Miriam Grace Monfredo

Our crime fighting, feminist librarian Glynis Tryon is back 7 years before the Civil War, and North Star Conspiracy talks about the Underground Railroad, the Fugitive Slave Act and of course the fight for women's rights. Notable historical figures this time include Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Frederick Douglass, Mathew Brady, Sojourner Truth, and Harriet Tubman who is mentioned but doesn't actually make it on the scene. It seems no matter where women worked, whoever they show more supported thanked them for their efforts then ignored their value when push came to shove. Even Frederick Douglass turned against their needs in the end thinking women's rights would follow along in their own good time. Look what's happened in Egypt. Women support a revolution then get pushed right back into the kitchen and bedroom where they are thought to belong.

I love the way Monfredo involves these people in a story that makes the times understandable. She puts so much research into her books and expresses it so clearly she's both a delight and an education to read. show less

Ms. Monfredo is a force to be reckoned with within the historical mystery genre. Her heroine, Glynis Tryon, is a wonderful creation. She is by far one of the most intereting and realistic historical fiction characters that I have come across in quite some time. This book is an historical mystery, but it is also an expose of the American Slave Trade. Ms. Monfredo blends real-life people such as Elizabeth Stanton and Harriet Tubman into her stories, and this makes the books fascinating and show more truly informative. This book illustrates the powerlessness of women and slaves during the 1840's in America. And we also get a first-class mystery that kept me guessing throughout. I simply cannot wait now to read the next story in this powerful series. show less

This is a very cleverly written and historically accurate mystery story. This is the first book in the Glynis Tryon mystery series, and it was a real surprise to me. I hadn't heard a lot about Ms. Monfredo, but started the series because I love historical mysteries so much, and am always on the lookout for new authors. I got much more than I bargained for with this book. The book is very well-written, and the mystery is extremely clever. As well, the historical accuracy is quite remarkable. show more The book is set in Seneca Falls New York in 1848, just at the time of the famous Women's Rights Convention. Glynis is the town librarian, and very happily single when she finds a dead woman in the water near her library. This woman is a stranger to Seneca Falls, and Glynis, with the help of her friend Cullen Stuart (who happens to be the town policeman)and the quite wonderful Jacques Sundown (who is Cullen's deputy)set out to find out who has committed this crime and most importantly why it was done. I like the way that real historical people are woven into the story, and I like Glynis. Her independence and her intelligence carry the plot along. I look forward to reading more in this series. show less

Historical mysteries featuring well-known persons usually fall a bit flat with me. I enjoyed this one a bit more than some of those. In it Elizabeth Cady Stanton, acquaintance of the murder victim and her mother, testifies in the case. While local officers are investigating the murder, librarian Glynis Tryon plays an important role in the solution. Set during a time women are struggling to earn the right to own property and vote, the mystery's biggest flaw lies in gaps in evidence show more collection. The genealogist in me screamed "obtain a copy of the marriage license" in one instance. Another situation in the book's narrative produced one. A license plus other evidence readily available would quickly establish the proof needed for the earlier situation. show less