Reviews

ฆาตกรรมที่แอสเตอร์เพลซ by Victoria Thompson

221bees's review against another edition

2.0

This was just decent. I was quite disappointed with the lack of historical detail of 19th century New York, which is the main reason I picked up this book in the first place. The author indeed made a basic attempt, but that's all it was: basic. Furthermore, the writing was average and the mystery a bit predictable.

...That being said, I like Sarah Brandt, the protagonist. I like that she's independent, smart, tenacious and competent at her job as a midwife. Frank Malloy, the Detective Sergeant that is assigned to the case and who Sarah ends up aiding in his search for a killer, is likable as well. And I thought the author did a good job describing the attitudes of high society.

If you're looking for a quick, fairly entertaining read, then this is the book for you. If you're looking for a historical mystery novel, I would look elsewhere.

shannonadouglas's review against another edition

2.0

Book should come with a trigger warning. Incest. Felt like the author could have picked any other ending but was going for a shock value. What a disappointing end to what could have been a good series.

john_disilva's review against another edition

mysterious medium-paced

4.0

rosa_inverno's review against another edition

dark mysterious

3.5

I want to say enjoyable mystery, but the reveal is horrifyingly grim. I called it (kind of

when Sarah mentioned that Mina had been pulled out of school before her sister's birth, I knew Mina was Alicia's mother, at least

) pretty early on, but when it actually happened it was - more awful than I thought. Yipes.

I liked the main characters, I appreciated the lack of romance, though it'll probably end up there because it always does 🙃 Loved the setting. It's one of my favorite historical fiction time periods. I will be reading on in this series.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest

victorianvickie's review against another edition

4.0

I really enjoyed this book! It did take a while for me to figure out what was going on in the story. Sarah is a midwife in the 1800's. She comes from a society home and left after her sisters death. She and her family just couldn't get past this. Sarah thinks she recognizes an old society friend when she is at a housecall. This friend winds up murdered. She decides she has to know what happened and just butts in the police investigation.

I won't lie, this book had some very hard parts to read but I enjoyed it.

desertlover's review against another edition

4.0

I'm a sucker for historical mysteries and couldn't resist one featuring a police detective and a midwife. This takes place during the turn of the century in New York, where so much about policing is drastically changing. The historical references to Theodore Roosevelt and police corruption is fascinating and ties in nicely with the overall storyline. In many ways, the book reminded me of a less intense version of The Alienist. I adored Sarah, who is a strong willed and remarkable heroine. It always amazes me how much women have overcome in the last 100 years. I have a soft spot for Malloy as he balances between duty and rightness. The mystery is somewhat predictable, but the character development and relationships more than compensates.

I cannot wait to see where the series goes!

One woman couldn't change the world. She could just make small parts of it better. That's what she was doing tonight.

miabluu's review against another edition

4.0

4.0 stars

Well this was actually really good. The plot was gripping, the pacing was nice, the characters were pretty dymensional and even the murder revelation was shocking to me. Honestly a recommended read if you're into historical murder mystery!!

stories_of_the_soul27's review against another edition

mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

I had picked up this book on a whim. I wasn’t expecting much and it surprised me. I like mystery and a historical setting and combining them both did work the charm for me. Since it’s a long series, it made sense for the protagonists to have their characters build up and the way it was done left no complaints for me. As for the mystery, it was well written. There were good number of dead bodies, a nice build up of suspense, the pacing was well balanced throughout the story and the atmosphere of the climax was intense. Overall a very enjoyable read and I will definitely be continuing the series. 

feeltheread's review against another edition

dark informative mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

rynflynn12's review against another edition

mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25