Murder on Madison Square by Victoria Thompson @gaslightvt @BerkleyPub

Mrs. Edith Bing visits Frank Malloy, now a private investigator, seeking his help to divorce her husband. That would require him to prove her husband had committed adultery and it’s just not what he does. She never discloses why she wants the divorce and leaves without explanation. Her husband, Alvin Bing, is an investor in an electric car manufacturing company so Frank and wife Sarah decide to visit a motor show at Madison Square Garden to meet him. The next day, they learn he was run over by a car and killed. Mrs. Bing now hires Frank to find out who is responsible, especially as she’s a prime suspect.

This case took so many twists and turns as Frank, his wife Sarah, his partner, Gino Donatelli and assistant Maeve Smith work to figure out what was going on in the Bing household. While I figured out much of it early on, following the group as they gathered information and assembled clues was highly entertaining. But what was extremely interesting was the background given on the infancy of electric cars. The early generation of motor cars was pretty awful and solutions provided by the electric version was far more beneficial. I had no idea how really close we came to adopting this technology in the early 1900’s. If only Edison could have figured out a smaller design for the battery.

I loved being back with the Malloys and their friends. The case also had an insidious nature to it that was slowly revealed through the course of the story. I wasn’t sure of exactly who killed Alvin Bing as there were a host of likely suspects but I was certain of the why. As always, I enjoy the historical elements where I’m able to learn something, which sent me on a fact finding mission to learn more about the early generation of electric cars. It was fascinating and who knew that they were primarily marketed to women? This series continues to be one of my favorites.

Book Info

• Release Date: May 3, 2022
  
• Series: Gaslight Mystery #25
• Page Numbers: 348
• Publisher: Berkley

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Photo source: Rare Historical Photos

(Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)