The fifth in a series of mystery novels starring urban historian Erica Donato, who uses her research skills to solve crimes in modern-day Brooklyn that inevitably have a connection to older secrets.

In this particular outing, Erica meets a now-retired activist who was instrumental in getting Brooklyn Heights declared a historic district. Brooklyn Heights certainly deserves the title; it's a beautiful neighborhood directly on the East River, with stunning views of lower Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty, full of old brownstones and little pocket streets and charming stores that sell expensive doodads. It also, strangely, is home to the world headquarters of the Jehovah's Witnesses, complete with a massive "Kingdom Hall" with WATCHTOWER in red neon on its roof (or, at least, it was; they moved out about five years ago). Erica's new friend and the Jehovah's Witnesses are unsurprisingly not allies; they've quarreled for years over issues like property lines, development, and gentrification. But when fires that seem to be arson break out and people begin dying, could the crotchety old woman have gone too far in defending her beloved neighborhood? Is it the evasive leaders of a strange religion? Or is it someone else entirely?

Murder mysteries? In Brooklyn? About NYC history? Obviously this series is made for me.

Or so I thought.

Unfortunately, the execution does not live up to the promise. Stein's writing – bizarrely for a series that's entirely sold by its location-porn – has absolutely no sense of place. If you changed a name here and there, this could be any city in the world. And you wouldn't have to change many names, because Stein uses them as rarely as she can. Characters meet for dinner "at an old-school downtown Italian restaurant. No kale. No gluten-free pasta. Waiters in tuxedos. Lots of red sauce and Parm, like my elderly mother-in-law used to make." They exchange secrets at "a small cafe on a Heights side street". They eat at "one of our many local fancy burger restaurants." Every place in the book is like this; there's no individuality, no specifics, no distinguishing details. Reading it feels like visiting a TV studio lot, full of generic sets that can play the background in any sitcom that needs them.

I was also a bit puzzled by the choice of using the Jehovah's Witnesses to play the role of scary, mysterious cult. Not that I want to defend the organization – I certainly have my own problems with their beliefs – but the characters all act as though it's the equivalent of Heaven's Gate or the Manson family, something dangerous and new and unfamiliar, rather than a fairly standard presence in most American cities. And yet Stein never actually brings up any of the actual weird traits of Jehovah's Witnesses, like their refusal to celebrate birthdays or to get blood transfusions (the second is a particularly glaring absence, since the plot ultimately turns out to revolve around a refusal to provide medical care). They're just here to play the role of generic "cult", and could easily have been switched out for any number of other religions without changing the plot.

Overall, it's not a bad book, but it's a boring, flat one. And somehow I'm still tempted to read the others in the series, just because it <i>should</i> be so good.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4651224799

Having visited the Brooklyn headquarters of the Jehovah's Witnesses twice, I was curious to see if they would be mentioned in this book. One of the key players. The mystery was interesting. The characters various and well presented. It did not captivate me, but I did have to see whodunit.

Looking for a plaque related to Walt Whitman leads Dr. Erica Donato to Brooklyn Heights. As an historian, she's well equipped to document and archival research. As a perennially curious person, she's sidetracked into investigating the antagonistic relationship between an elderly community activist and the head of the largest property owner In The Heights, the Jehovah Witnesses. Combining history with complex and interesting mysteries, Stein has written an underrated series that can be read as stand alones without any loss of enjoyment.

It's the first book I read in this series and won't surely be the last because I was fascinated by the historical background and the great plot.
Ms Stein can certainly write a story that fascinates and keeps you hooked till the end.
I loved the well crafted plot, the fleshed out and interesting cast of characters, and the solid mystery that kept me guessing.
An excellent read, highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Excellent! Another glimpse into a part of Brooklyn I had never known existed. Her novek=ls never disappoint.

In Book 5 Erica Donato has earned her PhD and is working full time at the Brooklyn Art Museum. Her full time job has given her a greater sense of independence, and her family life has been enhanced as her relationship with Joe is moving forward. Her daughter, Chris, now a teenager, could not be happier.

A historian's job is to uncover the past, give it authenticity, while making it relevant to today. Stein has created an engaging protagonist, one who has the personality and skills to bring the past Brooklyn into vibrant life. Brooklyn Legacies is set in Brooklyn Heights, New York City's first suburb which became it's first historical district. This affluent neighborhood was home to the religious organization of Jehovah;s Witnesses, contains numerous Victorian row houses, and Landmark Buildings. Stein captures the depth and feel of the neighborhood. A reader feels like they are walking with Erica.

The mystery surrounds Louisa Gibbs. A trailblazing, historical preservationist, Louisa was the head of the brigade who forced the city to create the first protected historical district. Now she is engaged in a new battle. Her home is in danger of being taken from her. The powerful real estate brokers along with the board of the Jehovah's Witnesses want to develop her land. With Louisa, Stein explores the feelings of defiance combined with helplessness that many senior citizens face. The battle is not pretty. Someone is sending threatening letters. Someone might be behind a disastrous fire. Someone did kill one of Louisa's adversaries. Will Erica be able to intervene?

Triss Stein is a new author for me. Her talent leaps from the page. I enjoyed Brooklyn Legacies so much, I that I interrupted my reading to order the first books in the series. I look forward to catching up with Erica, and hope Stein continues to explore Brooklyn.

Very Highly recommended

Full disclosure: I received an ARC from netgalley and Poisoned Pen in exchange for an unbiased review. Thank you for this opportunity.

Oh what happens when change comes to the neighborhood. Erica Donato finds herself in the midst of a local land war of sorts between Louisa Gibbs and the Watchtower Society and the Prinzig family. Louisa's house is adjacent to property owned by the Watchtower and coveted by the Prinzigs. Then there's a murder. Is Louisa the guilty party? She might be a strong advocate for her community but she's not the nicest person in the world- but murder? This has a nice blend of fact and fiction (read the afterword) and atmospherics of an area which has morphed incredibly over the last few years. Erica, who was meant to be looking for a portrait of Walt Whitman, is the perfect intrepid heroine for this case. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. An enjoyable read.

This is the fifth in a series. I liked the first three and somehow missed the 4th. I liked them so much I eagerly jumped at the chance to read and review an ARC of Brooklyn Legacies: An Erica Donato Mystery #5 by Triss Stein. It will be out in early December.


For those not familiar with the series, Erica is a Brooklyn girl. She married a firefighter from the old neighborhood, was widowed young, went back to school, discovered a life she never knew existed, and decided to pursue a Ph.D. in history. All this while raising a daughter who is now a teen.

She now has her Ph.D. and a job at the art museum. Her job takes Dr. Erica Donato into Brooklyn Heights in search of a lost portrait of Walt Whitman. Erica soon gets involved in Brooklyn Heights disputes and mysteries involving a neighborhood activist, the Jehovah’s Witnesses (Watch Tower Society, a major property owner in Brooklyn Heights), and real estate developers.

The author weaves the history of Brooklyn Heights, the mystery (including a murder or 2), and modern Brooklyn into a nice story. Learn and be entertained at the same time.

Since this is the fifth in the series, reading the earlier books in the series will give you more background and understanding of Erica. I suggest the first. I don’t think this is necessary but I think it is better.

If you think you would like this , let me suggest looking at my reviews of some earlier books in this series.

Brooklyn, law-enforcement, amateur-sleuth, historical-places-events, historical-research, cozy-mystery

The publisher's blurb is pretty good, so no recap or spoilers here. The mystery is very well done and is interspersed with some tidbits of real history. Actually, I devoured it in one afternoon but now come the disclaimers: I geek history, cozy mysteries, museums, and have family in Brooklyn. So what's not to like here? I absolutely loved it!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Poisoned Pen Press via NetGalley. Thank you!

It was a bit of a chore to finish Brooklyn Legacies, but finish it I did. For me, the writing seemed too breezy, or giddy. The story seemed so convoluted that I wasn't sure what to focus on. The fact that I finished it does mean I had to like it enough to do so, The narrator had a certain energy...no, that was part of the problem. I do like New York stories, and the history of Brooklyn Heights interested me. For all of my difficulties with the novel, the author did have me wondering where she would go with it. Now I know.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.