Molly’s Back!
I was disappointed when Rhys Bowen set aside her Molly Murphy series several years ago to write some stand alones. I have missed my annual trips to early 1900’s New York City. So when she announced that she was working on Wild Irish Rose, a new case for Molly, with her daughter, Clare Broyles, I was thrilled.
We rejoin Molly in February 1907, just a few months after we last saw her. And it quickly feels like nothing has changed. She is mostly enjoying life with her husband, Daniel Sullivan, now a captain with the New York City police. Their son is continuing to grow and their ward is on the cusp of becoming a young woman. The most frustrating thing in Molly’s life is that her mother-in-law is staying with them while her health continues to improve.
Well, and Molly misses her detective work. That changes when Daniel comes home talking about his latest case. A young woman has been accused of committing a murder on Ellis Island. The suspect bears a resemblance to Molly, especially her bright red hair. Since Molly herself was accused of a murder on Ellis Island when she first arrived in the country, she can’t help but feel a kinship with this woman. Despite Daniel’s wishes, Molly starts seeing if she can figure out what really happened. Can she prove this woman’s innocence?
I hadn’t reread any of the Molly books since the last one came out in 2017, but I was completely back in Molly’s world in just a few pages. It was like no time had passed, which was both good and bad. I really did enjoy the books, and so I was thrilled to visit the characters again. On the other hand, I did quickly find some of my old complaints coming back to the surface. Yes, Daniel is still adamant that Molly stop with her detective work. I get it; I do. That was what was expected of a married woman of the time, and he is concerned for her safety (with good reason). But it turns him into a one note character. I hope this is something that can be ironed out going forward.
On the other hand, so many of the characters are wonderful. Molly is a strong lead character, and I enjoyed spending time with her again. Even Daniel can be a fun character when he wants to be. Molly’s neighbors are just as delightful as always, and we get to see a few other supporting players as the book progresses.
The pacing was a little uneven early on, but as the story went along, the mystery got stronger. I wasn’t completely sure where things were going until near the end – I had all the pieces but I couldn’t figure out how they fit together. The ending was wonderfully suspenseful and answered all my questions.
And I really do feel like I’m transported back to 1907 when I’m reading these books. There are a few laughs as well as characters talk about the newest improvements in their lives, which are very dated by our standards over 100 years later.
Overall, it was wonderful to be back solving crime with Molly again in Wild Irish Rose. I certainly hope we will get to see her again soon.
Need to backtrack? Here are the rest of the Molly Murphy Mysteries.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book.
I definitely need to read this as my grandmother (I was raised by my paternal grandparents) was born 1907! This will give me a better feel of happenings during that period of my history!
ReplyDeleteOoo, I need to check out this series. I love the period and a good mystery!
ReplyDeleteA good choice as we're coming into St. Patrick's Day.
ReplyDeleteI am familiar with another series by Rhys Bowen but not this one.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this to the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge!