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Molly Murphy #10
Bless the Bride
With Molly Murphy’s wedding to NYPD Captain Daniel Sullivan quickly approaching, the Irish sleuth heads to the Westchester County countryside, where his mother can lend her a hand and advise her on a bride’s proper place. And shockingly, Molly seems to be agreeing. She has already promised that she’ll close up her PI business and settle down after marrying, but she isn’t a married woman yet. So, when she gets word of a possible case, she sneaks back into the city to squeeze in a little more sleuthing before the wedding bells can ring.A wealthy Chinese immigrant wants her to find his missing bride, and Molly---sure she isn’t getting the whole story---suspects that his bride ran off. But where could she go? The only Chinese women in early-twentieth-century New York are kept under lock and key, and Molly can’t help but wonder if she’s saving the woman from the streets or helping to lock her away for good.Rhys Bowen’s deft touch and charming wit make Bless the Bride another stellar addition to her Anthony and Agatha Award--winning historical series.
284 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2011
About the author
Rhys Bowen
116 books9,012 followersI'm a New York Times bestselling mystery author, winner of both Agatha and Anthony awards for my Molly Murphy mysteries, set in 1902 New York City.
I have recently published four internationally bestselling WWII novels, one of them a #1 Kindle bestseller, and the Tuscan Child selling almost a million copies to date. In Farleigh Field won three major awards and was nominated for an Edgar. My other stand-alone novels are The Victory Garden, about land girls in WWI and Above the Bay of Angels, featuring a young woman who becomes chef for Queen Victoria.
April 2021 will mark the publication of THE VENICE SKETCHBOOK--another sweeping historical novel of love, loss and intrigue.
My books are currently translated into 29 languages and I have fans worldwide.
I also write the Agatha-winning Royal Spyness series, about the British royal family in the 1930s. It's lighter, sexier, funnier, wicked satire. It was voted by readers as best mystery series one year.
I am also known for my Constable Evans books, set in North Wales, and for my award-winning short stories.
I was born and raised in England but currently divide my time between California and Arizona where I go to escape from the harsh California winters
When I am not writing I love to travel, sing, hike, play my Celtic harp.
Series:
* Constable Evan Mystery
* Molly Murphy Mysteries
* Her Royal Spyness Mysteries
Awards:
Agatha Award
◊ Best Novel (2001): Murphy's Law
Reviewer's Choice Award
◊ Historical Mystery (2001): Murphy's Law
I have recently published four internationally bestselling WWII novels, one of them a #1 Kindle bestseller, and the Tuscan Child selling almost a million copies to date. In Farleigh Field won three major awards and was nominated for an Edgar. My other stand-alone novels are The Victory Garden, about land girls in WWI and Above the Bay of Angels, featuring a young woman who becomes chef for Queen Victoria.
April 2021 will mark the publication of THE VENICE SKETCHBOOK--another sweeping historical novel of love, loss and intrigue.
My books are currently translated into 29 languages and I have fans worldwide.
I also write the Agatha-winning Royal Spyness series, about the British royal family in the 1930s. It's lighter, sexier, funnier, wicked satire. It was voted by readers as best mystery series one year.
I am also known for my Constable Evans books, set in North Wales, and for my award-winning short stories.
I was born and raised in England but currently divide my time between California and Arizona where I go to escape from the harsh California winters
When I am not writing I love to travel, sing, hike, play my Celtic harp.
Series:
* Constable Evan Mystery
* Molly Murphy Mysteries
* Her Royal Spyness Mysteries
Awards:
Agatha Award
◊ Best Novel (2001): Murphy's Law
Reviewer's Choice Award
◊ Historical Mystery (2001): Murphy's Law
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 296 reviews
April 23, 2024
This was wonderful! Once again Molly figures out the crime and sure suffers for it. Thank goodness she survived. This is an especially good one as she finally gets married and her brides maids wore lavender which I loved. There is lots of interesting New York City history here that I never knew before.
December 12, 2018
I would rate this 3.5 stars. The book gets off to a slow start, picks up well about half way through, but has a major problem in that I figured out the bad guy almost as soon as his character was introduced. Story is about Chinatown and child brides and Molly basically being deceitful to her husband to be. These Molly Murphy books are not my normal cup of tea, but I have learned to like the spunky lass. Recommended only to Murphy fans.
July 16, 2014
Molly is, once again, making foolish decisions. She is almost lying to Daniel. She makes promises she doesn't keep and she doesn't feel guilty about that. I'm getting rather fed up with her. If I were Daniel, I'd call the wedding off.
I admit to being disappointed in this book. The culprit was rather predicatable because this character was over described. I figured it out by page 53 and no murder had yet taken place. Rather disappointing.
I admit to being disappointed in this book. The culprit was rather predicatable because this character was over described. I figured it out by page 53 and no murder had yet taken place. Rather disappointing.
Read
March 2, 2022Delightful mystery set in Greenwich Village and China Town in New York City during the long hot summer of 1903. Molly Murphy, private detective, Irish immigrant, and bride-to-be gets caught up in solving a missing person's case as well as a murder. Some of the memorable characters include suffragists, bohemian lesbians, opium addicts, policemen (corrupt and incorruptible), and proper women from fine families. And of course, scrappy Molly Murphy herself!
July 22, 2014
Sometimes I underestimate the tightrope that authors of historical fiction have to tread. So many expressions that are off limits. I was made aware of this when Molly Murphy made use of the word 'shock', meaning 'culture shock'. Yet that expression wasn't part of the vernacular in 1903. The author, Rhys Bowen, draws inspiration from actual events and real persons that were alive back then. Sometimes the resulting book is mediocre, but that doesn't apply to Bless the Bride. Rhys Bowen has got her groove back. I just wish that these books didn't end with the new Molly Sullivan nee Murphy putting her life on the line. I just don't see this being vital to the plot. But this is a time for relief and thankfulness, for a job well done. I can add more, but with this watershed of a book, I don't need to.
February 7, 2019
Another one down. Molly this time is involved with the Tongs in Chinatown. How horribly the Chinese were treated by Americans and of course Molly trying to keep her investigations secret from her fiancée Daniel. A Bohemian hen party, Chinese women escaping forced marriages and a few new characters introduced.
I thought the ending was a bit weak but overall a good read.
I thought the ending was a bit weak but overall a good read.
March 3, 2011
Bless the Bride, Rhys Bowen’s latest Molly Murphy mystery, finds Molly sewing her trousseau with her future mother-in-law out in peaceful Westchester County. To anyone who knows Molly from the previous books in this excellent series (she’s a ground-breaking private detective in 1903), it comes as no surprise when Molly leaps at the opportunity to leave this bucolic torture and head back to the city where a case will mire her in Chinatown, a world completely new to her. As she sifts through layers of crime and a tough moral dilemma, more than one bride is in danger and sometimes in ways that put the chauvinism of Molly’s fiancé, Daniel Sullivan, in perspective.
With Rhys Bowen’s expertly chosen historical details, we are alive in New York in 1903—the Bowery, Greenwich Village, and especially Chinatown. There’s no romanticizing of the past here. Prejudices and the realities of urban life at the opening of the twentieth century bind the plot and characters into a compelling story. She is particularly adept at depicting the villains in Chinatown without losing sight of the nuanced, complex life that the Exclusion Act forced upon Chinese immigrants of this period—a timely picture given our current national debate on immigration.
Bowen’s mysteries are sometimes categorized as “cozies,” and you will want to curl up with your cup of tea (or glass of wine) and have an uninterrupted read, but she’s too good a writer to be entirely summed up by that label. Bowen succeeds in giving us a page-turning mystery, with all the delight and fun that that implies, while also letting us savor the genuine issues of women’s rights, immigration fears, and what makes a good marriage, to name a few, without a hint of dreary preachiness.
With Rhys Bowen’s expertly chosen historical details, we are alive in New York in 1903—the Bowery, Greenwich Village, and especially Chinatown. There’s no romanticizing of the past here. Prejudices and the realities of urban life at the opening of the twentieth century bind the plot and characters into a compelling story. She is particularly adept at depicting the villains in Chinatown without losing sight of the nuanced, complex life that the Exclusion Act forced upon Chinese immigrants of this period—a timely picture given our current national debate on immigration.
Bowen’s mysteries are sometimes categorized as “cozies,” and you will want to curl up with your cup of tea (or glass of wine) and have an uninterrupted read, but she’s too good a writer to be entirely summed up by that label. Bowen succeeds in giving us a page-turning mystery, with all the delight and fun that that implies, while also letting us savor the genuine issues of women’s rights, immigration fears, and what makes a good marriage, to name a few, without a hint of dreary preachiness.
October 17, 2015
Brides
Molly is about to be married and living with her Mother-in-law difficult as sewing, garden partes are not for. Sid and Gus recused her by planning a pre-wedding party. While back in NYC Molly becomes involve with the Chinese Community by helping a Chinese bride escape from her husband. Daniel doesn't know about involvement. Molly must answers before Daniel finds out of her involvement.
Molly is about to be married and living with her Mother-in-law difficult as sewing, garden partes are not for. Sid and Gus recused her by planning a pre-wedding party. While back in NYC Molly becomes involve with the Chinese Community by helping a Chinese bride escape from her husband. Daniel doesn't know about involvement. Molly must answers before Daniel finds out of her involvement.
December 14, 2019
Racist trash
This one was so racist. I understand what Rhys Bowen was attempting to do, but... Naw. Skip this one. You don't need it to follow the rest of the series.
This one was so racist. I understand what Rhys Bowen was attempting to do, but... Naw. Skip this one. You don't need it to follow the rest of the series.
June 26, 2011
Tenth in the Molly Murphy historical suspense series in the early 1900s in New York City.
Our Molly has only been in America a few years. After fleeing Ireland and trying a variety of the usual jobs, Molly dove into private investigation in the course of which she met Captain Daniel Sullivan. A good thing too as Capt. Sullivan has managed to bail Molly out of a few situations. But now, they are getting married at last and Molly will be retiring from that dangerous life…or, at least, that's what Molly has promised Daniel.
The Story
Growing increasingly frustrated (and irritated) placating Daniel's mother, Molly is thrilled when Gus and Sid write to tell her of a wedding party they plan to throw for her over the Labor Day weekend. And to add spice to their invite, Gus tells Molly of a mysterious, quite self-important visitor who is adamant that Molly take on an investigative job for his employer.
Who turns out to be Lee Sing Tai, a wealthy Chinese merchant who has lost a jade ornament. He says. After spending the day trudging to all the pawn shops and jewelers, Molly finds out the next day, that Mr. Lee was merely testing her resolve. The true lost treasure is a child bride whom Mr. Lee bought and smuggled to America for the Exclusion Act forbids the immigration of Chinese women. But Mr. Lee is desperate for a son. A Chinese son. Not the paper-son he has now.
Naturally, since Molly is involved, things go awry. Worse this time, as Molly had promised Daniel she would give up detecting once they were married and she has hidden, not only her quick trip to New York for the party, but that she accepted this job. A job which clashes with a major case in which Daniel is involved.
The Characters
Molly Murphy is a young Irish immigrant who earns her living as a private detective in New York City. Proud and independent, she has been very reluctant to give up her career. She certainly doesn't intend to give up her house or her bohemian friends after they are married!
Captain Daniel Sullivan has been attracted to Molly from the first book, Murphy's Law. He reluctantly helps Molly on her cases primarily because he can't bear to think of her being hurt but also because Molly has good investigative instincts. An ability he draws on in Bless the Bride. A most singular man for his time period.
Gus (Augusta Walcott…of the Boston Walcotts, don'cha know) and Sid are partners who live in the house across the way from Molly in Greenwich Village. They love to put on parties for their wide-ranging circle of friends and dress to thrill. They adore Molly as Molly loves them. Daniel…well, Daniel does not so love them.
Mrs. Sullivan, Daniel's mother, is not particularly welcoming of this bit of Irish "trash" so recently come over. She and her now-deceased husband had had such high hopes for their only son. Molly talks of her as sounding as though she was born with that silver spoon in her mouth although Molly does finally take mum down a peg when she informs her that Daniel has already related their low beginnings to her.
Mrs. S has been taking Molly round to meet the neighbors and not a one of them has been shy about making comparisons between Molly and what Daniel threw over.
Bo Kei is the 15-some-year-old Chinese girl bought and paid for by Mr. Lee. Made very unwelcome by the first wife, and, as a Christian, unaccepting of her intended role as Mr. Lee's concubine, Bo disappears.
My Take
I do like Molly and her friends. They are quite independent women, especially for that time period. Molly is going to have a tempestuous marriage all things considered.
This particular story was fascinating for its history of the Chinatowns and what caused them to spring up, why they lasted as long as they did/have. Got my mouth watering for one of those ducks hanging in the window…it's been a long while since I've had one…drool…
Another interesting bit of history was of the settlement house staffed by young volunteers from the upper strata of society. Quite useful that turned out to be. The whole series always makes me think of Jacob Riis and his photographs of the slums of New York. Bowen does a lovely job of describing what Riis photographed.
The Cover
The cover is lovely with Molly in a gorgeous all-over eyelet white gown holding a bouquet of peach roses and a huge fountain in the background.
Our Molly has only been in America a few years. After fleeing Ireland and trying a variety of the usual jobs, Molly dove into private investigation in the course of which she met Captain Daniel Sullivan. A good thing too as Capt. Sullivan has managed to bail Molly out of a few situations. But now, they are getting married at last and Molly will be retiring from that dangerous life…or, at least, that's what Molly has promised Daniel.
The Story
Growing increasingly frustrated (and irritated) placating Daniel's mother, Molly is thrilled when Gus and Sid write to tell her of a wedding party they plan to throw for her over the Labor Day weekend. And to add spice to their invite, Gus tells Molly of a mysterious, quite self-important visitor who is adamant that Molly take on an investigative job for his employer.
Who turns out to be Lee Sing Tai, a wealthy Chinese merchant who has lost a jade ornament. He says. After spending the day trudging to all the pawn shops and jewelers, Molly finds out the next day, that Mr. Lee was merely testing her resolve. The true lost treasure is a child bride whom Mr. Lee bought and smuggled to America for the Exclusion Act forbids the immigration of Chinese women. But Mr. Lee is desperate for a son. A Chinese son. Not the paper-son he has now.
Naturally, since Molly is involved, things go awry. Worse this time, as Molly had promised Daniel she would give up detecting once they were married and she has hidden, not only her quick trip to New York for the party, but that she accepted this job. A job which clashes with a major case in which Daniel is involved.
The Characters
Molly Murphy is a young Irish immigrant who earns her living as a private detective in New York City. Proud and independent, she has been very reluctant to give up her career. She certainly doesn't intend to give up her house or her bohemian friends after they are married!
Captain Daniel Sullivan has been attracted to Molly from the first book, Murphy's Law. He reluctantly helps Molly on her cases primarily because he can't bear to think of her being hurt but also because Molly has good investigative instincts. An ability he draws on in Bless the Bride. A most singular man for his time period.
Gus (Augusta Walcott…of the Boston Walcotts, don'cha know) and Sid are partners who live in the house across the way from Molly in Greenwich Village. They love to put on parties for their wide-ranging circle of friends and dress to thrill. They adore Molly as Molly loves them. Daniel…well, Daniel does not so love them.
Mrs. Sullivan, Daniel's mother, is not particularly welcoming of this bit of Irish "trash" so recently come over. She and her now-deceased husband had had such high hopes for their only son. Molly talks of her as sounding as though she was born with that silver spoon in her mouth although Molly does finally take mum down a peg when she informs her that Daniel has already related their low beginnings to her.
Mrs. S has been taking Molly round to meet the neighbors and not a one of them has been shy about making comparisons between Molly and what Daniel threw over.
Bo Kei is the 15-some-year-old Chinese girl bought and paid for by Mr. Lee. Made very unwelcome by the first wife, and, as a Christian, unaccepting of her intended role as Mr. Lee's concubine, Bo disappears.
My Take
I do like Molly and her friends. They are quite independent women, especially for that time period. Molly is going to have a tempestuous marriage all things considered.
This particular story was fascinating for its history of the Chinatowns and what caused them to spring up, why they lasted as long as they did/have. Got my mouth watering for one of those ducks hanging in the window…it's been a long while since I've had one…drool…
Another interesting bit of history was of the settlement house staffed by young volunteers from the upper strata of society. Quite useful that turned out to be. The whole series always makes me think of Jacob Riis and his photographs of the slums of New York. Bowen does a lovely job of describing what Riis photographed.
The Cover
The cover is lovely with Molly in a gorgeous all-over eyelet white gown holding a bouquet of peach roses and a huge fountain in the background.
January 23, 2014
In Molly Murphy mystery #10, Rhys Bowen uses her historical storytelling skills to bring readers yet another fascinating part of New York City in the early Twentieth Century. New York City's Chinatown in 1903 was a mysterious, dangerous place where even the police tread carefully. Of course, that's exactly where Molly Murphy ends up.
Molly has spent ten days with her soon-to-be mother-in-law in Westchester County, sewing her wedding trousseau and meeting Daniel's upper crust friends cultivated by his mother. Relegated by Daniel's mother to sewing on undergarments due to her lack of skills with a needle, Molly is overjoyed at receiving an invitation from her friends Gus and Sid to a pre-wedding party they are throwing her over Labor Day weekend. Molly uses this invitation as her get-out-of-mother-in-law-hell card and rushes back to the city. As Daniel has agreed to live at Molly's Patchin Place house and is currently having it redecorated, she decides to stay in her old room at her dear friends' house across the street. Upon arrival, Gus and Sid hand her a note from a prospective client who came looking for Molly. Having promised Daniel that she is quitting her private detective business, she reasons in the way Molly always reasons that she isn't married yet, so she accepts an assignment from a powerful Chinese businessman to locate a missing jade medallion. As usual, with Molly, a medallion is not just a medallion, and the real case becomes locating the missing Chinese bride-to-be of the Chinese client. However, it isn't even that simple. Again, no surprise. Molly is as diligent as ever trying to decipher just what and who is genuine and innocent in what turns into a murder investigation. Trying to make sense of it without Daniel discovering her involvement proves impossible and puts an enormous strain on a relationship that's supposed to be headed to the alter in two weeks. Here comes the bride, we hope.
Molly has spent ten days with her soon-to-be mother-in-law in Westchester County, sewing her wedding trousseau and meeting Daniel's upper crust friends cultivated by his mother. Relegated by Daniel's mother to sewing on undergarments due to her lack of skills with a needle, Molly is overjoyed at receiving an invitation from her friends Gus and Sid to a pre-wedding party they are throwing her over Labor Day weekend. Molly uses this invitation as her get-out-of-mother-in-law-hell card and rushes back to the city. As Daniel has agreed to live at Molly's Patchin Place house and is currently having it redecorated, she decides to stay in her old room at her dear friends' house across the street. Upon arrival, Gus and Sid hand her a note from a prospective client who came looking for Molly. Having promised Daniel that she is quitting her private detective business, she reasons in the way Molly always reasons that she isn't married yet, so she accepts an assignment from a powerful Chinese businessman to locate a missing jade medallion. As usual, with Molly, a medallion is not just a medallion, and the real case becomes locating the missing Chinese bride-to-be of the Chinese client. However, it isn't even that simple. Again, no surprise. Molly is as diligent as ever trying to decipher just what and who is genuine and innocent in what turns into a murder investigation. Trying to make sense of it without Daniel discovering her involvement proves impossible and puts an enormous strain on a relationship that's supposed to be headed to the alter in two weeks. Here comes the bride, we hope.
May 4, 2015
Molly escapes from Daniel's mother's house and wedding preparations that take her on a trip to Chinatown to try and find a missing Chinese woman, who according to American law at the time, shouldn't be there. Of course, Molly gets in over her head, then Daniel gets involved, but eventually Molly solves the case and saves the day, while yet putting herself in danger once again. I managed not to completely hate Daniel this time around, don't know if I'm getting used to him or if Bowen is starting to let his character bend a bit. It took me forever to get through this book. If I had anything else to pick up, I did, and that ended up including a lot of rereading options. Will take a break, but with only 3 books left in the series to date, I have to power through....
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 5, 2018
I love Molly Murphy--she's impetuous and foolish and rebellious, but such a good-hearted Irish lass! This book dips into the evils of 1903 Chinatown and the opium dens and is one of the more engaging mysteries of the series. And finally--Daniel and Molly prepare to say, "I do!"
February 20, 2018
Another winner in the Molly Murphy series!
August 6, 2020
Molly Murphy is getting married and has promised her fiancé that she will give up investigating. Still, she can't resist taking on one last case before she says "I do". Initially the case seems simple, find a piece of jade jewelry taken from an elderly rich Chinese man living in New York's Chinatown, but her employer has not been straight with her and the case is much more complex and dangerous than she was led to believe. With her characteristic diligence Molly completes her mission and solves a murder all without missing the pre-wedding party put on her her by her loyal friends Gus and Sid. I found this book to be an enjoyable read that also provided some history of Chinatown and the effects of the Chinese exclusion act on the community.
April 21, 2021
The mystery was weak.
Molly’s constant back and forth between should I marry Daniel or not is getting on my nerves.
I really love Rhys Bowen’s world building, there’s this feel good factor and I so wanna continue in the series but I honestly CANNOT STAND capt Sullivan🥲
Molly’s constant back and forth between should I marry Daniel or not is getting on my nerves.
I really love Rhys Bowen’s world building, there’s this feel good factor and I so wanna continue in the series but I honestly CANNOT STAND capt Sullivan🥲
April 23, 2024
A weak and predictable mystery.
But the historical backdrop was interesting.
But the historical backdrop was interesting.
November 24, 2018
I decided to pick up another Molly Murphy mystery just to see if I wanted to continue this series. I’d grown tired of it and gave it a break, but this one proved to be interesting. The description of 1903 Chinatown was interesting, and now I’d like to learn more about that culture. Any book that gives you a thirst to learn more has some redeeming qualities. Yes—the characters and plot are simple. But overall, it was a relaxing, fun, and intriguing cozy mystery.
March 2, 2021
Klappentext:
„Mollys Hochzeit mit NYPD-Captain Daniel Sullivan rückt immer näher, und um diese vorzubereiten, besucht Molly ihre Schwiegermutter in spe auf dem Land. Nicht nur, dass sie sich von ihr darüber belehren lassen muss, was eine anständige Ehefrau zu tun hat, sie stimmt auch noch zu, sich nach der Hochzeit als Privatdetektivin zur Ruhe zu setzen. Doch noch ist es nicht so weit, und als sie von einem neuen Fall erfährt, schleicht sie sich zurück in die Stadt, um ein wenig zu schnüffeln, bevor die Hochzeitsglocken läuten können.
Ein wohlhabender chinesischer Einwanderer beauftragt sie, seine vermisste Braut zu finden, und Molly – die sich sicher ist, dass er ihr nicht die ganze Geschichte erzählt – vermutet, dass seine Braut ihn einfach nur verlassen hat. Sollte sie ihm also überhaupt helfen? Dass mehr hinter dem Fall steckt, erkennt sie aber, als ihr Auftraggeber plötzlich tot aufgefunden wird ...“
Endlich steht Molly‘s Hochzeit kurz bevor. Autorin Rhys Bowen hat uns Leser lange damit auf die Folter gespannt, aber auch hier gilt: „Molly wäre nicht „Molly“, wenn sie sich nicht in einen Fall einspannen würde“. Natürlich scheint das erstmal etwas abstrus, aber zu Molly passt es und es wundert ihre Leserschaft kein bisschen. Diesmal dreht sich die Story in und um Chinatown. Spannend, ein wenig nervenaufreibend, der typische Molly-schnüffel-Charakter ist schnell da, und natürlich die Auflösung des Falls lassen den Leser wieder herrlich leicht und seicht unterhalten lassen. Die Story um die vermisste Braut gibt wieder genug Rätsel auf, aber Molly kommt den Dingen auf die Spur. Ich muss gestehen, das es diesmal doch etwas mehr Krimi als Cozy-Crime ist und das tut der Sache keinen Abbruch bzw. passt auch irgendwie zu unserer Darstellerin.
Als Leser hat man zum Schluss wieder viele Fragen bezüglich Molly und da gilt nur eines: warten auf den nächsten Teil der Story!
5 von 5 Sterne!
„Mollys Hochzeit mit NYPD-Captain Daniel Sullivan rückt immer näher, und um diese vorzubereiten, besucht Molly ihre Schwiegermutter in spe auf dem Land. Nicht nur, dass sie sich von ihr darüber belehren lassen muss, was eine anständige Ehefrau zu tun hat, sie stimmt auch noch zu, sich nach der Hochzeit als Privatdetektivin zur Ruhe zu setzen. Doch noch ist es nicht so weit, und als sie von einem neuen Fall erfährt, schleicht sie sich zurück in die Stadt, um ein wenig zu schnüffeln, bevor die Hochzeitsglocken läuten können.
Ein wohlhabender chinesischer Einwanderer beauftragt sie, seine vermisste Braut zu finden, und Molly – die sich sicher ist, dass er ihr nicht die ganze Geschichte erzählt – vermutet, dass seine Braut ihn einfach nur verlassen hat. Sollte sie ihm also überhaupt helfen? Dass mehr hinter dem Fall steckt, erkennt sie aber, als ihr Auftraggeber plötzlich tot aufgefunden wird ...“
Endlich steht Molly‘s Hochzeit kurz bevor. Autorin Rhys Bowen hat uns Leser lange damit auf die Folter gespannt, aber auch hier gilt: „Molly wäre nicht „Molly“, wenn sie sich nicht in einen Fall einspannen würde“. Natürlich scheint das erstmal etwas abstrus, aber zu Molly passt es und es wundert ihre Leserschaft kein bisschen. Diesmal dreht sich die Story in und um Chinatown. Spannend, ein wenig nervenaufreibend, der typische Molly-schnüffel-Charakter ist schnell da, und natürlich die Auflösung des Falls lassen den Leser wieder herrlich leicht und seicht unterhalten lassen. Die Story um die vermisste Braut gibt wieder genug Rätsel auf, aber Molly kommt den Dingen auf die Spur. Ich muss gestehen, das es diesmal doch etwas mehr Krimi als Cozy-Crime ist und das tut der Sache keinen Abbruch bzw. passt auch irgendwie zu unserer Darstellerin.
Als Leser hat man zum Schluss wieder viele Fragen bezüglich Molly und da gilt nur eines: warten auf den nächsten Teil der Story!
5 von 5 Sterne!
October 19, 2014
So here's the deal: I saw Molly Murphy #13 at my library, was interested, but felt I needed to read the prior books first. As a result, I have been steadily making my way through the series, bringing me to book 10, in which Molly is getting ready for her wedding while investigating one last case -- a missing bride in 1900s New York's Chinatown.
The series as a whole has, to me, been suffering from stilted dialogue, implausible events, and an overplayed storyline about Molly's desire for independence vs. her fiancé Daniel's desire for a more typical (for 1908) stay-at-home wife. To be fair, most of the novels give a glimpse of the issues of the time, such as working conditions or, in this case, the Chinese Exclusion Act.
I have valiantly kept reading the series, but this book was almost impossible to get through for the reasons given above. I didn't think I could take anymore of Daniel's condescension or Molly's dithering. It remains to be seen whether I can make it to the book that piqued my interest in the series in the first place.
The series as a whole has, to me, been suffering from stilted dialogue, implausible events, and an overplayed storyline about Molly's desire for independence vs. her fiancé Daniel's desire for a more typical (for 1908) stay-at-home wife. To be fair, most of the novels give a glimpse of the issues of the time, such as working conditions or, in this case, the Chinese Exclusion Act.
I have valiantly kept reading the series, but this book was almost impossible to get through for the reasons given above. I didn't think I could take anymore of Daniel's condescension or Molly's dithering. It remains to be seen whether I can make it to the book that piqued my interest in the series in the first place.
August 4, 2023
Molly is finally at least attempting to be that proper bride to be. She is visiting her future mother in law and failing at sewing her wedding attire. Although, she promised to give up her detective business, she escapes back to the city for "one more case". Huh. Riiiight!
Rhys Bowen does her best at describing 1900s society towards the Chinese. I vaguely recall my US history class where Chinese Exclusion Acts began and continued until the 1940s. In retrospect, it is no wonder communities like China Town flourished as an almost own country with its own rules and traditions.
She encounters Chinatown - in real gritty and historical accuracy. The racism is forthright and true as well as the Chinese Culture at the time which also had its cringe. A difficult read for a cozy, but historically accurate.
She continues to explore both the suffragette movement and part of society that is on the fringe. She also continues to outright lie to Daniel. At least she is finally married.
Rhys Bowen does her best at describing 1900s society towards the Chinese. I vaguely recall my US history class where Chinese Exclusion Acts began and continued until the 1940s. In retrospect, it is no wonder communities like China Town flourished as an almost own country with its own rules and traditions.
She encounters Chinatown - in real gritty and historical accuracy. The racism is forthright and true as well as the Chinese Culture at the time which also had its cringe. A difficult read for a cozy, but historically accurate.
She continues to explore both the suffragette movement and part of society that is on the fringe. She also continues to outright lie to Daniel. At least she is finally married.
January 20, 2019
This is another great mystery in Rhys Bowen's wonderful Molly Murphy series.
Molly and Captain Daniel Sullivan are finally ready to tie the knot. But despite her promise, Molly takes on one more case, this one to find a missing piece of property for an elderly Chinese businessman. But when Molly discovers that her employer is involved in the opium and protection rackets, and the piece of property he seeks is a young woman, she finds herself in over her head.
Again, the story is lively and filled with the sights, sounds and smells of New York City in the early 1900s. These books are a treat. However, because this book builds on the characters firmly established in the first 9 books in the series, it probably isn't the best place to start.
Molly and Captain Daniel Sullivan are finally ready to tie the knot. But despite her promise, Molly takes on one more case, this one to find a missing piece of property for an elderly Chinese businessman. But when Molly discovers that her employer is involved in the opium and protection rackets, and the piece of property he seeks is a young woman, she finds herself in over her head.
Again, the story is lively and filled with the sights, sounds and smells of New York City in the early 1900s. These books are a treat. However, because this book builds on the characters firmly established in the first 9 books in the series, it probably isn't the best place to start.
May 5, 2014
Finally, Molly seems to be drawing some boundaries with Daniel that leave me room to hope she will not lose herself in the marriage. Not that I’m a fan (still want him to go away), but he at least became bearable by the end, and a marriage between them seems less a plot contrivance than it did before. As to the mystery, I thought this was an interesting premise that captures some aspects of the brutal oppression of the Chinese after the Exclusion Act was passed, but I felt many of the Chinese characters were more caricatures than fully fleshed out people, which pulled me out of an otherwise enjoyable story.
March 5, 2012
Another good book in the Molly Murphy series. I love the different historical events and things Bowen explores in the series, and Chinatown was especially interesting in this one. If from time to time Molly did something that made me think, "Really? Don't you think that's kind of dumb, Molly?" well . . . she is sort of heedless and impulsive (though not unintelligent), so at least she's in character.
Also, on a completely silly note, Daniel is very crushworthy in this installment of the series. (So I swoon over fictional characters. So what?)
Also, on a completely silly note, Daniel is very crushworthy in this installment of the series. (So I swoon over fictional characters. So what?)
May 6, 2020
Molly has an unheard of profession in the late 1800’s. She is a private detective. She is getting married and is sewing her trousseau but she is terrible at it. I can relate to that and to her being bored with the task. She takes on one last job and it’s a whale of a case. The reader learns about the discrimination towards the Chinese, the opium dens and the intricacies of a murder investigation. Molly is admirable in her devotion to others and her resourcefulness. Very entertaining novel with lots of suspense.
December 30, 2017
Rhys Bowen, in her Afterword, explains that she extensively researched New York's Chinatown of 1903 and I can easily believe her. Having done quite a bit of research myself of that same period of Chinese immigrants on the West Coast, what is portrayed here fits very well. Combining that with a good Molly Murphy P.I. case, as well as the wedding preparations, we have another good MM story!
July 14, 2017
I like how other characters in these books often mirror the struggles that Molly faces in her life. It is always interesting to read about life in the early part of the 1900s in NYC. In some ways life has changed so much, in others not so much.
January 15, 2018
Women's suffrage and women's rights are always subplots in this series but this one brings in the Chinese tongs, the opium trade and human trafficking. Such a great series on its own, but each book centers on a real event/issue of the time....so you are educated as well as entertained!
October 24, 2018
While preparing for her marriage to Daniel, Molly goes against his wishes and gets involved with a missing mail-order bride from Chinatown. While investigating, Molly encounters a new culture and is exposed to opium dens and murder.
March 18, 2011
The historical aspect was fascinating, but the rest of the book was just an average read.
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