The Girl From Greenwich Street

 

The Girl From Greenwich Street

Buy: Lauren Willig

Genre: Historical Fiction

Summary:

Read of America's first murder trial. Who was the victim? Who was the accused? How did it end? What happened in between the murder and the verdict? And how does Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr figure into it all? Go back in time to see it all unfold.

Lauren Willig is one of my favorite authors! She's one of my auto-buy authors who I just know is going to take me on a journey along with her characters. I discovered her The Secret History of the Pink Carnation and haven't looked back since. I eagerly anticipate her releases and am excitedly counting down the days to when her books will be in my hands.

Having said all that, The Girl From Greenwich Street wasn't my favorite of her works. It wasn't a story I couldn't put down like I'm used to with other Lauren Willig books. However, I still enjoyed reading of how everything unfolded. Seeing how the case was tried back then was in many ways both similar and different to how they are tried now. Plus, it was fun to see Hamilton get under Burr's skin again.

Elma Sands isn't a wealthy young woman by any means. The surprise product of her unmarried parents, you find Elma living with her cousin's family. You find out quickly she is preparing for an important night that she expects will take her life in a very different direction. She was focusing on a bright and happy future. However, while she leaves for her evening, she never returns. A couple weeks later, her body is found in a well. Questions abound. Theories float around as fast as the gossip version of events do. It doesn't take long for Levi Weeks to become the only one accused- despite his firm stand that he had nothing to do with her death. But, times being what they were, the court of public opinion made it's own ruling.

Alexander Hamilton sees this case as a way to get in with Levi Weeks's brother, who is an expert builder of homes. Not only that, it's also a chance to bug the daylights out of Aaron Burr who had recently screwed Hamilton over in a well deal- the very well Elma is found in. While the two butt heads, you learn the background of all the people involved with the case. Elma's cousin Caty and her husband have a less than perfect marriage- which comes into play with Elma. Caty's sister, Hope, had a blooming romance with Levi that comes to an abrupt halt. As Caty's marriage is tested to the brink, Hope is forced to look at the truth through her own eyes, not Caty's filter. 

Like I said, this wasn't a book I couldn't put down, or was gripped with. But I did enjoy learning about the people involved and seeing how things played out back then. I enjoyed the interaction between Burr and Hamilton. I'm glad I read it. It was interesting and informative to get the behind the scenes look at everything as it unfolded.

The Queens of Crime

 

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The Queens of Crime

By: Marie Benedict

Genre: Historical Fiction

Summary:

A group of women mystery writers ban together to prove they are worth taking seriously.

In 1931, women were often ignored, underestimated and living under the whole "better seen than heard" theory. However, Dorothy Sayers isn't taking that laying down. She was already a published mystery writer and had formed even formed an exclusive group of other mystery writers. However, when fellow male members of The Detection Club complain about being taken over by women who will undermine their work (mind you, there was only Dorothy and Agatha Christie as the female members), Dorothy decides to take matters into her own hands. So, she forms a club within the club of several fellow female mystery writers. She feels the only way they'll ever be taken seriously and prove their value is to show the men how capable they are. What's the best way to do that? Why, solve a real life mystery! Hence, the Queens of Crime is born.

May Daniels was a nurse who had mysteriously gone missing. Vanished without a trace for several months with no clues to indicate what happened. Dorothy sees the opportunity for the Queens when May's body is found. A needle is found close to her with traces of morphine in it. The police decide that she was involved in drugs and feel no reason to pursue further. However, the Queens do and what they find turns everything on it's ears. 

If you love Agatha Christie and Sherlock Holmes books, you will enjoy this. I loved how the women were able to solve the mystery with simple actions that should've been done by the authorities. Throughout the story, you see how the women are dismissed and not taken seriously. The greatest part is how they use that to their advantage to get the answers and solve the crime. 

This isn't a hang on the seat of your chair type book. I had to remind myself how the story takes place in 1931 because things that were ignored or dismissed then wouldn't have been now. It's a very cozy type of mystery. The plot twists aren't jarring. Instead they add a layer to the plot.  While I do feel some holes weren't completely filled, all the important ones were. 

I enjoyed the story. It was different than mysteries you read today and it was nice to visit the simplicity of solving mysteries with wits and intelligence. This would be perfect to curl up with by a fire on a rainy or cold weekend.

The Stolen Queen

 

The Stolen Queen 

By: Fiona Davis

Genre: Historical Fiction

Summary:

Hathorkare was a rare find in Egyptian history: she was a female Pharaoh. Her history isn't free from scandal and mystery. Theories. Mysteries. Questions. A supposed curse. So how does she become involved with two women alive centuries after her death? For Charlotte, the Pharaoh was a passion that came too close to home. For Annie, a fascination from her past becomes a key figure in her present and future.

Dang!! Fiona Davis has done it again!!!! She has written, yet another, phenomenal story. One that will suck you in and have you not want to put it down. How does she do this?! Personally, she's accomplished a rare feet for me. I have a long, rather frustrating, history of DNFing previous attempts of Egyptian storylines. They always sound so good, but I lose interest or get overwhelmed with all the history. But, Fiona, has balanced the history of her characters and keeping the reader coming back for more. 

Fiona took a rare figure in history- one that I bet few would have known existed- and introduced us. Not just introduced, but let us get to know her in a way that present day readers who aren't educated in Egyptian culture and history can understand. On top of all that, she made her relatable and human and someone the reader is rooting for. 

Charlotte Cross is an employee of the Metropolitan Museum in New York City. Having been there for decades, she is heavily involved with the Egyptian section. During the late 1930s, Charlotte was given the opportunity to travel to Egypt and assist in a dig within the Valley of Kings. It's there, she discovers the underground tomb. The very tomb of a female Pharoah, Hathorkare. She learns the the history of her discovery and the scandal involving images of her being destroyed after she died. However, as Charlotte researched more into her Pharaoh, she disagrees with much of what has been told of her. 

As you read more of Charlotte's time in Egypt, you learn she falls in love, gets married and has a child. All of this is taken from her during a horrendous storm on the Nile. While she survives the sinking of their ship, her husband and daughter do not. Along with her onboard were a coworker and stolen items from the digs done- including those belonging to Hathorkare. Has the curse caused the sinking? More importantly, can Charlotte ever recover from losing her husband and infant daughter?

Annie is 19 year old who should be establishing her own life. Instead, she's taking care of her narcissistic, selfish mother. A former model, too old to continue working, Jackie is a mentally delicate woman since her husband's death forced them to survive on their own. Jackie is left without her husband to take care of everything and Annie is left without the Father she loved so much. No more going to the Metropolitan Museum to stare at the Egyptian Art Collection. 

Charlotte and Annie meet the night of the Met Gala when everything goes wrong and priceless Egyptian artifacts are stolen. The only two people who interacted with the mysterious thief, they end up teaming up to locate what was taken. Annie wouldn't mind clearing her name and that of a coworker friend. This mission takes them back to Egypt and uncovers so much more than either woman expected. 

Run- don't walk- to buy this book. Clear your calendar and let Fiona take you on a journey like no other. Solve a mystery. Find love. Answer burning questions. Learn from the past and see how it can shape the present, as well as the future. You won't be sorry.