Murder in Manhattan
Historical Mystery
Setting – New York
Publisher : Forever
Publication date : December 9, 2025 – Today
Print length : 352 pages
Paperback
ISBN-10 : 1538773562
ISBN-13 : 978-1538773567
Kindle
ISBN-13 : 978-1538773574
ASIN : B0F3VFFN45
Audiobook
ASIN B0F4G5YXMM
Inspired by one of the first real-life female columnists at the New Yorker, this enticing historical mystery follows Freddie Archer as she solves crimes while reporting on the glamorous world of the rich and famous in 1920s Manhattan.
This writer just found her next scoop . . . and it’s deadly.
New York, 1925 – Freddie Archer frequents speakeasies and wild parties and the newest restaurants with her friends Dorothy Parker and Tallulah Bankhead. And the best part is that it’s all in a day’s work. Freddie loves her job writing the nightlife column for Gotham Magazine.
But Freddie’s latest piece just won her a bit more attention than she bargained for—from the police. A man mentioned in her column has been murdered. And Freddie is asked to keep an eye out for his fashionable female dinner companion. She’s told in no uncertain terms to stay out of the case herself.
So naturally, Freddie throws herself into an investigation that takes her from the elegant stores that line Fifth Avenue to the tenements south of Houston Street. Now between sipping gin rickeys with Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald and casting Broadway shows with Groucho Marx, she’s dodging bullets and dating a potentially dangerous bootlegger.
Freddie wanted adventure and excitement. But will she survive it?
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Freddie Archer writes a nightlife column for Gotham Magazine in New York, 1925, which means hitting all the hottest restaurants, speakeasies, and wild parties. What makes the job grand is taking her friends, Tallulah Bankhead and Dorothy Parker, along. Murder had never been one of the perks, but when a man mentioned in her column was killed, Detective Sullivan arrived at her office and asked for her help. Freddie had seen the man with a “pretty in a kittenish way” woman, and now the detective needs her to alert him if she sees her again, but not to approach the woman.
Freddie, with her inquisitive reporter nature, decides to go all in on the investigation. Wouldn’t it be the bees’ knees if she could catch the killer? She is soon sipping gin rickeys with Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald and asking Groucho Marx for favors. She is drawn to a man who could be trouble. And when the bullets start flying, she picks up some personal protection.
New York can always be interesting and exciting, but now for Freddie, it can be downright dangerous. Will she catch the killer and live to write about it? Or has she submitted her last story?
As a fan of Julie Mulhern Country Club Murders and the Poppy Fields Adventures, I had to read this book! Fans will immediately recognize Mulhern’s unique writing style as she introduces her characters and sets up a wonderful mystery.
Freddie Archer is a fantastic protagonist. She is fun, fearless, and free to follow the clues wherever they lead. Ms. Mulhern has surrounded Freddie with real 1920s celebrities like Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald. She is also great friends with Tallulah Bankhead and Dorothy Parker. As soon as Dorothy Parker was mentioned, it harkened my back to J.J. Murphy’s
I loved that we are treated to Freddie composing her columns while she ventures out by herself or with others.
“A night in the city holds untold delights – the jazz band at the Cotton Club, the breeze off the Hudson at a rooftop party . . . The darkness also holds staggering risks. If one is caught in a dangerous situation . . . a bootlegger turf war . . . one should look for a sturdy table under which to hide.”
The Roaring ’20s were quite a wild time, especially for women like Freddie. I enjoyed the author’s detailed descriptions that brought each character to life, along with the New York nightlife and the seedier parts of the city. All the glitz and glamour of Manhattan played side by side with the corruption of bootlegging. The banter between the characters was marvelous and funny in all the right places. You can tell the author heavily researched the time period. From the food to the fashion to the feminism, Mulhern is exceptional.
As the bodies start to pile up, Freddie is surrounded by mobsters and bootleggers, and elite celebs as she tries to know who she can trust to help her get to the truth. With a variety of twists and turns, Freddie finds herself in dangerous situations, but she never gives up. She even comes up with a plan, but can she convince the cops that it will work?
Escape into Prohibition-era New York and be prepared to fall hard for Freddie Archer! Murder in Manhattan is a fast-paced, sockdolager mystery with strong female characters. Mulhern is a great storyteller who can combine thriller elements with humor and a touch of romance, treating readers to a story you will want to share with everyone you know. I loved everything about this story. Oh, please, please, please, tell me this book is the start of a series! I need more Freddie Archer. You will find this book on my Best Reads List for 2025.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to the author for providing me with an ARC.
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About the Author
Julie Mulhern is the USA Today bestselling author of The Country Club Murders, the Poppy Fields Adventures, and the Freddie Archer Mysteries.
She is a Kansas City native who grew up on a steady diet of Agatha Christie. She spends her spare time whipping up gourmet meals for her family, working out at the gym, and finding new ways to keep her house spotlessly clean–and she’s got an active imagination. Truth is–she’s an expert at calling for take-out, she grumbles about walking the dogs, and the dust bunnies under the bed have grown into dust lions.
Action, adventure, mystery, and humor are the things Julie loves when she’s reading. She loves them even more when she’s writing!
Find out more about Julie Mulhern and her TO-DO-DIE-FOR Mysteries on her Website.
Find all of Julie Mulhern’s Books HERE.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” “As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.” I am also an affiliate of Bookshop.org and I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.” These funds are often used for gift cards and other giveaways.
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