Robin M. (robinmy) - , reviewed on 8/10/2018 + 2097 more book reviews

Midwife Sarah Brandt is called to Little Italy to help Nainsi Ruocco who is in labor in her seventh month of pregnancy. Worried that the baby will not survive, Sarah is surprised when Nainsi gives birth to a chubby baby boy. When Nainsi's mother-in-law sees the baby, she knows that this baby was conceived long before Nainsi met Anthonio Ruocco. Mama Ruocco orders Nainsi and the baby leave in the morning. When Sarah makes a quick visit in the morning to check on the baby, she finds Nainsi dead in her bed. The Ruocco family believe that the death was due to complications from childbirth; but Sarah calls Detective Sergeant Frank Malloy because she believes that Nainsi was murdered.

The close-knit Italian family did not like the fact that Anthonio had married Nainsi who was Irish. They also don't like that an Irish detective in investigating the case. When the newspapers print a story saying that Nainsi was murdered by someone in the family, tensions between Italian and Irish immigrants grow hostile. Malloy wants to keep Sarah out of this potentially explosive situation, but Sarah isn't about to stop asking questions.

This is another interesting story in the Gaslight Mysteries series. I figured out the identity of the killer early in the book, but didn't guess the father of the baby. Once again the historical setting and the characters make this series a winner. My rating: 4 Stars.

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