Book review
Knickerbocker midwife Sarah Brandt and her fiance, Frank Malloy, recently made millionaire and ex-policeman are back. Amid the wedding plans for their upcoming nuptials, Mrs. Brandt’s mother, socialite Mrs Elizabeth Decker arrives to let Sarah know that a friend of hers from childhood, Charles Oakes has died and Mrs Decker has invited her daughter to pay their bereavement call on his mother and wife.
Afterwards Mr Oakes, Pere, has asked that Sarah inquire if Mr Malloy would consult as he believes his son, Charles was poisoned.
This begins their 17th case. This time Malloy will act as a private investigator and not an agent of the NYPD. To aid his investigation, Frank hires his friend and former associate the e-policeman/ex-Rough Rider, Gino Donatelli.
As I read this because of Mrs Jenny Oakes’ Southern roots, I wondered if she was ‘passing’ as white and was really part African American, like Sally Hemming, Thomas Jefferson’s wife’s half-sister and Jefferson’s slave and lover who bore him several children.
I kept thinking this after all Mrs Oakes employed, Daisy another light skinned African American whom her family was supposed to have owned. Daisy was VERY fond of Charles. Son? Nephew? kept passing through my mind. Especially when she died in similar situations and Reverend Nicely admits that Daisy and Jenny Oakes were sisters.
My assumptions were correct regarding the above that Jenny, or rather Lily, and Daisy were half-sisters. Lily (Jenny) was the slave owner’s daughter by an octaroon and Daisy’s father was a slave. Therefore, the women were half-sisters. Charles found it out, told his wife, Hannah, and since she didn’t want to have children with a Negro, he had to sleep in his dressing room. Charles drank heavily and he was killed to prevent him from telling others while drunk.
I won’t divulge his killer though. Gentle Reader, you’ll have to read it for yourself. It does end in Sarah’s and Frank’s wedding.
I enjoyed this book a great deal. I especially liked how the author gave her clues on the case, how she portrayed Jenny and her household. Sarah and Frank with their respective mothers, Sarah’s father, Mr Decker, Maeve Sarah’s au pair and friend, Catherine, her daughterand Bryan, Frank’s son are always a joy to read. This one everyone worked well together and smoothly to solve the mystery.
Another aspect I enjoyed is the historical characters of Teddy and Edith Roosevelt being wedding guests, the care in which Ms Thompson portrays how the African Americans living in New York lived, the sympathy Sarah has for them.
I can’t wait for the honeymoon book out at Christmas time.
- Goodreads rating – 4.12
- REVIEW – Susan Pola Staples