As I started reading this novel, I felt such ‘Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’ vibes, which I loved!
Takes place in 1953, pre social media, pre cell phones, so the detail to fact finding, and problem solving is extra intriguing. I love cozy mysteries, and this one is just that! Perfect read for a night in by the fire, or if you’re lucky.. at the Catskills.
I have read so much about the Catskills, have seen it on social media and shows, and I’ve always wanted to visit. There’s definitely a mystery to the Catskills, and writing a novel that takes place there is a must!
This mystery is the first in it’s series, and I know you’ll enjoy it as much as I did, I can’t wait to continue the series!

In the summer of 1953 Elizabeth Grady has her work cut out for her. Her mother inherited the Haggerman’s Catskills Resort and Elizabeth is the manager. It’s up to her to make sure the resort is a rousing success, but when a resort guest turns up dead on their property, she fears the hotel will be closed before it ever gets started.

When the police find The Communist Manifesto in the deceased’s room, Elizabeth must prove that it had nothing to do with her. That doesn’t stop her guests from gossiping. Elizabeth fears the resort might not have a chance to prove its innocence.

This is the first of a series by one of my favorite cozy mystery authors. The author has a great talent to paint the picture which draws readers right into the story. It’s been a long time since I’ve been to the Catskills, but the author did a great job describing the setting and describing the clothes of the era.

Elizabeth is a wonderful, strong character. She is easy for me to like and root for. Even her supporting crew were likeable, funny and quirky. I loved them all.

It’s a fast-paced mystery which had a shocking-to-me ending. I definitely didn’t see that coming. It is written in a clever, crisp, and exciting way. I can’t say enough about this one. It’s one of my favorites of the year. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.






FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed a free Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.

Haggerman's Catskills Resort in Summervale, New York is the perfect mountain destination for city folks seeking an escape from the oppressive summer heat. Days are spent participating in outdoor activities and lounging by the pool; and evenings are the time to dress to the nines while enjoying cocktails, dancing, and shows. Regardless of time of day, another major activity is gossiping--and the discovery of Harold Westenham's lifeless body in the lake provides lots to talk about. This being no accidental drowning, everyone wants to know, who killed the mysterious guest in Cabin 19, a retired college professor who was writing a novel during his stay? And what was the motive? Manager Elizabeth Grady must do major damage control before the incident impacts the resort's reputation and viability.

In the two years since Elizabeth's mother--former star of the stage and screen Olivia Peters--inherited Haggerman's, they have worked hard to attract both a loyal staff and customer base, despite competing with popular nearby hotels that aren't beyond using dirty tactics to cut into Haggerman's business. The current situation gives the competition more ammunition, and rumors have the community in an uproar. Is the killer another guest, someone from the area, or a person from the victim's past? With the help of close staff members, Elizabeth sets a trap to catch the killer, putting both her personal safety and business on the line.

Vicki Delany--no stranger to creating successful cozy mystery series--has done it again, introducing a new setting and intriguing cast of personalities. In Deadly Summer Nights, she revives the Catskills of the 1950's--then a moderately glamorous nearby getaway that New Yorkers flocked to every summer. The story is rich in period detail--bringing back to life the fashion, customs, attitudes, and politics of the time. The plot of the mystery is slow-burning, with carefully placed red herrings and clues that keep readers engaged. With signature style, Delany delivers a small town vibe, strongly investing in character development, creating humorous moments, and building relationships that lay the ground work for future installments of the series. All in all, this series is a welcome addition to the genre from one of the great storytellers in the field, and I eagerly await the next book.

Elizabeth Grady is managing a Catskills resort called Haggerman's in 1953. Her mother, a retired actress, is the owner, but Elizabeth is doing the day to day work. When a guest is murdered, she becomes involved in solving the mystery. There are lots of details about day to day life at the resort, and even a little possible romance for Elizabeth.

I wanted to read this mystery because I love historic mysteries and am fascinated by the Catskills. I never pass up a book, movie, or TV show set in this locale.

Deadly Summer Nights is a delightful read. The author does a wonderful job at establishing a sense of time and place. There are so many fascinating little details, like this description which involved retro food:

"I followed him across the lobby, up the grand staircase, and into the ballroom. The orchestra was having a break, and the lines at the bar and the food table were long. An angel food cake covered with a thick layer of pink icing dotted with maraschino cherries, platters of Rice Krispie squares, and a glistening pineapple upside-down cake were tonight’s offerings. More than a few of our guests took a piece of everything on offer. Some helped themselves to more than one piece of each" (eBook location 708).

The mystery is well plotted, with a number of plausible suspects. I figured the killer out about the same time Elizabeth did. There is a large cast of characters which led to a slightly slower read - but that just gave me a little extra time to enjoy the book!

Elizabeth is a fun amateur detective. She's very smart and enlists the help of her lifelong friend Velvet in solving the mystery.

I highly recommend Deadly Summer Nights to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, and most especially to readers who enjoy Mid-Century settings and retro Catskills. I look forward to upcoming books in this series.

This was such a good book! I love a good mystery, def a must read. It’s perfect for fall, def worth a read.

Vicki Delany is a prolific cozy mystery writer. She writes under her name and in the name of Eva Gates, several different cozy series' and I have read a total of four of her books, two from her Tea By the Sea Mystery series, one from her Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery series and this one, Deadly Summer Nights. This Catskill Summer Resort series might well turn out to be another of my favourite series.

The period (1950s) detail is fascinating and the name of the resort, Haggerman's is an inspiration. The reader is soon introduced to Elizabeth Grady and also gets to learn a thing or two about running a summer resort. With some expert character creation from Vicki Delany, I wanted to learn a great deal more about them all, especially Elizabeth, Velvet and Lucinda. Elizabeth is a widow and is for the time being, happy and content with her lot. She makes a strong protagonist and is very smart so is good for the holiday resort business. Lucinda McGreevy works at the Red Spot Diner and is Elizabeth's new friend. Elizabeth's mum, Olivia Peters is a Broadway diva and her Aunt Tatiana has housekeeping responsibilities. Elizabeth's BFF Velvet (wonderful name) McNally also works at the resort as the director of outdoor recreation and helps with the mystery-solving and Winston the English bulldog has a great part to play also. But hold on... who wants guests like formidable Mrs Brownville? So, Deadly Summer Nights boasts an impressive cast who I will hopefully see again in book two!

Entertaining throughout, Vicki Delany's writing talent is undoubtedly illuminated in this tale of mystery, so give it a whirl. It's a winning combination of history, drama, mystery, humour and friendship, with the potential for some romance. The conclusion was a good one and unexpected.

Thanks to Great Escapes Book Tours, Vicki Delany and Berkley for a complimentary copy of Deadly Summer Nights at my request. This review is my unbiased opinion.

“A Catskills Summer Resort Mystery, book 1

It`s Summer of 1953, we are at Haggerman’s Catskilss Resort, a getaway vacation paradise, run by Elizabeth Grady an owner/manager eager to organize her guests and entertain them with different activities: food, drinks, pool, mountain hikes and lake activities....all the amenities one with expect in a high end resort...Everything went smooth sailing till a reclusive guest is found dead in a lake on the ground.....

This cozy mystery moves at a modulate pacing: moody at times and raging mad at others. Live running a resort brings all kind of challenges and death of a guest isn’t something you want broadcast less the rumours that your hotel is a communist hotbed. Elizabeth gets involved in solving the murder and squashing all bad mouthing running wild...the resort and the employees’ wellbeing are at stake.

We meet all kinds of people through the story from chambermaid, cooks, garden attendants, the media folks , of course police officials coming in out doing their things or should have and not forgetting the next door resort competitor to add spice to the story. The author vividly set the scene through her setting and her characters and transports us back in time to the 1950’s when men wore tuxedo or well-cut suit, women were full of glitters and children were disciplined.

I love to take a break from time to time from exhausting read and I know Ms. Delany’s style will provide another original, exiting and smoothly said mystery that is not taxing. I was never disappointed in the past and with this latest I stayed captivated from the opening page till I flipped the last one. This is a good start for this new series.

Author Vicki Delany has become a prolific cozy mystery writer. Under her own name and the pseudonym Eva Gates, she writes five cozy series. My favorites? I first learned about her from reading her excellent Canadian police procedural series featuring Constable Molly Smith. My favorite of her cozy series is her Sherlock Holmes Bookshop series. Now with Deadly Summer Nights, I think I'm going to be adding another favorite: this Catskill Summer Resort series.

The period detail is fantastic, and the name of the resort, Haggerman's, had me singing Kellerman's end-of-season song from Dirty Dancing. As readers follow Elizabeth Grady around, they learn a lot about the running of a summer resort. It ain't easy, especially when there are guests like Mrs. Brownville on site.

Delany has created a well-defined, interesting cast of characters that you want to learn more about-- something that seems as easy to her as breathing, although I'm sure it's not. Elizabeth is a widow and content to remain that way for the time being. Her mother, Olivia, is a Hollywood/Broadway diva who can actually be useful from time to time. Her Aunt Tatiana is in charge of housekeeping, and her best friend Velvet McNally also works at the resort. Elizabeth's also made a friend in town. Lucinda, who works in the diner, is always in the know, so readers know she's going to be a good friend to have in future mysteries. Even Winston the bulldog has a part to play in the goings-on.

Between the setting, the mystery, and the characters, I was entertained throughout, and I'm definitely looking forward to the next book in the series. Oh, by the way-- that last line of Deadly Summer Nights? I loved it!

Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Daniele

Readers will find Deadly Summer Nights a breath of fresh air (smoking references aside) in a cozy/historical mystery market flooded with Victorian through WWII settings. It moves the calendar forward to 1953, and though the war is still a fresh memory, the west has moved on to another enemy – Russia – and the air is ripe with McCarthy Era Communist paranoia. A solid sense of place and time, well drawn characters, and a clever murder mystery come together to make a wildly entertaining read.

Elizabeth is a war widow and runs the day-to-day operations of her mother’s resort in the Catskills. Haggerman’s Resort (think Dirty Dancing or, more recently, Season 2 of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) is idyllic, but it is Elizabeth’s mother Olivia, a dance star of stage and screen, that is the draw, and who Elizabeth relies on to smooth over any guests’ ruffled feathers. And, boy, are there ruffled feathers when one of the guests is found deceased in the lake. When the local chief of police starts spouting off that the murdered guest was a communist and calls in the FBI, Elizabeth looks to find the truth before the reputation of the resort and their livelihood is completely ruined.

Author Vicky Delany’s meticulous attention to period details and vivid descriptions really transports readers to the Catskill Mountains in the nineteen-fifties. Deadly Summer Nights is the perfect summer escapist reading. The story moves along at a fairly brisk pace and is engaging from first to last page. There are plenty of clues and red herrings to keep this reader guessing throughout. I was gobsmacked by the climactic revelation of the killer’s identity.

I really like Elizabeth. She is strong, intelligent, and determined to make Haggerman’s a success. She faces plenty of sexual discrimination true to the era from a rival resort owner, the police chief, and the FBI, but she handles it all with aplomb and maturity. She is surrounded by a strong core of supporting characters (more formidable women and progressive thinking men), and I quite adore her Aunt Tatiana and her bulldog Winston. Olivia is rather shallow and sometimes oblivious, but I cannot help but enjoy her diva attitude. Elizabeth’s best friend and resort outdoor activities director Velvet makes a wonderful sidekick. The victim’s nephew Jim is appealing, as is the rival resort’s son Richard.

Deadly Summer Nights is a real treat sure to please armchair travelers and historical mystery lovers alike. Highly recommended.

Deadly Summer Nights is the debut of A Catskill Summer Resort Mystery series. Vicki Delany transports readers back to the 1950s to Haggerman’s Catskills Resort. Olivia Peters, Elizabeth’s mother inherited Haggerman’s from an admirer. Olivia is not the type to run a resort which is why she convinced her daughter, Elizabeth to manage it. Elizabeth goes out of her way to ensure her guests have a swell time. I enjoyed the lush descriptions of summer in the Catskills at Haggerman’s. I just loved the vivid word imagery of the threads worn by the ladies especially the evening and cocktail dresses. Elizabeth Grady is a strong female protagonist who is smart and has a good head for business. There is a great cast of characters that includes Elizabeth’s best friend, Velvet. Aunt Tatiana is head of housekeeping who brought Winston, an English bulldog with her. Winston is a cute, waddling bulldog who manages to get the run of the resort despite Elizabeth’s attempts to corral him. The author captured the time period with the clothing (Velvet was the ginchiest), vehicles, food (anyone for Jell-o salad), alcoholic beverages (a pink squirrel anyone), attitudes (I just not worry my little head over the death and just head back to the kitchen), and behaviors. I did feel that the language missed the mark just a touch. It could have been more retro with some more slang thrown in. I truly appreciate that there was no foul language or back seat bingo in this story. The mystery was intriguing. We are lucky that Olivia did not flip her lid. A guest is found dead in the river and the local chief of police believes the death is related to communism. Elizabeth is not really interested in solving the crime. But she soon finds herself involved. People talk to her and Elizabeth tends to stumble upon clues. Gossip runs rampant at the resort, but it is not word from the bird (the whole truth). Making the victim out to be a Red certainly with the paranoia in the 1950s. The reveal was dramatic and complete. The author ends the story with readers wanting more. There is a hint of romance for Elizabeth. I do not know when this poor woman would find time to date with all that she does at the resort during the season. I bet you are tired of listening to me, so I had better cut the gas. Deadly Summer Nights razzed my berries with a wet rag pursuer, a comedian with a good bit, a goof dishwasher, a lumpy magician, a jazzed bartender, the heat with a Mickey Mouse idea, a peachy keen manager, and a killer lighting up the tilt sign.

Deadly Summer Nights is the first book in the Catskill Summer Resort Mystery series by Vicki Delany, and I look forward to reading more.

Ms. Delany is a new author to me, but I was engaged from the first page to the last. This cozy mystery has a multitude of characters, plot twists, an amateur sleuth, and a mystery to be solved with lots of red herrings thrown in the way.

Set in the early ’50s in the Catskills at a kitschy resort, the book resonated with me since my family went to a similar resort for long weekends for about ten years. It was easy to visualize the locations, the passageways, the different activities and entertainment, the food and drink along with the mountains, the pool, and the lake since it is reminiscent of many such hotels in the area. Some were even mentioned along with similar small towns, bungalow colonies, and even the roads to get there, which were easy to envision.

Elizabeth Grady has her hands full running the resort her mother inherited. Her mother only gets involved when her fame as a dancer is needed to placate guests or move their thoughts elsewhere and away from the murder committed on site. The police and even the FBI, who are called in to help, don’t seem to be doing much to solve the case. Elizabeth doesn’t need rumors swirling about that Haggerman’s is a communist hotbed, has an unsolved murder with a murderer on the loose, or is a resort that’s going to go under and leave people out of work. All isn’t as it seems, and many of the supporting characters have their own agendas, or so it seems. Elizabeth decides to solve the mystery herself and some of her staff’s help, much to her mother’s chagrin, and does just that!

We get to meet key employees woven throughout the story and some of the people staying at the hotel. We see Elizabeth, her mother, and her aunt who raised her, who’s in charge of housekeeping, in action. There is depth to the characters and layers to the story as a result. There are some love interests for Elizabeth and others, but this is far from a romance, and those parts of the story only scratch the surface. All in all, a neatly tied up whodunnit with nice closure.

This book set at a Catskill resort in the 1950s instantly took me to another place and time. It reminded me of one of my favorite movies as a teenager, Dirty Dancing, and how everything was provided for the guests including food, entertainment, exercise, socializing, etc. I liked Elizabeth and how involved she was in the goings on at the hotel and with the mystery. The characters were great, especially Velvet, and I loved the descriptions of the clothes that everyone was wearing. It created a vivid picture as I was reading. The conclusion to the mystery was unexpected, but made sense. This is a great start to a new series.

I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A pleasant start to a new series that is set in a resort in the Catskill Mountains in New York after World War II. Elizabeth is managing the Haggerman's Resort that was inherited by her famous dancer/actress mother. The two women are trying to make the resort successful, in spite of the obvious problems they encounter as business women in the 1950s. When a man is killed on their property, and communism is a possible motive, the local sheriff calls in the FBI, thereby drawing much unwanted attention to the resort. The story drags a bit as the author sets the scene and introduces the characters, but the setting and timeframe are unusual enough that I will return for additional reads in the future. Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing an ARC.

I love starting a new cozy mystery series, so I was very excited when I discovered Vicki Delany's new Catskill Summer Resort Mystery series. The books she writes as both Vicki Delany and Eva Gates are among my favorites. I get lost in her books, and they give me new places to escape to when this crazy world gets me down.

The Catskills....I've never been there, but I know it was the place for city dwellers to escape during the time period in which Deadly Summer Nights is set. I mean, I've seen Dirty Dancing at least a dozen times, so that sort of qualifies me as an expert. If you've seen the movie, you can picture the setting very easily. Small white cabins where the staff stayed; a lake; lots of trees; the dance hall.  It's a place like this that Elizabeth Grady is in charge of running. When her mother inherited Haggerman's, she needed her daughter's business sense to keep the place afloat. It's squeaking by, but then a guest is murdered and things go crazy!

I'll admit, it did take me a little while to get into the book. Sometimes it is that way with first books in a new series. Deadly Summer Nights takes place during a unique time period, and the mindset of the people who lived during this time period plays a big part in the mystery. So, as a reader, you've got to remember that during this unique period, fear of communists infiltrating the US was a big thing. Once I was able to settle into the story, I couldn't stop reading this brilliant cozy mystery book!

The main characters' personalities become very clear throughout Deadly Summer Nights. I found them to be very well-written, and I really bonded with them. They seem like a close-knit family even though only Elizabeth, her mother, and her aunt are blood relatives. I like that other potential regulars are introduced in the book, and there may even be some future romances. Of course, there's bound to be "romantic" drama, and one particular side character seems to be involved in a lot of it! This drama leads to a really hilarious departure scene.

I absolutely loved figuring out whodunit along with Elizabeth and her cohorts. There are so many red herrings that you're bound to end up at the bottom of the lake looking at the wrong one several times! The mystery is just so well-plotted! If I didn't have so many books to read, I'd probably go back and read it again just so I can fit all of the puzzle pieces together! This is such a wonderful cozy mystery, and I highly recommend Deadly Summer Nights to all of you who love solving them!

DEADLY SUMMER NIGHTS by Vicki Delany
The First Catskill Summer Resort Mystery

Summer in the Catskills is about relaxing, eating and drinking well, and being entertained. Unless, of course, you're the woman in charge. For Elizabeth Grady it's about managing staff, paying bills, and placating guests while her mother provides a star's panache. Haggerman's Catskill Resort is in its second year and despite machinations from nearby Kennelwood resort, is doing well. Their modest success could be at an end though when a guest is found murdered. Not believing the quiet man was actually writing a novel the chief of police cries "Reds!" and starts implying that Haggerman's is a hotbed of communists while calling in the FBI. Elizabeth will have to minimize the damage that red scare gossip causes or else this summer in the Catskills may be her last!

DEADLY SUMMER NIGHTS is a great start to a new series. Strong female characters in a world that tries to belittle them stand out as they reach for their own success. The mystery was unique and the path to its solution ingenious. While the book started slowly, once Elizabeth figured out what was going on, it was a thrilling rush to the end.

The patronizing attitude of the men and the haze of cigarette smoke brought the 1950s to life while simultaneously making me happy I didn't have to live through it, although I wouldn't have minded all the cocktails and associated hors d'oeuvres.

Along with a first rate mystery, plenty of laughs, a little romance, and a sweet bulldog named Winston make DEADLY SUMMER NIGHTS a summertime treat that transports you back in time. Now, who's going to make me a pink squirrel?

Dollycas’s Thoughts

This new series from Vicki Delany takes place in 1953 and features Elizabeth Gray and her mother Olivia Peters. Olivia inherited Haggerman’s Catskills Resort that specializes in A Healthy Outdoor Exercise during the day and The Stars of Entertainment at Night. (Think Hellerman’s from Dirty Dancing.) Elizabeth manages the day-to-day activities and Olivia, a former Hollywood, and Broadway dance star steps in and uses her celebrity status to iron over any problems that arise. They are working hard to make the business a great success but even Olivia can’t intervene when one of the guests is found dead in the lake. The guest had booked the most private cabin for a few weeks and aside from taking nightly walks by the lake no one really ever saw him. His meals were delivered by room service and left at his door and he left the cabin when the maids came to clean.

The local sheriff searched the room and noticed the copy of The Communist Manifesto and called a full stop to his investigation and called in the FBI absolutely sure the dead man was a Russian Spy or communist sympathizer. From what Elizabeth could see of the scene she believes the man was writing a book and that the Manifesto could have been research. She also knows the reputation of the resort is on the line. With little faith in the authorities, she starts her own little investigation while trying to save the resort from any bad publicity but her snooping could prove deadly for herself or someone she cares about.

Vicky Delany has set this series off to a fabulous start. She takes the reader back in time in a very comfortable way. She sets the scene wonderfully with detailed descriptions and brings the area to life featuring a core set of characters along with some of the 400+ guests, 1 talented entertainer, and the nephew of the deceased who wants some answers.

I really liked Elizabeth. A strong sassy woman in a job typically held by a man. She is juggling several duties at the resort and the last thing she needs is a murder on the grounds. She takes that on too without complaint and keeps her wits about her when the men involved in the case basically overlook, dismiss, or completely ignore her due to her gender. She has brought together an excellent staff, some of which are family or have been lifelong friends. They are truly competent and keep the place humming from the children’s swimming lesson to doing the foxtrot at the nightly dances. I was pleased to see another glass ceiling broken when another woman takes on a job normally held by a man and with her excellent abilities she handles the job with ease and flair while still taking care of her other responsibilities. All the characters develop nicely over the course of the story but have plenty of room for growth as the series continues.

Catching the killer wasn’t easy. The author threw a good share of red herrings into the mix, including the owners of a nearby competing resort trying to put Haggerman’s out of business with some dirty deals, but would they murder a man to get ahead? The dead man himself was a mystery until his nephew enlightened Elizabeth and the authorities about his past history. Imagine the timeframe, there are no smartphones, internet, or computers. Solving a murder in 1953 entails actual legwork. knocking on doors, keeping your eyes and ears open, and physically chasing down clues. Ms. Delany plotted out a precise mystery that was so entertaining to follow.

Deadly Summer Nights was filled with interesting characters, some of which innocently brought some truly funny moments. The scene was idyllic for time and the story was filled with drama, friendship, history, mystery, and just a touch of romance. I did feel a little hit over the head with all the references to smoking, drawing the keen difference between the 1950s and the present day. That being said I still felt this story was a Perfect Escape. I was entertained by the whole story and am really looking forward to Deadly Director’s Cut that will be released early next year and my next trip to the Catskills.

This was an entertaining read. I liked Elizabeth and the behind the scenes running of the Catskills resort. Olivia was a fun side character and adds a touch of glamour to the resort and a solid heaping helping of frustration to Elizabeth's life. The mystery was well done and kept me guessing throughout the book.

The atmosphere of the resort was very well done though I did occasionally forget the book takes place in the 1950s - especially at the beginning. This is the first book in a new series with a unique setting and a solid cast of characters. Unfortunately, at times this slows the pacing of the book and kept me from absolutely loving it. That said I did really enjoy it and absolutely can't wait for the next book.

What a great setting for a mystery!

There is a fun group of characters anchored by Elizabeth Grady, daughter of the owner and the lynchpin of the resort. There are other characters we briefly meet in this story and it will be fun to get to know them in future books in the series.

The mystery involves a reclusive guest at the resort who ends up getting murdered. There are several potential suspects and I didn’t guess the true murderer until the end.

For those of you who like a little romance subplot to their cozy mysteries, there wasn’t one in this book. Hopefully Elizabeth will get a romance plotline in future books.

I liked the idea of the all inclusive family resort as the setting for this new series. I liked the MC, not so much her mother, as I've never been a fan of the everyone must do things for me. I realize this is set in a time when it was more common for women to be like this. I can see where it would be even more common for someone in her mother's field. Now that he background has been set for the characters, I look forward to reading other books in the series. The mystery kept me guessing.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

"Deadly Summer Nights" is a cozy mystery set in 1953 in the Catskills. The mystery was clue-based but pretty straight forward, so it's not really a puzzle to solve. There weren't many clues or even suspects. Elizabeth solved it once the final clues were found, and she set a trap to prove whodunit. The main characters were varied and engaging, and the overall story was interesting. Historical details about events, culture, and clothing were woven into the story, giving it a distinct sense of time and place. There was no bad language or sex scenes. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable mystery.