I've read a couple of Maron's books, but Take Out was the concluding installment of a series I haven't read. Although Sigrid Harald's character appeared in the Deborah Knott series, I haven't read any of the series that feature Sigrid and didn't know enough of the backstory to fully appreciate the book. Maybe I'll catch up with the previous books in Sigrid's series and enjoy it more.

How welcome to see the return of Sigrid Harald after so many years! Wonderful to connect with this book and the characters. in an engaging mystery that can be read by fans old or new. There is enough backstory to make this an enjoyable read for those new to the series who are perhaps missing Deborah Knott.
Margaret Maron brings the New York City of the 90s vividly to life. It is a world in which the WTC still stands and one could eat at Lutece. But all is not well as murders occur at a park bench. Further, there are mysteries regarding Sigrid's former love, the artist Oscar Nauman.
This book is well written and highly recommended for Margaret Maron fans and anyone who likes a (slightly) gritty New York mystery.

One of my favorite authors has done it again! Several plot lines going on to converge in a satisfying ending for Lt. Sigrid Harald, who is still struggling with the death of her lover, the artist Oscar Nauman. The past converges over and over from long ago love affairs, murders, hidden artwork and family secrets. All tied up in the perfect gift for any Margaret Maron fan.

Oh what a pleasure it was to read this book! There were no out-in-left-field twists or turns, no OMG how did I miss that. Just an old fashioned police procedural featuring beloved characters from the 1990's. Not the least bit boring despite "just" being a police procedural.
This is the final novel featuring Lt. Sigrid Harald who is still recovering from the death of lover Oscar Nauman. The novel with her and Judge Knott, Three Day Town, chronologically has not yet taken place.
Two men are found dead on a bench, poisoned by food left by do gooders. Each man has a connection to two very old ladies who live on a near-by street. Each of the old ladies, one the widow of a mafia don, the other a world famous opera singer has reason to wish one of the victims dead. There are lots of surprises in this book, it's just that each is logical and does not come from left field, leaving the reader feeling conned.
With a few deft sentences Maron brings the secondary characters to life, both those from Harald's detective team and those from her new art world.
The sad life of the homeless and near homeless victims was was explored with compassion. Visits to homeless shelters where the volunteers could become clients on a moments notice was particularly sad and thought provoking.
The two main suspects and their worlds of being an opera diva and mafia widow were well drawn by Maron. There were also interesting peeks into the world of fine art and publishing.
It's been a long wait for another Harald book, sad this is the last one.
No gunfights, no car chases, just a very well done exploration of how so much can go wrong in life and how sometimes as start toward recovery can be made
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in return for a fair and honest review.

5 stars

Lieutenant Sigrid Harald and her team of the NYPD respond to a call out for two men who are found dead on a bench. They immediately investigate the suspicious deaths. The medical examiner discovers that they have been poisoned with warfarin.

The younger of the two men is Matty. He is related to a woman who lives nearby. He used to be her driver, but she fired him when he went back on drugs. The other man is unidentified.

Intertwined with the investigation, we move ahead with Sigrid’s recovery from the death of her artist lover Oscar Nauman. He may – or may not – have a son. This book is rich in background material for the major characters, but it does not at all detract from the main story line. Indeed, it adds to it by making the characters seem so much more human and likeable. We get brief, interesting and tantalizing looks into the worlds of opera and publishing.

When the other man is finally identified, it is discovered that he had a connection to a famous retired opera singer named Charlotte Randolph.

Harald and her team begin to interview those who knew the men; their friends and relatives. They also look into an earlier case that may have a tie-in. As they progress along in their inquiries, it is indeed certain that the two cases – one of a hit and run and the murders are connected.

The killer is a shock. And the reason for the murder is an even bigger shock.

Like her Deborah Knott books, this novel is well written and plotted. It slowly builds suspense and drama until the conclusion which is both startling and revealing. Ms. Maron has a way of gentling the reader along as the pages fly by. She is a remarkable writer. I will most certainly read more of her books.

I want to thank Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for forwarding to me a copy of this wonderful book to read.

The final Sigrid Harald book (though chronologically before she meets Deborah Knott in Three-Day Town) is an excellent send-off. A nicely twisty main mystery is backed up by other puzzles that wrap up the series nicely. The return to the Erich Bruel House is particularly satisfying. Readers new to Sigrid will not be lost, however, as this should stand alone fairly well.

Highly recommended, especially for fans of Lt. Harald.

Maron begins a new series featuring New York homicide detective, Sigrid Harald. Harald and her team are investigating a series of death that may just be accidental, but the detective’s instincts tell her there is something more sinister at work. I had a hard time finding a rhythm with this book because of the huge number of loooong run-on sentences. Maybe it’s because this is a new series, but it seems like Maron is trying to fit too much background information about her characters in big chunks instead of letting the information come out more naturally through the narrative. I like Harald and look forward to trying the next book in the series to see if some of those glitches have been worked out

I have loved every word written by Margaret Maron. I have missed Sigrid and this entry was worth the wait.

As a long time fan of Margaret Maron's Deborah Knott series I was delighted to see that she is now writing about Sigrid Harald, who was featured in one of the Deborah Knott books. This book has the fast paced plot and well drawn relatable characters that I have come to expect from this author and, as an added bonus, gives us a look into the life of a female detective in New York. I thorougly enjoyed this book and look forward to sharing future adventures with Sigrid Harald.