The Ivory City pulls you into the World’s Fair with great details and descriptions. The characters are well written and interesting.

Absolutely stunned by this book. I didn't know the premise of the story and straight away dived into it (like every other other book). It's been a while I've read a murder mystery and this one blew my mind! Especially the last few pages!

I loved the plot was focused on story and not the main character's growth/journey. I also loved how the romance was a subplot rather than overtaking the story. Also the setting of World Fair and the details Emily has put together to create the world is quite intriguing. It's the first time I enjoyed reading the Author's Note too haha.

Would be checking out other works of the author soon!

Thank you NetGalley for the copy!

My romance loving heart lived for Grace & Theo’s banter. Grace is stubborn, fiercely devout to her family, and sports a sharp wit. Theo is broody and aloof. As an aside, I appreciate how the author often paints her MMCs as real people. In this case Theo has a birthmark on his jaw that causes him to be guarded in his relationships.

The mystery was excellent. I suspected the actual killer but I could not stop turning pages to see if my suspicions were correct.

I often long to read murder mysteries and historical fiction in the autumn and this book scratched both those itches with a satisfying ending.

I really liked this! I spent the first 40%-or-so of this very stressed out because I couldn't remember who the victim would be and I didn't want to check the synopsis because it really heightened the INTRIGUE of it all, haha!

Grace as a protagonist was fun to follow, especially as she gained confidence and determination as the story progressed. Her dislike-to-love dynamic with Theo was so entertaining to watch, and her relationship with her cousins was so wholesome. The surrounding cast gave plenty of suspects for the murder but also kept things interesting. And, of course, the backdrop of the World's Fair was fascinating, and clearly portrayed with much research and love.

The mystery did keep me on my toes and the final reveal of whodunnit had me gasping lol. 4 stars from me!

**I received a copy of this book from the publisher. A positive review was not required. All opinions are my own.**

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. A very well researched story set during the 1904 World Fair in Saint Louis. A tale of devotion, friendship and love involving a murder. It kept me guessing and I look forward to reading more from this new to me author.

I really enjoyed this one. The way it kept me on my toes throughout holding on to the suspense till the very end was very thrilling. The romance was refreshing and quite cute with all the banters and yearning. The climax had me screaming it was really unexpected, I kind of guessed a part of it but rest was a quite a surprise. Would recommend it to mystery readers and the ones who want something refreshing.

It was like taking a step back onto the past in my hometown! The authors writing style captivates the mystery and the historical pieces as well. I love this book.

The Ivory City
⭐⭐⭐.5 stars

A historical mystery this was a rather interesting read. We follow Grace who is, well not so accepted in St. Louis high society but her dear cousins, Oliver and Lillie, take her along no matter what. But since they are growing older they have to go their ways and the World's Fair is Grace's last chance to experience this life along with her cousins. But when a well known actress is killed at the fair and the blame is on Oliver, Grace takes the matters into her own hands and does whatever she can to save him.
I liked the setting and how well researched everything in the book was. It was refreshing to see some new historical setting here. The details, the imagery and the author's writing does a wonderful job in bringing everything to life. As for the plot in felt a bit being dragged in the beginning and middle, but from around 60% it picked up the pace and couldn't put it down. Kept me guessing till the end.

For the characters I loved Grace and how clever and quick with her words. From other characters, I loved Oliver and Theo too. I wished Theo had a bit more of character development. But i loved their chemistry and the trope.
🎭🔎📜✨

I always love a story set at one of the World’s Fairs. This story was intriguing and the cover is attention grabbing!

A story told with dazzling prose and deft characterization, THE IVORY CITY unrolls the 1904 St Louis World's Fair before you like a shimmering carpet.
I found myself lost among the exotic, luxurious, and innovative creations of the World's Fair setting. The slow discovery of love in unexpected places. The bond of family and the strength that comes from faith in one another.
But this is not simply an easy tale of splendid ball gowns, dizzying curiosities, and sharp-witted conversation; THE IVORY CITY takes you into the dark side of humanity, touching on addiction, betrayal, and delivering a nail biting murder mystery.
If you like Pride and Prejudice with a little more danger and a legendary setting, THE IVORY CITY is your next read.

This one just didn't get me hooked for some reason. It could have been the writing style or something else, but I just couldn't get through it.

A unique idea but it feels like another book in the wealthy world trope that is so popular. Not my favorite but interesting because of the setting.

The cover is stunning, I love art nouveau art and this fits the story perfectly.
Theo and Grace were a sssssllllllooooowww burn.
The story kept me entertained throughout and the historical aspect were very interesting.
Great story for readers who like slow burn, no spice and historical fiction.

The story is set at the 1904 St. Louis World Fair, a time of glitz and glamor shrouding a secret underbelly of danger and darkness. Our sleuth, Grace Covington, is the daughter of a disgraced high-society woman who married for love instead of wealth. Grace’s cousins, still apart of the upper class, sweep her away into their world, and all seems perfect until one of their friends is murdered and her cousin Oliver is arrested for the crime. Grace determines to prove her cousin’s innocence, no matter the cost for herself.

If you love stories with rich worldbuilding, Pride & Prejudice romance vibes, and red herrings that will keep you guessing (I was shrieking at the end because I thought I knew whodunnit and didn’t!), I highly recommend preordering this book.

4.5 Stars

Quick Plot Summary: In 1904, a young woman named Grace and her cousins Oliver and Lillie are visiting the World's Fair in St. Louis. They meet a few other companions, including the handsome Theo, and begin exploring the beautiful exhibits together as a group. When one of the members of their group dies suddenly, Oliver is framed for murder. Grace, Lillie, and Theo set out on a detective mission to exonerate Oliver. However, they have to carefully avoid traps set in their paths that could make them the next victims. Will they be able to help Oliver clear his name before it's too late? Is there a future for Grace and Theo amidst the chaos of the investigation?

My Impressions: The setting of St. Louis during the 1904 World's Fair was magnificent. I've never read anything about this event, and the author did an excellent job of bringing it to life and incorporating real details that I will remember.

The story itself was overall engaging and only dragged a little for me in the middle. The writing style was plot-driven and had a host of characters, so I had to slow down a bit to keep up with the details of the unfolding story.

Grace and Theo had palatable, slow burn tension and great chemistry together. An enjoyable read that I would highly recommend to fans of clean, romantic historical fiction!

Content Considerations: No profanity (that I can remember), kisses only no spice.

Thank you to Union Square & Co. and NetGalley for the complementary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. My review is my honest opinion and is in no way influenced by the author or publisher.

I'm not usually much of a historical fiction reader, but I love mysteries, and I'm glad I decided to try The Ivory City. The comparison to Devil in the White City, which I thoroughly enjoyed several years ago, was very apt, both in terms of setting and the balance between history and mystery. The glamour and grit of the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair was an immersive setting for a mystery that tangled together the class clashes of high society with a compelling cast of characters.
For me to enjoy a mystery, the clues need to be noticeable, but I like an ending that still surprises me, and this one definitely managed both. I got the validation of having solved one specific clue when it appeared, but the plot twists for the ending still managed to take me by surprise.
I don't usually read historical for the reason that I feel a little too compelled to research every small detail and term to make sure it fits, and there were a few times I wondered if I'd bumped up against an anachronism, but none of them pulled me out of the book and sent me over to a browser for confirmation, so I'd consider that a win.
If you're looking for historical fiction in a unique setting, a cast of complex, multifaceted characters, and a plot that might take a bit of time to pick up steam but then moves full speed ahead to the finale, this book is absolutely worth the read!

Historical fiction plus a mystery plus a lovely romance. Sign me up!

Set during the World’s Fair in St. Louis in 1904, the book follows Grace, a poor but loved friend of her cousins Oliver and Lillie.

Grace navigates her way through St. Louis’ upper crust with Lillie and Oliver’s help, knowing that she’ll have to leave it for a more humble life. The World’s Fair is one last hurrah for her. But all that changes when an actress dies of poisoning and Oliver is accused of her murder.

Driven by her loyalty and love for her cousin, Grace goes digging for the truth.

What I loved most about this book was that Grace was interesting and clever, without ever falling into the “Not Like Other Girls” trope that so many historical novels immediately default to. She hates snobbishness, but she doesn’t disdain beautiful clothes or food or music.

I also like the way that the romance developed. Some misunderstanding and miscommunication … but not in a frustrating way that makes you want to yell at the characters for being stupid. In a realistic and believable way.

One big compliment I can give to a book is when it makes me set aside another book I’m enjoying. This did just that, as I had to see how everything would work out. A very satisfying read.

An exciting setting (the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair) and a delicious Art Nouveau cover make this a promising read, but the delivery could use refinement.

For some unknown reason this title is classified as adult/general fiction. It should be placed soundly in the YA category, due to a distinctly teen voice and a majority of "pre-adult," coming-of-age characters still living with parents or finding their independence. I doubt content is the reason for the classification, as there is very little adult language and while drug use is mentioned, it's handled subtly and appropriately.

My biggest qualm with the book is its anachronistic dialogue. If I hadn't been told, I would not for a moment have suspected the time was 1904. While I didn't research every phrase for its date of first use, this book should have had an editor dedicated to that task. According to a quick internet search, the use of the expression "getting high" to refer to drugs only dates to around 1932. Even then, I would wager it wasn't widespread and certainly not among young ladies. Then there were phrases like "My memory is trashed right now" which pulled me right out of the historical atmosphere.

As to the characters, I enjoyed the unconventionally attractive Theo the most, but wished he could have been developed further. With his distinctive birthmarked appearance and brooding demeanor, he had the makings of a great YA hero. For some reason, for the first half of the novel, I had to keep reminding myself to tell Grace and Lillie apart. Lillie, somehow, did not seem to have as distinct a personality or place in the story as she could have, but maybe that's just me.

The identity of the killer was slightly predictable, but I'll admit I was kept guessing by the abundant red herrings. There was a bit of "villain-splaining" in the climax. Afterwards, the story was tied up a little too neatly.

The book's greatest asset remains the setting. It's a time and place that hasn't been overused in novels yet, and I enjoyed the beautiful descriptions and sense of wonder. Not being an expert in the subject, I can't speak to historical accuracy, but I appreciated the amount of research that seemed to have gone into evoking the setting.

For the proofreading team: I noticed a few minor typos throughout the copy, mostly errant italics.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC copy!

I loved the setting of the World's Fair. Murphy brings it to life, capturing the sense of wonder, magic, and anticipation while not shying away from exposing some of the fair's sadder parts. It's a wonderful backdrop for the story.

The plot is perfect for fans of amateur sleuth stories. There was one small plot element that might have been dropped at the end of the book, but it's likely that I just missed how it connected to the mystery reveal. I read the entire book in three sittings, I think, =)

Theo and Grace's banter was fantastic. I also loved the tight relationships between the cousins. Murphy did a nice job rounding out her cast of characters.

While The Ivory City is marketed as an adult book, I think it has crossover appeal to upper YA readers as well. I really enjoyed this one.

Cautions: seven instances of swearing; three instances of British swearing; brief mentions of drugs, overdoses, and addiction; moderate romance; three kisses; brief mentions of prostitutes; brief moderate violence

You can see that the author has done her research as it is reflected in the story which I can appreciate!

There is attention to detail which you can see in the descriptions of the clothing, facial expressions and body language, food and drinks and the scenery at the fair. However, at the same time it felt a bit repetitive.

Sometimes I forgot Grace was trying to solve a murderer as I was sucked into what they were doing at the fair. You can see that she grows more confident throughout the story as she was dealing with her lower status in a time where status meant everything.

Overall, the end was predictable but it was a good read

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an arc for an honest review