Book review
The daughter of Henry Livington is missing and when he report to the police, Frank Malloy is assigned to the case. After looking through Grace Livingston’s belongings in her room at home, he finds some letters and advertisements from the paper. Obviously, Ms. Livingston has answered some ads in the ‘Lonely Hearts’ column of the paper and went to see a man. After Frank had a closer look, he secures Sarah Brandt’s help in the matter and together they set up a trap: Maeve will act as a girl who places an add and will meet the guy while Frank and some of the police will lay in waiting.
However, before the plan can take place, Frank is fired as his superiors hear about his inheritance and so he has to set the plan in motion with only the help of Sarah and Maeve. When they catch the culprit, they soon realise that he doesn’t have Grace but after some threatening he leads them to a house where the bad guy lives. What they find when they enter the house is horrible and plunges Sarah and Frank right into their next dangerous adventure..
Now, we all have heard of crimes about men who lures women under false pretends to some place and take advantage of them or worse. It never crossed my mind that such crimes could have taken place a century ago as well. It was horrible to read what happened to those women and that the police then was not only to blame it on the women but not wanting to investigate at all! I believe Victoria Thompson did a thorough research and it is unbelievable how the police worked back then. I’m very glad not to have lived then as a woman.
The case was very well written and until now the most horrible of all cases. However, I loved the glimpses we got at the private part of Sarah’s and Frank’s life and I’m really looking forward to the next book which is published in paperback on May 3. Hopefully, we get so see a bit more of the family next time as a big event needs to be planned! I love this series very much and I’m very fond of Frank, Sarah and their family and friends. There was much development in the last two books and I’d like to see how Frank fares without working for the police anymore. I was also wondering if Sarah keeps working as a midwife but I guess I have to wait and see.
For all of you who haven’t read a Gaslight Mystery yet – what keeps you?! Hurry!! You miss one of the best series I have ever encountered in this genre.
- Goodreads rating – 4.07
- REVIEW – Sabine