Fast-paced and exciting mystery with all the elements that make a fun mystery: missing jewels, high society, handsome rogues, and a clever, young reporter who is determined to unmask the thief. I absolutely LOVED this book and I am excited to read more in this series. Great story and fun characters. I read through it so quickly that I almost wished I had slowed down a little to savor it a bit more! Highly recommended.

This is the first in a series about a female journalist in late 1880s NYC. Genevieve is the youngest of an old money eccentric family who wants to prove herself in the newspaper business by tracking down a modern-day Robin Hood who may be connected to some murders and a corrupt group of elites.

This was OK but a little slow in places. It ended on a cliffhanger, and although I’ve read better, I’d be willing to try another.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #CrookedLane for providing me the ARC. The opinions are strictly my own.

On her quest to find out who is stealing jewelry from the richest in New York City, journalist Genevieve Stewart is saved from a dangerous situation by millionaire Daniel McCaffrey who she suspects is the jewelry thief Robin Hood. When murders start happening, Genevieve and Daniel have to use their unique talents and contacts to find who the criminal is.

Deception by Gaslight is the exiting first installment in the new series A Gilded Gotham Mystery written by Kate Belli, published by Crooked Lane Books. The story is set in New York City 1888 where we follow journalist Genevieve Stewart. She works on getting information about famous jewel thief Robin Hood who is targeting the very richest. In her struggle to get information she sets her life in danger, and millionaire Daniel McCaffrey saves her. Genevieve is shocked to meet him again at an Astor 400 ball, and realizes he is not the street thug she thought but she suspects him of being Robin Hood. Jewelry keeps being stolen, and soon murders start happening too. Genevieve and Daniel use their unique contacts and talents to dig up information and as they come closer to the truth, danger to Genevieve’s life increases.

Main character Journalist Genevieve Stewart has suffered a great loss in her life, but is determined to work for a living. She seems a caring woman who treats people well and is a person who anyone would be proud to have as a friend. She is my absolute favorite of this story.

Supporting character millionaire and philanthropist Daniel McCaffrey comes from a humble background. He has learned to live between two worlds and makes this work in his philanthropic work. I found him an interesting character who sometimes struggles with his identity.
The characters felt like they could have been my friends in real life as they felt so well crafted and relatable.

This story was beautifully written and reminded me of Sarah M. Eden’s writing. The plot felt different as it contained an enjoyable and exiting collection of elements starting off with the mystery of Robin Hood’s identity. It had me turning pages into the wee hours of the night to get answers, and I was thoroughly surprised who Robin Hood turned out to be.

My favorite part of the story was the amusing way the relationship between Genevieve and Daniel developed. Starting with mutual distrust, they came to trust each other explicitly and rely on each other’s help as the story progressed. Least favorite part was when Genevieve found herself in a dangerous part of Town not able to escape threatening men.

Thank you to publisher Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for this eARC which gave me the opportunity to share my honest review. All opinions are completely my own.

Conclusion: Deception by Gaslight is the exiting start of the very promising new series which will captivate readers of cozy mysteries. It contains a collection of well crafted mystery elements and relatable characters that will stay in your memory for a long time.
I eagerly await the next installment in the series or any other release from this author. Similar authors to explore might be Dianne Freeman or Andrea Penrose.

A delicious mystery set in New York's high society in the late 19th century. Excellent fast paced writing, entertaining historical fiction. I'm looking forward to the next part in this series.

Thank you Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC.

The first book in a promising new mystery series. Set in New York in 1888, the year of Jack the Ripper. I actually expected at least a Ripper reference, but, although there was no such reference, the story did not disappoint. The journalist and socialite Genevieve tries to persuade her editor that she is the best reporter on the team to write about the infamous Robin Hood burglaries; jewellery has been stolen from the rich and famous and donations to the poor have been made. Since her editor doesn’t think so, and Robin Hood strikes very close to home, Genevieve teams up with Daniel, the broodingly handsome heir to a fortune. A man with a mysterious past, who might actually be Robin Hood himself.

Together the pair has to find out who Robin Hood is; why he suddenly started to murder people in addition to stealing their gems; how a secret business venture the rich are talking about behind closed doors fits into the story; and whether or not the two of them have feelings for each other.

The book wraps up nearly all of the questions, though the epilogue hints at another adventure of the two protagonists. Let’s hope I won’t have to wait too long to find out what the two have to uncover next.

This book hit a surprising sweet spot: it really worked for me.

Genevieve Stewart is exactly the kind of ambitious, persistent protagonist I love reading about. Twenty-six years old and unmarried, she works as a journalist for the New York Globe. But her assignments leave her frustrated and wanting: she covers flower shows and Best Baby contests, while front-page stories are handed to her male coworkers. This is why she knows she must uncover the identity of Robin Hood, the jewel thief hell-bent on humiliating New York’s wealthiest families. The thief who’s now turned to murder.

Enigmatic millionaire Daniel McCaffrey seemingly appeared out of thin air when he inherited a vast fortune as a teenager—and the secrets surrounding this turn of events has intrigued high society for years. When he crosses paths with Genevieve, they reluctantly enter a tentative partnership to solve the mystery of Robin Hood before the bodies pile up even further.

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I find that the more I consume fiction set in New York’s Gilded Age, the more I’m enamoured with it. Currently the extent of my (paltry) knowledge of this time period comes from The Alienist and Lydia Kang’s Opium and Absinthe, and Deception by Gaslight was infinitely less macabre yet also a tad more salacious than both.

There’s a budding flirtationship between Genevieve and Daniel—leading to some seriously entertaining banter—that turns into a fake relationship without instalove (praise the heavens!). There’s a costume ball, to which Genevieve’s best friend shows up wearing a !!sexy!! Little Mermaid gown that’s slit up to the knee. Genevieve reminisces about when she almost lost her virginity, several characters are former gangbangers, and jokes are made at the expense of Daniel’s too-tight breeches.

The mysteries in this book weren’t particularly complex or sensational. I might even go so far as to say they were unsurprising; when Daniel’s backstory is finally revealed, it satiated my curiosity but wasn’t outside the realm of what I’d been expecting. Same goes for Robin Hood’s unmasking, and the unraveling of the murders.

But the unconventional character dynamics really held my interest. Genevieve’s family is old money but so eccentric—her mother’s an ACTIVIST (in 1888!!) who is constantly getting arrested for protesting for women’s rights. Her father engages in legal battles to protect endangered birds. It’s this eccentricity that led Genevieve’s ex-fiancé to jilt her six years ago, and this dimension of Genevieve—the girl who doesn’t quite fit in—was really interesting to read.

Daniel is similarly multifaceted; his passion for housing/tenement reform in Lower Manhattan’s poorest neighbourhoods was honestly a pretty noble cause to champion. Meanwhile, Genevieve’s sunny best friend Callie is impoverished and in desperate search of husband, while the pallid Esmie is in a similar situation, husband-wise, but turns out to be a surprisingly cunning wallflower. Each character challenges, in their own way, the meritocratic and bigoted beliefs of New York City’s upper echelon.

In all, an uncomplicated read that touches on key social issues in New York’s Gilded Age through the voices of non-clichéd characters; I’m definitely going to keep an eye out for the next book in this series.

One of my favourite things - a mystery set in late 19th century New York when the rich were very rich and the poor were very poor, and the police were definitely not to be trusted.

Then introduce one very beautiful young lady from one of the top families, who wants to be a newspaper reporter instead of a wife, and a good looking, very rich, young man with a dubious background. Add a mysterious Robin Hood like thief, stealing from the rich to give to the poor, and we have the makings of an excellent story.

I enjoyed it all very much. I thought the two main characters, Genevieve and Daniel, made a delightful team, and I look forward very much to seeing their future exploits.

It took me a little bit of time to settle into this book, but I soon found myself quite enjoying it. Set in New York in the late 1880's, Genevieve is not doing what is expected of her, but trying to advance her career as a journalist and identify the thief who purportedly steals from the rich to give to the poor.
She soon finds herself in a dangerous situation and dealing with the handsome and mysterious Danny McCaffery. What exactly is he trying to hide?
This book neatly brings together, historical fiction, romance and mystery, A charming first in a series, I look forward to reading more. Thank you Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for the opportunity to read this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

1888 New York. Journalist Polly Palmer becomes friends with the very rich, very handsome Daniel McCaffrey as they investigate thefts, corruption, and murder in New York.
Unfortunately the story just didn't catch my imagination. I tend to find journalists annoying and Genevieve aka Polly Palmer was really no different and I found her somewhat unlikable.
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Deception by Gaslight by Kate Belli was an engaging beginning to a new historical mystery series.

Ms. Belli's writing was descriptive throughout the book and made New York City during the "Gilded Age" and the characters come to life. I admired Genevieve's grit and determination to make a life for herself outside of her family's wealthy society status. Daniel McCaffrey is a mystery to the denizens of society but the author begins to peel back the layers to this character as the story progresses. Genevieve and Daniel worked well together once a foundation of trust was established. A smoothly paced plot that twisted as blackmail, greed and secrets were revealed until the dramatic reveal. I hope the author will share more about the secondary characters, Rupert and Esme in the next book.

What a great start to a new series! I loved the era, setting, and the characters. The plot was good and well written.
Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

There is something mysterious and wonderful about Gilded Age mysteries and this one was no exception. The characters were terrific and I look forward to their continued growth. The mystery was fantastic and well crafted.

A nicely-paced historical mystery, set in a backdrop of mid-1800s New York. It was time I get my hands on a historical fiction, as I haven't done so in a while. And a mystery too! Two birds with one stone. I've been really into historical mystery recently. Being able to immerse myself in suspense as everything unravels while appreciating the beauty of the past — well, as much as possible amidst the murder and corruption that have been made so apparent in this book — can get pretty addictive.

A thief who calls themselves Robin Hood has made quite a name for themselves, stealing from the rich to help the poor. Genevieve Stewart, a young woman who hails from Astor 400 and a reporter, is determined to follow through with this story. But when she finds herself in the Five Points neighbourhood after following a group of men, she finds a dead body. One of those men whom she had followed decides to save her. To her surprise, days later, she meets him again at a ball. Daniel McCaffrey is a known man to all (except for her, apparently), having inherited a fortune. As Genevieve continues her investigation, she begins to wonder if Mr McCaffrey is the Robin Hood she has been looking for. But as more cases of murders appear, it is obvious that something more sinister has reared its head.

When I began reading this, I could already feel myself drawn to it. The situation that Genevieve landed herself in was interesting, and it was a good way to introduce the main characters. Daniel and Genevieve are likeable, and so are all the others that would come on thereafter. What I thought was exciting was made more so once it passed the ~30% mark. I would say everything was nicely paced, every scene written not to be wasted, but to bring the mystery one more step forward to closure. Absolutely fantastic. Oh, and that slow-burn romance, though quite insignificant, was a nice addition to the whole plot.

Deception by Gaslight is a wonderful start to a new series. I couldn’t put this book down once I started reading. The characters are amazing and the story is unique and suspenseful. Loved every page of it. I will definitely be adding this series to my list of must reads!

This book tries to be like the Alienist series with Caleb Carr or appeal to readers of the Gaslight Mystery series by Victoria Thompson. It misses the mark. It is not as well written and the characters are stereotypical and not compelling. I couldn't make it past the first few chapters as my TBR pile is huge. If I am not compelled to read a book in the first chapter or two I set it aside.

That being said, readers who enjoy, like mysteries that take place during this time of the Knickerbockers and Teddy Roosevelt will lap this book up. A modern day "Robin Hood" and a high class "lady" reporter struggling to get to the bottom of a mystery and help the down trodden appeals to the heart

I could not put this historical mystery down! Wonderful setting, great characters and a mystery that kept me guessing right up until the end. I'm delighted that this is the first in a new series because I want to see more of Daniel and Genevieve. I loved the Robin Hood part of the mystery -- that was creative and added to the plot twists. Great mystery -- will be wonderful for people to read in October!

I'm sorry, but this book is not for me. I really wanted to like it since I love this era, but I just couldn't get into it. The writing was not my style. This is only my preference and I'm sure other people would enjoy this style of writing.

Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I was intrigued by the title and brief description of Deception by Gaslight and am so glad I read it! Genevieve and Daniel are such interesting characters and the secondary characters were well done. It interweaves so many interesting elements from New York's Gilded era and make a very interesting story. From Genevieve's unconventional family and career aspirations to Daniel's Irish immigrant roots and sudden elevation to NYC Society to the actual crimes themselves the story is excellent. I look forward to the next Gilded Gotham mystery.

I really enjoyed this book, it was a light read but had a good storyline and enough mystery to keep me turning pages. It falls into a familiar genre of Victorian era or at least English female heroine who wants more than society will allow her who meets a dashing man, sometimes a gentleman but always a troubled soul, and they set off to solve mysteries. The ending does you leave you wanting more and looking forward to next book in the series,

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review,.

I felt like overall, this book was fine. It didn't blow me away - the way women are treated, while historically accurate, felt tired and a lot of Genevieve's desires stemmed from the fact that she had a cancelled engagement and was destined to be a spinster. It felt like outside of that cancelled relationship and her desire to be a reporter, there wasn't much to her character. Daniel's character was a little more interesting and well developed by contrast. The mystery itself relied on the author, through one character's suspicions, casting all of the blame on a single character for most of the story and the plot twists felt unsupported due to a lack of detail leading up to it. I thought the mystery and the writing were fine but, again, nothing spectacular. The pacing was a little difficult at times as the book alternated between investigative scenes and scenes at parties that had little to do with the plot nor helped develop characters in a stronger way.