER EB · Rating 5 out of 5]

In her latest mystery, "The Dead Cry Justice," Rosemary Simpson condemns the reprehensible activities of certain wealthy men who pretend to be respectable members of society. Not only do these monsters abuse children, but they also bribe members of law enforcement to look the other way. Miss Prudence Mackenzie is an heiress whose late father, Judge MacKenzie—a person respected for his expertise, fairness, and incorruptibility—gave his daughter an extensive education in the law. Currently, Prudence works with Geoffrey Hunter in their private inquiry agency. While Hunter recovers from serious injuries that he suffered in the line of duty, he, Prudence, and their associates try to take down a cult-like group of men who brutally exploit young women.

In 1890, New York City is a place where rich people reside in beautiful mansions with servants at their beck and call, while the poor struggle to obtain food, clothing, and shelter. One day, Prudence encounters a homeless boy and his gravely ill sister. She takes the pair to Dr. Charity Sloan, a Quaker who operates a refuge for the sick and impoverished. Subsequently, Miss MacKenzie and her associates embark on an investigation that will take them to the dreary, congested, and unhygienic City Asylum for Orphan Boys and Foundlings; a house of ill-repute owned by the businesslike and savvy Madame Jolene; and an eerie doll shop managed by a sinister salesman.

The author includes fascinating cameo appearances by the passionate social reformer, Jacob Riis, and the journalist, Nellie Bly. Prudence is a compassionate and strong-minded heroine who repeatedly rushes into dangerous situations, much to Geoffrey's consternation. This absorbing and chilling tale pits courageous and resourceful protagonists against odious villains. Furthermore, the author explores the controversial theme of vigilante justice. Are there circumstances when it is appropriate to mete out retribution outside of a courtroom? This is a suspenseful, thought-provoking, and heartbreaking work of fiction that graphically depicts the hypocrisy, debauchery, and terrible suffering in New York City during the late nineteenth century.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's May 1890, New York in the Gilded Age and Prudence MacKenzie, daughter of a prominent judge, has been invited to join the first law school class that will allow women. It puts her at a turning point in her life. The time is right as her partner in the Hunter and MacKenzie Investigative Law Agency has no new clients and Hunter (ex-Pinkerton agent and a lawyer) is still mending after nearly being shot to death. As she contemplates her future it takes a turn into a case that is very dark, ugly and disturbing. A street child steals her sandwich and her chase leads her to a badly beaten young girl. She manages to take the girl, and the boy she was chasing, to the Quaker hospital for treatment. Next thing she knows both children are again on the run and Prudence sets out to uncover a child trafficking group with connections to both the highest of New York's society to the very dregs of society.
I like this series because it's historically accurate and pulls no punches. Prudence has a mind of her own at a time when women are really shaking things up. One of the historical women making an appearance in this mystery is Nellie Bly. While the subject matter is disturbing it is a glimpse into our history. The mystery is complex and full of twists, turns and red herrings with a great cast of characters both good and evil. My one very mild complaint? I want the relationship between Prudence and Geoffrey to move faster. It didn't bother me enough to take away a star.
My thanks to the publisher Kensington and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this audio book on Audible over the past couple days. It is my first "Gilded Age" mystery by Rosemary Simpson but sixth in the series. I'm glad I tried this series out. I'll read the rest from the beginning. In The Dead Cry Justice, Prudence McKenzie and her partner Geoffrey Hunter get caught up in trying to locate and help two young people, a boy around age 13 and a girl around age 15, who disappeared after Prudence rescued them and got them help. The girl was badly beaten. Both of them were not able to speak due to trauma. The girl had some odd features. They both had blonde hair and dark brown eyes. Geoffrey, still recovering from a near fatal gun shot in a prior case is raring to get back to work. Featured in the book is a Quaker refuge in Five Points, the violent gang ridden neighborhood of the era. The Refuge serves street women and helped out with the young couple Prudence found. As she attempts to identify and locate these two, Prudence and her colleagues start to uncover some information on the white slave trade and great depravity related to the predilections of some unsavory but well known men. Along the way, we learn about the reform movement that blames sex workers for their issues; that NYU Law School admitted its first women during this era; a bit about NY upper class upbringing of girls; about street children and those who ended up in orphanages, about Five Points, about Jacob Riess, the famous tenement photographer and Jay Gould, a railroad magnate. A well plotted, sometimes very grim but not graphically so for the most part mystery that has very interesting characters and was engaging throughout.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in 1890 New York during bustling industrialization, this story is full of heart tugging anguish, sadness, heartbreak, injustice and hope. Daughter of a judge, privileged but extremely compassionate Prudence MacKenzie longs to become a lawyer which is nearly impossible in this era. Females are just being allowed to study at university but male students play cruel pranks on them, illustrating that women are not welcome in a man's world.

One day, while lunching outside, a street urchin steals Prudence's sandwiches. Who would have thought that act would uncover an evil child sex trafficking enterprise? Her friend and partner, Geoffrey Hunter, ex-Pinkerton, aids her in her quest for the truth in children's abuse and disappearances and the sick individuals who make it happen. Josh, Danny and Ned have roles to play as well. So does Dr. Charity Sloane. I just love her!

The subject is a sobering but important one, very eye opening. Though disturbing, the doll link is fascinating. The multisensory historical details are described vividly and not glossed over. Extreme poverty and degradation abound and my heart broke for the children. Unfathomable despair.

If you like social justice and reform in your Historical Fiction, do read this book, the sixth in the series. Do know that you reading the previous books is not necessary to follow but you ought to as they are good! Each of the books is easy to get lost in.

My sincere thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this thought-provoking and emotive book.

[Michelle Kidwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Dead Cry Justice
by Rosemary Simpson
Pub Date 30 Nov 2021
Kensington Books, Kensington
Historical Fiction | Mystery & Thrillers


I am reviewing a copy of The Dead Cry Justice through Kensington Books and Netgalley:


In May 1890 NYU Law School finally agrees to admit female law students, Judge MacKenzie’s daughter Prudence weighs her choices carefully. As Prudence ways her concerns among the top is how her decision would affect the Hunter and MacKenzie Investigative Law agency and her professional and personal relationship with the partner who is currently recuperating from a near fatal shooting.


Even more pressing issues come up as a street Urchin, whose act of petty theft inadvertently leads Prudence to a badly beaten girl he is protecting. Fearing for the girl’s life, Prudence rushes her to the Friends Refuge for the Sick Poor, run by the compassionate Charity Sloan. When the boy and girl slip out of their care and run away, Prudence suspects they are fleeing a dangerous predator and is desperate to find them.


Prudence is aided by the photographer and social reformer Jacob Riis and the famous journalist Nellie Bly, Prudence and Geoffrey scour the tenements and brothels of Five Points. Their only clue is a mysterious doll with an odd resemblance to the missing girl. But as the destitute orphans they encounter whisper the nickname of the killer who stalks them—Il diavolo, Prudence and Geoffrey must race against time to find the missing children before their merciless enemies do.


I give The Dead Cry Justice five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

[Gina · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Dead Cry Justice by Rosemary Simpson is the sixth book in her Gilded Age series, which has gotten progressively stronger with each novel. The characters are well-drawn, and I enjoy reading about Josiah, Danny, Ned, and the others as much as I do Prudence and Geoffrey.

After a street urchin grabs Prudence's lunch, she and her partner are plunged into a case where young women are being kidnapped and forced into a bizarre niche of prostitution. Prudence has also been offered a place in the first class to admit women to study law, now that women may be admitted to the bar in New York. She puts her potential law career on hold to track down the men behind the kidnappings. Geoffrey is struggling to recover from his near-fatal shooting during their last case, and trying to balance his desire to protect Prudence with her desire to be treated as an equal partner.

Prudence, however, acts most imprudently in this latest offering, and seems to do so for no better reason other to put her in jeopardy so that she can be rescued. It felt a bit like Simpson wrote herself into a corner, and the only way she could get the detectives to solve the case was to have Prudence be in peril. It was a bit disappointing.

3 out of 5 stars

I received an advance copy from Kensington and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

[Fred · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Dead Cry Justice is the sixth book in the A Gilded Age Mystery series by Rosemary Simpson.

The University of the City of New York’s Law School will admit women for the first time and has invited Prudence MacKenzie to join that first class. With her partner in Hunter and MacKenzie Investigative Law, Geoffrey Hunter, still recovering from a near-fatal gunshot and not taking any new cases, she would certainly have time to study for a law degree.

While sitting on a bench near the university, Prudence is completing whether she should enroll in law school when a young street urchin steals the sandwiches she has next to her. As he runs off, Blossom, Prudence’s dog, and Prudence take off in pursuit. When Prudence sees him enter through a school building doo,r she enters and soon finds the young boy standing near a young girl who is in desperate need of medical attention. Prudencecano convinces the young boy to let her take them to a Quakers-run hospital. It is thought that children are between 12-15. Upon examination,n it is learned that the girl has been sexually abused at some time. Everyone was shocked that the girl had the appearance of a porcelain doll. The following day when a nurse goes to check on the patient, the girl is gone. It is thought that her brother had returned during the night and had taken the girl.

Prudence, Geoffrey, Ned set out to find the two children. They will be helped by Poice Detective Lowrwhosewho sister had been kidnapped without a trace. Their investigation will take them to the seedier parts of New York City and various elite private men’s clubs and brothels in the hope that someone can provide information as to who or where this illicit child sex-trafficking activity is taking place.

The book is well-researched, leading to a well-written and plotted book. The characters are well-developed and believable. The book moves at a good pace and is hard to put down. Child trafficking is despicable, but the author handles it in a compassionate and caring way.

The Author’s Note’s are well worth reading also.

I love this series and am looking forward to the next book in the series.

[Susan Feaster · Rating 4 out of 5]

Prudence MacKenzie, an heiress turned sleuth and daughter of a former New York judge, is weighing her options now that New York University has decided to admit women to its law school. Before she can make a decision, a street urchin steals Prudence’s sandwich, leading to a chase through the park and and into a basemen where Prudence discovers a badly beaten young girl. This leads to the discovery of other orphans and to a search for their tormentors.

In “The Dead Cry Justice”, the 6th installment in the Gilded Age Mysteries, Rosemary Simpson offers us a very satisfying read. I have not read the others in the series, but this one stands on its own, with background on the characters from other stories included seamlessly here.

This is a timely tale of abused children and the search to res them. Prudence is a likeable character. She and the other characters are well written, the period is vividly described, and the dialogue genuine and believable. All in all, an excellent choice for mystery lovers.

I received an advance copy from the publisher and Net Galley in exchange for my opinion.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a tough read because such things still happen to victims of trafficking everywhere in the world.
A stolen sandwich leads the investigative pair of Hunter (the ex-Pinkerton) and MacKenzie (wealthy daughter of a prominent former judge) Investigative Law on the trail of some very vile men with the help of their usual inventive assistants plus a wealthy police inspector with an agenda much like theirs. Along the way we meet the intrepid journalist Nelly Bly (10 Days in a Madhouse), Jacob Riis (photographer who exposed life in the tenements in *The Golden Age*), the daughter of Jay Gould, the Quaker Refuge in the notorious 5 Points, and even a prominent brothel keeper. And how could one forget the disgusting misogynist law professor at NYU Law School? We not only learn about depravity, but quite a lot about the very expensive Fashion Dolls of the day. The plot has a lot of suspense and moves along irregularly (but that's a good thing) with lots of twists and red herrings. All of the characters are clear and engaging. Very well done.
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Kensington Books via NetGalley. Thank you.

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 6th installment in a mystery series that I really enjoy.

Taking place in late 1800s NY, detective partners Prudence (a brilliant heiress who dreams of attending law school) and Geoffrey (an ex-Pinkerton southern gentleman) search for a brother/sister who have been living on the streets and are being hunted. In the process, they uncover a horrific sexual fetish private club who kidnap young girls with certain characteristics.

I love both this author’s well-drawn characters (especially the intrepid, fearless Prudence) and her well-thought-out plots. And I’ll also add that she doesn’t shy away from seedy, uncomfortable and dark subject matter (sexual/physical/psychological abuse).

My only regret was the quick insert and exit of a new and interesting secondary character that I really liked. I understood the reasoning for his departure even though I still hold out hope that he might return at a later date.

Wonderful read.

My thanks to #NetGalley , #KensingtonBooks and #RosemarySimpson for providing me the free early arc of #TheDeadCryJustice for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

[Ginny · Rating 3 out of 5]

This latest installment in Rosemary Simpson’s Gilded Age series explores the darkest corners of life in turn-of-the-century New York, including poverty, sex trafficking and prostitution. The mystery that Prudence and Geoffrey investigate starts when a young boy steals Prudence’s lunch when she is sitting on a park bench. She eventually locates the boy's hiding place and this leads her into a world of which she was totally unaware. One of the best parts of this series is the growing relationship between Prudence and Geoffrey; unfortunately there was not much development seen in this book. Despite the fact that each of them privately admits to themselves the strong feelings they have for each other, neither of them is honest enough to express their feelings aloud—even after both have come close to losing their lives. As a reader, it is disappointing to once again see these two lack the courage to share their feelings with each other. In addition, Prudence seemed more foolhardy in her pursuit of the truth than in the past. She takes risks several times that seem out of character for a woman with her intelligence.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #Kensington for the advance copy.