Rhys Bowen picks up Molly's story again as she is pregnant and gone with her son to stay in the country with her mother in law to avoid typhoid in New York City. Molly meets up with her friends Gus and Sid who are staying in an artists and intelligentsia camp in the Catskills. Gus takes them to see her family. who have cottages they rent out to Jewish families from the city. One is murdered and Molly is drawn into the search for the killer. Interesting setting lots of suspects.

DNF unfortunately. I will preface this review with the disclaimer that my issues with the story are very subjective, and that others may be able to overlook them and fully enjoy the book.

This is another long-running series that I used to love, but sadly I think I have reached the end on. The transition from Rhys Bowen to her daughter writing the revival of the series at first felt organic--likely due to Bowen's continued hand in shaping the story and characterizations for at least the first new book--but starting with the prior book it became clear that Clare Broyles' version of the characters missed the mark for me. Here, the book starts off with the confounding decision to reverse course on the big reveal of the prior book--Molly announcing her long awaited pregnancy with her second child--and dismissively saying that it was just a "false alarm," but miraculously Molly was pregnant again in a timeline that allowed the author to set the story in the summer instead. The inclusion of another miscarriage and treating it as an afterthought felt incredibly insensitive and unnecessary, especially as the pregnancy was built up so much in the prior story (in rather obvious hints throughout, even if only confirmed at the end). Molly has suffered pregnancy losses before in the series, but Bowen at least handled them with more sensitivity and reflected the emotional impact on Molly's character instead of brushing it aside. Asking the reader to forget that other pregnancy because it was inconvenient to the timeline the author herself created does not sit well with me.

Putting aside that issue that overshadowed much of the story me, I could not get invested in the plotline here. Molly's distrust and jealousy of Gus and Sid regarding Bridie's education and upbringing still feels inconsistent with the characters in the original series, and Molly herself is a shadow of her former self. I know it sometimes takes a while for the actual mystery to kick into gear, but I lost patience with the story before I could even get that far.

Despite the above, thank you to St. Martin's/Minotaur and Netgalley for providing an ARC for review!

In Sunshine or in Shadow is the twentieth book of the long-running historical mystery series Molly Murphy by Rhys Bowen and Clare Broyles.

Growing up in the Catskills I can definitely say that Bowen and Broyles described the area and life there in the very early part of the 20th century perfectly. I remember my Grandmother telling me about the resorts built for Jewish families escaping the New York City during the summer heat as air conditioning had not been invented yet. There was a lot of animosity towards Jews and the women’s suffrage movement at that time, and Bowen and Broyles addressed these issues with the finesse that they deserved. The main and secondary characters were all fleshed out with very distinct personalities and voices making this story an even more enjoyable experience.

This is my first time reading a Rhys Bowen book, and I am excited to say it will not be my last. The mystery totally engrossed me, and I read enthusiastically through to the end trying to figure out who the killer was. I am sure to get the most out of this series it would be beneficial to read them in order. However, not having read any of the previous books in this series, I had no problems whatsoever as it read as a standalone.

Thank you Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy of this wonderful book via NetGalley. I was under no obligation whatsoever to write a favorable review and all opinions are my own.

In the latest Molly Murphy Sullivan mystery, Brown and Broyles bring readers to upstate New York where Molly and the children have retreated in the face of a typhoid epidemic in the city. While visiting friends in an all-female artist’s community, Molly, Sid, and Gus take a short trip to visit Sid’s family where her grandparents spring engagements on Sid and her young cousin. When Sid’s cousin’s fiancé winds up dead the day after the engagement, the local police keep the family and guests on premises. Molly, never one to let murderers go free, takes on the case as a favor to Sid (who is another prime suspect). Fiancés keep dying, however, so Molly must work fast to solve the murders and prevent any future ones. Bowen and Broyles’ characters are enjoyable and complex, and the relationships between characters are charming, long-term, and fun to witness. The mystery itself is exciting and high-stakes, and the isolated setting in rural upstate New York adds to the atmosphere of the novel. Broyles and Bowen have researched their chronological setting, and the detail (from typhoid to innovations in police work and twentieth-century antisemitism) adds to the atmosphere of this wonderful historical fiction mystery novel.

Rhys Bowen is one of my must-read authors. One of the reasons I love both of her series, Molly Murphy and Lady Georgiana, is that they are based on historical happenings, and real people appear in the books.
In this, the 20th Molly Murphy, we go to the Catskills and see the beginnings of the Jewish resorts that were popular throughout the 20th century.
Summer In 1908 and typhoid fever is sweeping New York. Molly is pregnant with her 2nd child, so her husband Daniel convinces her to take their children and stay with is mother in White Plains. I loved the train ride to these far reaches at the time.
Molly ends up in the Catskills with her Jewish friend Sid and we meet Sid's family who rent out bungalows.
It takes a while for a murder to happen, but Molly is there to immediately start investigating.
This was a quick fun read, and the historical characters always add to my enjoyment.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the EARC. This is my honest review, and I highly recommend this series.

I received this eARC from NetGalley and the publisher in return for an honest review.

Is it ok to say a cozy mystery is too staid? This is the 20th in a series of mysteries about private investigator Molly Murphy. This is the only one I’ve read, and the retired and pregnant housewife, Molly, leads a decidedly domestic life and is clearly bored. Her best friends, however, are adventure seeking, progressives who break with the norms of the era. While visiting them in the Catskills, Molly stumbles upon a murder mystery. It takes a while to get to that point; there’s a lot of description of Molly’s life, the feminist artist community her friends are staying at, the Jewish family of one of her friends, and the Catskill landscape, before and after the murder. Some of the descriptions are more interesting than others. The characters are mostly interesting. But the mystery isn’t very engrossing.

The blurbs for some of the first books in the series, when Molly was recently arrived in NYC from Ireland, sound interesting and faster paced; I would be interested in giving them a try at some point.

Rhys Bowen and Clare Broyles deliver another lively and entertaining Molly Murphy mystery. This time Molly is up in the Catskills to escape the typhoid outbreak that is rampant in New York City and to spend time with Sid and Gus in an artists' community. Things were supposed to be relaxing, but trouble comes to the peaceful scene and Molly can't help but investigate. The burgeoning Jewish holiday spot gives a very interesting backdrop for the historical context of this story. This is an overall satisfying read for fans of the series.

In Sunshine or in Shadow (Molly Murphy Mystery #20) by Rhys Bowen and Clare Broyles was another historical fiction mystery co-authored by this talented mother/daughter duo. It took place during the beginning of the summer months of 1908 in New York City where there was an outbreak of typhoid. Since Daniel, Molly’s police detective husband, was concerned about the cases of typhoid that were being reported in the city, Daniel suggested that Molly and the children spend the summer with his mother at her home in Westchester County. After all, Molly was now carrying their second child and there was concern for their young son, Liam, and their charge, Bridie. Molly loved being in the city and the thought of leaving it for the entire summer was not something that she wanted to do. When Molly found out that her dear friends, Sid and Gus, were planning to also escape the city to the Catskills, Molly’s decision became a bit easier. Molly made Daniel promise her that he would try and visit her at his mother’s home often. Daniel wasn’t sure how often he would be able to leave his detective work behind but he promised he would do his best to come see Molly and the children as often as his job allowed.

Molly, Liam and Bridie traveled to Westchester County by train and soon arrived at Daniel’s mother’s home. The children settled in nicely but Molly soon discovered how bored she was. Luckily, Sid and Gus checked in with Molly and invited her to come stay with them at the all women artist community, Amicitia, that they were staying at for the summer. Among the women at Amicitia were a journalist for Ladie’s Home Journal, some women that were very active in the women’s suffragette movement, a New York City actress, a psychologist, an architect and several artists. One of the reasons that Sid and Gus had chosen to stay at Amicitia was because Sid had been asked to visit her grandparent’s farm and the artist community was not too far away. Sid had been told that her grandfather’s health was getting worse and that Sid should make an effort to see him. Sid’s family was Jewish. Her grandparents had come to the United States from Poland and had bought land in the Catskills and started their farm. When Sid, Gus and Molly arrived at the farm they were greeted warmly, especially by Sid’s younger seventeen year old cousin Mira, her Bubbe and Zayde ( Yiddish for grandma and grandpa) and the rest of Sid’s family. There were several bungalows on the property and several guests that had been invited to stay in them over the summer. Sid soon learned that her mother had conceived her in order to get her to visit. Zayde’s health seemed to be just fine. Among the guests that Sid’s grandparents had invited to stay with them that summer were three men from New York City. Sid and her cousin Mira were soon to hear the last thing they ever expected to hear. A matchmaker, Mrs. Ella Birmbaum, had been consulted and invited to join the family for an elaborate luncheon celebration. She was about to announce the “perfect matches” for both young Mira and Sid, their grandparent’s only two granddaughters. Unfortunately, that would only be the start to the problems that the family would have to face. A few days later, a murder occurred on the farm. Young Mira became the main suspect. Could Molly use her detective skills to clear Mira’s name and discover who the real murderer was?

I enjoyed reading In Sunshine or in Shadow by Rhys Bowen and Clare Broyles. Some of the plot and actions throughout the book were somewhat predictable but I was intrigued enough to keep reading. I loved that many of the characters from the past books were present in this one as well as some colorful new ones. The setting in the Catskills brought back fond memories of my childhood years when I spent several summers at a bungalow colony with my family. The description of the traditional Jewish foods that were served and the lush landscape were very well described. I enjoyed that several historical references from that time period were present in the plot. Women’s Suffrage was incorporated into the story as well as the typhoid outbreak in New York City. I look forward to reading the next installment in this series and recommend In Sunshine or in Shadow highly.

Thank you to Minotaur Books/St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read In Sunshine or in Shadow by Rhys Bowen and Clare Broyles through Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.

June 1908 - New York

Molly Sullivan is married to Daniel with the police. Molly is a retired detective who used to have her own agency. Daniel is concerned about Molly staying in the city as typhoid is going around plus the fact that she is newly pregnant. So, she takes their son, Liam, with her to stay with her mother-in-law. Molly’s friends, Gus and Sid, say they are headed to the Catskills to stay at an artist’s retreat and to visit Sid’s parents. As Molly is beginning to get a bit bored at her mother-in-law’s, she agrees to go with the two women for a few days.

There, they meet other well-educated women who are fighting for women’s rights and other things. Molly fits right in with them. Then, they go to visit Sid’s family who live on a farm. They are a Jewish family consisting of Sid’s grandparents, parents, and some cousins. The grandparents have chosen a man for Sid to marry and another man for her cousin to marry. As Sid has no intention of marrying, she knows she has to let them down easily. The man chosen for her young cousin is a smarmy person who horrifies the young girl. But then someone ends up shot and Molly is front and center trying to solve the case.

I have long loved this author’s Royal Spyness Mysteries. They are a favorite. I have only read a few of the Molly Murphy series and enjoyed them. However, for me, this book seemed to drag until its quick and dramatic ending.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is one of my favorite series in the historical mystery genre. I have listened to all of the stories in audible and intend to add this one also as soon as it comes out.

Following Molly from book one until now has been a journey so was glad to see an addition. Pregnant, Molly is ready to get out of the city since Typhoid is rampant and does not want to endanger her child.

She goes to visit her mother in law but soon travels to see Sid and guys, her great friends. Of course a murder occurs and the story takes off. Just want more!

This is the first book I have read in the Molly Murphy mystery series, and I don't think it will be my last. A fun, entertaining and mysterious read.

Molly is escaping the city in the midst of typhoid outbreak; she is pregnant and her husband (NYC police captain) is concerned for hers and the baby's health. She is invited to a retreat with some of her dearest friends, and while visiting a chain of events takes place that sparks Molly's detective instincts.

The writing is engaging, perfectly paced, and kept me turning pages and guessing throughout until the mystery is solved...

Short and sweet (under 300 pages), this was the perfect read... mild, fun, interesting and light. Perfect for those looking for an escape from complex reads, in a slump, or just looking for a leisurely read.

I was not familiar with the main character, Molly Murphy Sullivan, and her detective skills. Though I did like her character, I felt that many of the other characters were flat and stereotypes of Jewish people. I didn't have any problem understanding the story line or Molly's back story. I did feel that there were some holes that I had questions about (how were her children doing when she left them?) Some of the story lines seemed pretty obvious, but nonetheless, I read through to the end.

Summer of 1908 finds typhoid hitting New York City. At the insistence of her husband, Molly heads to visit his mother in Westchester, taking the rest of the family with her. But soon, she is bored and decides to visit her friends Sid and Gus in the Catskills. They are making a reluctant visit to Sid’s family only to have murder crash the reunion. With the police reluctant to let anyone leave until the case is solve, Molly starts investigating. Can she find out what happened?

The book spends only as long as needed getting the characters into position before the story starts. From there, we get some set up, so by the time the victim is found, we have plenty of suspects. I loved watching the investigation unfold, and the solutions was perfectly logical. The suspects get plenty of time to shine, and I grew to like them. And Daniel is on his best behavior here, too. I found it interesting to visit the Catskills just as they were beginning to turn into a summer destination. Meanwhile, some very nasty prejudice is displayed without turning the book into a lecture at any point. Molly’s fans will be rewarded with a fantastic twentieth book.

Rhys Bowen and Clare Broyles are keeping an old, established series interesting! In Sunshine or in Shadow is a classic Molly mystery with added layers of intrigue and uncertainty around the future of our beloved characters. In Sunshine or in Shadow includes both a crime and questions around what will make Molly and her friends happy. I am intrigued to see how the series continues to evolve, and what choices the characters make!

In Sunshine or in Shadow is the 20th book of the fan-favorite historical mystery series Molly Murphy by Rhys Bowen and her daughter Clare Broyles. If you wrote this one off because you haven't read any of the others in the series, don't give it another thought; there's no problem here. I started with book 18, and I haven't had any trouble at all following along. So dive right in, because each mystery stands alone.

The days are getting longer and warmer in 1908 Manhattan, but typhoid is back. Molly Murphy Sullivan doesn't want to leave her home, but since she's expecting, she really must. Her husband Daniel, a New York police captain, must stay to work, but he sends Molly, their toddler son Liam and teenage ward Bridie to stay with his mother in Westchester County to keep them safe. Molly is determined to make the best of it. Also, Molly's great friends and neighbors, Sid and Gus, are also heading north to the Catskills to visit Sid's family. Liam and Bridie are having the time of their lives, but Molly quickly becomes bored. So when Sid and Gus invite Molly to stay with them at an artist's colony for women, she jumps at the chance. They plan on having a great visit, though Sid isn't thrilled having to visit her family in the nearby Jewish bungalow community. Tensions are high in the area, however, and soon there's a dead body. Not surprising...this is Molly we're talking about!

I loved all three books that I've read in this series, but this one is my favorite so far. The Manhattan location is always interesting, but it was fun seeing Molly in Westchester County (briefly), the women's artist colony and the Jewish enclave in the Catskills. Molly's mother-in-law was quite gracious and happy to have Daniel's family come stay with her. Molly was fine for about a week, but when Sid and Gus invited her to stay with them, it didn't take long for her to come to a decision! The visit to the artist's colony - all women - was a lot of fun. This was the time of the suffragette movement, so the women there were quite independent thinkers. (No "little ladies" here!) Time spent with Sid and Gus (both are women, if this is your first foray into this series) is always entertaining. I loved the practice for the play the colony was going to perform. My favorite location, however, was the time spent in Sid's family's Jewish bungalow community. Sid's family members were charming and loving, except they invited a matchmaker who chose men for both Sid and her young cousin. Neither was thrilled; Sid's love is Gus, and cousin Mira's chosen partner was an odious man. There was conflict between the artist's colony and bungalow community against a mining company who was ruining the beautiful landscape - with dynamite - for the blue rock used in paving streets. When someone is murdered at the bungalow community, it's no shock who it turns out to be, as he was a hateful braggart. But his death really got the story rolling along. Molly is such a wonderful character! She loves being a mother and wife, but she does miss the time she spent as a private investigator. A dead body always seems to turn up when Molly is around! She can't seem to remain uninvolved, even though she's carrying a child. Not only did Molly investigate a murder, but she also had the opportunity to protest the mining enterprise. The members of the artist's colony were a hoot - when they discovered Molly was trying to solve a murder, they wanted to be her Baker Street Irregulars! As always, Molly and Daniel's children are always entertaining. Daniel I sometimes have trouble with; he greatly loves Molly, but her investigation of murders always makes him exasperated, especially now that she's pregnant. In the last book and this one, however, he seems to be more accepting that Molly is going to be...well, Molly. And it's obvious he adores her. Though Molly is my favorite character, I absolutely adore Sid and Gus! Molly has the best friends ever, and they are adoring "aunties" to Liam and Bridie. They shine in every scene in which they appear. I enjoyed all of Sid's family, especially Mira and Bubbe. It was sad to see the anti-Semitism these kind people experienced, but they were a loving and lively lot. There were no great surprises in the mysteries here, but that didn't matter. I still loved every bit of it! I can't wait for book 21!

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

When typhoid arrives in New York City, Molly heads to the countryside with her children to stay with her mother-in-law. She’s neither excited about staying with her husband’s critical mother, nor happy to leave her husband behind, but because she is pregnant, she agrees it is the correct decision to make.

Soon, an opportunity arises to visit her neighbors and friends, Sid and Gus, at an artists’ retreat in the Catskills. Her mother-in-law encourages her to visit, but once there, a dead body threatens to keep her away longer than planned.

This is the 20th book in the Molly Murphy Mystery Series.

My Thoughts

This is the first Molly Murphy mystery that I have read, but I found it was no problem at all jumping in on book 20.

The book was well-researched, engagingly written, and well-plotted. The mystery kept me guessing until the end.

Set in the early 1900s, the authors added details that gave a feeling of authenticity. They also created vivid descriptions of the settings.

I had a few questions unanswered by the end of the story, but all the major ones had been addressed.

I received a free eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Content/Trigger Warnings

Because it’s set in the early 1900s, there is a good deal of misogynistic behavior. Also, there is a Jewish community involved, and there is a local officer who is antisemitic. Two women discuss sexual assaults.

This is book 20 in the Molly Murphy series. I have enjoyed this series since book 1 when Molly was still in Ireland. Now she’s married to a NYC police captain and has a family. She’s been through many adventures. The series touches on various historic events such as women’s suffrage, and in this book, a typhoid epidemic.
I love the cast of characters in this series. Many are repeat characters, such as Molly’s friends Sid and Gus, and Molly’s children and mother in law. Molly is a strong female MC. She believes in the traditional role of women but sees no reason for that to limit her. In 1908, that was radical thinking.
As with the other books in this series, this was well written with a mystery that made sense. I highly recommend this series to anyone who likes historical novels. The author does play with details a bit to fit the story, as most novelists do, but the basic historical facts are accurate. She does explain anything that was altered at the end of the book. In this case, the year of the epidemic was changed by 1 year.
I was blessed to receive this book as a free ARC and am leaving this review voluntarily.

I enjoy this series about an Irish immigrant who stumbles into investigating murders. In this addition to the series, Molly is pregnant and visiting her two friends at a resort for women when they get involved in a murder mystery at the home of one of her friend’s grandparents in the Catskills. In addition to seeing the Jewish culture, we’re also introduced to the beginnings of Jewish resorts in the Catskills. I could just picture that setting 50 years in the future featuring the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

This is the first book I've read in the series and I will note that you do not need to have read previous books to read and enjoy this one.

It's an interesting cozy mystery mixed with history and some early feminist ideas. I loved the idea of a woman's artist colony in upstate New York. Mix it in with a land dispute, some Jewish cultural interest, and a murder, you have a very interesting story. And of course, a bumbling local police chief. Molly holds her own amongst the men, older women and traditions.

I love the Molly Murphy mysteries, and this one did not disappoint! Fascinating backdrop of how the Jewish summer resorts got their beginning. The mystery kept me guessing until the end, and it was nice to have Molly back at her old sleuthing habits without the children!