I thought I knew "whodunit" various times. I love these characters, even the ones that I don't like very much! I hope this is not the last book in the series, because the individual mysteries are compelling, but I also want to see what's going to happen next with the characters.

Lillian Pentecost and Will Parker make for a great team in 1947 Brooklyn. Lillian gets locked up in prison, and it's up to Will to solve the case--the death of a ghoulish memento more collector--with Lillian's help of course.

A fun read and a definite recommendation.

Dead in the Frame, the fifth in the Pentecost and Parker historical mysteries series, is equally as enjoyable as the first four books. And the premise is shocking. Prominent private detective Lillian Pentecost is accused of murder and imprisoned, which doesn't bode well for her health, as she suffers from multiple sclerosis. And it leaves her young, street-smart lead investigator, Will (Willowjean) Parker, with the primary responsibility for finding the real killer of a millionaire who is known for his Black Museum of grisly murder memorabilia, while trying to deal with the firm's other clients.

Set in New York in 1947, the story is convoluted and the charges are tough to fight--after all, Lillian was present when the murder happened and fled the scene. Will uses her analytical skills, acquired contacts on both sides of the law, and sheer fearlessness to vindicate her boss before it's too late, and Lillian does what she can from the confines of prison to help her own cause. Will's narration is sometimes interrupted by excerpts from the journal Lillian is trying to keep, some of it written in code that only the two understand (thankfully decoded for the reader).

The two main characters have been defined and developed over the course of the series and are always a delight to encounter again. Supporting and incidental characters are also brought to life in an interesting and memorable way. You can't go wrong with this excellent series.

My thanks to Doubleday and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me an arc of this title. Spotswood has knocked it out of the park again with this mystery. While Will and Lillian were apart, each storyline was great on their own. Looking forward to see what happens next in the series.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of the book.

The 5th book in this series picks up exactly where book four ended. In the past, I haven't liked it when Will and Ms. Pentecost have been apart, but it works in this book. It's odd to say this since she's the narrator in the story, but Will really shines in this book. She knows that her boss is innocent and will not let anything or anyone stand in her way.

I also enjoyed learning more about Ms. Pentecost's past life and look forward to learning even more in the next novel.

If you enjoyed the other ones, I see no reason to why this one would be any different. If you didn't enjoy the others...why are you still here on book 5?

When true crime artifact collector Jessup Quincannon is found dead in his macabre museum, private investigator Lillian Pentecost is arrested and jailed for his murder. It's up to her assistant, Willowjean Parker, to find the real killer with the help of her friends and associates.

This fifth title in the Pentecost and Parker series is my favorite yet. Spotswood paints a vivid picture of what life was like for women imprisoned in the eleven-story New York Women's House of Detention and shines a light especially on the unfair treatment of trans people. The plot is complex but believable, and the stress Willowjean experiences while her employer is incarcerated is palpable. The storyline never drags, and the ending is more than satisfactory. Thank you, too, to Mr. Spotswood for his thoughtful afterword addressing both the realities of women in the justice system and women's rights both historically and today.