ARC Review: Murder on Bedford Street by Victoria Thompson

Murder on Bedford Street
Author: Victoria Thompson
Series: Gaslight Mystery (Book 26)
Publication: Berkley (April 25, 2023)

Description: Midwife Sarah Malloy and her private investigator husband, Frank, must stop a killer lurking among a young family in the newest installment of the USA Today bestselling Gaslight Mysteries.

Hugh Breedlove is far from the most agreeable client private investigator Frank Malloy has ever had, but his case is impossible to refuse: his young niece, Julia, has been wrongfully committed to an insane asylum by her cruel and unfaithful husband, Chet Longly. Though Breedlove and his wife seem more interested in protecting the family reputation than their niece’s safety, Frank and Sarah agree to help for the sake of Julia and the young son she left behind.

Frank and Sarah’s investigation reveals a dark secret—a maid at the Longly home died suspiciously under Chet’s watch, and now it seems Julia’s son might also be in danger. The Malloys fear they are dealing with a man more dangerous than they had anticipated, one who will do anything to defame his wife. But all is not as it seems in the Longly family, and perhaps another monster is hiding in plain sight....

My Thoughts: The twenty-sixth in the Gaslight Mystery series has Malloy accepting a case to get the niece of his client out of an insane asylum. Hugh Breedlove isn't a very nice man. He's a real snob, but the case he brings does interest Malloy and his fellow detectives. 

After all, a young wife has been wrongfully accused of being insane. When Frank and Sarah visit the asylum, they find Julia Longly to be perfectly rational. Their suspicions grow even more when Chet Longly refuses to discuss why he had his wife committed.

Maeve goes undercover as a nursery maid in the Longly house and discovers that some secrets are being kept. What happened to the young maid who "fell" down the stairs? And what happened to the former nursery maid? And why are all the servants afraid of Julia Longly?

It takes a while for attitudes to shift and for the correct villain to be identified. I enjoyed this latest episode in a long-running series. I like the relationships between the characters. I liked the 1901 New York setting. 

Favorite Quote:

"Did we learn anything new?" Frank asked Sarah when her parents had left. 

"I'm not sure," she said, sitting down on the love seat beside him. "I suppose I should be surprised that my parents thought Julia and Chet were a love match."

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.