31 Bond Street

31 Bond Street

Ellen Horan

4 out of 5

Historical mysteries are always hit and miss with me. Sometimes the author assumes that the reader knows more about the period then they do or are overly descriptive of the environment and fainting couches.

31 Bond Street falls more into the middle of the road. Ellen Horan explains enough, but at the same time, leaves a bit up to your imagination as to what really did go on behind the doors of 31 Bond Street.

When Emma Cunningham’s resources start to run a bit thin she sets her sights on Dr. Burdell. He has the money, the power and most importantly, the correct address. What she sees as her ride to the top, he sees as a new house manager. She and her daughters can have the room upstairs and he can brag to his friends that he now has a new investor for a rather shady deal that is being cooked up.
Unfortunately, things don’t work out as either had planned when Burdell is found dead and Emma is quickly blamed. To her rescue comes Henry Clinton, newly branching out on his own as a criminal defense attorney, who must go toe to toe with Abraham Oakey Hall who has his eye on the Mayor’s seat and this black hearted gold digger is not going to get in his way. If Dr. Burdell has taught Emma anything, it’s not to trust anyone, so what does she do when a murder has been committed and all fingers point directly at her.

A very captivating and twisty tale set in 1857 New York, the reader is taken on a journey of the times and tone of this gritty place. A tale of murder, greed and politics – add 150 years to the date and you could have a new episode of Law and Order.