If you like detective cozies with female heroines, Murder, She Reported is an excellent choice.

It's 1938 and the city of Manhattan has a new reporter in town, Elizabeth Adams. Elizabeth comes from a well-to-do family who feels that its is not a woman's place to work outside the home, let alone as a newspaper photographer/reporter!!

Elizabeth wants more out of life than being a "lady who lunches". She loves photography and she's skilled at it, so why not do something with her passion? Getting hired by the Daily Trumpet is a great opportunity as long as she can get out of the office and away from the typewriter.

She gets her chance when her co-worker, Ralph, gets word of a murder at a society debutante ball. With Elizabeth's knowledge of the high society families in town it's a cinch she can get some juicy information out of the aristocratic set and put Ralph, Elizabeth and the cops on the track of a killer!!

The most delightful aspect of this book was its spunky heroine, Elizabeth Adams, who becomes a reporter in the 1930s. This book was charmingly adorable yet rather predictable.

The historical detail was one of the best aspects of this delightful book. It’s a wonderful, cozy mystery.

Searching for more purpose in her life than that of a socialite, Elizabeth Adams takes a job as a gal Friday at the Daily Trumpet. Her dream of one day becoming a staff photographer slowly begins to come true when one of the reporters, Ralph Kaminsky, takes her along to take photos of this season’s debutantes at their coming out ball. While at the ball, this season’s It Girl’s stepmother is murdered in the bathroom. Between doing her job, taking care of her family, and having a bit of a social life, Elizabeth and Kaminsky conduct their own investigation into Mrs. DeWitt’s murder.

MURDER, SHE REPORTED started out as an interesting, light-weight mystery novel. Elizabeth Adams is a bit naïve when it comes to the real world – she was brought up as a sheltered socialite – but she begins to spread her wings as the novel progresses and she finds herself in situations that no socialite would typically find herself in. She also encounters people from all walks of life. As a young woman, Elizabeth is also fighting to make her way in a man’s world. Unfortunately, her reporter friend makes things a bit easy for her considering he chooses to take her along as his photographer almost every time he gets called out to a story. While I found the novel interesting, I wasn’t blown away by the mystery aspect. The suspect pool seemed fairly small considering the murder took place at a party with a large number of attendees. Elizabeth settles on a narrow suspect list, and never seems to consider that any of the other guest could possibly have a motive. Storylines and characters from the first half of the novel disappeared or were given no conclusion. Early in the novel, one of the staff photographers threatens to get Elizabeth fired after he feels that she stole his job by taking photographs at the debutante ball. Despite the fact that Elizabeth continues to take photographs for other stories, the other photographer never follows through on his threat. In fact, he almost completely disappears and is seen only one more time when he smiles at Elizabeth from across the newsroom. I found it baffling that this angry photographer was suddenly showing approval towards Elizabeth. The scene that lost me was when Elizabeth finds out that her oldest friend is working as a prostitute, but, instead of helping the other woman, Elizabeth runs off to have lunch with the attractive detective that she conveniently keeps running in to. Also, the descriptions got a tad heavy-handed at times. I felt like I was being told things rather than shown.

To me, this book felt more like a cozy which is not how it is billed. The characters are perfectly likeable, however I never fully engaged with them. And while the mystery plot was fine, I found there to be too many instances of convenient timing and circumstances to be believable. And while I enjoy descriptive narratives, there was almost too much here...I felt almost like a child, as if I was being led and told through descriptions exactly how to feel and perceive every little thing. I wanted more in-depth into the characters and plot, not the scenery.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC. The opinions are strictly my own.

This is a perfect summer read for fans of light, historic mysteries. I loved the New York City setting and the introduction of a Society girl taking on a newspaper job (as a great adventure). Murder, She Reported had engaging characters, a sense of fun, and a taste of the high life in 1920's Manhattan. What's not to like ?

Great mystery! I really enjoyed it. The story was something right out of an old movie. I loved the heroine. Spunky and naturally inquisitive. The mystery was easy to get but I still enjoyed it immensely. I will definitely read more!

There are some things to like in this series debut about a New York society girl who isn't willing to settle for life with the leisured class and takes a job at a newspaper. The setting is pre-World War II and main character Elizabeth Adams is an appealing mix of guts and naivete. While she is hired as a Gal Friday and spends a lot of time typing up columns for the society editor, "Biz" is also a good photographer and quickly gets co-opted into helping the crime reporter.

This novel has the feel of a Nancy Drew for a little older crowd. There's lots of inconsistencies which begin to add up and be distracting: If her family is so rich, why don't they hire a nurse when Elizabeth's mom and sister are ill? And why is the cook waiting on the two women? When an old friend of Elizabeth's becomes a streetwalker and then discovers a friend, murdered, how could Elizabeth walk away from her to have lunch with a cop? Really?

There is a lot of fun period detail for those of us geeks who like to look up casual cultural references: paintings, dress designers, famous NY buildings, even nail polish colors. Elizabeth is mostly likable but the whole narrative has a bit of a staged feeling, like a B movie from the 30s or 40s.

Thanks to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in return for my honest review.

I really loved this book! Elizabeth Adams is a well to do debutante from Madison Avenue who has decided to take a job as gal Friday at a newspaper. Her family and friends think her choosing to work is just something to pass the time before she marries. Elizabeth has other ideas and hopes to make this job a real career. A page turner from start to finish with the murder of Frances DeWitt at her step daughter's coming out ball to the startling unmasking of the murderer. A glimpse into the glittering world of the rich to the gritty world of New York in the 1930s. I enjoyed Elizabeth's tenacity, her imagination, and her loyalty. She is a delightful heroine and detective all rolled into one great new female sleuth.

Murder, She Reported is the first book in the Murder, She Reported series.

Socialite Elizabeth Adams has recently graduated from Wellesley and has just started her job as a “gal Friday” at the Daily Trumpet with the hope of someday being more than a typist. Then one day reporter, Ralph Kaminsky, grabs a camera and asks if anyone knows how to use it and Elizabeth hesitantly raises her hand. She is told to grab her coat, and that they were headed to The Waldorf for the debut of Gloria DeWitt who was being considered as the next ‘It Girl’. When Kaminsky learned she had a passing acquaintance, he tells her to get some pictures of her and set up an exclusive interview, as he smelled a winning story.

Elizabeth head to the ladies room to think of how to approach Gloria about an interview when she hears someone crying. It turns out to be Gloria who comes out with her makeup smudged and without thinking takes a picture. Elizabeth promises that it will never be published. As the evening progresses Kaminsky is getting anxious about having enough time to get the story written for the next day’s edition and tells Elizabeth to find Gloria. Thinking that Gloria might have gone to the restroom she heads that way. As she is about to open the door, Gloria comes rushing out the door with blood smeared on her beautiful gown. Her mother is in one of the stalls, dead, having been shot. But, soon Gloria will become a person of interest in the killing of her mother. Elizabeth promises to what she can to clear Gloria’s name. But when the picture that Elizabeth promised would never see the light of the day ends up on the front page of the Daily Trumpet, Elizabeth loses her social contacts. Elizabeth and Kaminsky end up doing their own investigation into what happened that sorrowful evening.

This story takes place in the 1930’s when men felt that they were the only ones could that should be writing stories and getting them published. Kaminsky was one of those men but soon learned that Elizabeth, who he started calling Biz, was not only an excellent photographer but had a good head on her shoulder for getting the facts for the story. And Biz didn’t want to tell much about her personal background, fearful that she might not be given an opportunity to prove her worth.

Peg Cochran once provides us with a well-plotted and told story. The characters are excellent and well-developed and were believable. I particularly enjoyed reading the interaction of Biz and Kaminsky. Biz may even have a romantic interest with Sal Marino, who was the investigating detective for the police.

I am anxiously awaiting the next book in this wonderful new series.

I enjoyed Biz and especially Marino and Kaminsky. There were a lot of good period details - brands of make-up and references to popular songs and movies. One jarring note for me was the way the main character referred to "during the Depression" as if it was over. To judge from the reference to a movie (Swing Time) this book was set in 1938. The Depression was far from over (the worst year was actually 1937). Over all, despite that hiccup, I enjoyed the story and would like to see more stories with Biz.

Very cute book. I love the whole rich girl friday/reporter/sleuth rolled into one. This book read quickly and held my interest. I look forward to more in the series from this author.

*I would like to thank the author/publisher/NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a fair and honest review*

Socialite Elizabeth Adams has taken a job as a gal Friday for a newspaper because she doesn't want the typical life of girls of her class. She studied photography at college but is finding herself running errands for other reporters and typing the society reporter's notes. One day a reporter named Kaminsky grabbed her to take some photos at the debut of a young woman who could be the next "It Girl" at the Waldorf Hotel.

Elizabeth first sees Gloria DeWitt in the Lady's Room where she catches her crying. She snaps a picture of her which ends up as front page story when her stepmother Frances is found shot to death. Elizabeth also sees Gloria in a blood-stained dress right after she finds her stepmother. All of a sudden, she and Kaminsky have a much bigger story on their hands.

This historical mystery was also an exploration of New York City in 1938. Sheltered Elizabeth - renamed Biz by Kaminsky - meets people she has never met before including Police Detective Sal Marino. She develops a crush on him which he returns. He introduces her to Italian food which she has never tasted and, at the end of this story, promises her a trip to Chinatown.

Biz is also shown trying to balance her life as the socialite her mother wants her to be with her new life working for a newspaper. Biz had polio as a child which has left her with only a slight limp and the fact that it gets worse as she gets tired. In the course of her work, she runs into fellow patient Irene who didn't fare as well and is now using leg braces and crutches to get around. Irene's family didn't fare as well during the Depression as Elizabeth's did either. Irene, now an orphan, is working as a coat check girl at the Waldorf and provides an essential clue.

I liked the historical detail that was part of this mystery. Biz was an interesting character too. I'm hoping that this is only the first adventure for Biz.

In the aftermath of the Depression, some wealthy families scaled back on ostentatious displays, but others continued to party despite the breadlines. Former debutante Elizabeth Adams has done the unexpected in taking a job at a local paper. Ostensibly the girl Friday for the Society columnist, Elizabeth is given a unique opportunity to fill in for an absent photographer. Partnering with the paper’s crime reporter, opens doors at the paper, but it’s her society connections that give her an opportunity to investigate when the step mother of this season’s IT girl is murdered. Asking questions and digging up secrets doesn’t make her popular, and the people she is investigating can do a lot of damage.

Murder She Reported is an excellent historical cozy, full of glamour, excitement and even a bit of romance. Elizabeth is a heroine that you happily cheer for. Not only has she conquered polio, she has set about making a career for herself - without trading on her name or station. Murder She Reported is an entertaining mystery that any cozy lover is likely to enjoy.

5 / 5

I received a copy of Murder She Reported from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

— Crittermom

I'm not really into movies or entertainment from a time before I was born. Sorry to anything written in a time before 1980. However, this book was great. It was very interesting to hear how women didn't work then, but this young (rich) girl broke the tradition and worked anyway. In her society it was frowned upon, especially when you work with the press and have to share stories about the people in your inner circle. Give this book a chance and you won't regret it. I was surprised until the very end to find out who the killer was. My suspicions were far off.

In 1938, Elizabeth Adams lives with her family in an apartment on Park Avenue in Manhattan. Feeling trapped by her family’s expectations, she decides to get a job as a gal Friday for the newspaper, The Daily Trumpet. One day, she hopes to see her photographs gracing the front page, but for now she is stuck typing. When the photographer is unavailable, Elizabeth is tasked with accompanying veteran reporter, Ralph Kaminsky, to interview Gloria DeWitt, a society girl who is making her debut. But, when Gloria’s stepmother is shot dead in the ladies’ room, Elizabeth uses her connections to find out whodunit.
This was a very well-plotted historical mystery. I loved Elizabeth’s passion for independence, even though she was disabled. She didn’t let her disability slow her down. She also showed strength when she took care of her family after they became sick and injured. I liked the romantic aspects of the mystery which lightened the suspense. The one drawback to this novel was the overabundance of descriptions. It took too long to describe something, and left little to the reader’s imagination. I would love to read another book from this series.

I really wanted to like this book because I enjoy reading stories set in the past with some good historical reference. This book had some interesting history but the main character was just not well written. Her hand wringing ( I lost count of how often she did this) eventually got so distracting for me. So did her inability to see clues right in front of her. I liked the plot line but was frustrated by some of the character credibility. I would probably try another book involving this character just to see if she has been developed a bit better.

Murder, She Reported by Peg Cochran is a well written debut for a new series. The mystery is engaging but I did catch on to the culprit before the reveal. I loved the time period that the book is set in and enjoyed the cultural, music and movie references scattered throughout the book. I found Elizabeth to be spunky and likable as she was determined to be a newspaper reporter. I admired her determination to live a life more fulfilling than what she has seen in her "socialite world". The plot was well paced with several suspects and the twists and turns that connected all of the clues to lead the reader to the reveal were almost enough to keep guessing. There were a few things that didn't quite add up for me, such as not hiring a nurse for her mother when the family could easily have afforded one and her forgetting about her friend, Irene, when she needed help. I look forward to reading more in this series.

I waver between liking this and it being ok. I've sided with 3 stars. I liked the era, the song and movie references. I enjoyed, for the most part, the characters and all their idiosyncrasies. But Elizabeth constantly gushing and basically wringing her hands over detective Marino became a little nauseating and the continuous reference to just how horrible the depression has been on the people was mentioned too often. Her kinship and continued friendship with Irene was sweet, but for letting Irene down. That probably fits with Elizabeth's rich girl character, but I just didn't buy it. Elizabeth showed too much concern and rose to action on every other front but with Irene. As for the curmudgeonly character Kaminsky, I loved and also didn't buy into completely. In that time period, it is difficult to believe a hardened reporter would take so quickly (if at all) to a dame photographer. There are scenes in which nothing ever comes of it, moments where I was left scratching my head thinking "what the heck" and rereading a bit because I thought I'd missed something. This was an enjoyable piece of fluff cozy, go in expecting entertainment with no need for mind muscle.

Thanks Random House Publishing Group - Alibi and netgalley for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

Cochran's heroine will pull on your heart. With zealous curiosity, a few allies, and a lot of luck- she has my attention for the next adventure.

"Murder, She Reported" is a mystery set in 1938 in New York. The author included interesting historical and setting details. Elizabeth was observant and able to put clues together better than anyone else. Yet she was a little slow in doing so. I realized the significance of certain information (and so correctly guessed whodunit and why) several chapters before she did, though I grant that she was sleep deprived.

Though usually likable, Elizabeth seriously let a friend down. She initially was concerned about a friend who desperately needed a job. Elizabeth even knew of a job opening that would be perfect for her. But Elizabeth was more interested in solving the mystery because it would benefit her career and social life and so forgot about her friend. Not nice.

Also, despite the fact that the handsome detective asked Elizabeth to contact him with any information about the case, she decided to confront a person she thinks is a double murderer. By herself. And without telling anyone where she is and why she thinks this person is a murderer. This made no sense for a normally intelligent gal. I felt like this was forced to create some suspense. Despite this, overall, I'd recommend this mystery as it was interesting. There was no sex. There was a minor amount of bad language.