Murphy's law
Ratings15
Average rating3.7
15
Ratings15
Average rating3.7
Murphy's Law is the captivating first entry of Rhys Bowen's New York Times bestselling Molly Murphy series Molly Murphy always knew she'd end up in trouble, just as her mother predicted. So, when she commits murder in self-defense, she flees her cherished Ireland, and her identity, for the anonymous shores of America. When she arrives in new York and sees the welcoming promise of freedom in the Statue of Liberty, Molly begins to breathe easier. But when a man is murdered on Ellis Island, a man Molly was seen arguing with, she becomes a prime suspect in the crime. Using her Irish charm and sharp wit, Molly escapes Ellis Island and sets out to find the wily killer on her own. Pounding the notorious streets of Hell's Kitchen and the Lower East Side, Molly make sit her desperate mission to clear her name before her deadly past comes back to haunt her new future. Murphy's Law won the 2001 Agatha Award and was nominated for the 2002 Mary Higgins Clark Award.
Featured Series
18 primary books21 released booksMolly Murphy is a 21-book series with 18 primary works first released in 2001 with contributions by Rhys Bowen and Clare Broyles.
Reviews with the most likes.
Charming! I was in the mood for a cozy mystery and this didn't disappoint. Looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
3.75. Very interesting character in Molly Murphy, and great chemistry between her and “her” detective.
The little romance with him was sweet, with just the right amount of balance between that and the mystery itself. However, there was one part in content that I would take exception to: when he rescues her and takes her to his house to warm her from her near-drowning, he's very ready to have his way with her, but stops when he realizes she's not the married woman she was masquerading as...and she, a good Catholic girl, is seemingly quite ready to go along with his intentions at that moment. They don't do anything, but there's no reason given morally that they didn't, which struck me as being odd for a Catholic girl of the day, and also got a whit on my nerves. Other than that, I really don't have any gripes with the book, which overall was a very good, historically accurate mystery.
I liked this book BUT ... Molly drove me a little crazy sometimes. She did everything by the seat of her pants and somehow it all worked out. Luckily her world is created by a writer to made sure it all worked out. The resolution of the murder bugged me too. I won't spoil the ending but it wasn't through the justice system.
I am planning on reading the next book in the series but I hope it will give me a a reason to continue with the series.
While similar to many other mystery novels, the setting and details make this book refreshing. It is always interesting, yet sobering to read about historical America, especially this time period where the Irish are a big factor in New York. The author does a great job of bringing the time period to life within the novel. While I enjoyed the writing, I also was peeved by a few additions.
First up was the amount of potential rape being used as a plot tool. While I admit, it is probably realistic, I found it to feel more like a device to move the story in a certain direction. The same can also be said for how Molly continued to look for jobs, yet barely did any job searching. So, even though she keeps saying she is looking or will look harder in the future, I continued to get more cynical about it.
The characters were well done. I ended up not being a huge fan of Molly, but I feel she may be more likable to other people. My favorite character ended up being Daniel Sullivan, the love interest. He seems like a well-around good guy, although some of his actions left me confused–really one scene that seemed misplaced. The side characters were not the most vibrant, but some, who I think may be re-occuring, were done well.
The mystery was intriguing with clues slowly being introduced throughout as well as pertinent background information. I felt that some things went too easily for Molly, but since this falls under the cozy mystery genre, it made more sense.
While I may not continue with the series, I do think this is one many people can and will enjoy.
