What do you think?
Rate this book
Glynis Tryon #1
Seneca Falls Inheritance
In the small town of Seneca Falls, New York, history was in the making. And so was murder... Amidst the bustle of the Women's Rights Convention of 1848, the independent, free-thinking town librarian Glynis Tryon is called on by Elizabeth Cady Stanton to help organize the historic event. But when a body turns up in the canal, Glynis puts her natural curiosity and her talent for sleuthing to work and takes a stand against a murderer...
304 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1992
29 people are currently reading
545 people want to read
About the author
Miriam Grace Monfredo
21 books41 followersMiriam Grace Monfredo, a former librarian and a historian, lives in Rochester, New York. This is the seventh Seneca Falls Mystery. A previous Seneca Falls Mystery, The Stalking-Horse, was chosen by the Voice of Youth Advocacy as one of 1998's best adult mysteries for young adults and received a "best" review in Library Journal's young adult section.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 108 reviews
August 7, 2018
Glynis Tryon is the librarian of a private library in the sleepy village of Seneca Falls, New York. Her work has brought her into contact with Elizabeth Cady Stanton who is trying to organize a meeting for women's rights. When Glynis's kind benefactor Freidrich Steicher and his wife die in a tragic accident, Glynis is devastated. She fears his son Karl will remove her from her position and as an unmarried woman, what else can she do? A mysterious woman comes to town searching for Mrs. Stanton and abruptly heads off to find her. The next time Glynis sees this woman, Rose Walker, Mrs. Walker is lying dead in the canal. Could her death have something to do with Steicher family secrets? What happened to the family Bible that accidentally made it's way to the library and could solve the mystery of the mysterious Mrs. Walker. With her friend, the sheriff Cullen Stuart, Glynis is determined to figure out who killed Mrs. Walker and why.
I didn't read all of this book word for word. It was too long and dark for my personal tastes. The author deftly ties in the issues of women's rights of the 19th-century and links those issues to the characters. There are dark secrets in the town involving prostitution, gambling, corruption, alcoholism, wife abuse, too frequent pregnancies and past relationships. There's also the issue of marriage and married women's property. I read enough to figure out who the killer was just before Glynis did. It was a hunch but Glynis found the evidence in a very gutsy and surprising move. It was very sad.
Glynis is a character I can REALLY relate to. She has chosen to remain unmarried and even went to college (gasp!). She is viewed as an anomaly- possibly insane by her family. She has made a new life as an independent woman in Seneca Falls, yet her job is dependant on a board of governors made up of all men. The clergyman thinks Glynis is immoral because OBVIOUSLY a single woman can't POSSIBLY be friends with a man, especially an older man. It's true Glynis had romantic feelings for Mr. Steicher but he apparently never saw her as anything except a daughter and friend. He saw her potential and helped her reach it. Cullen also helps Glynis realize what she's capable of while Elizabeth Cady Stanton's firebrand politics force Glynis to take a stand on woman suffrage and women's rights. Of course I've known about ECS and the convention since elementary school but here I found the actual transcription of the Declaration of the Rights of Sentiments to be too long and ponderous for the many of the women in the audience to understand, let alone the modern reader unused to such language.
Each one of the grievances against the men is tied to a specific character here. The women, other than Glynis and Elizabeth are subjected to terrible treatment at the hands of their husbands, even when the husband is caring. I was surprised to find myself liking Karl in spite of thinking he was the murderer. None of the other women in the town, except an Irish mill worker, are appealing to a modern woman. This book takes a look at the darker side of the 19th-century. Lydia and the women at the boarding house are empty headed, idle gossips with nothing to do or think about in contrast to Glynis. Perhaps the author tried a bit too hard to make her point about lack of education and opportunities for women. The men too are not very sympathetic to the plight of women. Not even Henry Stanton supports his wife's call for women's suffrage. He thinks it will jeopardize the abolition cause. Frederick Douglass makes a cameo here and a few other men come out in support of the women. The only likable men are Cullen and his deputy, a Seneca Indian man. Cullen is maybe a wee bit anachronistic and outside the law letting Glynis investigate.
Though the author did extensive research on women's rights of the 19th-century, she forgot to research the small details. This drives me CRAZY!
First: small, scruffy, white terrier? The West Highland White Terrier wasn't introduced to America for 60 years! Yes his sire came from Scotland but to obtain this relatively new breed would be expensive. Duncan is adorable though and a true Westie. He helps solve the mystery!
Second: Bustles? Not in 1848! Hoops weren't even in yet in 1848. Wide skirts held out by multiple starched petticoats were in fashion. Honestly, a quick search of a fashion periodical like Godey's or Peterson's will show you that!
Finally, jack o'lanterns would be more familiar to Irish immigrants than Glynis. It would be an unusual reference for her to think about.
Please please please do your homework authors! Little details matter as much as the big. Even though this book was published in 1994, before the Internet, a librarian and historian should know where to look for that information.
I didn't read all of this book word for word. It was too long and dark for my personal tastes. The author deftly ties in the issues of women's rights of the 19th-century and links those issues to the characters. There are dark secrets in the town involving prostitution, gambling, corruption, alcoholism, wife abuse, too frequent pregnancies and past relationships. There's also the issue of marriage and married women's property. I read enough to figure out who the killer was just before Glynis did. It was a hunch but Glynis found the evidence in a very gutsy and surprising move. It was very sad.
Glynis is a character I can REALLY relate to. She has chosen to remain unmarried and even went to college (gasp!). She is viewed as an anomaly- possibly insane by her family. She has made a new life as an independent woman in Seneca Falls, yet her job is dependant on a board of governors made up of all men. The clergyman thinks Glynis is immoral because OBVIOUSLY a single woman can't POSSIBLY be friends with a man, especially an older man. It's true Glynis had romantic feelings for Mr. Steicher but he apparently never saw her as anything except a daughter and friend. He saw her potential and helped her reach it. Cullen also helps Glynis realize what she's capable of while Elizabeth Cady Stanton's firebrand politics force Glynis to take a stand on woman suffrage and women's rights. Of course I've known about ECS and the convention since elementary school but here I found the actual transcription of the Declaration of the Rights of Sentiments to be too long and ponderous for the many of the women in the audience to understand, let alone the modern reader unused to such language.
Each one of the grievances against the men is tied to a specific character here. The women, other than Glynis and Elizabeth are subjected to terrible treatment at the hands of their husbands, even when the husband is caring. I was surprised to find myself liking Karl in spite of thinking he was the murderer. None of the other women in the town, except an Irish mill worker, are appealing to a modern woman. This book takes a look at the darker side of the 19th-century. Lydia and the women at the boarding house are empty headed, idle gossips with nothing to do or think about in contrast to Glynis. Perhaps the author tried a bit too hard to make her point about lack of education and opportunities for women. The men too are not very sympathetic to the plight of women. Not even Henry Stanton supports his wife's call for women's suffrage. He thinks it will jeopardize the abolition cause. Frederick Douglass makes a cameo here and a few other men come out in support of the women. The only likable men are Cullen and his deputy, a Seneca Indian man. Cullen is maybe a wee bit anachronistic and outside the law letting Glynis investigate.
Though the author did extensive research on women's rights of the 19th-century, she forgot to research the small details. This drives me CRAZY!
First: small, scruffy, white terrier? The West Highland White Terrier wasn't introduced to America for 60 years! Yes his sire came from Scotland but to obtain this relatively new breed would be expensive. Duncan is adorable though and a true Westie. He helps solve the mystery!
Second: Bustles? Not in 1848! Hoops weren't even in yet in 1848. Wide skirts held out by multiple starched petticoats were in fashion. Honestly, a quick search of a fashion periodical like Godey's or Peterson's will show you that!
Finally, jack o'lanterns would be more familiar to Irish immigrants than Glynis. It would be an unusual reference for her to think about.
Please please please do your homework authors! Little details matter as much as the big. Even though this book was published in 1994, before the Internet, a librarian and historian should know where to look for that information.
September 23, 2018
Working as a librarian in the small town of Seneca Falls located on the Erie Canal, Glynis Tyron has both witnessed and experienced the challenges faced by women in 1848. When a body is discovered in the canal, Glynis works with her friend Constable Cullen to find the culprit. I enjoyed the clever twists, meticulously described historic setting, and an inside view of the famous Seneca Falls women’s conference, but perhaps there was a bit too much historic detail at the expense of the flow of the story.
October 13, 2021
This is a tale of murder and inheritance set in Seneca Falls, NY just after the adoption by NY Legislature of the Married Women's Property Act that allowed a woman to keep her property after marriage, although women could still not sign contracts and such. Also happening in Seneca Falls at the same time is the Woman's Rights Convention, the first of its kind and borne quite literally out of the inadequacies of the Property Act just enacted. It's filled with historic and fictional characters and events beautifully integrated and given full life. Our main protagonist is Glynis, a librairian who has determined to remain single although an intimate relationship with the town sheriff is hinted. On the one hand claiming to be a bit shy, especially when approaching women about attending a meeting on women's rights, Glynis is a strong, intelligent, and capable. Of course she's going to put all the pieces together.
But she could not have done it without Duncan, her mischievous, thieving white terrier who brought a smile to my face every single time he appeared. Lots of likeable characters, which the author used quite effectively to demonstrate what women's lives were like in the middle of 19th Century America, in a town that only a few years earlier would have been still the frontier. Indeed, one of the town's doctors says: "I've seen it before. We're not that far removed from Frontier justice. Lynching still happens..."
Not only is the historical aspect wondefully integrated, but so is the look and feel of Seneca Falls, a town only about 50 years old, thriving as a result of the commerce and mills brought by the Erie Canal. At first, the murder and inheritance plot seems simplistic but soon it is clear that is just a red herring. In fact, the author's effective use of the historical events and personalities of the time also provide an excellent red herring. It starts off with a dramatic accidental death of a wealthy man and his wife in their prime, dying intestate. It ends with a climactic courtroom scene, followed by a shocker of an epilogue (although this feminist was cheering through her tears).
I've owned at least one copy of this since the 1990s (originally published in 1992) and yet I had not read it until now. Shame on me. I've already added the next in the series to the TBR.
But she could not have done it without Duncan, her mischievous, thieving white terrier who brought a smile to my face every single time he appeared. Lots of likeable characters, which the author used quite effectively to demonstrate what women's lives were like in the middle of 19th Century America, in a town that only a few years earlier would have been still the frontier. Indeed, one of the town's doctors says: "I've seen it before. We're not that far removed from Frontier justice. Lynching still happens..."
Not only is the historical aspect wondefully integrated, but so is the look and feel of Seneca Falls, a town only about 50 years old, thriving as a result of the commerce and mills brought by the Erie Canal. At first, the murder and inheritance plot seems simplistic but soon it is clear that is just a red herring. In fact, the author's effective use of the historical events and personalities of the time also provide an excellent red herring. It starts off with a dramatic accidental death of a wealthy man and his wife in their prime, dying intestate. It ends with a climactic courtroom scene, followed by a shocker of an epilogue (although this feminist was cheering through her tears).
I've owned at least one copy of this since the 1990s (originally published in 1992) and yet I had not read it until now. Shame on me. I've already added the next in the series to the TBR.
October 11, 2021
I really wanted to like this, but the voice didn't work that well for me personally.
This is set around the time of the Seneca Falls Convention, a key event in American first wave feminism. Glynis is the local librarian who has a romance going with the local sheriff. she is the amateur sleuth in this novel. What I liked is that she has opted to remain single in order to pursue a career and to keep more of her rights. I don't think that people today really understand the Victorian mindsets; we relish reading about all of the ways Victorian people were like us with sex outside of marriage, but forget that it was also considered a virtue to remain celibate (Isaac Newton did this long before Queen Victoria's reign--he put all of that energy into his research). Life before good, readily available birth control was very different for women, not to mention the lack of modern products to use during menstruation, and this is not a book spoiler but . Choosing to maintain virginity shouldn't be shamed today anymore than opting not to should be.
The mystery is fine, the clues fine--there is nothing "wrong" about how that stuff is laid out, I just didn't care for this first book, but it's possible I might like the next one better as this is a debut novel.
This is set around the time of the Seneca Falls Convention, a key event in American first wave feminism. Glynis is the local librarian who has a romance going with the local sheriff. she is the amateur sleuth in this novel. What I liked is that she has opted to remain single in order to pursue a career and to keep more of her rights. I don't think that people today really understand the Victorian mindsets; we relish reading about all of the ways Victorian people were like us with sex outside of marriage, but forget that it was also considered a virtue to remain celibate (Isaac Newton did this long before Queen Victoria's reign--he put all of that energy into his research). Life before good, readily available birth control was very different for women, not to mention the lack of modern products to use during menstruation, and this is not a book spoiler but . Choosing to maintain virginity shouldn't be shamed today anymore than opting not to should be.
The mystery is fine, the clues fine--there is nothing "wrong" about how that stuff is laid out, I just didn't care for this first book, but it's possible I might like the next one better as this is a debut novel.
January 24, 2021
The first book in the series and as expected Miriam Grace Monfredo delivered. I've read other works she's authored and they've been true page turners. A truly historical setting for the adventures of her fictional characters to traverse makes for entertaining reading.
February 27, 2015
Set in Seneca Falls in 1848, this book is a light mystery, with the Women's Rights Convention that was held there that year also integrated into the story. Glynis Tryon is the town librarian, and a spinster, at about 30 years of age. Glynis is a strong believer in women's rights, and throughout the book she observes women who are in powerless positions due to the laws of the time, and the submissive role they play in their families. Glynis becomes involved in investigating the murders of two women, and Glynis herself demonstrates a great deal of autonomy and authority compared to other women of her era. Elizabeth Cady Stanton plays a lesser role in this story, and during the convention others who did in fact attend that event are noted, such as Frederic Douglas. I enjoyed this quick easy read, another that is a reminder of how far we have come, in some ways. Thanks, Jan, for recommending it.
May 18, 2021
This was a surprise! A friend brought over a couple of grocery bags full of books as due to Covid-19, our local libraries weren't holding used book sales. Anyway, included was this book. If I were still a middle school librarian, I would put one of my "Great book, terrible cover" stickers on it as in 2021, the cover is very off-putting. Regardless, since I'm above such petty concerns, I gave it a try. Very intricate murder mystery, well done story telling. Lots of great American history woven in seamlessly. I'm also happy - oops, no - can't do a spoiler here.
February 1, 2019
Historical mysteries featuring well-known persons usually fall a bit flat with me. I enjoyed this one a bit more than some of those. In it Elizabeth Cady Stanton, acquaintance of the murder victim and her mother, testifies in the case. While local officers are investigating the murder, librarian Glynis Tryon plays an important role in the solution. Set during a time women are struggling to earn the right to own property and vote, the mystery's biggest flaw lies in gaps in evidence collection. The genealogist in me screamed "obtain a copy of the marriage license" in one instance. Another situation in the book's narrative produced one. A license plus other evidence readily available would quickly establish the proof needed for the earlier situation.
July 26, 2011
This month, members of the mystery book club at the library were to read a book by an author who was not well known/had not won awards. I found this author in my online search, as none of the authors on the provided list wrote anything that gripped me when I read the descriptions.
Monfredo has created the beginning of a good series. Her protagonist is librarian Glynis Tryon, a female librarian in a time when this occupation was held mainly by men. The year is 1848 and Elizabeth Cady Stanton has Glynis surveying women in Seneca Falls to see if they would be willing to attend a meeting about the rights of women. Glynis has an interest in suffrage, but Elizabeth feels this issue might put a damper on the meeting's other issues. In this time, women were either married and subject to the will of their husbands, or single and spinsters.
There is a murder...well, there are several murders and enough suspects to make things quite interesting. Widowed police constable Cullen Stuart has an interest in Glynis, and while she is fond of him, she is not disposed to marriage.
The combination of history and mystery made for a very good read. It also made me appreciate air conditioning!
I plan to continue with this series.
Monfredo has created the beginning of a good series. Her protagonist is librarian Glynis Tryon, a female librarian in a time when this occupation was held mainly by men. The year is 1848 and Elizabeth Cady Stanton has Glynis surveying women in Seneca Falls to see if they would be willing to attend a meeting about the rights of women. Glynis has an interest in suffrage, but Elizabeth feels this issue might put a damper on the meeting's other issues. In this time, women were either married and subject to the will of their husbands, or single and spinsters.
There is a murder...well, there are several murders and enough suspects to make things quite interesting. Widowed police constable Cullen Stuart has an interest in Glynis, and while she is fond of him, she is not disposed to marriage.
The combination of history and mystery made for a very good read. It also made me appreciate air conditioning!
I plan to continue with this series.
April 24, 2008
What a charm of a mystery! Although you can't characterize this book as anything but light reading, it was fascinating because of its feminist historical perspective. The "detective" is a small town librarian in the mid-1800's who has a fiercely independent streak (I guess all gal-detectives in mass market mysteries are portrayed as "fiercely independent" aren't they?!) For me, the mystery was not as critical to the book's success as the gentle education the reader is given on the Women's Rights struggle in the 1800's.
The protagonist is predictably smart and pretty, but the cliches or conventions used by the author don't spoil the fun in reading this first novel.
The protagonist is predictably smart and pretty, but the cliches or conventions used by the author don't spoil the fun in reading this first novel.
November 7, 2010
This story is a murder mystery set in Seneca Falls in 1848 - Elizabeth Cady Stanton is organizing the first convention of the women's movement. I have visited the town and could easily visualize the beautiful countryside in the Finger Lakes. The suspense was not very strong but more of a puzzle. Good strong characters with plenty of internal conflict plus exposure to many of the social problems of the day made it an interesting book. I had never heard of a group of young women who pledged never to marry - what a surprise to Glynis's family that she didn't plan to be available to them as cook, nurse, and general dogsbody! Worth reading!
January 2, 2020
I came upon Book 2 in the "series" ( The North Star Conspiracy) by chance and loved. This Christmas I asked for the entire series and my children came through.
I can't help it, I loved this one too. What's not to love? A smart female lead character, a librarian/ amateur detective, set geographically in western NY, set historically in the late 1840s when all sorts of ideas (religious, political , cultural , social) are colliding. Although at heart a detective story, using the historical backdrop of the Seneca Falls Woman's Rights Convention, and combining the fictional leads with real people, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, for one, makes this a gem of a book.
I can't help it, I loved this one too. What's not to love? A smart female lead character, a librarian/ amateur detective, set geographically in western NY, set historically in the late 1840s when all sorts of ideas (religious, political , cultural , social) are colliding. Although at heart a detective story, using the historical backdrop of the Seneca Falls Woman's Rights Convention, and combining the fictional leads with real people, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, for one, makes this a gem of a book.
June 3, 2009
Set in 1848 in Seneca Falls, NY, this historically correct novel is also a mystery. Glynis Tryon is a 40ish spinister librarian in Seneca Falls at the beginning of the Suffragette movement. Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton make appearances in the book. This is the first in a series that carries through the Civil War. Well written and entertaining with a good eye opener to what life for women was like during these times.
August 30, 2009
Reread for mystery f2f discussion. I had forgotten much of the detail of this but remember how much I loved it on first read. It was just as good 2d time around. So much background on Women's Congress, as well as general history both political & cultural in 1848. I liked the way she presented examples of the many types of women and their problems in a subtle way that never seemed forced or didactic. And it's a plus that Glynis is a librarian!
March 20, 2011
This mystery takes place at the beginning of Elizabeth Cady Stanton's push for women's rights. Glynis, a librarian in the small upstate New York town of Seneca Falls, is drawn into the movement as well as into helping solve a suspicious murder. Historical characters mingle with fictional ones, and the overall effect is a tiny history lesson in a delightful package.
March 9, 2008
Light, pleasant read
May 12, 2020
Round up to 3.5 stars. An interesting premise for a first book. Definitely plan on reading more in the series.
March 17, 2014
Now that I've read this one, I want to read the entire series. The covers alone are enough to enchant!
February 10, 2025
"She had a delicate, porcelain quality; from the tips of her silk slippers to the pink rosettes on each rib-end of her parasol. Lydia gave the impression of a doll too fragile for anything more vigorous than being displayed on a shelf."
"His smile oiled the space between them. He moved into the aisle, blocking her way, his eyes darting over her like minnows in a bait jar."
On the plus side, Monfredo's description are not simply, "She was like a porcelain doll" or "a greasy salesman." She adds a bit more vim and vigor to her descriptions. Monfredo has done quite a bit a of research into this local area and this topic (Woman's Rights). Many historical figures are mentioned, with character sketches that seem about right. While it may seem a bit of a stretch to have Woman's Rights (Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott), Edgar Allen Poe, and Frederick Douglass (and even manufacturer Seabury Gould of Goulds pumps) all being mentioned in one short novel, these are not figments of the imagination by the author but from the historic timeline.
I enjoyed the mention of Victorian Era topics, such as trumpet lily on a casket (Victorian symbolization of the circle of life, and of purity and the soul’s return to innocence at death.) Genesee fever (here attributed to malaria), Liszt (Lisztomania was the original Beatlemania, and considered a true disease), new fashion (eg. sideburns) and inventions such Pitman shorthand, daguerreotypes, Colt revolvers, and Winchester rifles. Historic events are placed in context, such as the Erie canal, railroads, Mexican War, the California Gold Rush. Even local history, such as the roads which came from Indian trails (such as US Route 20 which goes through Seneca Falls - here known as Fall St and Cayuga St). Elm trees as the quintessential Dr Seuss-like umbrella trees that were planted in towns to created shade in summer (before Dutch Elm disease wiped them out in the 1950s (but no mention of the American chestnut which succumbed in the 1890s). As such, this book should be shelved as a historical fiction.
Many social issues were introduced with Woman's Rights covered quite thoroughly. What it was like being a woman in these times, with what was allowed by law, and what was expected by society was covered or discussed. Other than woman's rights, we touch on topics anti-Semitism ("greedy bastard"), slavery and abolition, temperance and abstinence, treatment of indigenous folk (in this book, it is the Seneca) and women suffrage. At times, this felt more like a historic sketch than a mystery.
The mystery was done well enough, with lots of clues sprinkled, and a few false alleys and red herrings, but it was not over-the-top in twists and turns. It was "cozy."
On the negative side, so much world-building occurred (well, it WAS history, not crafting of a world, more reminding us of the world) that the historical sketch and events made this book feel, at times, more like a middle grade history textbook than a mystery. The mystery was never far from our thoughts, but the pacing was slowed for the historic sidebars, which detracted from the mystery. In fact, I thought that this would be a great way to teach a Woman's Rights segment to middle schoolers. It felt like the author had to pack it all into one book, not knowing if a second book or more in the series would continue. Hopefully, her next books in the series won't have to cram as much world-building into them.
Sidebar: I saw one reviewer give a negative review (despite not reading the book word for word) due the author "forgot to research the small details" (in a pre-Internet era) such as when terriers and jack-o-lanterns were introduced into the Americas. The book was not about dogs or Halloween. If I wanted to get nit-picky, I could say that locusts (cicadas) don't start buzzing in the trees until after July 4th, not in mid-June, in Seneca Falls. And before refrigeration, where did they get June peaches for the Usher party (peaches don't ripen until mid-August in NYS)? The idea was to get a slice-of-life for the times for a mystery back in 1848, not create a master-level historic text. Sheesh!
3.5/5 stars, rounded up to 4 for a debut effort. Read in one sitting.
"His smile oiled the space between them. He moved into the aisle, blocking her way, his eyes darting over her like minnows in a bait jar."
On the plus side, Monfredo's description are not simply, "She was like a porcelain doll" or "a greasy salesman." She adds a bit more vim and vigor to her descriptions. Monfredo has done quite a bit a of research into this local area and this topic (Woman's Rights). Many historical figures are mentioned, with character sketches that seem about right. While it may seem a bit of a stretch to have Woman's Rights (Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott), Edgar Allen Poe, and Frederick Douglass (and even manufacturer Seabury Gould of Goulds pumps) all being mentioned in one short novel, these are not figments of the imagination by the author but from the historic timeline.
I enjoyed the mention of Victorian Era topics, such as trumpet lily on a casket (Victorian symbolization of the circle of life, and of purity and the soul’s return to innocence at death.) Genesee fever (here attributed to malaria), Liszt (Lisztomania was the original Beatlemania, and considered a true disease), new fashion (eg. sideburns) and inventions such Pitman shorthand, daguerreotypes, Colt revolvers, and Winchester rifles. Historic events are placed in context, such as the Erie canal, railroads, Mexican War, the California Gold Rush. Even local history, such as the roads which came from Indian trails (such as US Route 20 which goes through Seneca Falls - here known as Fall St and Cayuga St). Elm trees as the quintessential Dr Seuss-like umbrella trees that were planted in towns to created shade in summer (before Dutch Elm disease wiped them out in the 1950s (but no mention of the American chestnut which succumbed in the 1890s). As such, this book should be shelved as a historical fiction.
Many social issues were introduced with Woman's Rights covered quite thoroughly. What it was like being a woman in these times, with what was allowed by law, and what was expected by society was covered or discussed. Other than woman's rights, we touch on topics anti-Semitism ("greedy bastard"), slavery and abolition, temperance and abstinence, treatment of indigenous folk (in this book, it is the Seneca) and women suffrage. At times, this felt more like a historic sketch than a mystery.
The mystery was done well enough, with lots of clues sprinkled, and a few false alleys and red herrings, but it was not over-the-top in twists and turns. It was "cozy."
On the negative side, so much world-building occurred (well, it WAS history, not crafting of a world, more reminding us of the world) that the historical sketch and events made this book feel, at times, more like a middle grade history textbook than a mystery. The mystery was never far from our thoughts, but the pacing was slowed for the historic sidebars, which detracted from the mystery. In fact, I thought that this would be a great way to teach a Woman's Rights segment to middle schoolers. It felt like the author had to pack it all into one book, not knowing if a second book or more in the series would continue. Hopefully, her next books in the series won't have to cram as much world-building into them.
Sidebar: I saw one reviewer give a negative review (despite not reading the book word for word) due the author "forgot to research the small details" (in a pre-Internet era) such as when terriers and jack-o-lanterns were introduced into the Americas. The book was not about dogs or Halloween. If I wanted to get nit-picky, I could say that locusts (cicadas) don't start buzzing in the trees until after July 4th, not in mid-June, in Seneca Falls. And before refrigeration, where did they get June peaches for the Usher party (peaches don't ripen until mid-August in NYS)? The idea was to get a slice-of-life for the times for a mystery back in 1848, not create a master-level historic text. Sheesh!
3.5/5 stars, rounded up to 4 for a debut effort. Read in one sitting.
April 26, 2024
This is an historical fiction mystery. I think Monfredo was trying to accomplish too much in this short novel. Writing a murder into the setting of the birth of women’s rights was just OK for me. I believe that combining the two certainly wasn’t a magical formula and resulted in less character development of Glynis and other characters.
In May of 1848 Friedrich Steicher and his wife, Caroline, die in a boating accident on the Erie Canal. Days later, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, writes a letter from Seneca Falls, hometown of the Steichers, to Mary Clarke telling her of the tragedy and insisting that she should tell Rose her “family history”. Note – the Married Women’s Property Act has just been enacted, but it is inadequate in giving American women equal footing to men.
Soon Rose Walker, daughter of Mary Clarke, arrives in Seneca Falls. She talks to the town librarian and women’s rights activist, Glynis Tyron, trying to locate Elizabeth Cady Stanton to speak to her. She is seen soon afterwards heading out town in a wagon. Within two days, her body is found by Glynis floating in the nearby canal. Suspicion falls on Karl Steicher, son of Friedrich, who states that he is the sole heir to the estate. The remainder of the novel tells how Glynis tracks down the murderer, but not before she learns how the women in Seneca Falls are being treated by their husbands. Glynis’s dog, Duncan, a white terrier plays an important role in the story.
In May of 1848 Friedrich Steicher and his wife, Caroline, die in a boating accident on the Erie Canal. Days later, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, writes a letter from Seneca Falls, hometown of the Steichers, to Mary Clarke telling her of the tragedy and insisting that she should tell Rose her “family history”. Note – the Married Women’s Property Act has just been enacted, but it is inadequate in giving American women equal footing to men.
Soon Rose Walker, daughter of Mary Clarke, arrives in Seneca Falls. She talks to the town librarian and women’s rights activist, Glynis Tyron, trying to locate Elizabeth Cady Stanton to speak to her. She is seen soon afterwards heading out town in a wagon. Within two days, her body is found by Glynis floating in the nearby canal. Suspicion falls on Karl Steicher, son of Friedrich, who states that he is the sole heir to the estate. The remainder of the novel tells how Glynis tracks down the murderer, but not before she learns how the women in Seneca Falls are being treated by their husbands. Glynis’s dog, Duncan, a white terrier plays an important role in the story.
April 12, 2020
So mediocre it's hard to even muster the energy to write a review of what I read. The blurb on the back of the book leads the reader to believe that the 1848 Women's Convention in Seneca Falls will play a vital role in the storyline. Instead, it's just weirdly grafted onto a standard mystery plot. You could leave out all references to that convention and early suffragettes and not lose a single thing from the story. It's almost like a bait and switch. I kept waiting to find out how Elizabeth Cady Stanton figured into it all. Spoiler - she doesn't. Her role in the story could have been played by anyone. I am baffled at why the author did this.
As for the predictable plot, it was very yawn. The protagonist was boring and I couldn't relate to her at all. I can't give this book a 1 star because it wasn't entertainingly hideous like many 1 star books are. Instead, it's just a big fat meh.
As for the predictable plot, it was very yawn. The protagonist was boring and I couldn't relate to her at all. I can't give this book a 1 star because it wasn't entertainingly hideous like many 1 star books are. Instead, it's just a big fat meh.
November 14, 2017
I’d actually give this 3.5. The characters are fairly well developed, but just a trifle lacking. The plot is logical, and provides several complications. The connection with the suffrage movement are interesting.
Glynis works as a librarian in a small town. Her job may exist under false pretenses: a well-to-do ex-boyfriend promised her a position. A woman appears, evidently believing she is related to the rich man that recently died—and is then murdered. Then her husband appears, contesting the will.
The main characters are interesting, but could use a bit more background to make them compelling.
Glynis works as a librarian in a small town. Her job may exist under false pretenses: a well-to-do ex-boyfriend promised her a position. A woman appears, evidently believing she is related to the rich man that recently died—and is then murdered. Then her husband appears, contesting the will.
The main characters are interesting, but could use a bit more background to make them compelling.
February 20, 2021
It is rare that I rate a book as 5 stars. This was such a fun book and a fast read. This combined Seneca Falls, which is less than an hour from my house, the women's rights movement with the characters involved, and a murder.
This book was also fun for me to read because I met the author once and worked with her husband in a law firm. That made a different reason to read the book.
The characters are fun and very proper except when they are not. Glynis Tryon is a librarian in Seneca Falls and a detective who is dating the police constable. Just fun characters, different situations and I loved the book!
This book was also fun for me to read because I met the author once and worked with her husband in a law firm. That made a different reason to read the book.
The characters are fun and very proper except when they are not. Glynis Tryon is a librarian in Seneca Falls and a detective who is dating the police constable. Just fun characters, different situations and I loved the book!
November 10, 2018
I really enjoyed this book for the heroine, who is clearly a 19th century feminist and not a 21st century woman in costume. The historical setting rings true, and although the Constable respects Glynis and allows her more latitude than I think wholly believable, she clearly deserves it.
There are one or two threads hanging loose, which is one of the classic weaknesses of a first book, and the courtroom scene at the end is a little Perry Mason for my taste. All in all, this book makes me eager to read the next in the series.
There are one or two threads hanging loose, which is one of the classic weaknesses of a first book, and the courtroom scene at the end is a little Perry Mason for my taste. All in all, this book makes me eager to read the next in the series.
September 4, 2020
In 1848, at Seneca Falls, New York, history was about to be made. While helping Elizabeth Cady Stanton organize the first Women's Right Convention, librarian Glynis Tryon must help solve the mystery surrounding the death of a women whose body was discovered in the canal.
Great sense of history, interesting characters, tight plot, and an ending the tied up all the loose ends. Excellent and recommended to readers of historic mysteries who enjoy strong women characters.
Great sense of history, interesting characters, tight plot, and an ending the tied up all the loose ends. Excellent and recommended to readers of historic mysteries who enjoy strong women characters.
November 20, 2018
I enjoyed the book- good job with the lot and the characters. It was not my choice- it was for a book club. As a history teacher I have a few problems with the history in the book- aren't we forgetting about England/Great Britain and its laws and how much it influenced the women of this country (and vice-versa).
May 17, 2019
I really lobed this book. While a mystery, the backdrop is the beginning of the woman's suffrage movement in the US. Fascinating! And there is an appendix in the back with more historical information that is great! The mystery has good plot twists and keeps you guessing to the end. Fabulous start for this series.
April 23, 2020
This was way more fun than I expected! I’m also impressed that the protagonist didn’t immediately get married after deciding she didn’t want a husband (which is super common in books). I also like that women believing that women should have equal rights isn’t considered “historically inaccurate.” I’m definitely reading more in this series!
April 9, 2022
What a wonderful reminder of the accomplishments and actions of our foremothers. Their efforts to achieve suffrage and other basic rights are documented in this fun little novel set in nearby Seneca Falls. I loved the story about the adventures of a single (gasp!) woman in that town. Rekindled my interest in local history.
February 20, 2025
Slow in beginning, but quickly building to a fascinating murder mystery, occuring at the beginning of the Women's Rights gatherings in western New York. The observant Glynis, who is the town librarian, begins to put clues together involing many different people for the theft of a Bible from the library, what her dog has been burying and why murder was done.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 108 reviews