Informationen zum Autor Victoria Thompson Klappentext "Midwife Sarah Malloy and her private investigator husband, Frank, must shine a light on the truth and catch the fiend who killed a young reporter in this new entry in the USA Today bestselling Gaslight Mystery series. Louisa Rodgers is working as a magazine reporter and is hoping midwife Sarah Malloy can help her. New Century Magazine, like Colliers and McClure's, is branching out into investigative articles on pressing social issues. Louisa explains that she is researching the dangers of patent medicines. She had been walking through the neighborhood in search of people addicted to such nostrums to interview when she saw the sign for the clinic. Sarah is only too happy to tell Louisa exactly what she thinks of the so-called medicines that hurt much more than they help. A few days later, Sarah receives a visit from a man who introduces himself as Louisa's father. Bernard Rodgers explains that Louisa has been found strangled in the lobby of the building where New Century has its offices. The police have decided it was a random attack and have made no attempt to investigate, hinting that Louisa got what she deserved for sticking her nose where it didn't belong. Her family found Sarah's card among Louisa's effects, and now it is up to Sarah and Frank to catch a cold-blooded murderer"-- Leseprobe I It's a girl!" Sarah Brandt Malloy held up the squalling infant she had just delivered so the mother could see it. "Poor mite," the woman said wearily, raising her head from the pillows to see better. "I was hoping for a boy. They have an easier time of it in this world." Sarah couldn't argue with that. Males had a lot of advantages, and when you started your life as the illegitimate child of a penniless mother, as this baby was, those advantages helped. "I know you'll do your best for her, Mary," Sarah said. Mary sank back on the pillows and sighed. "I already been doing my best, and if it wasn't for this clinic, I'd have birthed her in an alley." Which was why Sarah had founded the clinic in the first place, to give women like Mary a safe place to have their babies. "Don't lose heart," she said, handing the baby to Miss Kirkwood, one of the other midwives employed at the clinic. "You can stay here until you recover and then we'll help you find a job." Mary didn't reply, but Sarah didn't notice because she was busy massaging Mary's stomach to encourage the delivery of the afterbirth. Miss Kirkwood had cleaned up the baby and wrapped her in a fresh blanket, but when she tried to hand the child to the mother, Mary turned her head away. "Don't. I'm not going to keep her. I can't." "You don't have to decide right now," Sarah said as gently as she could. "As I said, you can stay here until you have your strength back. Then you can decide." But Mary shook her head. "I already decided. It's best for her. I don't want her growing up in the streets like I did." Growing up in an orphanage wouldn't be much better for the child, but Sarah knew better than to argue with a woman whose emotions were still running wild from childbirth. "At least nurse her a little," Sarah urged. "It's for your own good. You'll recover faster if you do." Miss Kirkwood offered the baby again and this time Mary took the tiny bundle, even though she was obviously reluctant. "I don't know what to do," Mary complained. Miss Kirkwood showed her how to put the baby to her breast, and soon the child was suckling happily. "She don't have much hair," Mary observed after a few moments. "It will grow," Miss Kirkwood said, brushing her fingertips over the baby's downy head. "It looks like it will be blond, like yours." Mary didn't exactly smile but her frown relaxed a bit. Sarah said a little prayer that Mary would fall in love with her baby, as most mothers did no matter what thei...

Autorentext

Victoria Thompson

Zusammenfassung
Midwife Sarah Malloy and her private detective husband Frank discover that the cure is worse than the disease when they investigate the death of a promising young woman in this atmospheric, riveting mystery from the USA Today bestselling author of Murder on Bedford Street.
 
Sarah Malloy has just helped with the delivery of a bouncing baby girl at her women’s clinic, when she receives a visit from an engaging and determined young woman writing an article for New Century Magazine. Louisa Rodgers explains that she is researching the dangers of patent remedies. Sarah is only too happy to tell Louisa exactly what she thinks of the so-called medicines whose ingredients include heavy doses of alcohol and other addictive drugs, and hurt much more than they help.

A few days later, Sarah receives a visit from a bereft Bernard Rodgers, who explains that his daughter, Louisa, has been found strangled in the lobby of the building where New Century has its offices. The police have decided it was a random attack and have made no attempt to investigate, hinting that Louisa got what she deserved for sticking her nose where it didn’t belong. Sarah wants justice for the bright young woman but as she and Frank delve deeper into Louisa’s life, they find that nothing is quite as it seemed and Louisa is not who she claimed to be. The Malloys must first solve the mystery of Louisa’s life before they can figure out who wanted to see her dead…