I received a free copy of, A Murderous Business, by Cathy Pegau, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Its 1912 and all is not well with B&H Foods, an employee is found dead, Margot Baxter Harriman is in charge after the passing of her father. Margo hires a private investigator, for information, on the murder and her business. An interesting read.

A Murderous Business by Cathy Pagau. Pub date: Sept 15, 2025.

This was a very enjoyable classic mystery novel set in NYC in the early 1900s. Strong female leads persevering in a man’s business world was a constant theme. Pacing was good and just enough back stories to keep me interested till the end.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher, St Martin’s Press, for sending this ARC for my review consideration. All opinions are my own.

A Murderous Business is an historical mystery that blends a classic whodunit with a fresh, modern twist. Set in 1912, right after the Titanic disaster, it follows Margot Harriman, the ambitious and confident CEO of a food company, who is thrust into a dangerous investigation after discovering her father's former assistant dead in the office. The note she finds implicates the company in some shady dealings that could ruin everything. To uncover the truth, she hires Loretta "Rett" Mancini, a sharp and capable private investigator.

What makes this book stand out is its strong, unconventional female leads. Both Margot and Rett defy the social expectations of the time, and their dynamic is engaging and empowering. The slow-building mystery keeps you hooked as the investigation uncovers secrets, blackmail, and betrayal, all while exploring the challenges women faced in a male-dominated world.

While the story’s pace is more methodical than action-packed, it’s a thoughtful, immersive read that captures the essence of early 20th-century society. The only downside is that the final act feels a bit rushed, and some of the romantic subplots seemed unnecessary. Nonetheless, this novel is a thrilling and clever ride with fantastic twists and memorable characters. If you're into detective stories with a historical backdrop and strong female characters, A Murderous Business is a must-read.

Intriguing bunch of women. Enjoyed the story. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ebook ARC of this interesting historical mystery! I look forward to the next book in the series.

This book was a great read. As a cis, straight woman, it didn't concern me a whit that the two main characters were queer. In fact, it was just an addition to their character development and didn't have much play in the story. The fact that the main characters were women trying to run businesses in the turn of the century was much more debilitating for them. Pegau did a great job of showing the reader the constant (and ridiculous) roadblocks that these women had to face at every turn. So frustrating! And, they either ignored them, worked around them or just plowed through them and were successful in their journey. Technically, this is a mystery novel, but I think anyone would enjoy the story.

I did enjoy this book, however I thought it was a bit slow to begin with. It takes place right after the Titanic sinks in 1912. Margot has a rough go of running her inherited family business. An employee is found dead and the mystery solving begins! The love story is ff and would be difficult for that time period. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc of this book.

1913 and women are fighting to be recognized as capable. This Margot is running her families business and hires Rhett when she begins to suspect that something is going on and could be illegal.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. An intriguing and enjoyable story of rare told occurrences of the early 2oth century. Set in 1912, a canning empire heiress joins and befriends other formidable trailblazing women in proving her worth and business acumen.

Although, Margot, the heiress and new owner of her family empire, is qualified for the role in experience and education; she must consistently confront societal stereotypes to prove her value. When a recent retiree and long time assistant to her father is found dead with a mysterious and damning message about her beloved company, Margot somewhat unintentionally pulls together a team of women to solve the mystery and save the family business.

The story seamlessly weaves in themes of women empowerment, friendship and budding love. Through the story, the author shares the message of friendship, family and love as the most important bonds. As told through the eyes of women in 1912, the story highlights the same struggles of women and LBGTQ that persist even today.

The characters were witty, fun and thought provoking. I enjoyed the story and am excited for more from Cathy Pegau!

This story takes place right after the sinking of the Titanic. That immediately grabbed my attention. Margot is running her business but in the times of 1912 it's extremely hard without a man. An employee is found dead over the holiday and sets off the murder mystery. She meets Rett and they try to solve the case while also falling for each other. This provides some LGBTQ romance in that time period

Set in 1912 New York City. Margot Baxter Harriman (president of B&H Foods since her father died) needed the help of Loretta “Rett” Mancini of Mancini & Associates along with Shiloh the friendly magician's assistant who is also skilled in forgery and the art of picking pockets. What's needed is the truth behind the very recent death of Mr. Harriman's personal secretary under unusual circumstances and possible evidence of a crime of fudging reports of illnesses related to their food products. So the two form an alliance and are assisted by Shiloh and a few others to begin a very unconventional investigation of this and some other things that take them down a rabbit hole in this very misogynistic era. Great read of very well researched material.
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected digital galley from St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books via NetGalley. Pub Date Sep 16, 2025
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Margot Harriman, is head of B&H Foods, running a business in 1912 is no easy task. She is still looked upon as being unable to run the company effectively without a man’s help. When Margot goes into the plant over a holiday to pick up a report and finds a former employee dead with a mysterious note left behind, she sets out to find out why the employee died at the plant, and what does the note mean for the company? When Margot goes to Mancini & Associates to assist her in investigating what is going on, she meets Loretta “Rett” Mancini, a young woman in the same position of Margot, trying to make her way in a man’s world. Rett and Margot work together to solve the mystery behind the death and note, along the way there are some definite adventures especially for a woman of those times, a bit of LGBTQ romance and a good mystery to boot!

I found the mystery quite engaging, just when I thought I had it solved, the author reveals the truth and it was an ah-ha moment! Although, I’m not a big Victorian era fan, I enjoyed the way circumstances were portrayed in the book, such as not allowing women to have a bank account or items such as the three-piece law, where a woman must have three pieces of female attire on to avoid being arrested for dressing in male clothing. Interesting fact, not something I knew prior to this book. Well written, an engaging mystery, fun facts, overall, an enjoyable read.

I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. It's set in 1912 New York, right after the Titanic tragedy. This is one of my favorite periods in NYC so I couldn't resist requesting the book and it did not disappoint. It has strong female characters, who are charming, empowered working in a man's business and hiding their forbidden love for one another.

The story revolves around Margot Harriman who inherited her father’s canning business. Things seem to be going well, but when her father's retired assistant is found dead, she discovers some unsettling secrets of shady business conducted and decides to investigate which is difficult being a woman in a man's world. The story is told through Margot and Rett's perspective which keeps the story moving and gives a well rounded view of the mystery and the relationship between the women.

This is a great pick for lovers of historical cosy mysteries.

Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for this ARC. Opinions are my own.

This book was a very fun and cozy mystery. I enjoyed the characters and the time setting. Many of the struggles the women see in this book are still some of the same things we struggle with today and the author did a good job of representation. Overall, I really enjoyed it!

I found the pace to be a bit slow (35% through the text before feeling invested in the concerns/before the needs of the characters became clear), and the characters were under-written - that is, what they shared by way of circumstances and characteristic read as contrived (ah - both father figures had dementia... ah- both struggling to provide for their own future). The historical setting certainly invites generalized needs regarding women's rights and gender roles, but the presentation of both characters didn't provide the entry points/pathos for association b/c of circumstantial similarities.

A historical murder mystery with F/F romance and LBGTQ+ representation.

Margot is the CEO of a successful food canning company in 1912. She finds a former employee dead at her receptionist's desk one day with a cryptic note. This sparks a desire to find out what really happened by employing a private investigator, who also happens to be a woman. Together, they unravel a larger conspiracy while battling gender norms of the time.

This was a somewhat engaging historical murder mystery! I enjoyed the historical aspect of the story: Women in power, battling gender norms and taking risks in love, when in 1912, their kind of love was a crime.

I thought the main characters were well thought out and I wanted to be friends with all of them! The character development was the best part of the book!

The murder mystery part of the story was underwhelming. It wasn’t a high stakes-on the edge of your seat-I can’t wait to find out what happens next type of mystery.

But I still think this story is worth reading for the characters and the history. I think that part of this book is very important and needs to be told and shared!

I received an advanced copy of this e-book from NetGalley and Cathy Pegau. I leave this review voluntarily!

I love a cozy mystery and this hit all the points it needed to! I loved that it was set in the 1900's, I've really been enjoying historical reads! A perfect easy read!

The first American cannery was opened in 1812. By the 1880s, the U.S. Department of Agriculture was investigating unlabeled additives and and fake products. The USDA began formal inspections of canneries in 1906 with the passage of the Pure Food and Drug Act (also known as the Wiley Act) and the Federal Meat Inspection Act. These groundbreaking laws were largely prompted by public outrage following the publication of Upton Sinclair's novel "The Jungle," which exposed unsanitary conditions in the meat-packing industry.

This story is set in 1912, one hundred years after the first US cannery, and in the shadow of the "Poison Squad" concerns. Margot Baxter Herriman, the heiress to (fictional) B&H Foods, founded by her grandparents, is highly competent but limited by societal expectations of women in business. The suspicious death of her father's long-time personal assistant, found in the B&H accountant's office with a half-written confessional note about "a situation at B&H. People got sick. Some died" spurs Margot to partner with budding private investigator Loretta (Rett) Mancini to find and expose the truth. Avoiding spoilers, the resolution both is and isn't what one might suppose at the outset.

Margot's character is relatable and her personal development through her relationships with other women is believable. The dialogue and scene descriptions are suggest a TV series screenplay--one can imagine the sounds of the metalworks, the rain on the Cadillac's roof as she ponders next steps. Third-person narration shifts between Margot's and Rett's perspectives keeps the story fresh, and lets us learn more about the characters with a light touch throughout the book. I also appreciated the sensitive and normalized presentation of LGBT relationships.

Many thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read the ARC in return for honest feedback.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to Net Galley and St.Martins press for access to this ARC in exchange for a honest review.
This was so such a good cozy mystery. Set in the early 1900s it really touched on problems that women faced in leadership positions at the time. I enjoyed learning more about that aspect as well as following the mystery it reminded me of a good Agatha Christie novel, very engaging and kept me on my toes throughout. Would definitely recommend.

Set near the turn of the century, which not that many books are, was interesting in and of itself. The main character, Margot, is a strong woman, left in charge of the family business after her father passes away. Several unsavory things happen which cause her to hire a detective, also a woman, to help solve. They share the case, each turning up pieces of the puzzle. Cathy Pegau's descriptions make you feel as if you are actually bouncing along the rugged New York City streets in an open air car with only a windscreen and goggles as protection. There are romantic encounters, which bring another dimension to the story.

I think the title suits the book well and I love the cover too.

3.5 as I felt not all the characters were as well developed as they could have been

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur for my ARC in exchange for my feedback.