The Carnation Murder: An Early 20th Century Mystery

Adele Gossling Mysteries #1

by Tam May

Can a forward-thinking woman help the police solve a murder in a backward-thinking town?

Smart inquisitive, and a firm believer in the new progressive reforms, Adele Gossling seeks a new life after the devastating death of her father. So she flees the big city of San Francisco for the small town of Arrojo. She plans a life of peace and small pleasures running her own stationery shop and living in her own house.

But peace is exactly what she doesn’t get when she discovers her neighbor dead in her gazebo. The police think they have a firm suspect: the young man who was secretly engaged to the victim. But Adele and her clairvoyant new friend Nin Branch suspect the young man is innocent. In spite of the raised eyebrows from Arrojo’s Victorian-minded citizens, she and Nin set out to prove Richard Tanning didn’t do it. But if he didn’t, who did?

Can Adele and Nin solve this puzzling case involving a striped carnation, a diamond ring, a note, a muddy pair of boots, and a broken promise? Or will Richard hang for a crime he didn’t commit and the real killer go free?

Genres: Mystery, Historical, Historical Fiction, Ebooks, Cozy, Fiction, Crime

358 pages, Paperback

Published March 21, 2022

About the author

Writing has been Tam’s voice since the age of fourteen. She writes stories set in the past featuring sassy but sensitive women characters. Readers share the experience of women struggling to carve out an identity for themselves during eras when their options were limited. Her stories are set mostly around the Bay Area because she adores sourdough bread, Ghirardelli chocolate, and San Francisco history.

Tam is the author of the Adele Gossling Mysteries, which takes place in the early 20th century and features suffragist and epistolary expert Adele Gossling, whose talent for solving crimes doesn’t sit well with her small town’s conventional ideas about women. Tam also has a new series, the Grave Sisters Mysteries, about three sisters who own a funeral home and help the county D.A. solve crimes in a 1920s small California town.

In addition, Tam writes historical fiction about women breaking loose from the social expectations of their time. She has a 4-book series set in the 1890s, the Waxwood Series, and a post-World War II short story collection, *Lessons From My Mother’s Life*.

Although Tam left her heart in San Francisco, she lives in the Midwest because it’s cheaper. When she’s not writing, she’s devouring everything classic (books, films, art, music), concocting yummy plant-based dishes, and exploring her riverside town.

Reviews

[Lise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Starting afresh in Arrojo, California, Adele "Del" Gossling is ready to shake up the small town with her newfangled automobile and her intention to be a working woman with her own stationery shop. When her new neighbour, Lucy, is murdered, Del pushes aside Edwardian conventions and joins her brother and the local sheriff to convict the culprit.

This cosy contained an unusual premise of a New Woman pushing for equality in a town with many closed minds. Ironically, some of the most reticent to change were females themselves. I would have liked a slightly faster tempo with this story since the murderer's identity was telegraphed relatively early on.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

1900 Arrojo. Not long after Adele Gossling arrived in the town a murder occurs. She persuades her brother to help her and the Sheriff To investigate.
An enjoyable historical mystery though I really didn;t take to Adele. Overall a decent start to a new series.

[Dave Measner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book 1 in the Adele Gossling mystery series and it is a very good start to the series,
Adele moves to Arrojo to start a fresh life after the passing of her father. She is an unconventional young woman for these times, turn of the century, and especially for the staid community of Arrojo. Starting her new busines things go slowly until she meets Lucy Blackstone. Not only does she support her business but decides to throw a welcome party for her.
The next day Lucy's body is found in Adele's gazebo and she feels bound to help solve her friend's murder. She worms her way into the sheriff's investigation and has him add her brother, a former detective, assist in the case. With the help of her friend Nin and her intelligence and persistence they pursue the truth.
A well written story with strong and interesting characters and a decent plot, I recommend this book to mystery lovers and fans of intelligent, strong female leads. I look forward to more adventures for Adele and her crew.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book."

[Geetha Krishnan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an extremely entertaining read. I do love myself a progressive woman who fights for justice! I love how smart and observant Adele is, and the cast of characters including the old hens and Mrs. Hatfield. I feel like Nin wasn't given much room to grow, being in Adele's shade and I'm so sad for Lucy who was an amazing young woman and whose life was cut so short.

Adele Gossling is a young, independent woman, who has lived in San Fransisco all her life and who has moved to the small town of Arrojo following her father's death. She had a very close relationship with her father and wants to live some place without the memories. She has bought a house of her own and has hired people to cook and clean for her and is starting a stationery shop. The conservative women of Arrojo have difficulty accepting her, but Lucy, her neighbour, is also a progressive woman despite having a despotic father. Lucy strikes up a friendship with Adele, and even throws a welcome party for her. But the morning after the party, Lucy's dead body is found in Adele's gazebo.

Adele's brother Jackson used to be a private detective and the local sheriff, Horatio Hatfield is more than happy to have his—and by extension, Adele's—assistance. Adele has also struck up a friendship with Nin Branch, who runs the shop next to hers, and who's a pariah in the town. Together, the four investigate the murder, and discovers truths that should have remained hidden in the process.

I do love Adele, her sass and her sharpness as also her initiative. Nin is more of a passive character, but she does come through when needed. Jackson is struggling with his own demons and his conservative nature, but he mostly lets Adele have her way. Not that he could have stopped her. Hatfield and his formidable mother are both very progressive and are happy to let Adele help with the investigation.

The one thing I didn't like about Adele is how blind she is to Jackson's trauma regarding their father. It's very evident that his relationship with their father was far different from Adele's but she refuses to see it or pay attention to it. I hope that the author explores that dynamic further in the remaining books because my heart literally hurt for poor Jackson who have no one to talk to about it since his sister will only invalidate his feelings.

On the whole, this was a well written, well presented, and thrilling mystery with a very satisfying conclusion and a host of very likeable, though flawed, characters.

This will appeal to fans of mystery books with women sleuths and historical settings.

[Silvia Molinari · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tam May’s The Carnation Murder offers an intriguing premise: a forward-thinking woman in the early 20th century helping solve a murder in a conservative small town. The novel’s setting in the quaint and repressive world of Arrojo is appealing, and the writing style flows smoothly, making it an accessible read.
Adele Gossling, the independent protagonist, and her clairvoyant friend Nin Branch, take center stage. While their progressive perspectives provide an interesting contrast to the Victorian-minded townsfolk, their characterizations occasionally feel overly stereotypical, which detracts from their authenticity.
The plot starts with potential but falters due to a lack of a compelling central mystery. The victim’s death feels arbitrary, with no truly convincing motive behind the crime. Additionally, the pacing often feels rushed. For instance, Adele’s reaction to discovering her neighbor’s body is oddly casual, as she quickly moves on to breakfast without much emotional impact—a moment that could have carried more weight.
The book’s ending also left me wanting more. The resolution felt hasty, leaving certain elements underexplored and unsatisfying. While The Carnation Murder is an enjoyable read with some highlights, it lacks the depth and intrigue necessary to entice me to continue with the series.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the moment Adele roars up to Arrojo, California’s downtown in her newfangled automobile and confronts the hobsnobs, I rooted and cheered for this firmly kind progressive young woman. It’s not easy trying to live the life you want; definitely not when you’re a single young woman in 1904. Adele sets up housekeeping in a classic abandoned home and sets up a stationery business with her inheritance from her late father, a San Francisco attorney. Adele’s handsome single brother, Jackson, a former detective now at loose ends, occasionally comes to check on her, and the two of them become embroiled in a murder investigation after an unfortunate neighbor girl’s body is discovered in Adele’s gazebo.
May did a great job of establishing several suspects and unique plot twists. I love mysteries and truly wasn’t completely certain about the identity of the murderer until the end. Adele gradually turns the hoity toity neighbors into allies and friends, and Jackson learns to find peace with his own special set of policing skills. Fully fleshed characters and well-researched for era and setting, readers who like mysteries with strong female sleuths and unique characters will enjoy this first book in a new series.

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Glad you gave it a go

I really enjoyed this book and the characters, Adele, Nin, Jackson, Sheriff Hatfield and his mother Lady Augusta. I did figure out who the murderer was early, but the way the story was written from the beginning kept me reading till the end and I'm glad I did. I enjoyed it so much I purchased the next book before I was done with this one. I was sad at who the victim was, because the short time she was in the story I really enjoyed her and her energy, I was hoping she'd be around for awhile. Adele is a great character. She's not letting anyone hold her back just because she is a woman. Nin is a good friend to have along with Adele they work well together and I was glad to see the sheriff was open minded and didn't ignore everything Adele said or did, considering it was her who figured it all out. I'm looking forward to the next book and if its anything like this one I'm sure I'll be buying the third book half way through also.

[Theresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I read books with lots of information, I wish it had more conversation. This book has it drastically the other way. There is so much conversation that the reader finds much of the story out from what the characters say to each other.

The book paves the way for other stories by introducing us to other characters. I have to admit that Adele and her brother talked about some character that was never explained who he was, but from the convo I assumed he was a not well liked ex. Later in the book we meet him and he is horrid. The extremist feminist was an odd choice and I can't help wondering if she will be a perpetrators or a victim in a following story.

I knew who the killer was from practically the first time the character is mentioned and I never know who it is.

I wish the author would have spend more time explaining the characters. I feel like she was holding some of it back to use in following stories, but I never felt like I knew any of them.

[TaniaRina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Small town living after life in the big city

Fave quote:
‘It’s a father’s privilege to give his daughter her first string of pearls.’
And that’s exactly what my Granddaddy did when my mother graduated from high school. Classy traditions stand the test of time.

I’m no feminist, but I definitely promote the empowerment of females regardless of which part of the century. We need to teach our girls AND BOYS that people are people and need to be respected equally. Each individual has his or her own strengths, interests, and capabilities. Even though the playing field is never even, the adults in all cultures and levels of society have a responsibility to nurture each child and to provide as many resources as necessary to ensure a healthy and happy person.
And the above can be done in conjunction with traditional roles.

Now on to the newly released ‘Death at Will’!

[Anne Newman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Miss Adele Gossling arrives in Arrojo driving a car! This upsets the local ladies. She also opens a Stationery Shop & gets no buyers until her neighbour buys something. Lucy had waved to Adele from her garden. Lucy then gives a welcome party for Adele & her brother Jackson is invited too, as is Nin, Adele’s shop neighbour. Sadly Lucy is murdered. Found in Adele’s gazebo. Due to his previous experience with detective agencies Jackson is begged to help the local Sheriff. Naturally the wrong person is accused & Adele with help from Nin & encouraged by the Sheriff gets it sorted, but, not before a second murder.

[Doris Brase · Rating 4 out of 5]

Flower Power

It's an interesting tale of a young woman at the turn of the century becoming independent. Havine just lost her beloved father, Adele buys a house, a business location and parks her car in a small provincial town in southern California. She slowly makes friends and becomes involved with Lucy, a precocious 20 year old. Lucy insists on throwing her a welcoming party. Lucy winds up murdered. It's a painstaking job of finding the culprit. Each tiny clue is gone over by tbe sheriff, Adele's brother, a dectective, and Adele. There are interesting characters reflective of the time period.

[HAL · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Solid Crime Mystery

Many might give this 5 stars. It is well written, has a nice plot, the clues are slowly dribbled out and the characters are likeable (Adele and Jackson and a couple of townspeople). I appreciate the fact the heroine is usually level headed and there isn't undue drama from rash decisions that often arise from those pursuing criminals. But she is determined and does it in her own, feminine way which baffles her brother Jackson). This was good entertainment and if I decided to keep it on my kindle it would have gotten 5 stars. I am keeping it in my library and can easily recommend this book for any age old enough to enjoy a great mystery.

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having read the second novel in this series, I felt the need to return to the first one to see how the relationships unfold. Adele moves from the city to a small town for change. Taking place during the suffragists movement, she finds herself the topic of town gossip as she opens her new business.

Adele overcomes their scrutiny, deftly deflecting their concerns about her independent attitude, while helping the local sheriff solve the murder of one of the towns favorite young women. You can't help but get engrossed in the cast of characters, rooting for them to become a part of one another's lives.

I'm looking forward to reading the third mystery in the series.

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't usually read cozy mystery stories, but I decided to give this series a chance. I instantly liked the main character, Adele. She's an independent and highly observant person. She's also intelligent and empathetic, which helps her gain valuable clues from unexpected sources. She even knows how to chat with the townswomen, who disapprove of her independent living, for possible clues and information about the town and its residents. The plot was engaging, with new layers added to the mystery as it progressed.

There were several memorable characters. Jackson was an irritating character. The number of times he was obnoxious or made a snide comment about Nin's power (and instantly apologized because Adele reprimanded him) was repetitive.

Some details in the story were inconsistent, like the ring being on the bracelet later on, even though Adele mentioned it wasn't on the bracelet when she found it. Also, Adele returned the packet of letters except one to Richard, but afterwards it states she re-examined all of them in the police station. There were also minor errors in the writing, but that didn't affect my enjoyment of the story.

(CW: misogyny, murder, brief description of violence)

[Julia Bell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good story and I did enjoy it. The Carnation Murder had some interesting characters and I do like it when this involves some strong female leads. Adele is what is called a 'new woman' in the early 20th century as is Nin and Elsie. Adele's attempt at solving the murder is interesting although the final outcome was predictable. Sometimes I found the dialogue didn't flow very well but this didn't detract from my enjoyment.
I recommend this novel for anyone who enjoys historical murder mysteries.

[Simone · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book in the Adele Gossling Mystery series.
I love reading historical crime and I love cozies.
Although this story is classed as a cozy, I would not class it as such -
However, it did not impede my enjoyment of the book at all.
I love the fact that Adele is very ahead of the times.
Highly recommended to all crime fiction lovers.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

[Larry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Much better than I expected

Most of the historical mysteries I have read were set in the latter part of the 20th century. This was my first one set in the early part. I am quite impressed. The plot is easily followed, the characters, especially the protagonists are very interesting, and the premise is intriguing. I was surprised by who did the murders and why. I definitely recommend this book.

[Page · Rating 3 out of 5]

The mystery seemed pretty obvious from the start but sometimes its fun to watch the steps the detective takes to get there. I had a hard time accepting that the sheriff would allow so much investigative freedom for Jackson let alone Adel. He had just met them and they were new to town. Nin's bad attitude didn't endear her to me. Overall, this was a 2.5 star read for me. It has enough promise that I'll read the next one which is why I chose to round up.

[Tess Ailshire · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad set up novel, introducing a number of characters who will surely appear in later books in the series. One can appreciate the main characters, and they're reasonably well developed.

It could use a good proofreading.

I did feel the story went on 20-30% longer than it might have; a good edit might have tightened it up a bit. However, I can't point to any specifics, so perhaps it's just my sense. It's worth the read.

[Cherie Hicks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adele is a badass

Emerging from a culture that considers women weak, Adele defies every stereotype, challenging the notions that women are too stupid to run a business, too ignorant to solve a murder mystery.
Set at the turn of the 20th century, Adele leaves her life in San Francisco for a small town where she befriends the outcast and changes how strangers and close family think about the role of women.
Excellent read.

[Kate Wells · Rating 5 out of 5]

A slow teasing out of the clues results in a satisfying mystery (not quite cozy - the victim was rather likeable). Adele and Nin are feisty, Jackson somewhat straight-laced and uptight, giving plenty of scope for conflicting ideas. I appreciated the variety in the language. Received as a complimentary copy from the author in return for an honest review.

[Sherry Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bloomin’ good read

Adele is a great character and the insight into lavender carnations was truly a great little bonus! There was not a plethora of logical suspects so it was easy to guess the guilty party early on. Author took a round about way of getting there that maybe could have been either pared down or more deeply developed. All in all still a decent read.

[Carol Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this light, easy to read mystery with characters that were authentic in their reactions to the plot. Adele, and her brother together with the local sheriff attempt to solve the murder of the local ingénue who is found with a violet tipped carnation under her corpse. Other characters enter and exit the investigation and romance seems to be looming on the horizon in subsequent stories.

[Barb Hegreberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got hooked on Adele Gosling while reading the free novella The Missing Ruby Necklace. I love stories that feature strong independent women. Add to that a good whodunnit and you have a win in my book.

I received this book free from the author, publisher, or other source. My only obligation is to provide a fair and honest review.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Easy and fun read

Escaping the big city, San Francisco, Adele sets up a home and business in a small town unaccustomed to cars and intelligent women who think and care for themselves. Adele is all that and more, and here May builds the characters, set, and plot which fuels the Gossling Murder series.

[Janna · Rating 5 out of 5]

A mysterious whodunit!
Very good, kept you guessing who the murderer is.
A witty unconventional and lovable strong female lead.
Little lite on the romance though.


I received this book free for my honest review

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good clean read

With many twists and turns. Kept my interest throughout. Suspected the murderer earlier but thought I was wrong as could think of no reason for the deed so kept guessing. New author for me and will look for more of her books. Enjoy.

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super interesting book

Compelling, rich characters, extremely well researched, excellent plot, are all descriptive of this book but don't do it justice. It would have been too easy to stay awake all night reading it. I loved it!

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting characters

This was an interesting murder bc both the victim and the murderer were unusual choices for this kind of mystery. All of the characters seem to be troubled by something. One gets the feeling more is to be learned.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Historical cosy mystery with interesting characters

I really enjoyed the characters. They were interesting and I look forward to learning more about them especially their pasts and how it has contributed to who they are now.