Author: Mollie Ann Cox
Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery & Suspense
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
Release Date: 2023
Pages: 315
Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Synopsis: Could Alexander Hamilton be at the center of a vast murder plot engulfing Old New York? As his widow, Eliza, pieces together the puzzle, she unearths a heartbreaking secret that threatens to tear her family apart.
Perfect for fans of Sherry Thomas and Deanna Raybourn, taking us from the city’s gilded mansions to its meanest streets, Mollie Ann Cox’s debut historical mystery transports readers to center stage in a time of grave political danger.
New York, 1804. America’s beloved Alexander Hamilton lies dead after a duel with Aaron Burr. Meanwhile, Eliza Hamilton’s eighteen-year-old son, Alexander Jr., was seen fighting with a man in a tavern the night before his father’s duel and quickly comes under suspicion for murder when the man turns up dead.
Eliza searches for ways to clear her son’s name, even as she is grieving, but as she combs through her late husband’s papers, she finds evidence of a plot to steal money from the government during his tenure as secretary of state. Hamilton was accused of stealing that money, and it was a scandal that almost broke the family—but is Eliza now holding proof of Alexander’s innocence?
Deep in debt and despair, with eight children to support, Eliza turns to selling her handmade lace—and is drawn into a mysterious network of widow lacemakers who are intimately connected to New York’s high-society families. They know their dead husbands’ secrets—and soon, Eliza begins to piece together the truth.
There’s a dark plot connected with the duel, as one by one, witnesses to the bout are being killed. Now, Eliza must not only clear her husband’s and son’s names but keep herself out of the killer’s sights.
My Review: Alexander Hamilton was killed in a duel with Aaron Burr. Shortly after the duel, one of the witnesses of the famous duel winds up dead. The main suspect is Alexander Hamilton Jr, who was seen fighting with him at the tavern. Alexander Hamilton’s widow, Eliza Hamilton believes her son is innocent. She is determined to find the killer. As she investigates, she quickly learns that her meddling has caused the real killer to be nervous. The real killer vows to stop her even if it means to kill her.
Eliza is a really admirable protagonist. Throughout the book, she grieves over the death of her husband. She is also a very loving mother and wants to protect her family. I liked her determination in trying to find the killer. She is very daring. At times, she is very reckless and impulsive. Nevertheless, Eliza had a very keen intellect in trying to solve the mystery. I also liked how she worked closely with her sister, Angelica, and her friend, Alice to find the killer. They both came up with many fascinating schemes to investigate the case.
Overall, this novel is about loss, family, and friendship. I liked all the characters and thought that they were very realistic. There were times that I thought the novel was very repetitive. The mystery was a bit disappointing at the end because the killer just wound up into Eliza’s hands through her own recklessness rather than her solving the mystery itself. Therefore, I thought the unraveling of the mystery was rather lazy on the author’s part because I wanted Eliza to use her own reasoning. Nevertheless, it was an enjoyable and cozy read! I read it in one sitting! I’m looking forward to reading the sequel! I recommend this for fans of The Turncoat’s Widow, Cry of the Innocent, and Lost in the Shadows!
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
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