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Mystery/Thriller Book ReviewsPage Two of TwoLittle Girl Blue by David CrayCarroll & Graf, January, 2002Hardcover, 320 pages ISBN: 078670943X Ordering information: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk 
NYPD homicide detective and single mom Julia Brennan has developed
the hard shell necessary in order to get the job done. She has grown
cold over the years, as a result of seeing what horrors humans can inflict upon
other humans. But when a young girl's frozen naked body
is found in Central Park, Julia's hard exterior is breached
by the pathetic circumstances of the child's death. With the
help of an undercover cop, Peter Foley, Julia investigates
the world of child pornography and prostitution. Julia
is more than a little suspicious of her new guide; Peter
Foley is carrying a lot of emotional baggage, although he
is quite attractive. And the politics in the NYPD are becoming more and more
burdensome, especially for a female homicide detective.
As the investigation progresses, Julia becomes more
worried about her daughter Correy's safety -- can she find
the murderer before he destroys someone she loves?
David Cray (a pseudonym for a well-known mystery writer) crafts a gripping and dark police procedural which explores the sordid world which exploits young children through international adoption scams, forced drug abuse and child slavery. It's not a pretty topic, but unfortunately it's all too accurate. Cray does an excellent job of showing this world mostly by implication, which is contrasted sharply with the normal everyday concerns of Julia's daughter Correy. Julia Brennan is a skillfully drawn character, and her interactions with the NYPD brass ring true. This is a prime example of how a police procedural should be written: the prose is smooth, the plot is tight and the background is enjoyably gritty. --Claire E. White Murphy's Law by Rhys BowenSt. Martin's Press, October, 2001Hardcover, 226 pages ISBN: 0312282060 Ordering information: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk 
Rhys Bowen, author of the popular Evans Evans
mystery series, moves to another time and place with
her new series, set in 1900 New York City. Irish lass
Molly Murphy must flee her homeland, after she
accidentally kills a wealthy landowner's son who was
trying to rape her. She flees to London where she meets
a young mother with tuberculosis, Kathleen O'Connor.
Kathleen will not be allowed to go to America because of
the TB, so she begs Molly to take her steerage ticket
and escort her two children to America to live with
their father. Molly agrees, but when she arrives at
Ellis Island, she becomes a suspect in the murder of
an obnoxious male passenger who had made unwelcome
advances to Molly during the trip. The handsome young policeman
who is investigating the murder, Daniel Sullivan,
is anything but happy when Molly sets out in a new country
to find a murderer. But Molly is determined. Either she
finds the real murderer, or it's back to Ireland and the
hangman's noose for her.
Tammany Hall-era New York City is vividly portrayed in this charming new series from Rhys Bowen. During this time period, immigrants actually entered the country right at New York Harbor, and Bowen's descriptions of the processing of new arrivals is fascinating. Flame haired Molly Murphy is an outspoken and plucky young woman, whose smart mouth often lands her in trouble. But she's gutsy and persistent -- two traits that any penniless immigrant will need in order to make a life in America. With interesting period detail and a likeable heroine, Murphy's Law is sure to be a hit with historical mystery fans. --Claire E. White Mystery Reviews Page One | Page Two Click Here to Return to the Book Reviews Index ** To visit the archives of mystery books reviewed in The IWJ, please click here. |
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