Death of a New American

Louise Benchley would be too polite and constrained to say so, but she believes her forthcoming marriage to William Tyler, the social event of the season, will be a disaster. Not in the sense of the Titanic, which has just sunk — this is 1912, the New York of the Four Hundred — but the confidence of everyone around her that the match is unsinkable has her especially worried.

And why not? Louise knows nothing about marriage, certainly nothing about sex, for her mother has made sure not to tell her. Consequently, the young fiancée turns to her maid, Jane Prescott, who’s rubbed elbows with life in very close quarters. Yet there’s a limit to what the anxious, self-effacing bride-to-be can absorb, and Jane hesitates to enlighten when show more her employer won’t.

But that problem soon fades in light of another: a nanny hired by the groom’s uncle has been found dead, her throat cut. Since said uncle has earned notoriety for arresting members of the Black Hand, an underworld group of Italian origin — and since the murder victim was Italian — the family immediately assumes it’s a gang revenge killing, and so does the press.

However, Jane’s not convinced, and as a lady’s maid, she has access to information, domestic conflicts, and secrets that the family wishes to cover up, and which the newspapers can’t penetrate. Jane also has several motivations to pursue the case. She’s determined to do justice by the victim, whom she liked, and whose only crime, she thinks, was to love the children she cared for. The prejudice against immigrants in general, Italians in particular, offends Jane to the core, as does most of the gentry’s refusal to grant the crime any importance, especially compared with the anticipated nuptials.

Conversely, she’s convinced that Louise’s desire to call off the wedding, perhaps using the tragedy as an excuse, would deny the young woman her first and best chance at happiness. Note the character-driven aspects to our sleuth’s quest, which informs the novel throughout, not just when it's convenient, and perhaps run deeper than those of your average mystery.

Moreover, Fredericks handles these motivations with subtlety. Jane cares passionately, but the author knows better than to let her protagonist lecture or indulge in earnestness; rather, she’s quietly persuasive, mostly for the reader’s eyes alone. Jane’s outlook has been forged by life and takes a practical, rather than a crusader’s, view, so she has no need to trumpet anything—which fits her discretion as lady’s maid. That’s one reason Death of a New American stands out, but there are others.

With gentle humor, Fredericks pokes fun at the mores and beliefs of the upper crust, whether their fears that the new tunnel from Manhattan to Queens under the East River will collapse — what a horror, since they can’t swim.

I love the scene where William’s younger sister, a sophomore at Vassar, enjoys shocking her elders with the outlandish ideas of the sociologist Emile Durkheim, and how the conversation evolves into discussion of “unpleasant emotions.” A true lady, say the matriarchs, simply refuses to feel anything like envy or resentment. Jane, who knows better, also knows to keep her mouth firmly shut.

Everywhere, Fredericks folds the time and place deftly into the characters’ lives and the story, so that the era feels inhabited. She clearly loves and knows her native city, whether to describe the evolution of Herald Square, its rival (and successor) Times Square, or the streets of Little Italy.

With admirable touch and generosity, Fredericks lets you think along with her sleuth, hiding nothing, resorting to no tricks or sudden revelations. Death of a New American is an utterly satisfying mystery. show less

In Fredericks second in this historical mystery series, it’s 1912, and ladies maid Jane Prescott is accompanying her charge, Louise, to the Long Island mansion of the Bentleys. Louise is marrying William Tyler at his aunt and uncle’s home, and they are going early to get everything set up properly. Uncle Charles is the prosecutor notorious for going after the Black Hand, the Italian organized crime ring of the time. Because of this, and also because of the recent death of one of their children, his wife Alva is intensely worried about the children’s safety. She doesn’t want them outside, even with the armed guards patrolling the property, and the windows are shut and locked most of the time (although it is odd that, for all her show more worries about their safety, Alva spends very little time with the kids!). When the nanny, Sofia Bernardi, is murdered one night in the nursery, with the window left open and baby Freddy out of his crib, everyone’s minds assume it was an attempted kidnapping, or an attempt to kill the baby.

Jane sets out to solve the crime. Once again, she encounters journalist Michael Behan and her Marxist friend, Anna. She also has the assistance of 6 year old Mabel Tyler, who is precocious and smart. Along with the mystery, the author touches of woman’s suffrage, racism, and classism. Even Behan, who is supposed to be a good guy, shows a nasty bigoted side to himself. The sinking of the Titanic, and the loss of life, hangs as a shadow over the proceedings. Not to mention pre-wedding jitters on the part of Louise and William.

Despite the classism of the day, Jane is pretty much accepted as an equal by her employers and the other high class folks, and she seems to have an awful lot of spare time for a ladies maid, which made it hard to see this as taking place more than a hundred years ago. The story is very slow. The story is full of great historical detail, but, sadly, the characters never really come to life. Three and a half stars, if I could give that. show less

This is the second book in Fredericks’ Jane Prescott series. It is 1912, the Titanic has sunk killing 1500 people, suffragettes are marching in the streets of New York City, and there are four men running for President, including Woodrow Wilson and Theodore Roosevelt.

Jane Prescott is a ladies’ maid to Louise Benchley, who has agreed to wed William Tyler. Miss Benchley and Mrs. Benchley travel to her husband-to-be uncle’s country estate where the wedding will be held so the mothers of the bride and groom can finalize the plans. Jane is part of the Benchley entourage. But wedding plans go awry when the Tyler’s nanny, a young Italian-American girl, is murdered in the nursery where the window is flung open despite Mrs. Tyler’s show more orders that all windows and doors must be locked at all times. Jane is convinced by her friend, journalist, Michael Behan, to investigate the goings on in the Tyler house. He believes that Jane is uniquely situated to provide important clues to the murder.

This is a slow moving mystery and the author takes her time in setting the scene and introducing characters, both old and new, to the reader. One thing the author does that might disappoint some readers is that she fails to tell the readers everything Jane finds out when she begins investigating the crime, thus, depriving the reader the ability to try to solve the mystery on her own. While this is part of a series, the author does a nice job in providing readers new to her series with enough detail to engage new readers in Jane’s investigation.

Regardless of being stingy with the clues, this is an excellent read and should appeal to those who love historical mysteries. show less

historical-figures, historical-novel, historical-places-events, historical-setting, murder, amateur-sleuth, women-sleuths

Addicted as I am to well researched historicals, this one really makes the grade!
It certainly seems appropriately researched (I'm geeky about checking such things) in areas related to the story line. The characters are all interesting and engaging even the brainless ones. The sleuthing is fascinating with the sort of plot twists and very red herrings. There are a couple of things that I wish I could address, but that would definitely be in spoiler territory.
Bottom line is that it held me captive and I loved it!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from St Martin's Press via NetGalley. Thank you!

In Mariah Fredericks' second outing of the servant Jane solving a murder, it is Sofia, governess to Charle's Tyler's children who is murdered. The characters from A Death of No Importance, follow Jane into this mystery.

Ms. Fredericks combines mystery and history in an entertaining look at life in the 1912s, including news about the sinking of the Titanic, the march for women's suffrage and a look at the plight of immigrants. Jane's newspaper companion, Michael Behan also has a major role, although he ultimately did not solve the murder.

As stated in the last review, although Death of a New American is classified as an adult mystery, I personally think it's more suited to a young adult audience. A totally enjoyable book regardless of age.

DEATH OF A NEW AMERICAN by Mariah Fredericks
Jane Prescott, lady’s maid and mystery solver, becomes embroiled in labor disputes, the Black Hand and murder in this entertaining novel set in 1912 New York.
Louise, Jane’s lady, is about to marry the son of a prestigious family. When the Tyler’s nursemaid is murdered and notes are found threatening the infant child of Louise’s soon to be in laws, Jane and newspaperman Michael Behan spring into action.
Between love and the criminal underworld, the tension is palpable. Well written, with interesting situation and characters, this novel will be a welcome addition to book groups and individual readers alike.
4 of 5 stars

1912 and rich Louise Benchley is preparing for her wedding to socially connected William Tyler. It is finally decided that the wedding will take place at the home of Charles Tyler, uncle to William, at Long Island. But unfortunately for the families concerned a body is discovered late one night. Does ths have anything to do with the activities of Charles Tyler and his clamp down on crime?
Jane Prescott, an intelligent and resourceful ladies maid is teamed up with reporter Michael Behan to discover the truth. A slow paced but well crafted mystery with its well-rounded characters. An enjoyable read.
A NetGalley Book