Old New York

It started with this book. I loved the art deco look of it as well as the premise (an impoverished royal solving crimes in post WWI Britain) and so added it to a free shipping order on Amazon. I discovered I've missed reading mysteries! I read tons of them in my teens (including lots of Agatha Christie) but then romance novels took their place for a time and I never really went back. Well I very much enjoyed Her Royal Spyness and so went searching for the sequel, A Royal Pain. I liked it too, so having glommed on to Rhys Bowen, I turned to one of her longer-running series, the Molly Murphy Mysteries.


These books are set in turn-of-the-century New York, where Molly Murphy is an Irish immigrant-turned-private investigator. These books, while enormously entertaining, are also vivid portrayals of life on the seedier side of New York in 1900(ish). They're fascinating but also rather horrifying. I've read two in this series.


And then there's Envy, the third in The Luxe series. (I LOVE the covers of The Luxe books!) It too is set in turn-of-the-century New York, but is the flip side of the coin, showcasing the moneyed families of the city and all of their frivolous pursuits. Right along with their secrets and deceits. I'm loving it and enjoying the break from the contemporary novels that typically compose my reading fare.

I recommend any and all of these series to any of you discerning readers.