Rhys Bowen (The Last Mrs. Summers) teams up with her daughter, composer Clare Broyles, for Wild Irish Rose, the 18th installment of the charming Molly Murphy historical mystery series. Molly has hung up her detective hat and now spends her time caring for her children and Daniel, her husband and a New York City police captain. But Molly feels restless, especially given the presence of her critical mother-in-law, who is temporarily living with the family. Society may expect Molly to be content to be at home, but Molly misses her detecting days.
In order to keep herself busy, Molly engages in some charitable work. Delivering clothing to new arrivals at Ellis Island stirs up memories of her own arrival from Ireland some years earlier. But then a man is stabbed, and the presumed murderess, Rose McSweeney, turns out to be Molly's doppelgänger. Molly is convinced that her presence on Ellis Island that day was meant to help Rose. Much to Daniel's dismay, Molly plunges into her own investigation, trying to clear Rose's name. Will Molly be able to help Rose without putting herself or her marriage in danger?
Bowen and Broyles aptly capture the complicated social hierarchy of early 20th-century New York City. Molly challenges stereotypes and boundaries at every turn, making her a delightful lens for modern readers to learn more about this era, while simultaneously enjoying the twists and turns of her investigation. Fans of Deanna Raybourn or T.E. Kinsey are sure to appreciate Molly's introspection and intrepidity. --Jessica Howard, bookseller at Bookmans, Flagstaff, Ariz.