Power in the Blood (book 19)

 

Power in the Blood

Book 19 of Monument City Mysteries

Families. It's a shame we don't get to pick who are in them. Some family members are wonderful. Others aren't worth the powder to blow their noses.

Dylan and Rhys Shay have moved their families to Tennessee, where Dylan is the new chief of police. They had thought there would be far less crime in a rural town than they had to deal with in Baltimore. They are soon to learn that crime in the country is different only because there are fewer people. Dead bodies begin turning up in the fairgrounds.

Marcel Duprey and his little family are doing quite well with their music school. Parents are clamoring for their children to be admitted. Everything is going along swimmingly until he receives the letter that brings his past screaming into their lives, and maybe not for the better.

Sweet Mystery of Life (Book 18)

 

1922: Eugenics has taken hold. A woman of color gives birth to a biracial baby who is a light complexioned blond cherub. She is told the child was stillborn. She and her husband refuse to accept that.

Meanwhile, evil is afoot in Baltimore City. Someone is kidnapping little girls. When they are found, they have been raped beaten and sometimes killed. The police feel as if they are running in circles.

Sweet Mystery of Life

Review for Sweet Mystery of Life:

This is a dark book, yet sometimes that's exactly what we need to break the monotony of reading about sunshine and flowers. Set in 1922, the world is vivid and lends the narrative a special atmosphere, and the quality of prose supports an already-interesting setting. While the story contains a lot of horrible beats, it's engaging and well-written, and the characters are candid and realistic, adding to the narrative's overall gloomy feeling.

 

St. Louis Woman (Book 17)

 

A neighborhood grocery store has been firebombed and the owner killed. Some woman is going around town selling "insurance" so the same thing doesn't happen to them.

Baltimore City was really living up to its name of "Mob Town" in 1921. Will the police be able to stop the St. Louis Woman? And is she the only guilty party?

Saint Louis Woman

Review for St. Louis Woman:

I found this book to be incredibly engaging and thought-provoking. It is a captivating story that is based on real events from a specific era and place. I appreciate how the author has taken inspiration from history to create a compelling narrative.

I would like to mention that while reading this book, it is important to be aware that there may be content that could be triggering for some readers. The author has handled sensitive subjects with care and authenticity, but it is advisable to approach the book with caution if you are sensitive to certain topics.

Overall, I highly recommend this book for its historical accuracy and the way it sheds light on significant events. It is a powerful and impactful read that will leave a lasting impression.

 

At The Devil's Ball (Book 16)

 

A minister has been murdered along with his paramour, their bodies found in the basement of church's residence. The preacher's wife is missing.

Gabrielle Walsh, a former traveling evangelist, knew both the preacher and his wife. A year after the man's demise and the woman's disappearance, a "man" surfaces in a neighboring community operating a "spiritualist camp", where "he" offers to contact dead loved ones. Gabby knows the medium is the missing wife.

Gabby agrees to assist the police by going undercover to try and apprehend a murderess.

At The Devil's Ball 

Review for At The Devil's Ball

In this book, a minister and his lover are found dead, and the preacher's wife is missing. Gabrielle a former evangelist, joins the hunt for the murderer, who turns out to be operating a spiritualist camp. What's unique? It portrays post-WWI America realistically and offers real characters. The author's favorite part is when Gabby explains how mediums manipulate people for money. This book is part of the Monument City Mysteries and focuses on a crooked medium, not witchcraft. It's well-written, full of twists, and entertaining, with great characters. You'll love the humor, descriptions, and historical accuracy. Fans of the Counterfeit Lady Series, Gaslight Mystery Series, and more will enjoy it.

 

Alcoholic Blues (Book 15)

 

 

Prohibition is just getting started. Baltimore City Police are told to stand down from any enforcement involving the Volstead Act, as the Governor has claimed his state would be "just as wet as ever".

Gabrielle Lane Pennington is out of jail, and ready for a new challenge. Joshua McAleese, the brother of her former associate, has taken over Mickey's operation. He presses Gabby into working with him in order to open a nightclub. Everything is going along swimmingly, the club is making more money than anyone anticipated. Then Gabby made the mistake of asking for more money.

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Alcoholic Blues

Review for Alcoholic Blues

"Alcoholic Blues" is an engaging read set in Prohibition-era Baltimore. The story is full of action, interesting twists, and well-drawn characters. Millie, the central character, is particularly endearing. The book captures small but significant details like the introduction of electric refrigerators, adding to the authenticity of the setting.

Father Dear Father Come Home (Book 14)

 

February, 1920. Prohibition went into effect a month before. Prohibition agents are political hacks, most having bought their positions, and more apt to make more in graft from the bootleggers than from their salaries.

At the same time, the Governor of the State of Maryland declared his state would remain as "wet as ever". Police were told to stand down on all matters regarding enforcement of the Volstead Act or the 18th Amendment.

Gabby Lane Pennington is no longer running a patent medicine mail order business. Now she has a full blown distillery, making not just Pennington's Tonic, but Maryland Rye Whiskey. They claim the whiskey is being sold only to pharmacies for prescription distribution. No one told the speakeasies who pull up every Sunday to take delivery on cases of the stuff.

Newly minted police officer Rhys Shay is sent into the factory undercover. Not to investigate the making of illegal liquor, but the death of Barnaby Fogg, Gabby's former bed partner and partner in crime.

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Father Dear Father Come Home

Review for Father Dear Father Come Home:

I like the author's mix of history and fiction in this book. She transports us into the Prohibition era. The world of bootlegging, corrupt politics, and murder is part of the interesting and complex plot that kept me glued to the book. Do not miss the "Notes on the book" at the end, where the author provides links to music and some additional historical notes that will enhance your appreciation of the times.

 

Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder (Book 13)

  

The eleventh month, the eleventh day, the eleventh hour, the eleventh minute. Armistice Day. The end of the War to End All Wars. The toll in lives was tremendous.

Spanish flu brought an even greater toll. Men who came through the war unscathed succumbed to the plague. In the end, no one was left untouched.

This was especially true for the families of Zofia's Cakes and Tarts.

Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder

Review for Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder:

What a wonderful tale. It will make you cry and laugh at the same time. I fell in love with Millie from the very first page and loved her relationship with her hubby. To have her strength. A powerful story

Johnny Has Gone For a Soldier (Book 12)

 

Young men are being drafted, while young women volunteer to serve in auxilary positions, freeing "A Man to Fight."
Rhys Shay has his draft notice, and is preparing to report any day now. Lucy Goodheart, the young woman his brother rescued from a sex trafficker five years before, has learned the art of telegraphy from her foster father. Now that she is out of school, she joins the U.S. Navy in the only capacity available, as a Yeoman (F). Not only does being a Yeomanette enable her to make use of her telegraphy skills, it lets her feel closer to young Mr. Shay.

One of the first thing Lucy does is intercept communications from a German spy ring.

Johnny Has Gone For A Soldier

Review for Johnny Has Gone For A Soldier:

This story is history-based fiction about World War I. The book's main hero, Lucy Goodheart, is a woman who uses her telegraphy skills by joining the Navy. While working in the Yeoman branch, she intercepted communications of a sabotage cell ring. I did not know about women's contributions during WWI, and I found the story, as well as the bibliography at the end of the book, interesting.
 

When the Roll is Called Up Yonder (Book 11)

 

1914: England has entered the War to End All Wars.. Germany seems determined to force the British to split their forces and to fight against the Irish rebels in the north.

Mounted Police Officer Tadhg Nagel has become somewhat of a local hero. First he was instrumental in breaking up a peonage operation for the Bureau of Investigation. Then he foiled a major theft at a society fashion show. That wasn't enough for Officer Nagel. He needed to do something to stop the Germans from destroying his homeland. Joining the Britsh Army would most likely mean coming home in a pine box. Nagel didn't know what else to do until he was sent on special assignment to the aerodrome in College Park to provide security for members of the Lafayette Escadrille.

Gerhardt Weissmann is still on the loose. After his escape from the police, he's still not exactly honest. Teaching music isn't a bad way to earn a living, but it serves even better as a front for sabotage and espionage.

When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder

Review for When the Roll is Called Up Yonder:

When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder by Anne Arrandale is a historical fiction novel set in 1914. This book paints a vivid picture of what life was like for those living through World War I and offers realistic depictions of its horrors.
The main character, Mounted Police Officer Tadhg Nagel, is an unexpected hero who seeks to protect his homeland from the German forces. He is brave and resourceful, and readers will find him a compelling protagonist. The story follows him as he joins the British Army in an effort to put an end to the war.
Through his travels and experiences, Officer Nagel encounters various characters who help or hinder his progress in unexpected ways. This novel is full of exciting twists and turns that will keep readers of all ages engaged.
Overall, When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder is an entertaining and thought-provoking book that captures the essence of living through war. It’s a great read for those looking to learn more about World War I or simply escape into a good historical fiction story.
 

Come to the Church in the Wildwood (Book 10)

  

Gabrielle Lane Pennington has a great grift. She's running tent revivals all over the east coast, and preaching the Gospel as it is convenient.. On the side, her roustabouts are snatching young girls from their revivals and shipping them off to brothels run by a notorious madam.

The fledgling Bureau of Investigation has a new agent,. Still with only forty-three agents in the country, Dylan Shay was accepted on the force. The BoI's mandate still includes sussing out violations of the Mann Act, as well as investigating acts of espionage.

Newly minted Agent Shay is called upon to surveille Pennington's tent revival in a remote corner of rural West Virginia.

Meanwhile, Sophia Davies and Gerhardt Weissmann are still taking the wealthy of Baltimore for a small fortune, and the wealthy are still thanking them for the privilege.

Come To The Church In The Wildwood

Review for Come To The Church In The Wildwood

As a writer myself, I know how much hard work goes into a novel. Even more, is required to produce a page-turner that gets a read "hooked" and wanting for me. This is the second novel I have read by this writer and I was extremely happy with my read. How could I not be? Young girls go to a rural church and then are kidnapped into the sex trade with the forerunner of our present FBI in pursuit. Highly recommended.

Somewhere in France There's a Lily (Book 9)

  

Lily Barnett, a failure in medical school through no fault of her own, enters the new nursing program at St
Joseph's Hospital. At the very beginning of the War to End All Wars, she steps up and joins the British Medical Corps.

Somewhere in France There's a Lily

Review for Somewhere in France There's a Lily

Very delightful to read—a bird’s eye view into WWI’s medical side—the seemingly barbaric surgical and treatment practices that laid the foundation for outstanding medical achievements in the future. The terminology specific to the profession was made easy to understand, and I learned quite a bit! The female protagonist, Lily, struggles with being treated as a “second class” citizen because she is female, and it’s 1915. She is a strong character, and sexually aggressive men experience a nad-twisting at her hand, which is quite comical. Aside from illustrating women’s battle in the workplace and the importance of nurses, Arrandale treats us to several beautifully developing heterosexual relationships.
Regarding intimacy, the author leaves enough to the imagination to respect her readers. It was easy to immerse myself in that horse-drawn carriage time. I recommend ‘Somewhere in France There's a Lily.’

After The Ball (Book 8)

 

Now that Landry Glass is a memory, Sophia Davies O'Fallon finds herself in need of a new situation. The pawnbroker, deGroot, puts her together with an ersatz German count, Gerhardt Weissmann.

Weissmann and Sophia cut a wide swath through Baltimore's elite, managing to empty safes and jewel cases, and dodge the police at the same time.

 

After the Ball

Review for After the Ball:

This well-written page turner introduces Sophia Davies O'Fallon, a strong and captivating protagonist who navigates the archaic class system while challenging the misogynistic laws of the era. With clever dialogue and attention to historic detail, the author brings the setting to life, immersing readers in a tense and emotional journey. The book explores the complexities of society through well-developed villains and showcases the resilience of its characters. If you enjoy thought-provoking tales filled with intrigue, this book is a captivating choice.

There's a Girl in the Heart of Maryland (Book 7)

 

With Rory O'Fallon history, Sofie Davies O'Fallon is in search of a new partner in crime and protector. She finds Landry Glass. A former cavalry officer, world traveler and ladies man, Landry moves in on Sofie and shows her all the things she's been missing in life, while helping her find bigger and better scores.


Meanwhile, the police are trying to catch Glass and Sofie doing something they shouldn't. Tomas Ribiero goes undervocer, and finds way more than he ever expected.

 There's a Girl in the Heart of Maryland

Review for Girl in the Heart of Maryland:

This book is part of the Monument City Mysteries series and follows Sofie Davies O'Fallon and Landry Glass, two people whose stories become intertwined through themes of love and crime. The story is set in the era of codified racism and the author does a great job of exploring this era while still keeping the story interesting and engaging.

Everybody Two-Step (Book 6)

 

Everybody's two-stepping. They're dancing to Jazz, the new music performed so well at Gans Goldfield, the first "black and tan" club in Maryland, where the races can mix. Politicians are two-stepping, making money hand over fist, and spreading it around amongst their constituents. The cops are two-stepping, too, trying to catch up with the usual suspects, and to prosecute crooked politicians.

The women who own Zofia's Cakes and Tarts are doing their own version of the two-step, when the Archdiocese demands they give up their bakery so a church may be built on its location.

The fledgling Bureau of Investigation does it's best, with their limited power and resources, to investigate the ongoing criminal activities in the city and the state.

 Everybody Two-Step

Review for Everybody Two-Step:

What amazes me the most is how in each succeeding book the more things change the more they stay grounded in what needs to be done and the people that live in each book. This one, I got reintroduced to characters that were in previous books. Some that I am extremely fond of and glad to see their name and where they are in their lives and some that I am not fond of at all and awful glad to see they finally get their comeuppance from a two bit crook that got away with stuff for too long to a snooty old lady that hopefully learned her lesson. Can not wait for the next book to come out.

Goodbye Muirsheen Durkin (Book 5)

 

In 1913, the fledgling Bureau of Investigation was tasked wtih apprehending human traffickers. Not only were they hunting violators of the Mann Act, but they were tasked with ending peonage. As today, new immigrants were taken by unscrupulous people and sold into what virtual slavery.

A young police officer in Baltimore City receives an urgent message from his cousin, newly arrived from Ireland. Declan Nagel has been fooled into such a sitution, and is being held at a forced labor camp laying rails and building trestles. The BoI investigates the camp, in order to end the traffic in human beings.

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Goodbye Muirsheen Durking

Review for Goodbye Muirsheen Durkin

As a novelist and screenwriter, I know what goes into publishing a novel - even more so when it is based on historical events (see The Fourth Reich or The Phantom Train). The author impressed me so much with her style and wordsmanship, that I am now following her. Also, as a retired police sergeant, I love her framing the story around the original FBI which did not have muce power. Her historical environment was extremely accurate. I read it in one read because it became a page-turner. WELL DONE!

 

Oh Mr. Porter (Book 4)

 

 

Baltimore City Police Detective Sergeant Dylan Shay has been seconded to the fledgling Bureau of Investigation Baltimore Field Office. One of their first mandated investigations is the pursuit of people in active violation of the Mann Act.

Their hunt takes them through multiple states by rail, as they pursue the kidnappers of three young girls destined to be trafficked to a brothel. Will they catch up with the procurer in time?

Oh Mr. Porter

Review for Oh Mr. Porter:

It's an very interesting story. The most parts of it I like about it its historic accuracy and realistic procedures. I felt like I was reading a TV series. If you like Anne Perry Daniel Pitt series, you may find this one interesting too.

That Was Before I Met You (Book 3)

 

Baltimore City, 1911: For the first time in its history, prostitution has been made a crime. Brothels are being closed, inmates tossed onto the street.

Two young women, forced into "the life" as young teens, manage to break free of their past and open their own business, a small bakery. The man responsible for trafficking them comes back, trying to insinuate himself into their lives.

 That Was Before I Met You

Review for That Was Before I Met You:

This is an excellent follow-up to Why You Are Weeping and the continuity is absolutely amazing as a new chapter unfolds in the lives of these survivors. I have gotten invested in their lives and look forward to seeing where their lives lead them. What a wonderful reading experience. All I ask is --MORE--GIVE ME MORE !!!!!!

The House That Jack Built (book 2)

  

Baltimore City. 1910 Police hunt across the strata of society for a murderer. His victims seem to be from all social levels. A serial killer's slide into insanity.

The House That Jack Built

Review for The House That Jack Built:

“Riveting Monument City Mystery,” “The House that Jack Built (Monument City Mysteries Book 2)” by Anne Arrandale, is a captivating sequel that continues to impress. Arrandale’s storytelling prowess shines as she delves deeper into the intriguing world of Monument City. With “Anne Arrandale’s Engaging Sequel,” readers are treated to well-developed characters, unexpected twists, and a gripping narrative. The book’s strength lies in “Unveiling Intriguing Secrets” that keep you hooked from start to finish. If you’re a fan of suspenseful mysteries with a touch of the enigmatic, this book is a must-read. Anne Arrandale proves once again that she’s a master of the genre.