TAKE OUT is an interesting New York-set crime novel.

Starring NYPD Detective Sigrid Harald, the novel is about the poisoning of two homeless men in the West Village. A neighbourhood scandal seems to be at the heart of the poisoning, and Harald sets about investigating. It's a "straight forward" police procedural, and an excellent one at that.

In addition to the crime/procedural elements, the novel also touches upon many contemporary NY social issues: for example, the price and ripple effects of gentrification, NIMBYism, and the ever-growing wealth gap and inequality of the city, not to mention those who suffer as collateral damage.

The characters are very well-drawn, and brought to life quickly on the page. Harald is an excellent protagonist. Maron's writing is excellent, and pulls the reader along, perfectly evoking the difference characteristics of New York and those who inhabit it.

Definitely recommended. This was my first Maron novel. It will not be my last.

A DNF. I wasn't able to get into the story and hence couldn't see it through the end. Very disappointing considering I actually was expecting a great story from this one.

I wasn't able to finish this book, so I decided not to review it on my site or any of the major retailers/Goodreads.

If you’re looking for an elegantly written mystery with a distinct New York flavor, you really can’t go wrong with Margaret Maron’s ninth novel featuring NYC Detective Sigrid Harald—it’s no wonder it’s an Agatha nominee. This is my first novel by MWA Grand Master Maron, and you can be sure that I’ll be going back to the beginning of the series, which started back in 1981 with One Coffee With. In Take Out, Sigrid is still grieving for her lover, the famous artist Oscar Nauman, who died almost a year prior. Oscar disrupted her carefully ordered life, and his death was a shock—especially since it still holds so many questions for her.

After all these months, time had blunted the worst of her grief, but she still had irrational bursts of anger that his cavalier driving habits had done this to them both.

From the skid marks left on that mountain road in California, the reporting trooper theorized that Nauman had been driving much too fast to make that hairpin turn. What was he doing up in those hills anyhow? As chair of Vanderlyn College’s art department, he was supposed to be attending a meeting of the College Art Association in LA where he and Buntrock were features speakers, not off sightseeing in an unfamiliar car. Yet, while Buntrock met with colleagues at the Getty Museum, Nauman had taken their rental car for a long drive out in the hills, where he lost control and plunged over the edge of a mountain road into one of the canyons.

You can imagine her shock when she found out that Oscar left her everything he owned, including his considerable fortune. Not one to let that go to her head, Sigrid is doing her best to get on with her life and her job while sorting out Oscar’s estate.

Plenty of distraction comes in the form of two men who are found dead on a park bench. Both men are found slumped over on the bench with a bag full of takeout nearby. Turns out there are a few people locally that leave their leftovers for the homeless, and when the autopsy results come back, the news is grim: the men have been poisoned by warfarin, which is commonly found in not only rat poison but blood thinner as well. One of the men is Matty Mutone, who was known for claiming a connection to the Mafia, which he did have … of a sort. A woman living nearby, Sofia DelVecchio, was his godmother, and she’s also the widow of a well-known mafia don, Benito, aka “Benny Olds.” The other man is eventually identified by another neighbor, a famous opera singer named Charlotte Randolph, as Jack Bloss, who worked backstage at the opera.

It’s these two compelling women and the possible feud between them that make up the heart of the mystery. They’re both keeping secrets, and Sigrid suspects they may have had something to do with the men’s death—but why? Complicating matters for Sigrid is the shocking appearance of Vincent Naas, also known as Vincent Nauman. He claims to be Oscar’s son from a previous relationship and that his father was apparently never told about him.

Maron weaves a very tangled web of secrets, lies, and family ties. I suspect that since it’s been quite a long time since the last book, Fugitive Colors, was published in 1995, Maron made an effort to catch new readers up to some of Sigrid’s background, and new readers, like myself, may get lost. However, this didn’t take away from the story for me—in fact, all it did was make me want to go back and read the series from the beginning. Sigrid is a fascinating character: no-nonsense and a bit sharp around the edges but with a vulnerability—one that is especially poignant when it comes to her love affair with Oscar. Character-driven mystery doesn’t get much better than this, and I can see why Maron’s work has garnered so many awards. I’ve heard this is her final book, and if so, what a finish to such a distinguished career.

4 stars
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me this ebook. This is the final book in the Sigrid Harald police procedural series. It is also the first book in the series that I have read. I thought that worked ok as a standalone. Sigrid and her team are investigating two suspicious deaths. They follow up numerous clues and eliminate suspects. They discover some decades old secrets. I liked the characters and the very satisfying ending. It takes place in New York city in the 1990s

Margaret Maron, who wrapped up her award-winning Deborah Knott series with last year's Long Upon the Land, returns with what she has said will be the last entry in her Sigrid Harald series, Take Out (Grand Central, digital galley). In mid-1990s New York City, police detective Harald is dealing with her grief over the recent death of her lover, famous artist Oscar Nauman, by helping organize a posthumous exhibit and settle his estate. On the work front, the murder of two homeless men, who shared poisoned takeout on a park bench, first leads Harald to the widow of a retired mobster and then to her neighbor, a former opera star. Even as she tries to figure out the tangled connections between the dead men, and who wanted who dead, she is surprised by the appearance of a man claiming to be Nauman's son. It's a thoroughly satisfying mystery on several levels, a fitting farewell to a storied career.
from On a Clear Day I Can Read Forever

This was a great book. It has been purchased for our library.

As much as I love Judge Deborah Knott and her incredibly extended family down in the South, I’ve always preferred this author’s Sigrid Halard series, even if it is based in Noo Yawk. It’s so much fun revisiting this universe after so many years away. All the quirky characters are here, especially the clumsiest cop that’s ever existed, the Bohemian photographer/mom who’s always a hoot, and of course Roman; if you’ve read any in this series, nothing more need be said.
This time out the squad is searching for the food-poisoning murderer of two apparently homeless men, with ties to various people on one city street. Also featured on this block is a diner and a getting-close-to-your-client business that isn’t what it appears to be; you’ll see. As always, the characters are more interesting than the plot, but it winds its merry way to a satisfying conclusion anyway. Classic Maron and Sigrid.
One note—at the end the author says this:
“Although the first eight books in this series were written in what was the current “now” at the time and with absolutely no regard to aging my characters, this book takes place in the 1990s, a year after Fugitive Colors but before Three-Day Town.”
Wish she’d said that at the beginning!

Margaret Maron never disappoints with another exciting mystery involving NYPD Detective Sigrid Harald. The sleuth is well crafted as always, the characters all add to the story with depth and interest. I enjoy all her books and her exciting style of creating a excellent sleuth. A highly recommended read.

I read the rest of the Sigrid Harald books years ago when they were first published. This one was enjoyable and fit in well with the series. Sigrid is recovering from the death of her lover and dealing with the fallout from that. At the same time, she is investigating the death of two homeless men who died after eating take out food left for them on a bench. Throw in a mafia connection, an aging opera singer, and a few secrets and you have an enjoyable mystery with a bit of an old-fashioned feel to it. With Margaret Maron's books, you know what you are getting and that can be a good thing. Sinking into the latest, and last, installment in the Sigrid Harald series provided the perfect entertainment for an evening.

Loved the series. Sorry it's the last one.
Goodreads

I chose this book as it reminded me of Rizzoli and Isles. I wish I had started this series from the beginning. While this book did not have a revealing plot twist, it still managed to keep the reader WANTING to read on nonetheless.

Review: 3.25 Stars – rounded to 3 Stars

Publication Date: June 27, 2017

Why I chose this book: Simply, it reminded me of my favorite TV show, Rizzoli and Isles. While I typically stray away from series, especially ones where I would be starting at the end of the series (book #9 to be exact), the reviews I’d read stated it wasn’t something that needed to be read in order. After reading this book, I disagree. I felt lost throughout some chapters as I had little history or context of the characters and their relationships that had been built throughout the series. The author inserted A LOT of characters with little back story or relevance to the main plot, however I am confident I would have recognized the characters if I’d started from Book #1.

Why I liked the book: While this book did not have a revealing plot twist, it still managed to keep the reader WANTING to read on nonetheless. However, without the many side stories concurrently happening throughout the book, this book may have lacked sustenance and been rather short on pages.

All in all, I wish I had started this series from the beginning. While I am all about powerful, female heroines, this book left me wishing for more, including more twists and surprises.

If you haven't read the Sigrid Harald series, try this one for a good twisty mystery with a terrific and highly appropriate title. It surprised me in that I didn't actually guess not only the who but the why of the murderer, which is always a sign of a well plotted mystery. Sigrid's personal life figures less in this than in previous installments, which makes it a fine standalone if that's all you're looking for. That said, Nauman remains in the forefront of her thoughts even as she ably untangles the murders. It's well written and paced, with logical twists and a good turn. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC_ I really enjoyed this and read it in one giant gulp! Two thumbs up and I'm sad there will be no more Sigrids not only for the very excellent stories but also because I'd like to know what happens to the three birds.

Having met Margaret Maron many years ago, I'm always excited when I see her name on a new book.!! TAKEOUT definitely lived up to her high standards. There were so many mysteries entertained that at times it was slightly challenging to keep them straight. However, Maron untangles and resolves them in her usual masterly style. I've read almost every book Maron has written, and now that I've finished this one, I want to go back and reread the Sigrid Harald series. Well done, Ms. Maron!

Beginning with the award winning Bootlegger's Daughter, I have read and would recommend all of Margaret Maron's Deborah Knott mysteries. They involve a large family and are set in North Carolina; reading the latest always feels as though you are returning to relax and to spend time with good friends. I imagine that is what fans of Maron's series featuring the NYPD's Sigrid Harald experience, too. I just finished the most recent in that group: TAKE OUT in which Harald is involved in solving the deaths of two homeless men in late 1990's New York City.

Maron works to develop several side stories involving the art world and includes quite a few references to earlier cases. Rather than finding that helpful, I found it distracting and preferred determining which man was the intended victim here. The main mystery seemed complex enough, centering on a possible poisoning and long ago relationships for an opera star, a mobster's widow, and their employees. Receiving a starred review from Library Journal, TAKE OUT was indeed puzzling and entertaining, but I still personally prefer Deborah Knott and the camaraderie with her 11 brothers, numerous nieces and nephews and father, Kezzie. Amongst her many honors, Margaret Maron received a Grand Master Award in 2013 from the Mystery Writers of America and if TAKE OUT is indeed her last book, her writing will be missed.

I think that NYPD Lieutenant Sigrid Harald would recognize Eve Dallas’ 21st century New York as still being her city, and vice versa. And that if the two women ever met, they would see each other as kin. There’s a similarity to the two no-nonsense New York homicide detectives that transcends time.

Also a distinct difference. I read all of the Sigrid Harald series, starting with One Coffee With, sometime in the late 80s or early 90s. But I never read the last one. Although there is a murder mystery in Fugitive Colors, that story also deals with the unexpected death of Sigrid’s lover, the artist Oscar Nauman. It was just too sad to contemplate, so I never picked it up. I have a copy, I just couldn’t bear to read it.

Take Out takes place in the aftermath of Nauman’s death. It’s been over a year since the tragedy, and Sigrid has learned to deal with her grief, even though it still sometimes strikes her down without warning. She has also resigned herself to being Oscar’s heir, and dealing with all the myriad details involved with protecting the legacy (and the fortune) of a famous artist.

But the mystery in Take Out turns out to be wrapped in the other loose ends of Sigrid’s life, as well as tying up the leftover bits of the mystery from Fugitive Colors. It all starts with a New York tradition – take out.

Two men are dead on a bench in an upscale NYC neighborhood. The remains of their last meal all around them – take out food from a neighborhood restaurant. Neither man is a resident. One is clearly a homeless drug addict, while the other is exceedingly down-at-the-heel. One death might have been accidental, but two is one too many for the long arm of coincidence, even in New York. When rat poison is found in both of the take out boxes they were noshing on, it’s clear that at least one of them was murdered, even if the other is merely collateral damage.

But which? And most importantly, why?

This is a case where the past threatens to overwhelm the present, from the recent death of an old mobster’s daughter to the long-ago murder of Sigrid’s own father – by a minion of that same mobster. And if the long-simmering rivalry between the two old women at opposite ends of the block has finally erupted into open warfare, why now?

Which of the many secrets has suddenly become too toxic to remain buried? And can Sigrid figure it out before the past dies with it?

Escape Rating B+: Take Out is closure. Not just for all the old secrets buried on that street, but for Sigrid as well. I loved this book, and I was very, very glad to see this old favorite get wrapped up.

At the same time, it’s been a LONG time since Fugitive Colors was published in 1995, the same year that Naked in Death (the first Eve Dallas book) was published. And as fascinating as the mystery in Take Out is, it also felt as if there was a definite strain in the story as the author needed to catch up new readers (and remind old ones) of just who all these characters were and why they mattered to Sigrid. Those explanations were both utterly necessary and took away from the rising tension of the mystery.

It’s that mystery that keeps the reader guessing until the end. There are two old women at the heart of this mystery. One is a mobster’s widow, and the other a famous opera singer. Both are in their 80s. It doesn’t seem possible that either is the murderer, and yet, they both had ties to the dead men. And potentially they both had reasons to want one of the men dead, but not both. And not the means to do the deed. And yet it was done.

This is a story that is all about the past. Not just the past of those two old women, but also Sigrid’s past, and Oscar Nauman’s past. And even the past wrapped up in an old museum, which desperately needs a new lease on life. It all ties neatly together at the end, and the case, and the series, close with satisfaction.

What a wonderful conclusion to the Sigrid Harald series. This is the 9th and final installment of a well written police procedural featuring Sigrid of the NYPD and the art world. This could be a stand alone because Ms. Maron takes the time to explain the background characters and back stories. This murder has two men dying on a park bench with no known connection between them. As Sigrid digs into the murders she unearths some connections with herself and her friends. Great story, great mystery. Sorry to see Sigrid will not be back.

This is both the first book I have read in the Sigrid Harald series and the first book by Margaret Maron. To be honest, hadn't I heard of Maron before I read this book. But, after finishing this book can I only say that Maron is an author that I want to read more books from.

It wasn't hard to get into the book, despite being book nine in a series that I previously didn't know a thing about. Vice versa, to be honest, I felt right from the start that this was a book just for me. I liked Sigrid Harald (One of the reasons I was curious to read this book her Scandinavian name), she's a tough cop, but the loss of her lover, Oscar Nauman, one year previously still rattles her. Especially when she learns something unexpected concerning Oscar Nauman in this book.

Then we have the murder of the two homeless men in West Village. I liked the case, the secrets the murders uncovered among the people that were interviewed and those among them that had a connection to either of the men. There are a lot of people in the book, but still, it wasn't so hard to keep track of them after a while.

Take Out turned out to be an excellent mystery book and I'm eager to get my hands on the rest of the books in the series.

I took this book because I though Maron was going to continue this series after giving up on the Deborah Knott series. Then I got her newsletter saying that this was the last book she would write in this series. Since I have not read the previous books I decided to skip this one too.

I’ve read almost everyone book by Margaret Maron. The Sigrid Harald series predates the Deborah Knott series by Maron and although I’ve always preferred the friendly down-to-earth Deborah, Sigrid is an interesting character. As reserved as Deborah is outgoing, Sigrid is an intelligent, dedicated New York City detective who has put aside her personal tragedy to go on with her job and with life. This new Sigrid Harald novel is as well-written as you would expect from Maron and the case Sigrid is working on is intriguing. I enjoyed the solution to the case as well as to a personal mystery that Sigrid must handle. Fan of Maron and especially this series will enjoy the gift of another Sigrid adventure and new readers who enjoy an intelligent, no-nonsense detective will like the book.

I received this book from NetGalley, through the courtesy of Grand Central Publishing. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.