This was a very fun mystery about a rookie police woman! The story was very fast-paced! I also thought the mystery was cleverly done! Louise is a feisty and fun protagonist! I gave read the first two books and this one is the best yet! I recommend this book for fans of the Kopp Sisters series!

I really enjoyed this book. It was intriguing from beginning to end. It was very well written and all of the characters were well defined. Plenty of twists and turns to keep it interesting. I felt like some details (about her own child, and about her previous case) could have been either fleshed out a little more or left out entirely. All in all, though it was a delightful read.

3.5 / 5.0 stars

Oh, how I do enjoy a story with a strong, bright, spunky, female protagonist and NYPD policewoman, Louise Faulk, fits that bill nicely. She has personal history which she safely guards and which influences her response when called on scene to an apparent suicide. The evidence is conflicted but the male detectives don't look beyond the initial evidence and the case is quickly closed. Louise, like a dog with a bone, won't let the case rest, even if it's against her superior's orders. After all, who ever heard of a female detective? It is 1914 after all.

Author Liz Freeland has deftly crafted an engaging historical mystery set in New York City of the early 20th century. She has done her historical research and delivered an informative and exciting story. She engages the readers' emotions and desire for justice served. How she weaves the headlines of the day into the story is just a marvel.

Although this book was third in series, it stands well enough on its own. Yet, the story and writing are so good, you might just want to start at the beginning with Freeland's, "Murder in Greenwich Village".

I am grateful to Liz Freeland and publisher Kensington Books for having provided a free advanced reader e-copy of this book through NetGalley. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.


Synopsis (from publisher's website):

In 1914, Hell’s Kitchen is an apt name for New York City’s grittiest neighborhood, as one of the city’s first policewomen, Louise Faulk, is about to discover when the death of a young prostitute leads her on a grim journey through the district’s darkest corners . . .

Filthy, dangerous, and deadly—Hell’s Kitchen is no place for a lady, but Louise Faulk is no ordinary woman. The amateur investigator turned rookie policewoman is investigating the death of young prostitute, Ruthie, who leaves behind a baby boy. Although detectives are quick to declare it a suicide, Louise is less certain after she discovers clues implying murder while attempting to find a caretaker for Ruthie’s orphaned son.

Uncovering the truth won’t be easy, especially since Louise is struggling to make a name for herself amid the boys’ club of the New York City Police Department. But Ruthie’s case keeps tugging at Louise, luring her beyond the slums’ drawn curtains and tenement doors, into an undercover investigation that often seems to conceal more than it reveals. Louise is convinced Ruthie’s secrets got her killed, but can she prove it before they catch up to her too?

Louise Faulk - policewoman. Great new book in a series. Louise finds a prostitute dying in her flat and also finds a baby. Sure that the death was a murder she sets out to prove it. Great adventure. A picture of life in New York during WWI.

I love the Louise Faulk historical mysteries and An Orphan of Hell's Kitchen did not disappoint. Louise is a strong, independent woman who holds her own as one of NYC's first female policewomen. The book kept me engaged and I did not want to put it down until I finished it. Liz Freeland has written another wonderful book and I anxiously look forward to her future books in this series.

I was a definite fan of Liz Freeland’s previous Louise Faulk books, but this installment has solidified me as a huge fan. I ripped through this novel - the mystery of what happened to Ruthie Jones and her twin boys (she and one of her boys are found suspiciously dead in a bathtub) - and Louise puts herself on the case. Louise’s innate heart and strength motivates this novel in a really unique way, and I always feel like her choices are warranted. Freeland does a lovely job of dropping us into 1914 NYC - the anticipation, the turmoil, and the pain.
thelithaven.com

I have to confess I only Read The synopsis and got pulled in. I did not realize stupid. me that It was book 3 in a series. so I think for me giving this book a fair review I have to Read book 1 and 2 first. And I absolutely Will.. But I won't make It before archive date.

Louise Faulk may be a NYPD policewoman in 1914 and ranked second on the civil service exam but, in the eyes of her fellow officers she is still just a police matron and they have bestowed a not meant to be complimentary nickname on her. They call her Two. This Thanksgiving night, instead of sharing the holiday with her family, Louise is down in the damp and dank basement - which fits her mood - overseeing the women in lockup. Oh joy, not at all what she thinks as her role on the police force as she is a darned sight smarter than most of the men on the force and has a lot more drive. rescue, such as it is, arrives when the landlord of a tenement arrives at the station to report a possible woman in distress. Because it is not only a woman but she is known to have twin infant sons, Louise is told to get her coat and join the officers as they go to investigate the woman's lodgings. After all, somebody has to take care of the infants. When they arrive they make a chilling discovery - the young mother, Ruthie, is dead in the tin bath tub and one of the infants is lying on the bed. Soon enough the second infant is found and the police are faced with what they instantly declare to be a murder-suicide. case closed, take the bodies away. Not if Louise has any say in the matter, especially when she discovers three passports hidden the the dead woman's coat. This case may be closed officially, nothing will stop her from doing her own investigating. Just because Ruthie was a prostitute that's no reason to toss her aside as worthless garbage.
I enjoy historical mysteries and this is one of the best of the genre. Louise is a strong character, one who won't allow society to put her in her place and expect her to remain there, silent and obedient. She's willing to put up a fight, not only for herself but for others, too. Even if it means endangering her own life. The setting of New York city in 1914, as the country edges towards The Great War, tensions are running high and anything German is suspect. It's a harsh world and life can be cheap.With a smart caring woman like Louise on the case it can be better. I'm already looking forward to book #4.
My thanks to the publisher, Kensington and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

The Orphan of Hell’s Kitchen is the 3rd book in the series focusing on a female police officer in the 1920s. I had not read the 1st 2 books, but I had not trouble following the plot and enjoying this complex mystery.

I really enjoyed Louise, she’s young, but a very complex character. There are a lot of other interesting characters in the book that draw you in. At points I couldn’t put it down, it’s everything that historical fiction mystery. I definitely want to go and read the 1st 2 books in the series.

Louise, a young policewoman who spends most of her time guarding prisoners, is convinced, totally convinced that a young prostitute did not kill one of her twins and then herself, leaving the other twin boy behind. While her colleagues are quick to dismiss it, Louise, of course, investigates on her own and finds there is indeed more to the story. Why did the woman have one passport, let alone three? Nicely atmospheric with good characters (I love Louise's room mate), this one is a good read for fans of historical mysteries- and it should be fine as a standalone. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Looking forward to the next one!

This is the third book in the Louise Faulk series, and each is as good as the next. It is set in 1914 New York, in Hell's Kitchen as the title aptly reveals and rookie police woman Faulk who is relegated to working in the basement of her precinct is called upon when a prostitute and young mother is found dead under very suspicious circumstances. One of her children is found dead also while a second lies sleeping in the next door room. Although little thought is given to her death by the investigating officers who quickly label the incident as murder suicide, Louise embarks upon some investigation of her own putting her own life at risk and enduring ridicule and sharp comments from her colleagues, who do not appreciate her presence, her resilience nor her drive. Louise's character was well researched and the characterisations of her colleagues and those she encountered in the hell that was Hell's Kitchen contributed very well to the story. Hell's Kitchen was a place where nobody belonged, a fact which was well portrayed in this book.

An Orphan of Hell's Kitchen is the third installment of the Louise Faulk series. This book opens with Louise on a call that finds a woman dead in her bathtub and a young baby now orphaned. The NYPD rules Ruthie's death a suicide, but Louise isn't convinced. Her investigation leads her into an underbelly she didn't even know existed in New York City.

This book was really good. It was so easy to read and get lost in. Louise is such a powerful character that is easy to like. The other characters from the first two books are back as well and they are fun to follow. This is a wild twisting turning historical fiction book that should not be missed.

It's the first book I read in this series and I'm more than happy because I discovered a new to me interesting author.
It's a engrossing and entertaining story that flows, the historical background is well researched and vivid, the cast of characters well thought.
I liked the solid mystery that kept me guessing.
I look forward to reading the next instalment in this series, recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

This is the first book I've read by Liz Freeland. I didn't realize this was part of a series; but it one of those that can stand alone. This novel is in the vein of Victoria Thompson's Gaslight Mysteries. Similiar time period, with Louise Falk at a NY policewoman, potential love intersest in Frank Muldoon. Freeland has an interesting way with words; and tells an interesting story. Enjoyable read!

An Orphan of Hell’s Kitchen by Liz Freeland is the third book in a series that focuses on Louise Faulk, an early 20's female police officer in NYC in 1914. Although I didn't read the first two books in the series, I had no problems with the characters, plot, or setting. I really enjoyed this novel. I love historical fiction novels, and Liz Freeland did not disappoint. I love that Louise is flawed and extremely relatable. The storyline was deep and robust, and the characters were 3-D and complex. I will definitely have to check out the other two books in the series because this was a great read for me.

"An Orphan of Hell's Kitchen" is #3 in "The Louise Faulk Mystery Series."
Louise is a policewoman in 1914 NYC. She is a brilliant, fiesty, independent woman. She rooms with her best friend, Callie, who dreams of becoming a star!

"Never being satisfied with what you have gets you in a whole load of mischief."

The murder/mystery plot was creative, and had many twists and turns that kept you guessing throughout the story.
I look forward to reading more from author Liz Freeland.

Thank you to publisher and NetGalley for the eARC.

I didn’t realize this was the third part of a series but in reading it, I never knew it. I thoroughly enjoyed Louise’s journey. This book kept me interested and engaged. I now need to read the other two books in the series!!!

Louise Faulk works for the New York City Police Department and is confident she knows how a young prostitute from Hell’s Kitchen died. She follows this instinct despite people discouraging the investigation . This was a great read.

An Orphan of Hell’s Kitchen by Liz Freeland is the third book in a series focussing on an early 20s female police officer, Louise Faulk, in NYC 1914. I have not read the first two books in this series, however I had no problems diving right in and enjoying the complex murder-mystery investigation.

I enjoyed Louise. She is brilliant, engaging, feisty, and independent. She has scars and a past, but those circumstances leave her changed and impress upon her a new depth which truly adds to her character. She is flanked by a well-rounded cast of secondary characters that I also enjoyed. I enjoyed the setting and time frame as well. Not enough books are set in the 1910s.

Finally, I really was impressed with the murder/mystery plot. It was creative, complex, had many twists and turns that kept me guessing and interested throughout. I made quick work of the novel, as it drew me in from the beginning, and was able to finish in 2 days. It was excellent and everything that a historical fiction mystery should be. I will make sure to read the first two books in this series so that I can catch up before continuing on with future installments.

5/5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon and B&N accounts upon publication.

An Orphan of Hell's Kitchen is the third book in the "Louise Faulk" series, but the first I've read, and I'll definitely be tracking down the first two. The setting is fascinating—New York City just before the U.S. enters WWI—and the cast of characters is varied and well-thought-out. Faulk is a New York City policewoman, which at that time period mostly meant watching over women in holding cells and keeping one's temper when being condescended to by male colleagues. In this volume, she is present when the bodies of a mother and one of her two twin sons are discovered. The second of the twin boy is found sleeping in the next room. Because the woman is a prostitute, her male colleagues are quick to rule the deaths a murder-suicide, despite suggestions that the situation might be more complex. Faulk sets out to investigate on her own...

The novel includes a housemate who is an actress and a whole coterie of theater people—film and stage actors, composers and playwrights, some well known, some not. Faulk's aunt if a successful writer of mystery novels, quick to pull people into her social circle and always ready to use them as fodder for her writing.

An Orphan of Hell's Kitchen is more than a "cozy" mystery (which I'm not big on), but is also not a gore-fest. It's a solid mystery with interesting turns of plot, engaging characters, and a backstory and setting that fascinate. Highly recommended!

I received a free electronic review copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions are my own.