31 Bond Street

Based on a true-crime story from mid-nineteenth century New York, this novel has some fascinating characters: Oakley Hall, the corrupt Tweed Ring district attorney who prosecutes Emma Cunningham for the savage murder of her landlord and possible fiancé, Dr. Burdell (the victim and the accused both pretty nasty pieces of work), and the crusading defense lawyer who gets Emma off (but is never quite sure she is innocent). The plotting is tight and compelling, and there are wonderful period details. But the writing is wooden, and Adam Grupper's narration, while not bad, is sometime sloppy ("jewlerry" for "jewelry"), his dialogue unconvincing. Not quite a whodunit nor yet a courtroom thriller, this is still an absorbing picture of life and death in old New York. B.G. (c) AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine

February 1, 2010
A real-life New York City murder case provides the basis for Horan's impressive fiction debut, which works better as a historical novel than as a whodunit. In 1857, Manhattan is horrified and fascinated by a grisly crime—the murder of dentist Harvey Burdell, found on his office floor stabbed more than a dozen times and with his throat cut. The ambitious district attorney, Oakey Hall, who's linked with the Tammany Hall political machine, quickly focuses on Emma Cunningham as the prime suspect. Cunningham, the victim's housekeeper, claims that she and Burdell were secretly married. Her sole hope for avoiding conviction for murder is crusading defense attorney Henry Clinton. Horan alternates deftly between the present and flashbacks to Cunningham's past, capturing both the complex inner lives of her characters and the feel of the times. She also creates exciting courtroom scenes, but some may find the mystery's resolution disappointing.

April 1, 2010
Emma Cunningham stands accused of the brutal murder of dentist Harvey Burdell in 1857 New York City. As his housekeeper at 31 Bond Street, she had ample opportunity to break into his private study and stab him; as his discarded mistress and a victim of his financial shenanigans, she had compelling reasons for revenge. Emma was in trouble, with two teenage daughters to marry off and rapidly disappearing funds. But would killing Burdell save her and her family from ruin? Criminal lawyer Henry Clinton takes on the case and quickly finds himself in over his head. VERDICT Inspired by true events, Horan's solid effort is more suited to readers of historical novels than to mystery fans. Although the period detail and descriptions of New York City are carefully drawn, her slow pace and unsympathetic characters fail to transform this debut into the gripping tale of suspense that such a true crime deserves, and comparisons to Caleb Carr are unwarranted. [See Prepub Alert, "LJ" 12/09; ebook edition ISBN 978-0-06-196937-9; 60,000-copy first printing.]Laurel Bliss, San Diego State Univ. Lib.

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