Second Street Station: A Mary Handley Mystery

Lawrence H. Levy

Jun 2015 · Mary Handley Book 1 · Sold by Crown

About this ebook

A historical mystery featuring the witty and wily Mary Handley, the first woman detective in Brooklyn, as she tries to prove herself in a man's world while solving a high profile murder.
 
Mary Handley is a not your typical late-nineteenth century lady. She's fiery, clever, daring—and she’s not about to conform to the gender norms of the day. Not long after being fired from her job at the hat factory for insubordinate behavior, Mary finds herself at the murder scene of Charles Goodrich, the brother of a prominent alderman and former bookkeeper of Thomas Edison. When Mary proves her acumen as a sleuth, she is hired by the Brooklyn police department—as the city’s first female policewoman—to solve the crime. The top brass of the department expect her to fail, but Mary has other plans. As she delves into the mystery, she finds herself questioning the likes of J. P. Morgan, Thomas Edison, and Nikola Tesla. Mary soon discovers the key to solving the case goes well beyond finding a murderer and depends on her ability to unearth the machinations of the city’s most prominent and respected public figures, men who will go to great lengths to protect their secrets.

Much like Mr. Churchill’s Secretary and Maisie Dobbs, Second Street Station presents a portrait of a world plunging into modernity through the eyes of a clever female sleuth. Mary Handley is an unforgettable protagonist whose wit, humor, and charm will delight readers from the very first page.

Don’t miss any of Lawrence H. Levy’s enchanting Mary Handley mysteries:
SECOND STREET STATION • BROOKLYN ON FIRE • LAST STOP IN BROOKLYN • NEAR PROSPECT PARK (Coming Soon!)

Ratings and reviews

Second Street Station by Lawrence H. Levy is an engaging and unique historical mystery. It is the first book in the Mary Handley mystery series. In 1876 at the age of twelve, Mary Handley saw a Frenchman play an interesting instrument in his railroad compartment. Mary later went back for another look and saw a man with a bowler hat leave the compartment. Mary looked in and saw the Frenchman was dead. The instrument was also gone. The Frenchman’s death was ruled a suicide despite Mary. Mary tried to tell them that he was killed, but the ruled it out to a child’s imagination. In 1888 Mary is working at the Lowry Hat Factory and very unhappy with her job (she has a tartar for a boss). Mary is very intelligent, observant, and inquisitive, which is not a good trait in a woman in the 1800’s. Mary’s friend, Katie is upset over the death (murder) of her fiancé, Charles Goodrich. Charles was an accountant for Thomas Edison, but had quit the previous day. Charles had kept a journal with detailed records. There are many people who would like to get their hands on this journal. Chief Detective Patrick Campbell is a thorn in the police commissioner’s side and they would love to get rid of him. They insist that he hire a woman detective to solve Charles Goodrich’s murder (because of women that have been picketing outside the Second Street Station and the press they are generating). Chief Campbell hires Mary to be the first lady detective. Mary’s brother, Sean is an officer at the Second Street Station under Chief Campbell. Chief Campbell has noticed Mary’s intellect and skills in observation. Mary is thrilled to have a position that utilizes her skills and she has wanted to be a detective since she was twelve. Mary sets out to find investigate Charles Goodrich’s murder. Mary gets to talk to Thomas Edison (someone she has admired for years), Nickolas Tesla, and J.P. Morgan. Mary manages to get drugged, clunked on the head, shot at, and get thrown from a horse trolley (of course, she was chasing a suspect using said trolley). Mary is very determined and she is not going to let anyone stop her. Second Street Station is a wonderful book to read. The books had lots of wonderful twists and turns. I give Second Street Station 5 out of 5 stars. The only thing I did not like was the foul language that was sprinkled throughout the book (used mostly by Mary). I do not think it was necessary and did not go with the time period (it would be more in her character to use foreign foul language that would puzzle people). The history in the book was fascinating. I did not realize that cocaine was such a widely used substance in that time period. It was an ingredient in a wine called Vin Mariani and drunk by Thomas Edison. We, likewise, get a glimpse of the inventor of Coca-Cola, John Pemberton (which also contained small amounts of cocaine). This book grabbed me from the beginning and kept me hooked until the last page. I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and LibraryThing Early Reviewers Program (from Broadway Books/Random House) in exchange for an honest review. The review and opinions expressed are my own!

It's a good quick read.

Added to an engaging tale, it's brilliant.

About the author

LAWRENCE H. LEVY is a highly regarded film and TV writer who is a Writers Guild Award winner and two-time Emmy nominee. He has written for various hit TV shows such as Family Ties, Saved by the Bell, Roseanne, and Seinfeld. Second Street Station is his first novel.