shoelessmama's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
This book had a ton of elements that I love... an atmospheric rendering of Philadelphia in 1875, murder, mystery, medicine, strong female characters. It was very reminiscent of Anne Perry novels. This was not a fast-paced thriller mystery. It took its time and sometimes spent too much of that time describing mundane details of the day and the sometimes repetitive thoughts in the myriad characters heads (just like Perry). While I appreciate the authors medical knowledge I felt that those detailed medical scenes, aside from the autopsy, took me out of the story. I liked the conclusion but it took too long to get there. This book could have been 1/3 shorter. But, for readers who enjoy traveling to another time and a slow-burn this will be a win.
eggcatsreads's review against another edition
4.0
A huge thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Simon & Schuster for providing this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
A murder mystery set in 1875, starring a woman doctor who becomes embroiled in the police investigation when a patient of hers suddenly seems to go missing - and the body they discover in the river matches her description. We follow Lydia as she investigates alongside the police to determine what exactly happened to Anna Ward - and whether it was simply suicide, or if it was murder.
This book was a solid mystery novel, where at no point were you completely positive where the investigation was going to go, nor who was actually at fault. I enjoyed Lydia as a character - as a female doctor and a professor at her school educating OTHER women to become a doctor - she has an interesting insight to the events going on around her. I liked that while this was a mystery novel, we do spend a decent portion of the book as Lydia goes about her life and the sexism she faces for her profession.
When Lydia finds a personal diary from Anna Ward that seems to contain poetry that alludes to her knowing something that someone might want to keep secret - as well as her being frantic the last time she was seen - it adds intrigue to the case. Was someone hunting her? Did she know a secret she should not have? And while the police focus on interviewing suspects, Lydia focuses on discovering the secrets of the journal - which slowly piece together the events that lead to Anna Ward being found dead.
Mystery novels involving a complicated and intricate investigation, where you have many suspects but no clear evidence until the end, can be difficult to pull off properly. This book is able to do it convincingly, where even with there being multiple suspects and culprits, how they all fit together works extremely well. I liked how Lydia was able to work alongside the police for the investigation - but also, when she has her own leads will go off on her own.
This is a great murder mystery novel, and the meshing of the investigation with Lydia’s daily life almost felt like I was reading something similar to Katherine Arden’s Cemeteries of Amalo series.
I would only caution readers reading this if they are squeamish about descriptions of bodies, surgeries, and autopsies as while the descriptions are not overly graphic, they are described fairly well.
A murder mystery set in 1875, starring a woman doctor who becomes embroiled in the police investigation when a patient of hers suddenly seems to go missing - and the body they discover in the river matches her description. We follow Lydia as she investigates alongside the police to determine what exactly happened to Anna Ward - and whether it was simply suicide, or if it was murder.
This book was a solid mystery novel, where at no point were you completely positive where the investigation was going to go, nor who was actually at fault. I enjoyed Lydia as a character - as a female doctor and a professor at her school educating OTHER women to become a doctor - she has an interesting insight to the events going on around her. I liked that while this was a mystery novel, we do spend a decent portion of the book as Lydia goes about her life and the sexism she faces for her profession.
When Lydia finds a personal diary from Anna Ward that seems to contain poetry that alludes to her knowing something that someone might want to keep secret - as well as her being frantic the last time she was seen - it adds intrigue to the case. Was someone hunting her? Did she know a secret she should not have? And while the police focus on interviewing suspects, Lydia focuses on discovering the secrets of the journal - which slowly piece together the events that lead to Anna Ward being found dead.
Mystery novels involving a complicated and intricate investigation, where you have many suspects but no clear evidence until the end, can be difficult to pull off properly. This book is able to do it convincingly, where even with there being multiple suspects and culprits, how they all fit together works extremely well. I liked how Lydia was able to work alongside the police for the investigation - but also, when she has her own leads will go off on her own.
This is a great murder mystery novel, and the meshing of the investigation with Lydia’s daily life almost felt like I was reading something similar to Katherine Arden’s Cemeteries of Amalo series.
I would only caution readers reading this if they are squeamish about descriptions of bodies, surgeries, and autopsies as while the descriptions are not overly graphic, they are described fairly well.
agameofbooksblog's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
4.0
I thoroughly enjoyed Murder by Degrees by Ritu Mukerji. The blend of mystery and historical fiction set in 19th century Philadelphia is captivating. Dr. Lydia Weston's character is compelling, and her determination to uncover the truth behind Anna Ward's death kept me engaged. The book's exploration of female empowerment in a male-dominated society is thought-provoking, and I appreciated the well-researched medical aspects. The use of poetry and cryptic passages added an intriguing layer to the narrative. The author's attention to detail and well-developed characters made this debut a delightful read. I look forward to more books in the series.
hollanddavis's review
4.0
Dr. Lydia Weston's patient is murdered, drawing her into this 1870s murder mystery set in Philadelphia . The beginning of the book felt a bit slow, but once investigation begins and you're invested in Dr. Weston, it starts to pick up. By the end of the book, it's difficult to put down. The medical chapters seem straightforward, but who am I to say? Not my field. But, I've read books where the characters are performing the first ever blood transfusion and arterial surgeries under unideal circumstances (I'm not naming names. Lisa Kleypas 👀), and this seems much more realistic.
Memorable Quote:
"This is Dr. Weston and Sergean Davies. They have come about Anna."
"Doctor? A lady doctor?" he asked, a brow arched in amusement. "My goodness, what will the modern world serve up next." He looked from one to the other as he removed his gloves. "What is your specialty, if I may ask, Dr. Weston?"
"Medicine" came the terse reply."
Memorable Quote:
"This is Dr. Weston and Sergean Davies. They have come about Anna."
"Doctor? A lady doctor?" he asked, a brow arched in amusement. "My goodness, what will the modern world serve up next." He looked from one to the other as he removed his gloves. "What is your specialty, if I may ask, Dr. Weston?"
"Medicine" came the terse reply."
nobookmark_noproblem's review against another edition
4.0
Thank you @simonbooks for providing me with a #gifted copy of Murder By Degrees!
I want to start by saying that I LOVE that this book is set in the 1870’s and the main character is a female doctor! Right from the start, this book caught my attention. I don’t read many historical mysteries, but I really enjoyed this one and all of the details! I really found myself enjoying the medical terminology and how well developed all of the characters were, especially Dr. Weston. There were some twists that I enjoyed this book kept my attention the entire time. This is a debut novel by author Ritu Mukerji, and I hope this one will continue on into a series!
I want to start by saying that I LOVE that this book is set in the 1870’s and the main character is a female doctor! Right from the start, this book caught my attention. I don’t read many historical mysteries, but I really enjoyed this one and all of the details! I really found myself enjoying the medical terminology and how well developed all of the characters were, especially Dr. Weston. There were some twists that I enjoyed this book kept my attention the entire time. This is a debut novel by author Ritu Mukerji, and I hope this one will continue on into a series!
rusereviews's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
tense
3.5
Murder By Degrees by Ritu Mukerji is a debut historical cozy mystery featuring a pioneering woman doctor in the 1870s. The audiobook is narrated by Gabra Zackman.
In 1875 Philadelphia, Dr. Lydia Weston is gearing up to teach her students at the start of a new term. When a body is dredged out of the Schuylkill River, the death is initially deemed a suicide. Lydia is suspicious as she knew the young woman in question, and inserts herself into the investigation.
This is a solid debut and I'm definitely interested in continuing on with the series, should more books be published. All of the characters (even secondary ones) are well developed. Even though I figured out part of the mystery, I enjoyed the plot and pacing.
One of the strengths of this book is the fact that our heroine Lydia allies herself with detectives Volcker and Davies to assist in the investigation, instead of trying to do it all by herself. They are a good team, and are able to throw spaghetti at the wall pretty well between them.
Another strength is the description of the medical classes and clinic work that Lydia performs, as the author, Ritu Mukerji, is a doctor in real life. She was a medical student in Philadelphia, and her knowledge of the city also shines. I especially enjoyed the shout out for the beginnings of the Mütter museum.
This is a time period I'm not too familiar with and it was interesting to see that slice of life.
CW: murder, description of surgery, classism, misogyny
I received a copy of this book to review. Thank you to Simon & Schuster for the paperback ARC and Simon Audio (via LibroFM) for the audiobook. All opinions contained herein are my own.
In 1875 Philadelphia, Dr. Lydia Weston is gearing up to teach her students at the start of a new term. When a body is dredged out of the Schuylkill River, the death is initially deemed a suicide. Lydia is suspicious as she knew the young woman in question, and inserts herself into the investigation.
This is a solid debut and I'm definitely interested in continuing on with the series, should more books be published. All of the characters (even secondary ones) are well developed. Even though I figured out part of the mystery, I enjoyed the plot and pacing.
One of the strengths of this book is the fact that our heroine Lydia allies herself with detectives Volcker and Davies to assist in the investigation, instead of trying to do it all by herself. They are a good team, and are able to throw spaghetti at the wall pretty well between them.
Another strength is the description of the medical classes and clinic work that Lydia performs, as the author, Ritu Mukerji, is a doctor in real life. She was a medical student in Philadelphia, and her knowledge of the city also shines. I especially enjoyed the shout out for the beginnings of the Mütter museum.
This is a time period I'm not too familiar with and it was interesting to see that slice of life.
CW: murder, description of surgery, classism, misogyny
I received a copy of this book to review. Thank you to Simon & Schuster for the paperback ARC and Simon Audio (via LibroFM) for the audiobook. All opinions contained herein are my own.
cblunier's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
bookaddictpnw's review against another edition
dark
informative
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5