Victoria Thompson has become one of my favorite authors. Her mysteries are well-written and have depth. In this installment, a young pregnant Irish girl marries an Italian boy. When the girl gives birth "prematurely," it becomes obvious to his family that her husband is not the father of the child. When she ends up dead by the next morning, the entire family is under suspicion of murder and the custody battle lends itself to Irish-Italian rioting. Midwife Sarah Brandt and Detective Malloy once again team up to solve the case.

Thompson does a superb job in developing her characters. Her research into the time period lends authenticity to the setting. ( )