"As a chill sets in on New York City in the winter of 1888, a jewel thief dubbed the "Robin Hood of the Lower East Side" has been stealing from the city's wealthiest and giving to the poor. Genevieve Stewart--a young woman whose family is part of Mrs. Astor's famed 400 but who has forged a life of her own as a reporter--decides to chase the story, but gets more than she bargained for: a murder victim sprawled in a dark alley in the dangerous Five Points neighborhood. A handsome neighborhood tough comes to her rescue--but when she encounters the same man at a glamorous ball a few nights later, she realizes he's society scion Daniel McCaffrey. Could this be her Robin Hood? When two more murders rock the Knickerbocker world, it becomes apparent that something much more sinister is afoot than a few stolen diamond necklaces. Genevieve is determined to prove that Daniel is Robin Hood--but she's loath to believe he is a killer as well. From the glittering lights of Fifth Avenue to the sordid back alleys of Five Points, the truth is just one murder away"--
This is a fantastic debut novel in the genre of historical mysteries. The novel grabs you from the very beginning. The cover is beautiful and adds to the wonderful story populated by rich, well-developed characters. I do love a story about a strong-willed woman who knows what she wants. The romantic undertones were just right, not too much to distract from the mystery. There are actually multiple mysteries that are unraveled over the course of the book, and they are intertwined marvelously by the author. It is the first book in a series, and I can’t wait to read the next one. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical mysteries.
It’s always fun to read a novel in which a certain period of history, abounding with recognizable names, is portrayed. The Gilded Age in which Daniel and Genevieve live is just such a time. It’s also interesting to see the ways in which Genevieve dodges the strict roles society has placed on females. Deception by Gaslight is a definite adventure in a Gilded Age, full of scandals of the elite and crimes of the nondescript, where some readers may find a jaundiced correlation to today’s world. The history of the New York gangs is also blended well into the story. A complicated mystery, and an equally unusual romance, the last chapter leaves the reader hanging by ending so abruptly. There has to be a sequel waiting in the wings to explain what happened on the lower deck of the ocean liner—and we will definitely be waiting to learn it.
Set in 1888 New York City, Belli’s underwhelming debut and series launch introduces Genevieve Stewart, a reporter for the New York City Globe ... Genevieve’s search for evidence that Daniel might be Robin Hood unfolds predictably, as does her attraction to him, and in general Belli telegraphs major plot developments.
