An excellent addition to what has become my favorite mystery series. Intriguing use of NYC dairy history, and I loved the return and further development of Black Jack Robinson. What a great series for those who enjoy historic fiction and mystery, particularly those with a lady detective. I’ll definitely continue to recommend these to anyone looking for a mystery series.

Murder on Trinity Place by Victoria Thompson is a 2019 Berkley publication.

A perfect blend of history and mystery!

This is yet another long running series that never seems to lose its charm. In this episode, Frank and Sarah’s neighbor, Theda, hires Frank, after her father, a dairy owner, dies on New Year’s Eve.

Initially reluctant to take the case without giving the proper authorities the chance to investigate, it soon becomes clear the police have been paid to look the other way. So, Frank, Sarah, Maeve, and Gino embark on a most puzzling and dangerous mission to discover the truth.

I learn something new every time I read a book in this series. In this case, the story is centered around the dairy business in New York in the 1800s. Evidently, the ‘milk wars’, which I had never heard of, lead to the outlawing of ‘swill milk’- which resulted in the deaths of nearly half of the children of New York City before the age of five.

The victim in this story was a stickler for the rules and may have threatened to expose a dairy that still sold swill milk. But there are plenty of other suspects, all with a valid motive. There are several surprises and twist along the way, as well a little romantic matchmaking on Sarah’s part, which was a terrific idea for the couple in question.

As with any ongoing series, some installments are better than others. This is one of the more durable chapters in the series, which held my attention from beginning to end. If you enjoy historical mysteries, this is one of the best ones out there.

Overall, another terrific whodunit from Victoria Thompson!!

4.5 stars

It’s a festive time of the year and Frank and Sarah Malloy have been celebrating with their family and friends the arrival of the New Year. They attend a gathering at their neighbor, Mrs. Ellsworth’s, house and there they meet the parents of the Theda who’s recently married Mrs. Ellsworth’s son, Nelson. Before they meet the family Mrs. Ellsworth does warn them that Mr. Pritchard does tend to go on about milk being that he is in the dairy business.

Frank and Sarah notice that more than anything Mr. Pritchard seems to be obsessed and has some strange thoughts on the upcoming New Year celebrations. Once the Malloy’s leave for Trinity Church to see the festivities they are excited about the future but just as the crowds are celebrating they see Mr. Pritchard out trying to convince other people about his theories. They try to pull him away and take him back home but there are just too many people and they end up leaving without him.

The next morning though the body of Mr. Pritchard is found and Frank, who now owns his private detective agency, starts to look into the life of Mr. Pritchard and figure out why anyone would have anything against him.

I found the history of the milk wars very interesting and as always I think the author does a great job of setting up the scene and taking you to another era. It’s also exciting to see the years progressing for the Malloys and how they will adapt to the new changes. For example, they now have a car and it was quite funny to read about how fast it was going and how dangerous it all was.

This is the 22nd installment of this series and I’ve read them all. I loved the earlier books when Sarah was out being a midwife but unfortunately her role has changed a lot. She has set up a home for unwed mothers but she’s not out at all hours delivering babies. I’ve always enjoyed Mrs. Ellsworth her superstitions so it was nice to see her make an appearance in this book but where were the children? Malloy and Sarah have two young children and they barely made an appearance. If you are interested in this series I do highly recommend starting with the earliest books first so you can get to know the main characters better.

I have read all of this series, the Gaslight Mysteries, from Victoria Thompson. They center around a midwife in NYC, Sarah, and her family, friends, and adventures solving mysteries. I love historical cozy mysteries!

I have to be honest and say that while I enjoyed this one, it’s not my favorite. I feel as if Ms. Thompson’s writing has changed a bit and where before the characters may have been humorous and memorable, some of them (not Sarah) are beginning to seem caricaturish. It pulled me out of the story as it made it less believable. However, overall I still enjoy this series a lot and it’s a “clean read” for those who like Agatha Raisin and Faith Fairchild and other cozy protagonists!

Thank you for my review e-copy via Net Galley!

Title: Murder on Trinity Place

Author: Victoria Thompson

Series: Gaslight Mystery book 22

Pages: 336

Genre: Historical Mystery

Rating: 3 stars

Murder on Trinity Place is the 22nd book in the Gaslight mystery by Victoria Thompson. Frank and Sarah have found themselves involved in yet another mystery.

Even though it’s the 22nd book in the series this series still hasn’t gotten old. The mysteries continue to be different and unique to the time period. The Gaslight Mystery series is set during the late 18th hundreds during the Gilded age period of the US. The series is set in New York. This is one series that you do need to read in order. Otherwise you would be spoiled for things that happened in the series.

This series is great for readers who enjoy historical fiction as well as mysteries.


I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

Victoria Thompson has set her Murder on Trinity Place near Trinity Church in gaslight New York. Frank and Sarah Malloy attend their neighbour's dinner and the bride's father is shortly murdered behind Trinity Church. Whodunit? The good friend of the father's wife? The son with a gambling habit? A criminal boss? Why are the police paid not to investigate the murder? Read on as this historical cozy immerses you in the case.

Sarah used to be more involved in the actual investigations, but has taken a bit more backseat role except for questioning the society ladies. Maeve is her young nanny for their children who has become a part of the family. Frank Malloy had newly inherited fortune and retired from the police force. Frank has started his own investigation business as a gentleman of means now. Gino, formerly worked with Frank Malloy on the police force but now works with him as a private investigator. Black Jack Robinson was introduced in Murder in the Bowery (Book 20) and is part of a subplot as well as providing inside information into the gambling syndicates. He is a fantastic secondary character and I loved him so much I am getting book #20 right away to read his introduction. Suspects range from members of the extremely dysfunctional society family to a rough gambling syndicate owner. The characters all have mixed good and bad in them making them layered and complex.

New York's early years are always fascinating to me and it is seamlessly interwoven throughout the story. Autos were just becoming more mainstream and that is included in the story as Frank has purchased one and all the issues that come with it.

The plot is interesting as you follow Sarah and Frank piecing together what an earnest, albeit sanctimonious, milk dairy business man like Mr. Pritchard could have done to get himself killed. Subplots involve Maeve and Gino seeming to have a growing attachment and a disgraced society girl checks into Sarah's clinic for unwed mothers and Sarah has a plan for her future - if she has her way.

The climax is a race against time to save a life, always thrilling. I particularly liked the car chase with a car that can go as fast as ten miles an hour and how that is considered so fast! The wrap up is heartwarming and perhaps my favorite part of the entire book.

This seemed like a lighter mystery than some of the prior books in the series. Which only means it is perfect if you don't want a heavy murder mystery. The subplots have some to do with that. I wish to see Sarah getting more involved again, even though she is married now. A solid addition to a dependably entertaining series. Never disappoints.

Rating: Excellent fun read- Loved it, it had a good grip on me! Buy it now and put this series, an author, on your watch list.

I have been in love with Victoria Thompson Gaslight mystery series for many years. I love the characters and how much they have grown into a family. Some people may say that to make Frank and Sarah have millions of dollars was the wrong direction for the books to go but fined that either way Victoria Thompson could have gone she would do the right thing for her characters.

I love how everyone in there lives are committed to helping them solve crimes. I also love how Sarah still has her own goals in helping birth babies and making sure the mothers are looked after to the best of her abilities.

Victoria Thompson highlights a different aspect of turn-of-the-century New York with each “Gaslight Mystery.” From Bowery boys to milk production, a side-benefit for faithful readers is an education into day-to-day living in New York City—and not simply insight into the the Robber Barons and their gilded spouses and children. Frank Malloy is a wealthy man (Murder in Chelsea, #15), but he hasn’t forgotten his policeman past, so he opened a detective agency. His wife Sarah comes from an affluent family but most unusually for a woman of her class, she chose to train as a nurse-midwife rather than marry. Although she no longer works as a midwife, she owns a well-run charity for girls who find themselves in a family way. She thinks of herself as hands-off, but Sarah is an attractive mixture of manipulative and caring, hands-on with people and causes that are dear to her generous heart.

Murder on Trinity Place is a marvelous mishmash of milk, mayhem, a marriage of convenience, and a turn-of-the-century mystery. The year is 1899. Frank and Sarah Malloy are enjoying a festive New Year’s Eve dinner prior to ringing in the New Year at Trinity Church in downtown Manhattan. However, one guest, Mr. Pritchard, the hostess’s father, is not happy. His hobby horse is the controversy around the nomenclature of century’s new beginnings. Most people say a new century begins after the stroke of midnight, but not all. The evening does not end well. After Sarah and Frank arrive at Trinity Church, they spot Mr. Pritchard in the crowd, acting very oddly.

Frank tries to convince Pritchard to return home with them, but the man refuses and Frank loses him in the crowd. The next morning Sarah and Frank are horrified to learn Pritchard was murdered sometime in the night, his body left on Trinity Place, the side street near the church.

This is an unexpected outcome that needs to be unraveled. Pritchard’s family, worried, “that the circumstances of the death will reflect badly on Pritchard’s reputation,” persuade Frank to take on the case. The first clue that something is amiss is the pronounced reluctance of the police to investigate. Frank and Gino, his sole employee, get to work. Pritchard was obsessed with delivering safe, pure, pasteurized milk to New York families. Gino interrogates Harvey, Pritchard’s son and Bruno, a senior employee: who was where and when—and why—on the night Pritchard was killed? When he’s told that Harvey and Bruno were at the dairy around midnight, he fires out questions.

Gino frowned. “Here? At the dairy?”



“Sure. People need milk every day, and we deliver every day except Sunday.”



“Do you deliver the milk yourself?” Gino asked, happy to hear his voice sounded completely innocent.



“Of course not!” Because he was the owner’s son, his tone said.



“Then why did you have to be here at that time of night? And even if you did deliver it yourself, I thought you delivered milk early in the morning, not at midnight.”



Harvey opened his mouth to reply but nothing came out. He cast Bruno a frantic glance, but Bruno just shrugged. Finally, Harvey said, “They have to get the wagons loaded.”



Gino gave them a puzzled frown. “When do they start doing that?”



Harvey winced, but Bruno said, “Around four o’clock.”



“In the morning?” Gino asked.



“That’s right,” Bruno confirmed, again a little smugly, proving Harvey a liar.

Gino asks Harvey the obvious question, since he wasn’t delivering anything, why was he at the dairy at midnight? Harvey disgustedly admits, “I lied … I was out looking for my father.” “Mother’s milk” for a detective is a web of lies. If someone wants to commit a successful crime, do it in plain sight. Frank and Gino stumble onto something very significant, the varying times Pritchard’s milk delivery trucks have been seen around town. Because who would find a milk truck suspicious?

As an added treat, Thompson shares that “fan favorite Black Jack Robinson,” who came on the scene in Murder in the Bowery, is back: Robinson is a wealthy powerful man, but his questionable past ensures that cracking the upper echelons of New York society will take more than money—he needs an insider. Sarah Malloy puts on her matchmaking hat, solving a couple of problems with one well-timed introduction.

Victoria Thompson will never run out of story ideas from the city that never sleeps, from its earliest days when it was called New Amsterdam, so readers can look forward to more “Gaslight Mysteries.” Murder on Trinity Place was very enjoyable, the core mystery was fascinating, and the side-stories added to the pleasure.

Sarah and Frank Malloy are enjoying ringing in the year 1900 at the celebration being held at nearby Trinity Church. They run into their neighbor’s father, dairy-owner Clarence Pritchard, who is acting strangely. Malloy tries to help Pritchard, but loses him in the large crowd. The next day, the Malloys hear Pritchard was murdered not long after they saw him at the church. Someone wants the police to look the other way so the victim’s daughter, Theda, hires Malloy to launch a real investigation. Theda is the daughter-in-law of Sarah’s longtime friend Mrs. Edna Elsworth, which gives him even more incentive to get involved in the case. With the help of Sarah and his partner, Gino Donatelli, Malloy is determined to do whatever it takes to find Pritchard’s killer.

This book is number twenty-two in the Gaslight Mystery series. The series has changed from earlier installments since Frank has inherited a fortune and has finally married Sarah. He also resigned from the New York City police force to become a private investigator. Sarah no longer practices as a midwife, but has started a maternity clinic for needy women. I don’t mind the changes and like that Frank and Sarah can finally be together. In fact, the clinic is the source of one of the highlights of this book. One of the clinic’s clients is the focus of a touching subplot in which Sarah plays matchmaker for a young woman whose wealthy family will disown her if she doesn’t give her baby up for adoption.

Clarence Pritchard is a strange man whose own wife and son don’t seem to care he’s gone. Nobody deserves to be murdered, but he and his wife and son are hard to connect with and hard to like. His daughter, Theda, on the other hand, is a kinder person and seems to really be grieving for her father. She gets along well with the main characters and is a nice addition to the book. During the investigation, there is much emphasis that someone may have wanted to kill Clarence for his insistence that 1900, not 1901, begins the 20th century. This never makes sense to me as a motive for murder. Another possible motive is the “milk wars” that apparently were a real thing at this time in history in New York when unscrupulous dairies knowingly sold contaminated milk.

I like how Frank, Sarah, and Gino all work on the case. Frank and Gina spend more time investigating together than Frank and Sarah, but Sarah shares what she learns about the case with Frank to help get to a solution. They learn Clarence had more potential enemies than they thought and things get even more complicated when there is another murder. I like the twists the case takes and enjoy the solution to the murder and to the matchmaking subplot. Fans of the series will enjoy catching up with Frank and Sarah. Readers who enjoy historical mysteries, such as those by Anne Perry, will be able to jump right into this long-running series without missing a beat.

~ Christine

Murder and Milk Wars

Shortly after Christmas in 1899, Frank and Sarah Malloy attend a dinner party at the home of Mrs. Ellsworth, their neighbor. The occasion is to introduce Mrs. Ellsworth’s daughter-in-law, Theda’s family. Theda is a lovely girl, married to Norman Ellsworth, but her family, particularly her father are difficult.

Mr. Prichard, Theda’s father owns a dairy. At the dinner party he monopolizes the conversation talking about the merits of his milk as opposed to that delivered by his less scrupulous competitors. Frank and Sarah are delighted when the dinner is over, but they’re not finished with Mr. Pritchard.

When the Molloy’s attend New Year Services at Trinity Church, they encounter Pritchard acting strangely. They try to help him, but he disappears into the crowd. The next morning he’s found dead on Trinity Place near the church. The police are uninterested in investigating, so Frank is pressed by the family into finding out what happened.

This is the latest book in the Gaslight Series. This is a long series taking Frank and Sarah from their courtship to a married couple. I enjoy the series. Sarah and Frank are good characters and the author continues to bring in their relatives, friends and neighbors. I have to admit I preferred the earlier books where Sarah had a bigger role in the investigations. Gino, Frank’s partner, is a fine addition, but doesn’t make up for Sarah’s ability to see through people and solve the crime.

I do like the way the author adds historical details. I had never heard of the Milk Wars, but they were an actual occurrence in the late 1800s. Although this is a series, the book can be read as a standalone. The author does a good job of filling in information from previous books.

I received this book from Net Galley for this review.

Loved this new addition to the Gaslight Mystery series. Frank and Sarah find themselves pondering another murder mystery -- this time one that strikes close to the home of Mrs. Ellsworth. It is still a pleasure to spend time in her home and have her busybody presence in the plot. Frank and Sarah are still happily married and we get to see progress at the women's clinic. I'm still hoping real romance will bloom between Gino and Maeve. Perhaps in the next book?

A big thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is one where I saw the clues and who done it before the Frank and Sarah. It was fun seeing all the familiar characters again. The additional side story where Sarah is matchmaking was a added bonus. Great addition to the series. I would like to see Mother Malloy fleshed out a little more. She has a very limited role since Frank and Sarah married and fleshing her out and giving her a bigger role would add to role of the regular cast of characters.

I received a free copy of the book in return for an honest review.

While I've been aware of the Gaslight mysteries for several years, I somehow had never read one until now. Murder on Trinity Place was a well written historical mystery. While this title is #22 in the series, this certainly can be read as a stand-alone without feeling that the reader has missed something crucial. Of course, there are long-standing relationships about which someone new to the series has no previous knowledge, but I think that might only interest the reader in seeking out the first title in the series and catching up!

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Books, who provided access to an eARC in return for my honest opinion.

Victoria Thompson takes great care in keeping to historical accuracy when writing her mysteries. I find them immensely enjoyable because of her research into the time period and her plots are always unique and interesting. Murder on Trinity Place is the 22nd book in the Gaslight Mysteries series.

Sarah and Frank Malloy are invited to a dinner at their neighbors house. Mrs, Ellsworth's new daughter in law, Theda, in hosting her first dinner party of family and neighbors. During the party Theda's father, Mr. Pritchard, has a strange turn about the turning of the new year and claims that this year was really the turn of a new century and not the following year. He became very agitated. Later in the evening words were exchanged between Mr. Pritchard and his son, Harvey, that caused Pritchard to leave the house in a cloud of anger.

On the New Year's Eve, Sarah, Frank and Guido, Frank's private investigations partner, go to Trinity Church for the ringing in of the New Year. There they witness Pritchard accosting members of the crowd trying to convince people this is the turning of the century. Pritchard looked ill and they were worried a drunk reveler may harm the man. Frank tried to follow Pritchard but lost him in the crowd. They waited until the bells had finished and the crowd dispersed to offer Pritchard a ride home if they could find him. Unfortunately they never saw him again.

Pritchard was found strangled the next morning and for some reason the police would not investigate. Theda asked Frank to please find the person who killed her father. Normally difficult investigating the lives of strangers uncovering the secrets of your close neighbors is even more so. Can Frank and Guido find the killer and not alienate their neighbor and her family?

This series is an enjoyable read. Rarely do I figure out who did it or why and once again I was not able to do so. I enjoy that it is an historical mystery, so be get to learn a little about that time period in each book. The first victim is the Mallory's neighbor's father. Mallory is still trying to stay at peace with the police and wants to give them a chance to solve the murder. The police however are bribed NOT to solve it, so the Mallory's are on the case.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for me eARC in exchange for an honest review. - This was a fun as usual. I enjoy catching up on secondary characters from previous books.

This was a very enjoyable installment in the gaslight mysteries series. I liked it better than the last book. The book begins with Frank and Sarah attending a dinner party at their neighbor Mrs. Ellsworth's house. Her recently married son Nelson and his wife Theda have also invited Theda's family to the dinner and it's a little tense as Theda's father is very opinionated and doesn't hesitate to let his opinions known when certain subjects come up. Ultimately the dinner ends in disaster and poor Theda is left in tears. One thing I noticed about this book is that the character of Mrs. Ellsworth is much more serious here. There are no silly superstitions mentioned this time around, but it made sense considering what was happening in the book.

As usual I figured out who the murderer was pretty easily, but this book actually did throw a couple of good red herrings in there. I actually attached a bit more to the murderer's motivations than what was concluded in the book though. One thing that does bother me about the murders in this series is that too many people are murdered that are somehow acquainted with Sarah and Frank. This is actually something that happens a lot in mystery series that can make them seem implausible. In this case though, with Frank being a private investigator there should be ample opportunity for the author to capitalize on that and have him investigate cases that have nothing to do with anyone he or Sarah knows. It would be so much more believable.

One thing I do really like about this series is that the author always adds in some real historical facts from the time period. I learned a few interesting things as I read this book that I didn't previously know. One is how Wall Street got its name. It was not at all what I expected. I also learned about the "milk wars" and what swill milk was. Another thing I learned about was the origins of the board game Life. It also seemed that there was some debate over whether the turn of the century should be celebrated in 1900 or 1901.

Like the last book in the series, this one included characters that we met in a previous book. I'm really liking that this seems to be a thing now in each book. This time around we revisit the character of Jack Robinson from Murder in the Bowery. Sarah plays matchmaker for Jack and one of the ladies staying in the clinic, and I liked that part of the story a lot. I would love to see more of them in future books.

I also have to mention one other thing that I loved about this book. Frank finally gets a motorcar!

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing me with a copy of this book.

This was a true historical murder mystery with gangsters, swill milk, and an ending that will keep you guessing. Murder on Trinity Place takes place around a dairy that endorses pure milk over a more common method of feeding the cows swill. Almost every character had a secret making it hard to figure just who the murderer was. There were also some sweeter moments that rounded out the book nicely. I loved the plot twists and deductive reasoning of the principal characters. Highly recommend it!

I received this book from NetGalley and have left an honest review.

Solid book in a series that has been consistently enjoyable for over 20 books! Readers will enjoy the reappearance of some favorite characters from previous books.

It's New Year's Eve 1899. Sarah and Frank are celebrating with their neighbors and their in-laws. The next day, the father-in-law is found murdered. A scrupulously honest man, the apparent cause of his murder was his insistence that the new century would begin in 1900, not 1901. As Frank and Sarah learn more about him, though, other motives appear, including a violent argument with his son. When the son is also murdered two weeks later, it is obvious that something is going on. Frank and Sarah, with the help of Gino and Maeve, finally track down the killer and earn the gratitude of the family.

Along with solving the murders, Sarah takes time to do some match making and improve the lives of two people.

I enjoyed this book, especially the descriptions of riding in a car and careening along at an outrageous speed of 20 mph!

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my review.