Set during the Great Blizzard of 1888 in Old New York, this is a good historical mystery. Prudence MacKenzie is waiting for her fiancé, Charles, to return. Unfortunately, his body is found the next day. His cause of death is listed as a tree branch falling on his head, but Prudence and Geoffrey Hunter (Charles' best friend) think it was murder. This is the story of an investigation that involves murder, blackmail and an evil stepmother. Rosemary Simpson has written a good debut mystery full of historical intrigue.

I really wanted to like this book-- gilded age New York + blizzard + murder should have equaled amazing read, but for some reason I found myself slogging through it just to get to the end. The characters felt a little too one note. We don't really see why Prudence would make a good investigator but we're told many times how unique and special she is. I consider myself a careful reader, but all the men were so similarly basic that I had a hard time telling them apart.
I had been looking forward to this read but alas, it just wasn't my cup of tea!

The Blizzard of 1888 brings New York City to a halt. The snow blocks transportation and 200 people that venture outside during the storm freeze to death. The storm will also completely change heiress Prudence MacKenzie's life. Her fiance, Charles, is found dead on a bench, the back of his head caved in. Officials rule that a falling tree branch knocked him unconscious and he froze to death. Prudence believes the cause of his death might be much more sinister.

Following the death of her father, Prudence's stepmother is in complete control over the household and slowly making her stepdaughter addicted to laudanum. The family attorney informs Prudence that inheritance from her father's will depends on her marrying Charles. With his death, her stepmother gains control of everything -- the house, the money, even Prudence's dead mother's jewelry. Soon, Prudence finds it hard to even leave the house. Is her life in danger? Is Charles' death murder? What is her stepmother up to? With the help of the family attorney and a former Pinkerton agent, Prudence begins to delve into family secrets. What she discovers is shocking.

I found myself completely engrossed in this story from the start. The backdrop of Gilded Age New York and the aftermath of a massive blizzard is engaging. Simpson paces the story perfectly, letting the tension build up until the very end. Although the final outcome is not shocking, the way it comes about is surprising. Well done!

I liked all of the characters. The "bad guys'' were supremely horrible. I felt justified in despising them right from the beginning. Prudence is a great main character. She is feisty, intelligent, self-reliant and brave. Former Pinkerton agent, Geoffrey Hunter, is a great male lead as well. He is dedicated to getting to the bottom of the case and protecting Prudence. I was very happy to discover that this book is just the first in a planned Gilded Age Mystery Series. Simpson has announced two more future books, Lies That Comfort And Betray and Final Portraits. I will definitely be reading more of this series!

For more information on the author and her books, check out her website: http://rosemarysimpsonbooks.com/

**I voluntarily read an Advance Readers Copy of this book from Kensington via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.**

I really enjoyed this novel. It was a new author for me. It was extremely well written and entertaining. The characters were well developed and relateable. The chapters and storyline flowed very nicely. It was a book that was hard to put down once you got into the crux of the story I definitely recommend this novel to mystery lovers who want something new and different to read. I look forward to reading more from this author.

This wasn't actually a whodunnit or even a whydunnit. I guess you could call it a howdunnit?

Honestly, there is little to no mystery here, it is quite straightforward as to what has occurred and why. There are a few revelations along the way, nothing that was entirely surprising or suspenseful. I was constantly disappointed at the main character searching and searching for clues and coming up with nothing. It was quite unsatisfying for a mystery reader, and really slowed the pace.

On a positive note, the book is well written and the author does a great job of depicting the Gilded Age in New York City. The facts and ways of the time are spot on and obviously well-researched. The character development, however, felt shallow to me. I felt as if I didn't get to know a single one of them well.

I really dislike writing negative reviews, this is very much a case of "it's not you, it's me." I believe a major setback for me here is that this shouldn't necessarily be marketed as a mystery.

I would recommend for readers who enjoy a slower pace and who are interested in this particular era.

2.5 stars

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

First of all I will start off by saying I read a fair amount of crime fiction. One area specifically is the Golden Age style. Though this was a little different for me due to the time frame.
It was wonderful. Such a wonderful blend of crime and historical fiction. I really felt like I was in New York walking behind Prudence, watching her as attempted to solve the mystery.
A really great read.

What really created my interest in What the Dead Leave Behind was the idea of Blizzard of 1888, and strangely, I finished the book a few days before the prediction of the huge blizzard to hit New York and the east coast in mid-March of this year.

Prudence McKenzie, still grieving over her father's recent death, awaits the arrival of her fiance as the blizzard sets in, covering New York in snow. Charles, however, will never arrive and will be one of the 200 bodies discovered on New York streets in the aftermath of the storm.

Charles Linwood and Roscoe Conkling were out in the storm; Conkling made it to safety, but Charles' body was found after the storm.

Prudence is devastated. Her doctor had recommended laudanum to help Prudence deal with her father's death, but had issued strict instructions. Now, Prudence is even more in the drug's clutches.

OK- there is a wicked stepmother and some dastardly deeds done, but Prudence does have some support in the characters of Roscoe Conkling and Charles Linwood's friend Geoffrey Hunter, a former Pinkerton Agent.

I assume this is to be a new series. Although my main interest was the Great Blizzard, that part of the story is only at the beginning.

NetGalley/Kensington Books

Historical Mystery. April 25, 2017. Print length: 304 pages.

Loved this mystery. Truly a Good read. I personally, do not like the ending, unless there is a series in the works. How an extremely honest Judge gets himself open to blackmail.How his daughter comes out of her doctor prescribed laudunum fog, to find out how much danger she is truly in. I highly recommend! Thanks! Enjoy!

carolintallahassee

Dead men tell no tales..........or do they?

A brutal snowstorm has hit New York City like the back of one's hand. Unexpected and packing a full-out wallop. It's March of 1888 and there appears to be no glimmer in this Gilded Age. Nothing but the howling blast of wind and the treacherous streets of ice and mounds of impassable snow await these city dwellers.

Yet in amazement, two dark figures appear. Charles Linwood and his lawyer, Roscoe Conkling, decide to take on the storm through Union Square Park. Charles has just signed papers in regard to a marriage settlement in which he will marry Prudence MacKenzie, the daughter of the late Judge MacKenzie. Prudence waits anxiously for Charles to come to her home. Conkling makes it to the New York Club. No sign of Charles...........until days later.

A lone figure on a street bench is found with a deep wound to the back of his head and a playing card in his pocket. A tree branch that had unfortunately hit this man or something more sinister?

Prudence MacKenzie is indeed her father's daughter. She wastes no time in contacting Conkling and is introduced to Geoffrey Hunter, a former Pinkerton agent and lawyer. But like those impassable streets piled high with snow, Prudence must contend with her stepmother, Victoria, and Victoria's brother, Donald. There appears to be no fire strong enough to melt the heart of Victoria.

Rosemary Simpson presents a fine historical mystery here with all the layering of "Upstairs Downstairs" and the intrigue of Pinkerton's legacy of analyzing clues and situations. Human nature takes a spin through upscale homes, bawdy saloons, the tenements of Brooklyn, and the streets of New York where hansom cabs deposit the good and the bad to their destinations.

I enjoyed this one very much. There are some dastardly drawn characters here. It appears that this may be the first in a new series by Simpson. If it is, I'll be tuned in for the next in a heartbeat.

I received a copy of What the Dead Leave Behind through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Kensington Books and to Rosemary Simpson for the opportunity.

As a ferocious blizzard sweeps through New York City, Prudence MacKenzie waits for her fiance to arrive home safely, but her wait is in vain. The next day more than 200 people are found frozen to death in the aftermath of the storm, among them is Prudence’s fiance, his head caved in, an ace of spades playing card in his frozen hand. The card had special significance, Charles used it as a type of code with his old friend, Pinkerton agent Geoffrey Hunter. Concerned this may have something to do with her father’s recent death and her stepmother’s desire to have the family money all to herself, Pri=udence turns to Geoffrey for help. Old New York and a ferocious blizzard come roaring to life in this suspenseful mystery