Category Archives: Rhys Bowen

Review: The Edge of Dreams by Rhys Bowen

edge dreamsTitle: The Edge of Dreams by Rhys Bowen
Molly Murphy Series Book 14
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Genre: Historical, Mystery
Length: 318 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher

Summary:

Molly Murphy Sullivan’s husband Daniel, a captain in the New York City police force, is stumped. He’s chasing a murderer whose victims have nothing in common—nothing except for the taunting notes that are delivered to Daniel after each murder. And when Daniel receives a note immediately after Molly and her young son Liam are in a terrible train crash, Daniel and Molly both begin to fear that maybe Molly herself was the target.

Molly’s detective instincts are humming, but finding the time to dig deeper into this case is a challenge. She’s healing from injuries sustained in the crash and also sidetracked by her friends Sid and Gus’s most recent hobby, dream analysis. And when Molly herself starts suffering from strange dreams, she wonders if they just might hold the key to solving Daniel’s murder case.

Rhys Bowen’s characteristic blend of atmospheric turn-of-the-century history, clever plotting, and sparkling characters will delight readers in The Edge of Dreams, the latest in her bestselling Molly Murphy series.

Review:

The Edge of Dreams by Rhys Bowen is a very intriguing mystery. Set in the early 1900s, it is a historically accurate and compelling novel starring the very charming and intrepid Molly Murphy Sullivan. Although it is part of Molly Murphy Mysteries series, it can easily be read as a standalone story.

Molly Sullivan’s husband Daniel is investigating a perplexing string of murders when she and her young son are involved in a train accident. A note sent by the killer takes claim for the crash and Daniel is afraid Molly was the intended target. Molly escapes with mostly minor injuries and during her recuperation, she investigates the killings.

Molly is a former private detective who finds it difficult to leave her sleuthing days behind. During a time when women are expected to be nothing more than wives and mothers, she runs into some interference from her well-meaning mother-in-law who makes no effort to hide her disapproval of Molly’s interest in the case. While Daniel appreciates the information Molly uncovers, she has to keep her activities hidden from Daniel’s superiors.

Unable to find a link between the previous murders, Daniel has little to go on so Molly begins her investigation by re-interviewing the victims’ family members. She uncovers a few puzzling clues but she still cannot find a common denominator in the cases. Molly is also assisting her rather unconventional friends Elena “Sid” Goldfarb and Augusta “Gus” Walcott as they try to help a young girl whose family recently perished in tragic house fire. The pair have recently returned from Vienna where they studied with Freud and they hope their (somewhat limited) knowledge about dream interpretation can help unlock the truth about what caused the fire that took the girl’s parents’ lives. Eventually, these two investigations converge but will Molly discover the killer’s identity before it is too late?

The Edge of Dreams is a fascinating mystery and Rhys Bowen expertly weaves historical events from the era into the storyline. The characters are well-developed and their behavior and reactions are true to the time period. The perpetrator’s identity and motive for the crime remain obscured for much of the story. The novel’s conclusion is quite dramatic and all of the loose ends and various storylines are neatly wrapped up. All in all, a well-written and engaging novel that fans of genre are sure to enjoy.

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