Murder in
Little Italy
A Gaslight Mystery
Victoria Thompson
“Victoria Thompson shines . . .
Anne Perry and Caleb Carr fans rejoice!”
—Tamar Myers, author of Thou Shalt Not Grill
Praise for the Edgar® Award–nominated Gaslight Mysteries
MURDER ON LENOX HILL
“Ms. Thompson is skilled at dialogue . . . and this dialogue moves the book along quickly. [Murder on Lenox Hill]
grabs one’s interest early, especially since the crimes seem so unsolvable.”
—The Washington Times
“Well-crafted . . . Good plot twists and a highly satisfactory wrap up mark this as the work of a master of the period mystery.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Transports the reader back in time . . . Victoria Thompson’s Gaslight Mysteries are first-rate, with a vivid historical setting and a hero and heroine that will keep readers eagerly returning to Sarah Brandt’s New York City.”
—The Mystery Reader
“A tremendous entry in one of the best historical series.”
—Midwest Book Review
continued . . .
“Entertaining and well-written. The pace is very fast and the mystery is particularly rewarding.” —Roundtable Reviews
“A fine turn-of-the-twentieth-century historical.”
—Library Journal
MURDER ON MARBLE ROW
“Cleverly plotted . . . provides abundant fair play and plenty of convincing period detail. This light, quick read engages the readers’ emotions.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Engaging characters . . . an enjoyable read.”
—Margaret Frazer, author of The Traitor’s Tale
“Victoria Thompson has a knack for putting the reader inside her character’s heads, and her detailed descriptions of New York at the turn of the century bring the setting vividly to life.”
—Kate Kingsbury, author of Slay Bells
MURDER ON MULBERRY BEND
“An exciting intrigue of murder, deception, and bigotry.
Gangs of New York eat your heart out—this book is the real thing.”
—Mystery Scene
“A thrilling, informative, challenging mystery.”
—The Drood Review of Mystery
“There are few mysteries set back in history that I enjoy reading. This mystery series is one of those. The characters and settings are so real . . . I highly recommend this book and series.”
—The Best Reviews
MURDER ON WASHINGTON SQUARE
“Victoria Thompson’s Gaslight Mysteries are always . . .
exciting treats to read.”
—BookBrowser
MURDER ON GRAMERCY PARK
“The inclusions of [historical] facts make this novel . . . su-perior to most of those found in the subgenre . . . The lead protagonists are a winning combination.”
—BookBrowser
MURDER ON ST. MARK’S PLACE
Nominated for the Edgar® Award
“Lovers of history, mystery, and romance won’t be disappointed. Exciting . . . Will hold the reader in thrall.”
—Romantic Times
MURDER ON ASTOR PLACE
Nominated for the Best First Mystery Award by Romantic Times magazine
“Victoria Thompson is off to a blazing start with Sarah Brandt and Frank Malloy in Murder on Astor Place. I do hope she’s starting at the beginning of the alphabet. Don’t miss her first tantalizing mystery.”
—Catherine Coulter, New York Times
bestselling author of Born to Be Wild
“A marvelous debut mystery with compelling characters, a fascinating setting, and a stunning resolution. It’s the best mystery I’ve read in ages.”
—Jill Churchill, author of Who’s Sorry Now?
Gaslight Mysteries by Victoria Thompson
murder on astor place
murder on st. mark’s place
murder on gramercy park
murder on washington square
murder on mulberry bend
murder on marble row
murder on lenox hill
murder in little italy
murder in chinatown
Murder in
Little Italy
A Gaslight Mystery
Victoria Thompson
With love to all my Italian relatives, living in this world and the next.
Thanks for giving me such an interesting and delightful heritage!
Sarah Brandt was just clearing away the luncheon dishes when she heard someone ringing her front doorbell. She felt a small stab of disappointment, and when she looked down at the little girl helping her carry dishes to the sink, she saw that disappointment mirrored in her brown eyes. They’d both been looking forward to a quiet afternoon playing with baby dolls, but now a real baby’s arrival was probably going to ruin those plans.
“Should I get it, Mrs. Brandt?” Maeve asked. Maeve worked as a nursemaid for the child Sarah had begun to think of as her daughter.
“No, I’ll go. You two can finish up here,” she said, taking off her apron. Sarah smiled down at little Aggie, who made a disgusted face. She knew a knock at the door most often meant Sarah had to go off to help deliver someone’s baby.
Aggie didn’t like it, but she also couldn’t stop Sarah from going. Sarah had explained many times that it was how she earned her living and paid for their food and clothes and home.
Sarah dropped a kiss on Aggie’s silken head and then hurried to answer the persistent ringing of the bell. As she’d suspected, a young man stood at the door, looking anxious.
“Mrs. Brandt, can you come? The baby, he’s coming soon.”
“Mr. Ruocco, isn’t it?” Sarah asked, recognizing him as one of the three handsome brothers she remembered. “From Mama’s Restaurant.”
“Yes, that’s right,” he confirmed. Mama’s was one of the most popular restaurants in Little Italy. Sarah had enjoyed many fine meals there. “I’m Joe. Can you come? Right away?”
“Of course. I’ll just need a few minutes to get ready.
Please, have a seat,” she offered, inviting him into the front room that served as her office.
He didn’t sit down, though. They never did. Instead he stood shifting his weight from one foot to the other, rest-lessly, as if his constant motion would hurry her along.
With practiced ease, Sarah checked her medical bag—the one that had belonged to her late husband, Dr. Tom—to make sure all her necessary supplies were packed. Then she went and changed into her working clothes, the dark skirt and jacket that didn’t show the stains. Mr. Ruocco helped her with her cape and offered to carry her bag for her.
When Sarah called out that she was leaving, Aggie came running for a good-bye kiss and to give Sarah another pout, just to let her know how much she’d be missed. Even after she and Mr. Ruocco had made their exit, Aggie ran to the front window and pressed her nose against the glass to give Sarah one last wave.
Sarah waved back, her heart so full of love she thought it might burst. Aggie had brought so much joy into her life since she’d found her several months ago at the Prodigal Son Mission on Mulberry Street. Still, Sarah couldn’t help worrying. The child had only spoken twice since the day she’d turned up on the mission doorstep. The first time was to call out a warning to save Sarah’s life, and the other was when Sarah had overheard her telling young Brian Malloy that her real name was Catherine. Aggie must have thought that was safe to do, since Brian was deaf. Sarah hadn’t yet had the courage to admit she knew Aggie’s secret. She’d been hoping Aggie would choose to speak on her own before she had to do so, but she was beginning to think that wouldn’t happen.