Sort of scattered mystery in small town Depression era New York. American born German arrives in town after fleeing Nazis. He is target of hate crimes but the murder of railroad porter seems unrelated.

Lily doesn’t figure much in this installment, and even Robert’s contribution is small. The character the story dwells on most is the sheriff. Robert decides the community needs some type of post office boxes for mail to keep nosy biddies from snooping through the bags that hold everyone’s mail. Meanwhile, the persecution of a newly arrived tailor from Germany, and the murder of a well-liked man keep the sheriff and his new deputy busy gathering evidence. It’s a short mystery, but still an intriguing one, set in the 1930’s. Compared to today’s standard for thrillers and murder mysteries, it’s a much gentler but still entertaining tale. ( )

I'm sorry that this is the last published book in this series. Instead of focusing on the Brewster siblings of Grace and Favor Cottage, this novel centered around the Voorburg city Chief of Police, Howard Walker. A WW I veteran train porter is found murdered. Recently, he had kindly helped a local young widow with the heavy trunks her grandfather had brought from Germany. The grandfather is a tailor, setting up shop in town. He had just escaped Germany a few days before Hitler stopped people from leaving Germany. Someone painted a swastika on the tailor shop window. Howard wondered if the murder and vandalism were related. Hoard along with his new deputy set out to solve the crime. It was bittersweet reading this book as I know there is more to the goings on in Voorburg, NY, but no more books were published. I will miss the characters immensely. ( )

cozy-mystery, historical-fiction, history-and-culture

Whoever wrote the publisher's blurb seems out of contact with the book. The police chief chose to move for one thing. The multiple plot lines seemed a tad over ambitious, but each is interesting. There is the management of the mail where there is no post office and the solution found, episodes of irrational ethnic hatred, a murder, and the discovery of a body more than a hundred years old. Plus, there are twists and surprises that make it a really interesting read. ( )

A delightful series about once wealthy and spoiled siblings making their way after the family money disappears during the Depression. ( )