Fast-paced and exciting mystery with all the elements that make a fun mystery: missing jewels, high society, handsome rogues, and a clever, young reporter who is determined to unmask the thief. I absolutely LOVED this book and I am excited to read more in this series. Great story and fun characters. I read through it so quickly that I almost wished I had slowed down a little to savor it a bit more! Highly recommended.

This is the first in a series about a female journalist in late 1880s NYC. Genevieve is the youngest of an old money eccentric family who wants to prove herself in the newspaper business by tracking down a modern-day Robin Hood who may be connected to some murders and a corrupt group of elites.

This was OK but a little slow in places. It ended on a cliffhanger, and although I’ve read better, I’d be willing to try another.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #CrookedLane for providing me the ARC. The opinions are strictly my own.

A delicious mystery set in New York's high society in the late 19th century. Excellent fast paced writing, entertaining historical fiction. I'm looking forward to the next part in this series.

Thank you Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC.

The first book in a promising new mystery series. Set in New York in 1888, the year of Jack the Ripper. I actually expected at least a Ripper reference, but, although there was no such reference, the story did not disappoint. The journalist and socialite Genevieve tries to persuade her editor that she is the best reporter on the team to write about the infamous Robin Hood burglaries; jewellery has been stolen from the rich and famous and donations to the poor have been made. Since her editor doesn’t think so, and Robin Hood strikes very close to home, Genevieve teams up with Daniel, the broodingly handsome heir to a fortune. A man with a mysterious past, who might actually be Robin Hood himself.

Together the pair has to find out who Robin Hood is; why he suddenly started to murder people in addition to stealing their gems; how a secret business venture the rich are talking about behind closed doors fits into the story; and whether or not the two of them have feelings for each other.

The book wraps up nearly all of the questions, though the epilogue hints at another adventure of the two protagonists. Let’s hope I won’t have to wait too long to find out what the two have to uncover next.

This book hit a surprising sweet spot: it really worked for me.

Genevieve Stewart is exactly the kind of ambitious, persistent protagonist I love reading about. Twenty-six years old and unmarried, she works as a journalist for the New York Globe. But her assignments leave her frustrated and wanting: she covers flower shows and Best Baby contests, while front-page stories are handed to her male coworkers. This is why she knows she must uncover the identity of Robin Hood, the jewel thief hell-bent on humiliating New York’s wealthiest families. The thief who’s now turned to murder.

Enigmatic millionaire Daniel McCaffrey seemingly appeared out of thin air when he inherited a vast fortune as a teenager—and the secrets surrounding this turn of events has intrigued high society for years. When he crosses paths with Genevieve, they reluctantly enter a tentative partnership to solve the mystery of Robin Hood before the bodies pile up even further.

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I find that the more I consume fiction set in New York’s Gilded Age, the more I’m enamoured with it. Currently the extent of my (paltry) knowledge of this time period comes from The Alienist and Lydia Kang’s Opium and Absinthe, and Deception by Gaslight was infinitely less macabre yet also a tad more salacious than both.

There’s a budding flirtationship between Genevieve and Daniel—leading to some seriously entertaining banter—that turns into a fake relationship without instalove (praise the heavens!). There’s a costume ball, to which Genevieve’s best friend shows up wearing a !!sexy!! Little Mermaid gown that’s slit up to the knee. Genevieve reminisces about when she almost lost her virginity, several characters are former gangbangers, and jokes are made at the expense of Daniel’s too-tight breeches.

The mysteries in this book weren’t particularly complex or sensational. I might even go so far as to say they were unsurprising; when Daniel’s backstory is finally revealed, it satiated my curiosity but wasn’t outside the realm of what I’d been expecting. Same goes for Robin Hood’s unmasking, and the unraveling of the murders.

But the unconventional character dynamics really held my interest. Genevieve’s family is old money but so eccentric—her mother’s an ACTIVIST (in 1888!!) who is constantly getting arrested for protesting for women’s rights. Her father engages in legal battles to protect endangered birds. It’s this eccentricity that led Genevieve’s ex-fiancé to jilt her six years ago, and this dimension of Genevieve—the girl who doesn’t quite fit in—was really interesting to read.

Daniel is similarly multifaceted; his passion for housing/tenement reform in Lower Manhattan’s poorest neighbourhoods was honestly a pretty noble cause to champion. Meanwhile, Genevieve’s sunny best friend Callie is impoverished and in desperate search of husband, while the pallid Esmie is in a similar situation, husband-wise, but turns out to be a surprisingly cunning wallflower. Each character challenges, in their own way, the meritocratic and bigoted beliefs of New York City’s upper echelon.

In all, an uncomplicated read that touches on key social issues in New York’s Gilded Age through the voices of non-clichéd characters; I’m definitely going to keep an eye out for the next book in this series.

One of my favourite things - a mystery set in late 19th century New York when the rich were very rich and the poor were very poor, and the police were definitely not to be trusted.

Then introduce one very beautiful young lady from one of the top families, who wants to be a newspaper reporter instead of a wife, and a good looking, very rich, young man with a dubious background. Add a mysterious Robin Hood like thief, stealing from the rich to give to the poor, and we have the makings of an excellent story.

I enjoyed it all very much. I thought the two main characters, Genevieve and Daniel, made a delightful team, and I look forward very much to seeing their future exploits.

It took me a little bit of time to settle into this book, but I soon found myself quite enjoying it. Set in New York in the late 1880's, Genevieve is not doing what is expected of her, but trying to advance her career as a journalist and identify the thief who purportedly steals from the rich to give to the poor.
She soon finds herself in a dangerous situation and dealing with the handsome and mysterious Danny McCaffery. What exactly is he trying to hide?
This book neatly brings together, historical fiction, romance and mystery, A charming first in a series, I look forward to reading more. Thank you Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

1888 New York. Journalist Polly Palmer becomes friends with the very rich, very handsome Daniel McCaffrey as they investigate thefts, corruption, and murder in New York.
Unfortunately the story just didn't catch my imagination. I tend to find journalists annoying and Genevieve aka Polly Palmer was really no different and I found her somewhat unlikable.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Deception by Gaslight by Kate Belli was an engaging beginning to a new historical mystery series.

Ms. Belli's writing was descriptive throughout the book and made New York City during the "Gilded Age" and the characters come to life. I admired Genevieve's grit and determination to make a life for herself outside of her family's wealthy society status. Daniel McCaffrey is a mystery to the denizens of society but the author begins to peel back the layers to this character as the story progresses. Genevieve and Daniel worked well together once a foundation of trust was established. A smoothly paced plot that twisted as blackmail, greed and secrets were revealed until the dramatic reveal. I hope the author will share more about the secondary characters, Rupert and Esme in the next book.

What a great start to a new series! I loved the era, setting, and the characters. The plot was good and well written.
Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

A nicely-paced historical mystery, set in a backdrop of mid-1800s New York. It was time I get my hands on a historical fiction, as I haven't done so in a while. And a mystery too! Two birds with one stone. I've been really into historical mystery recently. Being able to immerse myself in suspense as everything unravels while appreciating the beauty of the past — well, as much as possible amidst the murder and corruption that have been made so apparent in this book — can get pretty addictive.

A thief who calls themselves Robin Hood has made quite a name for themselves, stealing from the rich to help the poor. Genevieve Stewart, a young woman who hails from Astor 400 and a reporter, is determined to follow through with this story. But when she finds herself in the Five Points neighbourhood after following a group of men, she finds a dead body. One of those men whom she had followed decides to save her. To her surprise, days later, she meets him again at a ball. Daniel McCaffrey is a known man to all (except for her, apparently), having inherited a fortune. As Genevieve continues her investigation, she begins to wonder if Mr McCaffrey is the Robin Hood she has been looking for. But as more cases of murders appear, it is obvious that something more sinister has reared its head.

When I began reading this, I could already feel myself drawn to it. The situation that Genevieve landed herself in was interesting, and it was a good way to introduce the main characters. Daniel and Genevieve are likeable, and so are all the others that would come on thereafter. What I thought was exciting was made more so once it passed the ~30% mark. I would say everything was nicely paced, every scene written not to be wasted, but to bring the mystery one more step forward to closure. Absolutely fantastic. Oh, and that slow-burn romance, though quite insignificant, was a nice addition to the whole plot.

Deception by Gaslight is a wonderful start to a new series. I couldn’t put this book down once I started reading. The characters are amazing and the story is unique and suspenseful. Loved every page of it. I will definitely be adding this series to my list of must reads!

This book tries to be like the Alienist series with Caleb Carr or appeal to readers of the Gaslight Mystery series by Victoria Thompson. It misses the mark. It is not as well written and the characters are stereotypical and not compelling. I couldn't make it past the first few chapters as my TBR pile is huge. If I am not compelled to read a book in the first chapter or two I set it aside.

That being said, readers who enjoy, like mysteries that take place during this time of the Knickerbockers and Teddy Roosevelt will lap this book up. A modern day "Robin Hood" and a high class "lady" reporter struggling to get to the bottom of a mystery and help the down trodden appeals to the heart

I could not put this historical mystery down! Wonderful setting, great characters and a mystery that kept me guessing right up until the end. I'm delighted that this is the first in a new series because I want to see more of Daniel and Genevieve. I loved the Robin Hood part of the mystery -- that was creative and added to the plot twists. Great mystery -- will be wonderful for people to read in October!

I'm sorry, but this book is not for me. I really wanted to like it since I love this era, but I just couldn't get into it. The writing was not my style. This is only my preference and I'm sure other people would enjoy this style of writing.

Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I was intrigued by the title and brief description of Deception by Gaslight and am so glad I read it! Genevieve and Daniel are such interesting characters and the secondary characters were well done. It interweaves so many interesting elements from New York's Gilded era and make a very interesting story. From Genevieve's unconventional family and career aspirations to Daniel's Irish immigrant roots and sudden elevation to NYC Society to the actual crimes themselves the story is excellent. I look forward to the next Gilded Gotham mystery.

I really enjoyed this book, it was a light read but had a good storyline and enough mystery to keep me turning pages. It falls into a familiar genre of Victorian era or at least English female heroine who wants more than society will allow her who meets a dashing man, sometimes a gentleman but always a troubled soul, and they set off to solve mysteries. The ending does you leave you wanting more and looking forward to next book in the series,

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review,.

I felt like overall, this book was fine. It didn't blow me away - the way women are treated, while historically accurate, felt tired and a lot of Genevieve's desires stemmed from the fact that she had a cancelled engagement and was destined to be a spinster. It felt like outside of that cancelled relationship and her desire to be a reporter, there wasn't much to her character. Daniel's character was a little more interesting and well developed by contrast. The mystery itself relied on the author, through one character's suspicions, casting all of the blame on a single character for most of the story and the plot twists felt unsupported due to a lack of detail leading up to it. I thought the mystery and the writing were fine but, again, nothing spectacular. The pacing was a little difficult at times as the book alternated between investigative scenes and scenes at parties that had little to do with the plot nor helped develop characters in a stronger way.

This is an historical mystery set to be released October 6, 20220. I was lucky enough to get an advanced reader copy via NetGalley and I must say I am more than thrilled.

While I typically read romance I love throwing in a mystery or two occasionally and this one fit the bill nicely. I love history as well so I am no stranger to the Astor 400 or the Five Points Neighborhood. One of the things I loved about this book was that I was not able to figure out who the killer was until the end. It made reading it that much more enjoyable.

This was just an enjoyable read and one that I am thrilled I decided to take a chance on. You never know with mysteries. They are either great and I can’t put them down or they are easily soled and a waste of my time. I am happy to say this is the former and not the latter.

It’s been some time since I last picked up a historical mystery, and Deception by Gaslight immediately got my interest. It was set in late 1800’s New York. It was a story steeped in old money, a mysterious and escalating string of thefts, and what it had to do with a person (thief) who goes by the moniker of Robin Hood. It was an interesting mixture of aspects, and overall the story was a good one.

From the first page, I was drawn into the story by Belli’s writing, which created strong and distinctive voices for both of the novel’s main characters—Genevieve and Daniel. I liked the mystery portion of Deception by Gaslight the best. Since Genevieve knew—and was acquainted with or moved in some of the same social circles—as many of the people who had items stolen from them, it presented a personal tie to the case that increased the sense of tension early in the story.

For the most part, I liked Genevieve’s character. She was a reporter who was chasing what she hoped was her next big story, and I admired the kind of ambition she had. Her friends were also entertaining characters, and I enjoyed every time they appeared on page. Daniel was a very complex character. As the enigmatic recipient of a fortune (under mysterious means), he had a number of secrets. He was a well-meaning person, and overall I thought his characterization was great. I also enjoyed the scenes he had with Genevieve. The two worked well together, and some of my favorite scenes were when they were acting as a team.

Although, there were times when it seemed like the clues were almost too obvious, yet the characters didn’t realize it till much later. It was a little frustrating, because otherwise this was a very capable group of characters. However, that didn’t ruin my enjoyment of the story, and it was more of a pet peeve of my mine. When the story picked up towards the latter half of the book, all the revelations kept me turning the pages. The end left off in an open-ended place, and it definitely left room for another story. (I have a number of questions about that last scene, but I just have to wait until the next book comes out.)

Deception by Gaslight is a promising beginning to a new series. If you’ve read any of the Veronica Speedwell books by Deanna Raybourn, then you might want to consider giving this one a try.

Disclaimer: this copy of the book was provided by the publisher (Crooked Lane Books) via Netgalley, thank you!