Wild Irish Rose by Rhys Bowen & Clare Broyles (Molly Murphy Mystery #18) 4 stars

Molly Murphy is back and she is working at being a homemaker and wife. Her life as a private detective seems like a dim memory or is it? On a trip with friends to Ellis Island she encounters an Irish immigrant that looks like her. There is some commotion at the immigration stations, but things are unclear when she leaves the island. Later that evening, her husband, Daniel Sullivan says there was a murder on the island and that the pretty Irish immigrant is the main suspect. Molly is determined to find out the truth and help a fellow Irishwoman.

It has been six years since the last Molly Murphy "The Ghost of Christmas Past" (2017). Liam is a toddler and Bridie is growing up to be a young lady. This book is a collaboration between the author and her daughter, Clare Broyles. As such, the book felt a little off kilter from previous books; still a wonderful book but the voice seems different somehow. Molly Murphy is still a fine detective, who chaffs at the role she is stuck in - a homemaker and mother. At this point, the 19th amendment is non existent and societal norms means women are relegated to the homemaker/wife role. There is the mother/daughter conflict between Molly and Bridie that seem to be a foundation for future clashes. The mystery itself was interesting, but not arresting. I found the ending to be a little too convenient. A good read and I look forward to next book in this series.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martins Press/Minotaur Books for this ARC.

Wild Irish Rose is the 18th book in the Molly Murphy historical mystery series. Beloved author Rhys Bowen is now writing this series with her daughter, Clare Broyles. What a cool thing to do with your mother! Since this is book 18, of course this is my first foray into the series. Story of my life! I admit it took me a while to get into the story, but that's what happens when you get Covid right when you start a book. But once I started feeling better, I couldn't be persuaded to put the book down until I finished it!

Molly Murphy Sullivan is settling into her life after "officially" retiring (ha!) from being a private investigator in 1907 New York. She's spending time with family and friends, taking care of her young son Liam and ward Bridie while her husband, Police Captain Daniel Sullivan, is at work. Oh, and Daniel's mother is staying with them; she's a bit judgemental. Molly and Bridie, along with neighbors Sid and Gus (aka Elena and Augusta) go to Ellis Island to help distribute clothing to newly arrived immigrants in need. Ellis Island is where Molly began her life in America, so being there brings back lots of memories, and most of them at that time were not pleasant ones. When Daniel arrives home late for dinner, he tells Molly there was a murder on Ellis Island during the time she was there. Not only that, but the woman suspected of murder looks a lot like Molly! Molly is reminded of her time there, and she believes she was meant to be there to help the woman clear her name. Sounds simple enough...

Even though this was book 18, there was no problem jumping into Molly's life. References were made regarding past events, but it didn't cause any confusion. Sounds like I have lots of fun books to catch up on! Molly was a fantastic character, and she's had quite an exciting life for one so young. She loves being a wife and mother, but something is missing from her life - being a private investigator. She decides to investigate the murder so she can help Irish immigrant Rose, who reminds her of Molly's past and she will do all she can to clear the young woman's name. When Daniel finds out she's investigating, he's not amused; however, Molly swears (sort of) she will follow his rules and not do things on her own. I'm not sure about how I feel regarding Daniel. At times he was very supportive, but condescending at other times. I think past books will give me a better idea of why his mind works as it does. He was a great father to Liam and Bridie, the young girl who has become their ward. Poor Bridie was having growing pains; she thought she was more like an adult, but she also showed how young she truly was. She could be sweet or a total brat, but I just adored her. Neighbors Sid and Gus were quite a pair! They decided to take over Bridie's education, and the girl just loved her "aunties". They were actually partners, not just roommates. The two were quite entertaining and lit up the pages when they appeared. Of course, there had to be a great mystery for these awesome characters to pursue, and we had one here. There were twists and turns all over the place, and I hung on for the wild ride. I was surprised many times before the murderer was revealed. I truly can't wait to see what Molly gets up to next!

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

This book was a very engaging read. It sets up the mystery almost like the first piece of a puzzle and then continues to give the reader pieces as the story progresses, skillfully weaving the elements of mystery with very human plot elements of family, obligation, and self-determination.
The one issue I had with it is that there were a couple of instances where Molly's husband, Daniel, completely dismisses her desire to help with the case despite her past experience as a successful private detective and tells her to just focus on being a wife and mother. Never did it feel like Molly was abandoning her family, but his almost belittling of his wife for wanting to help with police work bothered me despite it being period-appropriate.
I'm impressed with Bowen's ability to make book 18 in a series completely accessible to a new reader. I never felt like I was lost in what was happening or who the characters were. Plus, I think that things are explained loosely enough that a long-time reader won't feel like things they already know are getting rehashed unnecessarily, it's more of a quick reminder of where things stand.

Happy thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the engaging read!

Wild Irish Rose by Rhys Bowen and Clare Broyles is #18 in the Molly Murphy mystery series originated by Bowen. Molly and Daniel's little boys, Liam is nearly three and a handful. As the reader may remember, Bridie has become their ward after declining her father's invitation to return to Ireland and work on his pig farm. Mrs. Sullivan, Sr. has spent the winter with them so the small house is bursting at the seams. There is no second child, yet which breaks Molly's heart so she is looking for things to do. Gus and Sid are collecting winter clothing from their friends to give to the immigrants as they come off the boat at Ellis Island as so many are poorly clothed, so Molly and Bridie decide to join the. Bridie almost gets lost but follow a woman with read hair, thinking it's Molly, but is recovered before anything bad happens. Then, when Daniel gets home that night, he relays there had been a murder that day at Ellis Island and they have detained a red-headed Irish woman.

Molly is aching to get back to work. She loves Daniel and Liam and Bridie but she's a good detective and she knows it. As she is getting older she appears to have lost her ability to read people and she is jealous of Gus and Sid and the influence they wield over Bridie. The mystery was good and the people that were committing the crimes were hidden in plain sight although not in their expected personas. It is so good to read a Molly story again that I can't find the words. I have missed her. Rhys and her daughter seem to work seamlessly together as this book is flawless. New York in the early 20th Century is an interesting and dangerous place and Molly travels through all of it. I loved Wild Irish Rose.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Wild Irish Rose by St Martin's Press, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions were my own. #netgalley #stmartinspress #wildirishrose #rhysbowen #clarebroyles

Book 18 in the series but the first one I have read.
It was a joy to get to know Molly and sometime I will get to read the earlier books but this story could definitely be read as a stand-alone.
We see Molly struggle with been a proper wife and mother according the early 1900s standard. She misses her Detective agency and living in rather close quarters with her over critical mother in-law. To top it all of her adoptive daughter in the early stages of been a teenager feels she should be treated as an adult instead of a child. Then her friends Sid and Gus are more than willing to edge Molly on to get involved in a murder case which is exactly what her husband did not want her to do.
The ending was quite different from what I expected. Might have had some suspicions but was only partially correct.

It’s February 1907, and Molly Murphy Sullivan’s life has settled into the busyness of everyday life for a wife and mother. However, she feels the desire to return to her old life as a detective when her husband, New York Police Captain Daniel Sullivan, comes home with tales of his latest case. Seems a young woman newly arrived from Ireland has been accused of murder on Ellis Island. Molly can’t help but make the connection to when she first arrived several years before. Can she find out what really happened?

It's been years since we last visited with Molly, and I have missed her. Within pages, it was like no time had passed. Unfortunately, some of the bad remained, like how Daniel can run hot and cold, especially when it comes to Molly’s investigation. I get that it is accurate for the time, but can he grow out of it, please? However, there are other times I loved his character. Molly is her usual strong self, and the supporting players are as fun as always. The pacing was a little uneven early on, but it got much stronger as it went along. The solution was perfectly logical and wonderfully page turning. I hope we haven’t heard the last of Molly.

I really, really love Molly Murphy. For me these books are an inhale – as in, when one is available, I don’t look up from the pages until I am finished reading. Molly came to readers through Ellis Island in 2001 (for Molly, it was 1901), and the books kept appearing until 2017, when I was afraid the series had come to a natural end. Starting her adventures with “The next morning I sailed for America with another woman’s name”, Molly proceeded to shove her way into reader’s hearts as she made her hardscrabble way through New York City, finding work as a lady private detective.

Many books later, Molly is married to a police detective and the mother of a young son, Liam, as well as having charge of the young girl who came across on the boat with her, Bridie. It’s true, Bowen could have wrapped up the series, but she’s now teamed up with her daughter, Clare Broyles. The two have cleverly brought Molly back to Ellis Island for a mystery, though this time, it’s not Molly who’s accused of murder, it’s a red haired look alike just off the boat, Rose McSweeney.

This is a great way to kind of re-launch the series. Molly goes along wit her friends and neighbors, Sid and Gus, to Ellis Island to hand out donated clothes to the immigrants just off the boat. It establishes Molly as a married woman with a home and responsibilities - someone who has come far since she arrived in New York – but it also gives the reader a taste of what Molly went through to get here. Molly’s heart naturally goes out to the accused woman, and she’s all over her husband, Daniel, for details when he arrives home from work.
As Molly is dealing with a toddler, a snappy and judgey mother-in-law who is spending the winter with them, and a Bridie who is growing into a somewhat defiant pre-teen, she has a lot to handle and Daniel frequently points this out to her as he suggests that she not become involved in his case. But when the two talk things through Molly is often able to supply good insights and Daniel reluctantly gives her some leeway. As Molly devotees already knew, however, that was bound to happen.

This book is one of the more realistic I have read where the main character is dealing with the demands of a toddler. Liam must be fed, washed, played with, put to bed – Molly’s mother in law helps, but there’s plenty to do, and the reader feels it. Sometimes kids in books are super convenient. Liam, while adorable, is also very much a kid. While Molly loves him she’s also pulled in other directions and her mother in law does help her out.

Eventually Molly gets Rose a job with an old friend of hers as a companion, a post that seems to suit both women. Rose is waiting for the police to clear her so she can go off to Chicago and be with relatives. Molly of course finds more layers to the mystery and makes some useful discoveries – her husband appreciates Molly’s smarts, but he also wants to pull his hair out.

Bowen, as I’ve said many times in the past, is an utterly natural storyteller, one who has the gift of pacing and character at her total command. I’m not sure just how the mother-daughter collaboration worked, but it certainly works well. This book, number 18 in this beloved series, is as readable and as enjoyable as book one. What a gift Molly Murphy is to readers.

A really great addition to the series.
Now that Molly Murphy Sullivan is married and has a son, she is no longer a private detective, but when there is a murder on Ellis Island the same day she is there to distribute warm clothing to the immigrants, and a woman who bears a remarkable likeness to herself is accused, she has to do something. As she befriends this woman and tries to help her clear her name, she struggles with domestic matters as well. Her mother-in-law has seemingly taken up permanent residence in her house and her adopted daughter is becoming a sassy teen. As she becomes more involved with the case, danger comes closer to home. As always, Molly finds the answer and Daniel is there to help save the day.

Thank you Rhys Bowen and Claire Boyles for this cozy Murder mystery. Great writing and intrigue.
Molly Sullivan (née Murphy) once again gets involved in a mystery and she just can’t help but be intrigued and step in. Her husband, Police Commissioner of NYC, is not at all happy. On a visit to Ellis Island to hand out warm clothes to the immigrants coming in a murder is discovered and Molly is stepping in. There is a complication when the murdered man turns out to be a private detective from the UK searching for a stolen necklace. This leads to several new experiences for Molly and her friends.
Thank you NetGalley and Minatour books for an advanced copy of this book.

Engrossing!

I am conflicted about Molly Sullivan. I love her gutsiness, the way she flies in the face of the accepted order of things. Maybe I’m conflicted because Molly is too. How to manage being a mother, a wife, a daughter-in-law, and how to continue to be a detective in the face of opposition, particularly from her husband?
It’s 1907, and a trip back to Ellis Island with Bridie and philanthropic neighbours Elena and Augusta (Aunt Sid and Aunt Gus), to distribute warm clothing to newly arrived immigrants has Molly recalling her own terrifying arrival here. None of her anxiety is helped by Bridie becoming lost and then thought by the authorities to be a recently landed immigrant. Stuff of nightmares for our Molly, as she imagines Bridie disappearing into the bowels of bureaucracy. When Molly meets a young, defenceless woman from Ireland, Rose McSweeney, who is accused of murder, with hair a similar red to her own, Molly rushes to defend her, and sets out to prove her innocence, despite the disapproval of her husband Daniel, Captain Sullivan of the New York police.
Molly gets caught up in a maelstrom of situations, including finding a position for the Rose. I’m exhausted just from following the swirl of Molly’s activities. Between her mother-in-law, her husband, wanting to prove Rose’s innocence, and Bridie’s recalcitrant behavior, no wonder.
The murderer is caught but not without danger and heartache.
Bridie is growing up, and to some degree not helped by being caught betwixt a world that beckons, and the here and now.
A solid read!

A St. Martin's Press ARC via NetGalley
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

I love the Molly Murphy series. Rhys Bowen is writing with her daughter, Clare Broyles, now. The writing is still the best! Molly is married now to Daniel Sullivan and she's the mother to a little boy so she has technically given up her detective business. She spends much of her days visiting the immigrants on Ellis Island, providing aid to them. But there's a murder and Molly is drawn into the investigation. Molly and the main suspect are look alikes....will she be able to help the young woman? This is another well written, excellent addition to a fine series.
Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

This book was so good! It is my first time reading anything by Rhys Bowen, and this time she is joined by her daughter, Clare Broyles.

Even though this series is well underway by now (this is book 18), I didn't feel lost or left behind at all. I enjoyed the way that the interactions and relationships were more modern than in 1907 when the book takes place. Molly and her husband have a great marriage, and unlike the time, Daniel asks her opinion and doesn't ignore her.

Molly's friends Gus and Sid are suffragettes and modern, liberated women with their own relationship. It doesn't make them hide from public or stop their good-deeding, though!

The book was well-written and fast-paced, and I'll definitely be watching for future books by this team of talented writers.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own.

A wonderful addition to the Molly Murphy series by Rhys Bowen. It was so nice to have all the characters back together again. Rhys never disappoints she has created the perfect mix of detection and family life. An intriguing mystery that keeps you guessing until the very end.

Another winner by Rhys Bowen. A quick but very satisfying story. Do you think you can outsmart Molly Murphy? Good luck trying. Very highly recommended!

When I saw that Rhys Bowen was coming out with another Molly Murphy novel, I nearly jumped out of my seat! I have been a huge fan of the character of Molly Murphy Sullivan, since day one. While this novel is technically #18, readers can read it as a stand alone. However, I really would suggest you start with a few of her previous works in the series to fully understand the journey Molly has been on.

In Wild Irish Rose, Molly is no longer paying full attention to her private detective agency, as she is now a proper New York City housewife and member of society in the early 1900's. (Think the Gilded Age but without too much reference to the Astors and elite 400.) Trouble however seems to follow her when she becomes involved in her husband's police business solving a murder on Ellis Island.

Rhys Bowen and Clare Broyles together have done great justice to this story and I absolutely love it! Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for gifting me a copy of this novel.

How lovely to have Molly McBride back in action! Now married to a policeman and with a family, Molly’s detecting days are over. Or are they? When she encounters a murder on Ellis island, she is determined to protect the Irish girl who is a suspect. And so Molly “helps” her husband solve the mystery.

I love the Molly Murphy books and was excited to see a new one! Another fun mystery and I appreciate the immigrant experiences and Ellis Island scenes.

Welcome back, Molly! I couldn't wait to start reading this, the 18th in the series. It felt like a letter catching me up with the lives of friends. Molly is no longer a private detective, now focusing her attention to her family. Tensions need to be dealt with - her teenaged ward, Bridie is at that stage as only teenagers can be, her mother-in-law is a trial and her husband Daniel is, well, Daniel. One of her interests brings her back to Ellis Island when she is there to distribute clothing to new immigrants. What wasn't expected was murder. Molly may be a wife and mother now but she can't resist the pull of her past as a private detective. Feeling a kinship for the young Irish woman who is the prime suspect, Molly sets out to find the killer. It's a challenge to find a balance between her family and the murder case but Molly is up to the task.
This entry works fine as a stand alone but, if you are new to this wonderful series, be ready to play catchup. You won't be disappointed. Each is a well crafted mystery with many twists and turns and the characters of Molly, Daniel, Gus and Sid will soon become old friends.
My thanks to the publisher Minotaur and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an e ARC of this book.
The next in the Molly Murphy series. Delightful early century detective story. Likeable characters, entertaining plot. Works fine as a standalone.

WILD IRISH ROSE by Rhys Bowen and Clare Broyles
Molly Murphy gave up her detective business when she married Daniel Sullivan and is determined to be a good wife and mother, as expected in 1907. Sticking to home and hearth is sometimes difficult, especially with her critical MIL living with them. “Good works” are an approved outlet for even the most respectable, so Molly and her ward Bridie join friends Sid and Gus (and as Daniel’s mother appreciates, other “influential” women) to give much-needed clothing to recent arrivals at Ellis Island. There, trouble starts, with a murder and a suspect who looks much like Molly. This is a twisty puzzle, with many tests of courage and intelligence, and much excitement.
Family dilemmas are equally compelling, as Bridie begins pushing against Molly’s guidance, wanting, at age thirteen, to be treated as a woman, not a little girl. This book is the wonderful product of a mother-daughter writing team, and those interactions feel authentic. I hope there will be many more books in this series, by either or both of these capable writers.