Thanks to a good mystery, a fast-flowing narrative, a likable protagonist and so much Brooklyn atmosphere you can almost taste the hot dogs and smell the cannelloni, the inaugural entry in the Fina Fitzgibbons mystery series is a real winner. Susan Russo Anderson manages to avoid the pitfalls so endemic to the mystery sub-genre of female detectives by using an even-handed approach. Never does she allow the narrative to waver at any length from the mystery in favor of what I call, chick-fluff, nor does she paint the female protagonist as the typical tougher-than-the-boys PI. Fina is young, pretty, capable but not invincible. She has issues relating to her mother's death, but is not wrapped up in neurosis. She refreshingly has a boyfriend who is a good guy, rather than the crappy ex so prevalent in this sub-genre of mystery. Fina has a cleaning business she prefers to hang on to, which I also find to be a welcome aside, showing a bit of balance to the character. Fina prefers not to carry, which I can only assume is a trademark of the series, leaving the gun violence to the surrounding cast of characters.

Speaking of the supporting cast, I found them to be likable as well, and enjoyed my time with them. Her best friend Cookie is in college and smart as a whip, which of course makes her love-life a disaster. Again, the author doesn't dwell on this constantly, it is simply a fabric of Fina's world woven into the tapestry of the mystery. Her boyfriend Denny is a cop, and a good guy; so good in fact, he wants to marry Fina. When we meet what might have been an adversary in Detective Jane Templeton, someone with whom Fina has had issues with on a previous case, the author refreshingly alters their relationship during the course of the investigation. The dynamic of their relationship gradually becomes one of cooperation and respect. The mystery gets going when a body is dumped on Fina's steps, mirroring her mother's demise, but soon becomes a desperate search for a kidnapped child.

Susan Russo Anderson allows the mystery to be the thing here, and Too Quiet in Brooklyn is all the better for it. Nathaniel Hawthorne once wrote that easy reading was darn - darn was not the word he used - hard writing. It is obvious that great care was taken to make this a fast, fun read, while also making it a good mystery. It is obvious in that the effort is invisible, as it should be. The painting of Brooklyn is wonderful, colorfully woven deftly into the narrative. While I am not usually a fan of portions told from the perp's perspective, the author gets the flow and rhythm just right in these sections, keeping them brief enough, and interesting enough so that the reader doesn't become too impatient to get back to Fina and the gang.

Not too gritty, yet not too fluffy, this mystery is the smell of cordite mingling with the sights and sounds of Brooklyn. Fina gets some closure concerning her mother's death before Too Quiet in Brooklyn is all over, which bodes well for the next entry in the series. Some business with a feather duster near the end strained credulity for me, muting a tense moment, but it is a minor caveat perhaps not shared by other readers. The story-line was wrapped up nicely, while opening a door for further excursions to Brooklyn with Fina and her pals, to which I'm looking forward. ( )

I really liked this book! The female lead character is strong but a reader is still able to sympathize with her. There are elements of mystery and suspense, as well as a little bit of romance. The characters are interesting and hold your attention. You find your self cheering for Fina, and booing the bad guys. There are things throughout the book that we the readers know but Fina does not, adding to the excitement and suspense. This one is available in audio book format. ( )