A super fun, historical cozy that takes you right back to 1937 Boston. Great characters, good plot I can't wait to solve more mysteries with Reggie and Hamish.

I was really excited about this book - especially coming from publisher Thomas Nelson. It's not often you find fiction from this era from a Christian fiction publisher. I was a little disappointed that there were no Christian characters and that faith and God did not play any part in the story, but it was a completely clean story, and I appreciate that. The story would point out that a character cursed, but it would literally say, "Luca cursed." or something to that effect. There are no actual curse words in the story. Characters were described as drinking alcohol, but the main characters typically refused alcohol - Hamish would order a Coke, and Reggie usually something similar. I think Reggie did have wine a few times, but neither Hamish nor Reggie were ever intoxicated.
The writing is excellent - I've never been to Boston, but now I feel like I would recognize it from the story. The sense of time and place are very vibrant. I loved Hamish and Reggie as characters. I think Reggie's character development skipped some steps - she went from running from prominent family starting her "journal of independence" and working on small things, to suddenly having arrived at being a fully confident, self-supporting independent modern woman. I felt like she made some leaps without the requisite plot development, but I still loved her character. Hamish I think stayed a little more on track and the reader got a much better sense of his evolution throughout the story.
The mystery was not as twisty as I usually like to see. It was a little flat. But I loved the writing and the characters so much, and I enjoyed reading about them. I will likely still continue with the series, because now I really need to know who gets the girl. ; )

The first in a new series, this mystery introduces the characters of Haimish, newly arrived in Boston from Toronto, and Reggie, the daughter of a wealthy Connecticut family escaping a stultifying lifestyle and engagement. The magnetic personality of Haimish's cousin Luca brings the couple together as they try to sort out the circumstances of an underworld murder. The descriptions of Boston in the 1930's are evocative for this New Englander, and the main characters are interesting enough to prompt reading more of the series as it is published.

Oh, Hamish...My Hamish...Where have you been all my life? Hamish is my kindred spirit. My best friend. The fictional character that I so desperately want to meet.

For Rachel McMillan to take something that she has personally dealt with her whole life, and give it to her HERO...It is one of the most beautiful things you will ever witness. I feel like I not only know Hamish...But I know Ms. McMillan better. She opened her heart and let the words pour onto the page. The description is REAL, the emotion is REAL, the pain and the heartache is REAL. Anxiety...is REAL!

In addition to the anxiety factor...We have all the makings for an intense and intriguing mystery. A suave Italian nightclub owner, a bad guy on the hunt, and a high class born young lady determined to solve a crime. One of the themes that stood out to me in this story, is the sense of finding home.

"What if home wasn't something you were born into but rather something you found and ultimately chose?"

Murder at the Flamingo is a story full of life and adventure! From the North End of Boston to the nightclub scene of the 1930s...You will want to dance the night away with Reggie and Hamish in this new mystery from Rachel McMillan!

I received a complimentary copy of Murder at the Flamingo. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

Murder at the Flamingo gives you all the 1930’s Boston mystery kinda vibes. In this book, we meet Hamish DeLuca who abruptly escapes to Boston after experiencing an anxiety attack in the middle of his first court case as a new lawyer. Once in Boston, Hamish teams up with his devishly handsome and powerful cousin, Luca Valari, who is anticipating the grand opening of his lavish new nightclub, the Flamingo. While in Boston and helping with his cousin’s grand opening preparations, Hamish meets Regina “Reggie” Van Buren. Reggie, too, has fled to Boston and left behind her heir to a New Haven fortune, high-maintenance parents and even the suitor her parents had lined up to take her hand. Dreaming of being an independent, kick butt woman who doesn’t need her parents money, Reggie finds a job as Luca’s right hand woman (secretary). It is while working for/helping Luca with the Flamingo’s preparations that Hamish and Reggie meet for the first time and discover a rare connection that can’t be described with words.

It is also at the Flamingo’s grand opening that Hamish and Reggie discover a corpse at the bottom of a staircase. (Dun dun dunnnnnnnn). Some think it to be an accident, however some suspect darker, more suspicious things going on with Luca, his past and the Flamingo nightclub.

Stuck between being loyal to his cousin yet wanting to get to the bottom of this murder, Hamish and Reggie tag team to make the dopest self-proclaimed detective duo ever in hopes of solving the *drumroll please* MURDER AT THE FLAMINGO.

OKAY SO. I give this book 3 out of 5 stars. I loved the protagonists like crazy and their characters were BY FAR one of my favorite parts of this book. Reggie gave me total Rachel Green ~ “I don’t wanna marry Barry but I’ve never worked a day in my life but wanna move to the city to be a kick butt independent woman who don’t need no man or my parents money” vibes. The reason for my 3 star rating – this book had a sllllooooow start. Along with that, I wanted more when it came to the murder. It was almost like the discovery and solving of the murder was crammed into the last 50 pages and I just wanted MORE.

Overall, a very interesting, unique read!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Murder at the Flamingo is a great start to a new series. It has everything murder mystery fans can possibly want: flawed but likable hero, a loyal and smart heroine, a fun and intriguing mystery, a hint of romance and a flawlessly written setting in the 30s. As a reader of mainly books written in the 30s, I was thoroughly impressed with the writer's ability to capture the essence of that decade and transfer it so naturally into the story. Reggie and Hamish are amazing as a sleuthing duo, their dynamic works and keeps the story light and at the same time intriguing. I look forward to reading more books in the series.

This book gives a detailed account of Hamish DeLuca’s life during the course of the novel. It has an authentic feel to it and the author does an excellent job with portraying anxiety during that time period. I also admire the author’s intent to use this novel as a way to continue to bring discuss around mental illness into the general sphere.

It is important to note that while this is a mystery novel, the personal character drama in some ways supersedes the mystery component. However, the two protagonists having a Detective Agency suggests future mysteries may focus less on the characters own lives. But for this novel, them developing as characters and becoming who they wanted to be, was a huge part of the story.

Hamish DeLuca had been plagued by anxiety attacks all his life. He had graduated at the top of his Toronto law school class and gained a position at a law firm. However after an anxiety attack in the courtroom, he decided to flee to Boston to help his charismatic cousin, Luca Valeri, open a nightclub.

Regina Van Buren, the daughter of a wealthy New Haven family, decided that she no longer wanted the life her parents provided for her. So when her long time beau, Vaughan Verlaander announced their engagement without her approval, she decided to run away to Boston. She found a job working for Luca as an assistant at a small office in the North End of Boston.

The new nightclub, the Flamingo Club, was to be the place to be seen in Boston. Luca hoped to hire the best people to work at his new club. He also had some questionable investors in the club.

The night the Flamingo club opened, there was a large crowd of patrons and then Reggie and Hamish discovered the popular cigarette girl dead in the basement. Luca was arrested for the girl’s death but he was released after the death was ruled an accident. Hamish and Reggie were convinced that it was a murder and set out to find the killer and discover what had happened.

This is an interesting period piece about Post Prohibition nightlife and it gives the reader a picture of the city of Boston. The ending suggests other stories about the two amateur sleuths.

I loved the cover and the description.
Unfortunately the book is quite slow and it takes a lot of time before things start going.
The characters and the settings are interesting but there're too many descriptions and this bored me.
Nevertheless I'm curious to see what the development in this series will be as there's a lot of potential.
Many thanks to Thomas Nelson and Netgalley for this ARC

Murder at the Flamingo by Rachel McMillan is a fantastic whodunit set in Boston in 1937. starring the quirky, unknowingly dapper Hamish DeLuca and socialite Regina "Reggie" Van Buren of the New Haven Van Burens who's obsessed with Hollywood movies. This tale is reminiscent of Dashiell Hammett's Maltese Falcon or a Dick Tracy caper, only with more heart and compassionate characters.


And the story goes...

After suffering a panic attack in the middle of his first case as an attorney, Hamish decides to escape the pressures of his father and the courtroom, and heads to Boston to see his cousin, the debonair Luca Valari, who is about to open a snazzy new nightclub, the Flamingo, with the help of Reggie, who is looking for excitement and independence, trying to escape her family pressures to get married. Working with Luca to get the club ready to open, Hamish and Reggie become immersed in the seedy underworld of Boston night life, complete with violence, booze, smoke filled clubs, and murder.
The anxious Hamish is forced to choose between doing what's right and protecting his cousin. With the help of Reggie, the two must embrace their sleuthing skills to solve the murder before it gums up the works at the Flamingo or before someone else ends up hurt...maybe even one of them.


My thoughts...

Honestly, this has been one of my favorite reads this summer. A fabulous whodunit that embraces the atmosphere of 1930s Boston, nightclubs, and mystery. I was also super excited to find out that this isn't the last I've heard of Hamish and Reggie... because I need the low down on where their relationship is going! I'm counting down until the next one comes out!!


Make sure to pick up this marvelous murder caper on July 10 to find out what happens at the Flamingo (doesn't always stay at the Flamingo!!)


Special thanks to Net Galley, Rachel McMillan, and Thomas Nelson-Fiction (publisher) for the advance reader's copy for my honest review! #netgalley #murderattheflamingo

I liked the characters - a young lady asserting her independence from her high society family and a bookish, shy young man trying to find his own path apart from his well-meaning but overbearing father - and the setting - 1930s Boston night club scene. Unfortunately the story didn't hold my interest. The murder didn't happen until more than halfway into the book and by the time they started to solve the mystery I was too bored to care anymore.

There’s so much to love about this book. The setting of Boston in the 1930’s. Rachel McMillan’s vivid descriptions of the people and places of that city. The characters: Hamish is a unique, honorable, likeable and unexpected hero. Reggie is the perfect 1930’s heroine: Beautiful, spunky, smart and loyal. Luca, the mystery man with money and power., who still has a great love for family. The whole time I was reading, I felt as if I were watching a classic 1930’s movie. Even the music of that era was playing through my mind because of the references to in the book. There were some some surprising twists in the mystery, just enough to make you wonder for a little while.

Some things to consider when reading this story. It does not start out with the murder. The author takes her time to fully establish her characters, and then the action heats up. It all fits together well, so don’t be in a rush to get to the main event. Take the time to fully enjoy the pace of the book. Also, I would not classify this as truly Christian fiction. It is a clean book with no bad language or embarrassing scenes, and good wins out over evil. The two main characters exhibit good morals. For those reasons, readers who love Christian fiction will find themselves comfortable with this book.

This was my first book to read by Rachel McMillan. I’ll be going back and reading some of her others. I’m glad she’s broughtReggie and Hamish to life in this new series.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review. I was not required to give a positive review. All opinions are my own.

This book appears to be the first in a new series of mysteries that are set in the 1930s. I love how the author has recreated the era, both in description and tone, incorporating historical settings of glamour, grit, and everything in between. While it is listed as a Christian book, the story is not overtly religious in any way...preferring to take its references from the Hunchback of Notre Dame. Instead, it is probably listed in this category because it is a clean mystery with moral messages. I love old black and white mystery movies, and this book felt like one of those. There are hints of romance, bad guys who turn out to be good, good guys who turn out to be bad, sudden twists, and personal struggles all within these pages...and I really look forward to the next installment with Reggie and Hamish.

This was my first book by this author, and it took me a long while to find her writing rhythm. I feel she changes directions mid-paragraph, and then I’m left playing catch-up. But once the murder happens (after the 50% mark), then the story just flies. Then it’s perfectly understandable why there was sooooo much set-up and exposition.

Hamish and Reggie make a delicious pair, and I’m looking forward to reading what happens next.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

historical-fiction, historical-research, amateur-sleuth, anxiety-attacks, friendship, Boston, the-mob -----
I loved it! So atmospheric I had to recheck that it wasn't a reprint of a mystery written pre WW2. It's even complete with movie references familiar to my grandson at 25 and my kids 35 to ?
The story is rather engrossing, the characters are engaging and very realistic, and you can almost FEEL the beat of the music in the clubs. The interpersonal interactions are a great part of what makes this book exceptional. The publisher's blurb gives hints and there is no need for spoilers, but I sincerely hope that many people take the opportunity to read it. I know that I will be buying copies for certain friends.
I requested and received a free review copy via NetGalley. Thanks so much!

"Hamish DeLuca has spent most of his life trying to hide the anxiety that appears at the most inopportune times -- including during his first real court case as a new lawyer. Determined to rise above his father’s expectations, Hamish runs away to Boston where his cousin, Luca Valari, is opening a fashionable nightclub in Scollay Square. When he meets his cousin's “right hand man,” Reggie, Hamish wonders if his dreams for a more normal life might be at hand.

Regina “Reggie” Van Buren, heir to a New Haven fortune, has fled fine china, small talk, and the man her parents expect her to marry. Determined to make a life as the self-sufficient city girl she’s seen in her favorite Jean Arthur and Katharine Hepburn pictures, Reggie runs away to Boston, where she finds an easy secretarial job with the suave Luca Valari. But as she and Hamish work together in Luca’s glittering world, they discover a darker side to the smashing Flamingo nightclub.

When a corpse is discovered at the Flamingo, Reggie and Hamish quickly learn there is a vast chasm between the haves and the have-nots in 1937 Boston—and that there’s an underworld that feeds on them both. As Hamish is forced to choose between his conscience and loyalty to his beloved cousin, the unlikely sleuthing duo work to expose a murder before the darkness destroys everything they’ve worked to build."

Ah, the bygone eras of crime solving, why are they always so much more glamorous?

If you love The Thin Man, Charlie Chan, the Falcon, or any other classic mystery movie, then you need to read Murder at the Flamingo by Rachel McMillan! It had all the wonderful, fascinating qualities of a classic mystery movie but in book form. As I read it, I even pictured it in black and white! There was murder, a hint of romance, and interesting main characters.
The one problem I had with the book was that there was so much alcohol in it. While it fit the setting of the story and I wouldn’t have thought much about it in a secular book or movie, it seemed a little strange to me that there would be so much drinking in a book by a Christian publisher.
I would recommend this book for anyone who loves classic mystery movies, or for anyone who loves historical fiction and mysteries.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Regina (Reggie) Van Buren and Hamish DeLuca meet in Boston. She has left Connecticut because she is upset with her parents. He has left Toronto because he is upset with his parents.

Reggie works as secretary for Luca and Hamish is his cousin. Reggie has never worked before in her life, but she has class. That is exactly what Luca wants in his secretary. Hamish is an attorney but he has anxiety issues so he came to see the cousin he loves and who loves him.

Luca is going to open a most wonderful nightclub, The Flamingo. But, there seems to be undercurrents swirling around him. He came to Boston from Chicago and there are questions surrounding him because of people he knew in Chicago.

I liked Reggie and Hamish. I was really fascinated by Luca. He seems to be one contradiction after another. He is glamorous and mysterious and tender and caring with Hamish.

Reggie is a young woman who wants to step out into the world. She has left one very privileged life to live in a place she does not know. She is learning every day that she is stronger than she ever realized. She is more intelligent than her former life recognized.

Hamish has dealt all his life with his anxiety. He tried his first case and found that he was unable to deal with the stress. He also found that his father had arranged for his job. That was simply too much for him to handle. With Reggie he finds that he can handle much more than he ever expected.

He and Reggie both want to solve the riddle that is Luca. Together they are a very good team.

I liked the premise of this book. I loved the cover of this book. I am interested in the time frame of this book. I wanted it to have more action.

I felt that over and over there were descriptions. I wanted more interactions between the characters. I wanted more action.

Yes, there was a wonderful sense of atmosphere. Hamish rode his bike around Boston and Reggie rode the train. The reader gets to share the scenery and the streets with both of them. But, I think the atmosphere could have been interwoven with action.

This is the first book I have read by Ms McMillan. She is a talented author and her plot was interesting. But, at times, I felt bogged down with too many words.

This is the first in a series, and I look forward to the next in the series.

I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley. I am voluntarily writing this review and all opinions are my own.

The title and the cover is what caught my eye. I really enjoy a good mystery--especially a murder mystery. But this book wasn't the typical murder mystery with high stakes and suspense that kept me quickly swiping on my Kindle screen to read the next page. This book felt more like a character development lounge where the characters did a lot of talking.
Hamish and Regina were the two main characters, yet they didn't do much of anything. It seemed like the action happened to them and they were just pulled along by a rope. The murder didn't even happen until the last 1/3 or so of the book, and even then, it wasn't the exciting, suspense filled murder like the usual murder mystery. It felt rushed and I struggled to understand what was happening and how everything related together.
Luca was a very mysterious character, yet I never felt like I understood his motives or his character. I really wanted too, as I found him fascinating, but when the book ended, I felt more confused about him than anything.
I enjoyed the character dynamics as characters are one of my favorite aspects of a book, but I felt like these characters could've been deeper. Like they had an unexplored potential that wasn't unlocked in this book.

Rachel McMillan and I adore Sherlock Holmes. That was our connection, so of course, when I heard she was writing a series on women like Sherlock Holmes characters I jumped at the chance to read them. Boy, am I glad that I did. It was a great introduction to the 1910's Toronto. So now, I am familiar with McMillan's writing, so I knew what I would be expecting. A mystery to drag the plot along with characters who come to life as much for me as they have done for McMillan. With the introduction to her new series Murder at the Flamingo, I dived right into the world of 1930's Boston with Hamish and Reggie.

One of my favorite aspects of the novel was McMillan's ability to bring Boston to life. As soon as Hamish jumped off the transportation into Boston, McMillan allowed me to see Boston through Hamish's eyes. It reminded me of J. K. Rowling's introduction to the world of magic through Harry Potter's eyes. A trait of an awesome writer. McMillan allowed me to see the towering buildings and smell the world of Boston.

As for Hamish and Reggie, I really liked Hamish. McMillan stayed true to his flaws and allowed him to see the better in others, including his cousin, Lucas. Hamish definitely had the seek for justice gene from his parents, who are part of the main couple in the Herringford and Watts Mysteries series. Similarly, Reggie is a character who left her cushy wealthy life and decided to seek her own independence. I enjoyed how she didn't go crawling back to her parents after a couple of days and kept a journal of things she accomplished on her own.

The plot. The number one reason I enjoy a story. With McMillan's previous three novels and three novellas, she had the mystery element occurred right away, which most mysteries and suspense do, BUT McMillan does not do that in Murder at the Flamingo. The story was half over before we found the dead body. I don't know why it took so long to get to the mystery element. I believe McMillan could have had the murder occur right after Hamish arrived in Boston, and I could have observed Hamish and Reggie as they tried to help Lucas open the Flamingo night club. Even though the mystery took awhile to rev up, I did enjoy the story and really enjoyed watching Hamish and Reggie solve who killed the person.

Overall, A Murder at the Flamingo is a fascinating view of Boston's nightlife in the 1930's. It matches what I know about the history of the time period. Hamish and Reggie are a wonderful pair of people to work together to solve the mystery. I still wish the dead body appeared much earlier in the novel.

With family loyalty, betrayal, and trying to climb the ladder of success, A Murder at the Flamingo by Rachel McMillan is a wonderful deeply layered historical novel that will entrance fans of McMillan's previous writings or fans of historical mysteries. I can't wait to read the second installment in this series.

I received a complimentary copy of Murder at the Flamingo by Rachel McMillan from Thomas Nelson Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.