KIRKUS REVIEWMore murder among the upper classes in turn-of-the-century New York.When businessman Nehemiah Wooten is found in his office, his head smashed in, his widow doesn?t seem greatly upset by the death. But when she goes into labor, it?s a chance for Detective Frank Malloy to get his midwife friend Sarah Brandt into the house. Sarah makes herself invaluable to the household and manages to pick up information Malloy could never have uncovered. She learns that nobody knew Valora Wooten was pregnant, perhaps because the child is not her husband?s but that of his partner?s son. Wooten?s firm views on eugenics drove him from his wife?s bed after the birth of their deaf daughter Electra, who has been taught to lip read but has secretly been taking lessons in American Sign Language from a teacher from a rival school with whom she has fallen in love. Mrs. Wooten brazens it out, insisting the child is her husband?s. Electra is glad her father is dead since he stood in the way of her romance. And her brother Leander?s indifference is deepened only slightly when he?s murdered on a visit to the Bowery. Malloy is surprised to find a bitter rivalry between lip-reading and ASL, which his own deaf son is learning. Wooten was so widely disliked, however, that his views on the deaf provide just one more motive for murder.Thompson (Murder on Waverly Place, 2009, etc.) illuminates a battle in the deaf community that continues even today.

I love this series. I was thrilled when I discovered it and the fact that there were so many that I had yet to read. I'm almost up to date with reading it and I'm sad that I have to wait for future installments. Thompson does so a delightful job of weaving the details of the time period in with a well crafted story with characters that I'd love to sit and have a cup of tea with. I highly recommend this series! ( )

Murder on Lexington Avenue
3.5 Stars

Detective Frank Malloy is assigned to investigate the murder of a wealthy business man, Nehemiah Wooten, whose advocacy for speech reading as opposed to sign language has earned him several enemies in the deaf community. The case becomes even more entangled when Frank is forced to summon midwife Sarah Brandt for professional reasons during his questioning of the Wooten household.

Sarah and Malloy's partnership is back on track in this installment and it is wonderful to have them working so well together. The last couple of books have been very disappointing in this regard.

While the mystery itself is on the predictable side, the historical information on the conflicts within the deaf community regarding the best methods for teaching communication skills is very interesting. While Thompson's research is usually impeccable, her portrayal of Alexander Graham Bell's isn't as factual as it could have been.

All in all, another enjoyable book in the series. Looking forward to the next one. ( )

Frank Malloy is investigating a murder when the matriarch of the family goes into labor. Being unsure of what to do, Frank summons the only midwife he knows. Sarah Brandt. Sarah soon finds herself enthralled by the family of the murder and once again assisting Frank in his quest to solve the murder of a man whose views on the deaf have made him many enemies, even in his own family. ( )

This is the 12th book in the Gaslight Mystery series featuring midwife Sarah Brandt and NYPD detective Frank Malloy. The story begins when Frank is called to the office of Nehemiah Wooten who has been found bludgeoned to death. After talking to witnesses he discovers one of the suspects was involved with Wooten's 16-year-old deaf daughter, Electra. While questioning her at home, Mrs Wooten she suddenly goes into labor. This comes as a shock to everyone since no one even knew she was pregnant, including Wooten who was definitely not the father. He sends for Sarah and after the birth she stays a few days to help him with his investigation. There are numerous suspects, both inside and outside the family.

This is a very interesting book. Wooten followed the teachings of Alexander Graham Bell who believed the deaf shouldn't marry each other because they would produce deaf children. The tension between the "lipreading" deaf and the "finger moving" deaf provided an interesting storyline.

This author always does a great job of making Victorian New York realistic. The characters are interesting and the secondary characters are some of the best. It's not a cozy series but it's not a gritty crime story either. It's one I enjoy and I'm looking forward to reading the next book, Murder on Sister's Row. ( )