A cozy mystery this book is not. I thought it was going to be a nice little book about a older woman. Which is was but it was so much much more. I am so glad i got to read this book for free from Netgalley. I would recommend this book to those who like hacking murder and mysteries because this book has it all...

I really couldn’t get into this book at all. I love to read and can’t wait to find time to sit and read a book, but I dreaded going back to this one. My mind wandered all over the place when I was trying to read it. It didn’t hold my attention at all, or make me want to hurry to get back to it. I’ve finally given up at 30% through.

This had a great start but started to fizzle for me about half way through. I think the short chapters hopping between the large list of characters got a little old for me, making it hard for me to feel invested. Couldn't decide between 3 & 4 stars.

The writing style was good, but this particular book didn't keep my attention. Not sure what happened, but I just couldn't keep reading. I may give the author's other books a go, but not this one

I tried several times. I just could not settle into this book. I think it was because I felt like it was just not the style of mystery I most like to read which is classic golden age.

A good mystery! Thank you so much for having a story I could sink into. A bookstore owner, who's readers are mainly crime fiction readers, what a lovely set up! Now, this isn't a cozy, it's a solid procedural. I really loved that the story had twist and suspense. It flowed so well, and never became dull or overbearing. It wasn't too graphic, but instead focused on the things I like the most, who, what, when, where and most of all why and let's get that bad guy!

Thank you to Net Galley for my ARC. This review is my own, left freely.

A Murder on Jane Street by Cathy Cash Spellman is a 2019 The Wild Harp & Co. Publication.

An unusual thriller-

Fitzhugh Donovan, a retired NYPD chief, is now a bookstore owner, primarily catering to crime fiction readers. Through this avenue he becomes acquainted with his elderly neighbor. But when the old woman asked Donovan to come to her home, saying she thinks she is in danger, he arrives too late- the woman had already been savagely murdered.

Now he and his family apply all the resources at their disposal, including some unorthodox ones pertaining to psychic intuitions, to find out why anyone would want to kill their neighbor. What they uncover is a shocking discovery that could affect the future power structure of the country and will put the entire Donovan family in extreme danger.

This is a book that has been hanging out on my TBR list for a couple of years. I had forgotten about it until I started culling through my TBR list this year.

Although the synopsis is intriguing, based on the cover and title, I was expecting a standard mystery, with no expectations beyond that. Although I knew the book would remain my list, I felt compelled to read this one sooner, rather than later.

As it turns out, my instincts paid off- but I was still taken by surprise when the plot turned towards a very dark period of history, and reveals a shocking conspiracy that leads right up to the present day.

The plot was strong, dark and highly suspenseful, but the author occasionally added elements that stole some of that intensity. In this case, the paranormal aspects didn't really fit with the story line, and I thought the book would have been better without them.

There were a few times when suspension of believe is called upon, but, other than that, I got a little more from this mystery than I had bargained for. I would love to see this team of sleuths work together again someday!

That said, this is a very good mystery most crime fiction readers will enjoy!

I don't like books when cops just step aside because they don't believe someone so they let someone who has a background in police operations just do what they want. Then on top of doing this make bumbling mistakes that almost get family killed. This book didn't keep my attention but I would try another book by this author.

I really enjoyed this book. It kept me guessing right till the end. I highly recommend reading this book.

A Murder on The Jane Street is a murder – conspiracy mystery featuring a retired New York City Police Commissioner, Fitz Donahue and his team of misfits – a team that includes not only his daughters, Maeve & Rory, his granddaughter, Finn along with some extended friends, including a billionaire, scientists and a group of hacker collective, all intent on protecting the truth.

When Fitz’s neighbour calls him in a “controlled” panic asking for his help and is then later brutally tortured and murdered – he knows that something far sinister is at work than the bungled robbery theory that the police has going on.

It doesn’t take long for him and his team, Bleecker Street Irregulars (love the play on the Baker Street reference!) to understand that the murder is related to a decades long conspiracy relating to the time of Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany.

The whole of the plotline in the book is dedicated to this conspiracy theory – Fitz’s neighbour has a rich history, that he and his team piece together her role in history, a role that put her on the hit list for some very powerful people.

Yet that threat doesn’t stop any one of them to pursue justice for a woman they only know superficially, but have found was a brilliant, courageous woman with a history that could shatter the strongest human being.

The book oscillates between murder investigation and the proving of a conspiracy theory so wild that it would shake the foundations of a nation – with richly diverse characters (yes! We get multiple PoVs) and some new characters being introduced to their team, I so enjoyed the way the team solved the case and involve myself in their personal lives.

The only issue, for me as a reader, was the fact the investigating the conspiracy theory somehow went way beyond technical, to the extent that I had to scroll through those parts; for even I couldn’t understand the intricacies of those technicalities.

The author also gives us a glimpse into the next investigation that Fitz and his Bleecker Street Irregulars would involve themselves in – and it has honestly caught my attention, enough that I will be keeping my eye on it!

Enjoyable read. Great characters and the New York setting is delightful. Highly recommended. I look forward to to more of this series.

A Murder on Jane Street by Cathy Cash Spellman is a psychological thriller. It has action, excitement and illustrates the value of true friendship. I loved the characters and the story.

Author Cathy Cash Spellman (https://www.cathycashspellman.com) published the novel “A Murder on Jane Street” in 2019. Ms. Spellman has published nine books.

I categorize this novel as “R” because it contains scenes of Violence and Mature Language. The story is set in contemporary New York, USA.

Mrs. Wallenberg, an elderly woman is tortured and murdered. Fitzhugh Donovan is a retired New York City Police Chief. He is also the elderly woman's neighbor. It is he who finds the body. He had visited with the woman hours beforehand. He feels responsible for her death especially after she had shown him a threatening letter.

Donovan discovers that Mrs. Wallenberg had a very interesting past. Soon he has family and some close friends involved in the investigation. The woman's first husband had been a business leader in Nazi Germany. She had run away from him and found a new life.

The Nazis though were still hunting her. The remnants of WWII Nazi leadership had escaped in 1945 and are now behind a Fourth Reich. An unseen cabal that is rising to world power.

Donovan is driven to solve the murder, but he is also compelled to find a way to protect his family. The Nazis are not happy at his involvement and make that clear to all involved.

I enjoyed the 10+ hours I spent reading this 410-page mystery novel. This plot ventures into several genres - mystery, WWII, conspiracy theories, and the occult. I liked the Donovan family and friends' characters. This appears to be the first in a series and I look forward to reading the next installment. The selected cover art is OK, but a little plain. I give this novel a 4 out of 5.

You can access more of my book reviews on my Blog ( https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/).

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

This murder mystery has a bit for every reader.
It involves a family that is close knit, a group of terrific friends, a heroine, a extremely wealthy love interest, a conspiracy, a murder, a mystery.
Solving the mystery/murder ultimately involves the use of a retired police detective, a psychic, some very powerful and intelligent people and a trip to Ireland/Poland.
I really enjoyed reading this book. It is well written, the plot comes to a satisfying conclusion, the characters are interesting and the mystery is admittedly plausible.

This is my first book by Cathy Cash Spellman and by all accounts, I look forward, with great anticipation, to read more of her books. She has made an admirable attempt to create and entertaining historical fiction, while adding a suspenseful element to the story, along with romance, murder and a great feel to insert the unexpected at key moments throughout the book.

Historical mystery lovers will enjoy the plot twists in this book. Great characters and a world you can fall into. Good read.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. With stellar character development and a mind-tingling plot, this book was undoubtedly a pleasure to read.
Highly recommend for historical mystery lovers.

I received a copy of this story from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I haven't read a good mystery in a while and this story absolutely hit the spot! It was an intriguing premise and seemed entirely plausible, which made it all the more compelling a read. I love a good conspiracy theory and this had that in spades. It took a well-known moment in recent history, crafted a detailed 'what if?', and ran with it. I was able to anticipate some things but not everything and I appreciated that a lot.

The characters were all delightful, too! I loved the mix of ages, social classes, and abilities. It's rare to find a mystery where the main character is a septuagenarian. I want to be friends with all the Babushkas and I'd love to visit Maeve's tea shop. It was just such a lively world.

With a story like this one, I could see how wrapping everything up would be difficult. I think Cathy Cash Spellman did a fantastic job tying up loose ends but still making it believable. I thought it fit quite nicely with the whole tone of the book.

I would happily recommend this book to everyone who loves a realistic, thought-provoking mystery.

This book was great! It was slow at first and I'm not a history buff, so I actually contemplated not finishing it. When you get through the first few chapters, the book starts to change and you feel very invested in this poor old ladies life. You want revenge for her story and you want the characters to come out on top. You will love going along this journey.

Historical fiction with a twist. The murder of an elderly survivor of World War II starts an investigation that leads straight to the Whitehouse. The best and the brightest are brought together to battle an evil cabal. Excellent writing combined with an unusual and entertaining story.