This is the ninth book in the series, and I unfortunately had difficulty keeping track of the characters. The tone of the book is too dark for me, but I’m sure others will enjoy it.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

After attending a rehearsal of Waif of the Highlands, Prudence MacKenzie is hired to investigate the mysterious death of leading actor Septimus Ward. Prudence’s friend, Lydia Truitt, is Septimus’s cousin, and she is determined to prove that it was Septimus who wrote the play and that he allowed the director to take credit in exchange for his lover getting the role as leading lady. Septimus was planning to go back on the deal, and Lydia is convinced that it was got him killed. Lydia gets positions for herself and Prudence and in the theater’s wardrobe department so that they can mingle with the others involved in the play. While undercover at the theater, a second person is murdered. When Lydia and Prudence get too close to exposing the truth, they are both threatened and attacked. With Prudence confined to her bed, it is up to her partner, Geoffrey Hunter, and their various connections to infiltrate the theater troupe and see to it that Septimus’s murderer faces justice.

I’m always excited for the next novel in the Gilded Age Mystery series, but DEATH TAKES THE LEAD fell flat for me. The mystery itself was interesting, but the focus on the novel was on the secondary characters opposed to Prudence and Geoffrey. Geoffrey had little to do with the investigation, and there was little interaction between the two in the first half of the novel. Had I not read the other books in the series, I would have been clueless that there was a romantic involvement between Prudence and Geoffrey until he finally (FINALLY!) took the next step in advancing their relationship. As for Prudence, she just came off as unlikable in this novel. I would have preferred more focus on Prudence and Geoffrey than on the secondary characters—especially the ones whose storylines seemed superfluous to the story. The ending of the novel was disappointing as there was no confrontation between Prudence, Geoffrey, and the killer. I’m hoping things pick up in the next novel and that the focus returns to Prudence and Geoffrey.

I always enjoy this series. I like the historical setting, and I really like the characters. mystery was engaging and fast-paced.

This story is fascinating! The theater world is completely alien to Prudence but she and Geoffrey take on a case of theft and murder. They have their suspect, but proving a case without evidence is problematical. Prudence and her friend Lydia go undercover and work for the costume mistress. Prudence can barely sew and has to take ironing lessons from her lady's maid. How long will her disguise last?

Prudence and her friend Lydia go undercover in the theater to find a murderous villain in this latest installment in a series that will also be fine as a standalone especially for those who enjoy historical cozies. I'm not usually a fan of theater based mysteries but Simpson does a nice job with the atmospherics here and, of course there are the characters. Fans will want to know where Geoffrey is as he's not as active a partner this time until.....no spoilers. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read with a sufficiently twisty mystery that moves Prudence and Geoffrey forward.

Another excellent Gilded Age mystery. I’ve always been a theater kid, so I loved how this mystery revolved around the backstage of a Broadway theater. Multiple POVs keep the story moving, and a huge development was quietly made in the over-arching storyline. Long time fans will be pleased.

I'm always excited when another book releases in the Gilded Age mystery series, and as usual, this one doesn't disappoint.

Prudence is called upon by a friend to help protect her cousin's rights as a playwright for the authorship of a play that promises to be big at the box office. However, when murders begin racking up connected to the play, both ladies go undercover to try and flush out the dastardly villain(s). With their lives in peril, the two must call on their male counterparts/friends to step in for assistance.

I really liked that Prudence and Judith were the "stars" of the show in this one. I also thought it clever how it seemed that the victims were being chosen. And the denouement was totally original and not what I was expecting...loved it! There is also some movement on the personal front for Prudence and Geoffrey which is heartwarming and swoon worthy...especially one particular scene.

All in all, very well done and an excellent addition to an already stellar series.

My sincere thanks to the author, NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for providing the free early arc of Death Takes the Lead for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

Prudence and her friend Lydia go undercover as backstage seamstresses to solve the murder of Lydia‘s beloved cousin, Septimus Ward.

Septimus was going to hire Prudence (a lawyer) to get recognition as the writer of the play in which he was starring. He had agreed to give Barrett Hughes (famous actor and director) the credit for authorship in exchange for giving him and Flora Campbell, leading roles. Septimus was deeply in love with Flora but he came to regret this sacrifice, as Hughes worked his evil charm on her.

While undercover at the theater, there is a second murder, and then both Lydia and Prudence are almost murdered. For their own safety, they must step aside and the investigation is continued by the most fascinating and entertaining group of ex-Pinkerton agents. These characters have been in previous books, but in Death Takes the Lead, their characters’ are developed so brilliantly they could have their own book series.

Meanwhile Geoffrey (Prudence’s partner) is sidetracked, taking care of her after the attack. He finally admits how he feels about her in the most romantic and satisfying way.

The ex-pinks continue investigating the murders searching the pasts of all the possible suspects. What they find is further proof that Barrett Hughes is despicable and avaricious, but is he the murderer?

Just like in every single one of Rosemary Simpson‘s books, this too is a winner. Her writing is excellent and seamlessly carries the reader from beginning to end—not wanting to put the book down. I had high expectations and I was not let down by Death Takes the Lead.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own, but I would highly recommend this to everyone.

#DeathTakestheLead #NetGalley

I wavered on my rating for this book. It’s between a 3 and a 4, but erring closer to the 3. Rosemary Simpson is a very good and very thorough storyteller and this ninth addition to the series is no exception. It takes the reader backstage to the nuances of theater life and rivalries in gilded age New York.

What fell short for me were the character relationships. Geoffrey had a very minimal role throughout, and, at the risk of being too spoilerish (but with eight books behind it, there’s no huge surprise here) the resolution of Geoffrey and Prudence FINALLY progressing in their romantic relationship felt abrupt. It felt like there was too much reliance on their interactions in previous novels and not enough conversation/interaction between them in this book to make their engagement feel like a natural progression to the reader. If I hadn’t read the others, it would’ve felt distinctly lackluster.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Rosemary Simpson's Prudence MacKenzie mysteries have all been very atmospheric and well written. Death Takes the Lead is no exception to this. Murders take place during the run up to a play's opening and Prudence goes undercover to solve the crimes. The cutthroat nature of show business is a bit overdone here, but overall, this is a satisfying installment in the series. 3 1/2 stars.

I liked the historical setting, I liked the team. The mystery was exciting and very fast-paced. This is my first in the series (I believe this may be book 9), and I was intrigued enough to catch up.

The Gilded Age is always so exciting historically. Women are moving forward steadily towards independence and autonomy slowly, but also, there's the advent of many new innovations in art and industry.

This book focused on theater arts, and it was revealing, but not surprising, to learn about the working of this competitive world.

The romance seems super low burn, I wish authors would move things along, either make it clear it's a friendship / partnership or it's a romance. You really don't need 9 books and sill waver.

#netgalley #DeathTakesTheLead

The setting of New York theatre was interesting, but likable side characters’ POV take time from the main characters. Other characters did more investigating, and Geoffrey and Prudence still hardly share page time. Their resolution was anticlimactic. I know this is a mystery first but the slow burn could’ve had a hint of romance. Or just some conversations. The mystery is excellent, I’m just sad this isn’t as character driven as it used to be. Prudence and Geoffrey do little compared to their team and have no personality or interiority anymore. I’m resigned this series will now be an ensemble cast without strong leads even though it delivers a good mystery.

lawyers, law-enforcement, suspense, investigations, ex-Pinkerton, secrets, lies, private-investigators, historical-mystery, historical-figures, historical-places-events, historical-research, history-and-culture, 1890s, riveting, gilded-age, NYC, contentious, poisons, ex-cop, friendship, friends, relationships, relatives, undercover, murders, entertainers, entertainment-scene, actors, superstitions, PTSD, attempted-murder, retribution, family, family-by-choice, family-drama, family-dynamics*****

Asked by friends to investigate problems in the theater where a friend's relative is starring, the body of that man is found in suspicious circumstances. Prudence, the daughter of a judge and newly admitted to The Bar in New York state, and Geoffrey, a former Pinkerton man, are Private Investigators (along with their secretary, an ex-NYPD cop, and others) are there to be on the job. They uncover facts, unscrupulous managers, dishonest playwrights, lechers, and devastated women. And that's only in the first quarter of the book! Excellent mystery read and a glimpse into early Vaudeville and Broadway. Riveting!
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected eproof from Kensington Books via NetGalley. Thank you!
#GildedAgeMysteryBk9 Avail Nov 26, 2024

I have been eagerly waiting for news of another book in the Gilded Age Mystery series. I stumbled upon these books last year and gobbled them up. Our main characters are Prudence, the wealthy, single member of the 400 and Geoffrey, the Harvard-educated lawyer trying to forget his early years on his family's southern plantation. They have a wonderful cast of friends, employees, and two animals helping them as they start up their investigative law firm. Don't let the inclusion of animals have you thinking this is a cozy series - this is gilded age New York and danger abounds!
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In this installment, Prudence's friend Lydia Truitt wants to help her cousin protect his rights to a play he has written. The production has several actors eager for great reviews and one being called the writer/director/star of the play is desperate to be seen as a leading man. At the same time, there are some aging actors hoping to stay relevant with their performance. Someone is killing people associated with the show and setting up accidents for the crew. Prudence and Lydia go undercover in the costume department and experience accidents themselves. As they recuperate, the men in their lives pick up the investigation.

This mystery doesn't follow the typical format. There is not denouement. The villain(s) don't have any sort of confrontation with the sleuths. They get their comeuppance, though.

Meanwhile, there are big developments on the relationship side of this series that are exciting for anyone who knows Prudence and Geoffrey.

Probably one of the most delightful, scene-stealing secondary characters is Josiah, the assistant in Prudence and Geoffrey's law office. Though his appearances are limited, he's such a fun part of this beloved cast. His part of the epilogue is hilarious!

Death takes the lead is the ninth installment in the "a gilded aged mystery series".

Once again Prudence, Geoffrey and the other characters we have come to know found themselves involved in a perilous murder situation, which touches Lydia deeply.

Some undercover job leads the crew dangerously close to lose one of their one, but in a very cleverly managed change of perspective, some other characters take charge of the investigation. I thought that was really masterfully done as the story takes place for the most part in a theater.

Wonderfully written, this book takes you directly to the gilded age!

I have received an advance copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily, thanks to the author for it.

Good book! I really enjoyed the storyline and characters. I would probably recommend to my friends and family. Thank you for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a honest review.

For the 9th book in the series, I was still riveted to the pages worrying about the characters. I sometimes can lose interest as a series goes longer. Geoffrey doesn’t have much of a role in the book until the end and it’s mainly Prudence and Lydia trying to find the killer of Lydia’s cousin. Some other minor characters play more of a role in the investigation and outcome which was interesting. Even if their methods might be questionable, having more background into their lives, characters, and motivations helped to understand their choices. Dangerous situations for Prudence and Lydia bring the rest of the group together to protect and help them and be more honest in their feelings. I enjoyed the story much more with the focus on character development rather than just the crime-solving.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for selecting me to read an advanced copy of this book.

Ninth in "A Gilded Age" mystery series, this book entertains and illuminates, (albeit with footlights and gas lamps), bringing the reader into the New York City theater district for mystery and misadventure. Protagonist Prudence MacKenzie is asked to accompany her friend Lydia to a rehearsal of, "Waif of the Highlands," featuring Lydia's cousin in a leading role. As it turns out, he wrote the script as a vehicle to elevate the object of his heart into Broadway's limelight. Like that other Scottish play, (which shall not be named), death and misadventure seem to hound it. Together, Prudence and Lydia along with the usual investigative team are covertly on the case but can they solve it and bring the perpetrator to justice before another production colleague takes their final bow?

Oh how I do love a well written historical mystery with just the right amount of solid background research. It adds interesting detail to the story without allowing the story to be bogged down by it. Author Rosemary Simpson has the balance of this down to a science and entertains the reader with lots of interesting historical facts of 1890 New York City which engages the reader's imagination without overwhelming the reader with excessive detail. This ninth installment in her Gilded Age Mystery series is perfectly balanced in this regard. We hear the rustle of the ladies' gowns as they sidle down a darkened hallway or the rhythmic clopping sound of horse hooves on the cobblestone streets. The vignettes are richly described and transport the reader to another time and place.

Certainly Ms. Simpson's fine turn of phrase drew me into the book and her strong female protagonist, Prudence (daughter schooled in law by her father, a judge) held my interest as she put forth an image of a feisty, bright and fearless women in an age where such character was extraordinary. Prudence and her partner, Geoffrey run an investigative law firm. He is a southern gentleman schooled in law and a former Pinkerton man. There's a developing spark between them as he tries to steer her away from seemingly dangerous situations but Prudence will have none of it and that's what he so admires about her. She's a bright independent woman with a strong mind of her own, an admirable trait and simultaneously vexing to Geoffrey.

If you enjoy well written and well researched historical mysteries, then I commend to you this wonderful series. You shan't be disappointed.

I am grateful to Ms. Simpson and her publisher, Kensington, for having provided a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.

Publisher: Kensington
Publication Date: November 26, 2024
Number of pages: 336
ISBN:‎ 978-1496741073