Murder in Manhattan by Julie Mulhern
4 out of 5.
This historical mystery is set in 1925 New York City. Freddie Archer writes a society column that shares her adventures at various speakeasies, restaurants, and other hot spots, mingling with the famous and infamous celebrities of the age.
Dealing with an intense heatwave in the City and a fierce hangover bordering on a migraine, Freddie didn't expect a visit from a police detective investigating the murder of a popular bootlegger. Detective Mike Sullivan was well aware that he was an outsider in the world his victim moved in. He requests assistance from Freddie to identify a woman seen with the victim prior to his death. Only one problem. Sullivan's idea of her help is very different from Freddie's, not to mention his gender bias.
This ARC is courtesy of NetGalley and Hachette Book Group. The current scheduled publication date is December 9, 2025. I highly encourage everyone who enjoys mystery books and/or films from the 1930s to preorder this book now! You will not be disappointed.
Freddie Archer is what was considered a New Woman during the years after World War I, a time that radically changed society, particularly for women who were increasingly in the workplace, given the right to vote just five years earlier, and away from control of their parents in many cases. Of course, it was also during Prohibition, which saw the rise of organized crime and a laissez faire attitude by normally law-abiding citizens.
Freddie, who is based on a real columnist of the time, could be considered the social influencer of her time as she names the various places she visits, giving them free advertisements. And be aware that many of the locations and the people mentioned in this book were real.
There is a strong thread of romance throughout that added another layer to an already enjoyable read. I absolutely loved this book! There is a hint of it possibly having a sequel in the last paragraph. I can definitely state that I wouldn't mind it.
