Book number sixteen in this nineteenth century New York City Gaslight Mystery series, MURDER IN MURRAY HILL is another excellent entry in the story of midwife Sarah Brandt and police detective Frank Malloy.

Sarah and Frank are moving closer to marriage, and while they still have not picked a wedding date, there was enough forward progression of their slow romance to satisfy me. Frank just received roughly five million dollars from the father of Sarah's foundling, Catherine, to act as Catherine's guardian in the previous book in the series, Murder in Chelsea. As the current story opens, Frank finds his job in jeopardy due to his newly minted millionaire status. His money causes great friction between him and the other detectives and policeman, making his work much more difficult. Sarah is also trying to adjust to what their money will mean for her career as a midwife. Watching Sarah meet with Frank's difficult mom and navigate the waters of blending the two families did a lovely job of showing nuances of life at the turn of the century. I always appreciate the beautiful detail that Alexander includes in these mysteries, bringing the past to life for me.

The mystery in this book seems almost ripped from current headlines, with a sexual predator and his cronies kidnapping young women and keeping them as sexual slaves. After losing his job with the police, Malloy continues his detective work as a private investigator to find the fiend preying on young women, and solves the crime with virtually no assistance from the police department. Sarah assists Frank in unraveling the mystery, as is usual. Maeve, the nursemaid for Sarah's adopted daughter Catherine, as well as her nosy neighbor Mrs. Ellsworth get in on the action in solving the crime as well. While the mystery is a bit more graphic and brutal in this book than is typical for the Gaslight Mystery series, Thompson applies a deft hand to the tale. The treatment of this issue is appropriate to the period, and I never felt pulled out of the story period by the action or its descriptions.

While MURDER IN MURRAY HILL can be read as a standalone, for the greatest enjoyment, start from the beginning of this wonderful series, with Murder on Astor Place. Fans of Anne Perry will enjoy this cozy and light mystery.