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A fire destroys a church rectory in Brooklyn in 1915 and a valuable painting is lost, a Raphael, but was it arson to disguise the theft of the painting? A pacifist running for Congress in Brooklyn receives a death threat, but when he ignores it, his young son is kidnapped and threatened with a gruesome end unless the father drops out of the race. A violinist for the Metropolitan Opera is charged with the murder of another musician in the orchestra, but he vows he had nothing to do with it, that he is being railroaded because he is an Italian national.
John Nolan, a private detective and a recent immigrant from Ireland, is drawn into all three cases, challenging his investigative skills and, ultimately, his intuition about people’s innocence or guilt. Set during the years of World War I, when America was swelling with newly arrived residents, when bigotry, poverty, and corruption in government were rampant, these three novellas offer a sharply drawn, realistic view of life nearly a century ago in New York City.
Pre-publication reviews for THE FIRE IN THE RECTORY:
- 5 out of 5 stars - Set in the 1910s, the book captures the time and place beautifully … Each tale has twists and turns I could never manage to predict. Was the fire an accident or arson? Is Mr. Hughes truly the sort of man he seems? If the most obvious suspect did indeed commit the murder, where is his weapon? I didn’t even try to guess the answers to these questions but merely let the story take me along for the ride. MANHATTAN BOOK REVIEW
Engrossing … One of Fire in the Rectory’s strengths lies in its historical accuracy, which brings the era and its culture to life … All the stories excel in a fine balance of whodunit, politics, cultural inspection, and a sense of 1900s America. THE MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW
Those who like an old-fashioned mystery with a dose of historical realism will enjoy these stories … All three offer a vibrant sample of what life in New York City, just after the turn of the century, could offer. THE BOOK REVIEW DIRECTORY
Praise for THE DUTTON GIRL, The first book in this series of John Nolan detective novels
A classic whodunit … The author does a fantastic job at intertwining historical facts though this story. - Reader Views
Deftly entertaining … Certain to be an immediate and popular addition to both the personal reading list of dedicated mystery buffs and community library mystery/suspense collections. - Midwest Book Review
