Reviewed By Liz

ISBN 0-312-28211-7

Death of Riley is set in New York City in 1901, where Molly Murphy has settled after emigrating to the United States from Ireland. Molly is a plucky young woman who decides to become a private investigator of sorts and specialize in locating immigrants whose distant loved ones can’t find them. But Molly has a few problems – she has no training, little money, and few connections in this new world. So it is quite fortuitous when she meets Paddy Riley.

Riley is a private investigator specializing in divorce work. He is a loner who can’t imagine a female detective, but is bowled over by the determined Molly. When Riley is murdered, Molly decides that this is her opportunity to do some real investigating, and her journey into some of the more interesting and unusual cultures of New York begins.

I really enjoyed Death of Riley. Molly is a fantastic character who makes some interesting choices during the course of the book. Bowen takes some chances here, but manages to avoid making Molly an unsympathetic character. Instead, Bowen draws the reader into the world of 1901 and shows us that tough choices had to be made if you wanted to survive in that time and place.

Bowen also adds a lot of interesting color, some historical characters, and lots of activity to the story – Molly is a woman of action and this book is packed with details, characters, and plot. I was, in fact, so absorbed by the story that I didn’t see the solution when I should have. Which made me feel a little silly, but also made for a more enjoyable read.

Favorite character? Molly. You just have to admire her. Did I guess it? No, and I am still kicking myself. Will I read another? Yes. This is the second book in the series and I am definitely going back for the first one.

Mystery Book Reviews by Liz at http://reviewedbyliz.com ©2007

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