KRISTINE JOHNSON - MOSTLY MYSTERY REVIEWS

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	Kristine Johnson is an unpublished mystery writer from Central California. After receiving a B.A. in English from California State University, Fresno she has used her days working as an environmental analyst and nights writing. She is a member of Romance Writers of America and Sisters In Crime and is the editor for From The Heart Romance Writers newsletter, Words From The Heart.

OH DANNY BOY
Rhys Bowen
St. Martin's Minotaur
ISBN: 0312328176, 320 pages, $23.95

In OH DANNY BOY by Rhys Bowen, Molly Murphy is an Irish immigrant struggling to make a living as a female investigator in 1902. She finds out her former boyfriend, Captain Daniel Sullivan of the New York Police Department, has been arrested for accepting a bribe. Molly's dragged to see him in the notorious Tombs city jail where he begs her to help him prove he's been framed. Reluctant to help the man who broke her heart, but unwilling to let an innocent man die in prison, she makes the decision to help him.

Molly begins by looking into the two cases Daniel was assigned to solve--a horse doping scheme and a serial killer called the East Side Ripper. Daniel has few remaining friends, so she's limited to an addled boxer to help her question suspects, but he disappears. Without anyone else she can trust, Molly investigates the latest crime scene of the East Side Ripper herself. At the scene she meets Sabella Goodwin, a female police officer, who was historically the first female detective in New York. They team up to help clear Daniel's name and stop a murderer. When Sabella is run down by a carriage Molly is faced with solving the case on her own and risking a similar fate. Molly's persistence, more than skill, helps her solve the case.

This is the fifth book in the cozy mystery series featuring Molly Murphy. Set in 1902 New York City, the story weaves in true historical references with dynamic fiction. Rhys Bowen balances the historical facts, the challenges for a woman in a male dominated society, Molly's personal situation and the mystery to keep the plot moving. The mystery was complex enough to keep me guessing until the end. My only disappointment was how Molly's personal situation develops and comes to an unsatisfying conclusion. I'm looking forward to reading more from this wonderful series.

Kristine Johnson

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