Away in a Manger: A Molly Murphy Mystery (Molly Murphy Mysteries Book 15) - Kindle edition by Bowen, Rhys. Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

Former "female detective" Molly Murphy—now Molly Murphy Sullivan with a toddler son—is doing some early Christmas shopping with her young ward Bridie when they come upon a tiny blonde girl singing Christmas carols with the voice of an angel. Bridie is intrigued by the girl, and in the process of being kind to the child, they meet her brother, find out the children must earn money under the tyrannical rule of their "Aunt Hettie," and notice that both of the youngsters speak with cultured British accents. Molly can't understand for the life of her how these two ended up on the streets—but if you are familiar with the Molly Murphy mystery series you know she won't leave the situation alone, even though her husband Daniel, a newly-minted, unbribable police captain, warns her that they may be part of a confidence ring.While the usual Molly regulars appear, including Daniel's imperious mother and Molly's loving but eccentric neighbors Sid and Gus, Bowen has done this one one better by writing it in the plot fashion of a Victorian Christmas melodrama, with the primary characters, two well-bred children of evident aristocratic heritage, immediately in place. So don't be surprised when some of the villains of the piece appear Dickensian or sound like they come from a 1900 novel (this means you can pick out one of the bad guys just by how that person is described), all wrapped up in modern sensibility. Just sit back and enjoy the Victorian machinations and the evocative descriptions of Christmas in New York at the turn of the last century: slippery sidewalks, crossing sweepers, the new technology of mechanical figures in store Christmas display windows, mistletoe, buying a fresh Christmas tree from a streetcorner vendor, hot chestnuts, cold sleet, home-baked Christmas goodies (even from Sid and Gus!), charity, and a character losing hope...And of course there's the usual massive coincidence as well. Never mind: it's all about family and finding a home and making happiness out of the small things. This one has jingle bells upon it.

This book keeps your interest all the while and is well written.Enough suspense to keep you reading chapter after chapter.

A good mystery to read at Christmastime. I really enjoyed getting the feel of an old New York holiday. Molly’s wish that two sweet children be reunited with their family is very touching, and in her usual way, she lets nothing stop her from getting at the truth. She enlists help from almost everyone she knows, and gets the children a happy Christmas.

Life is treating Molly (Murphy) Sullivan pretty well: she and Daniel and young Liam have moved back into their house (rebuilt after the Mafia fire bombed it). Moreover, Daniel has had a quiet run in his police detective job, and Molly is imagining a wonderful family Christmas.But when she, Liam, and young Bridie go shopping they are halted by a beautiful voice singing hymns. When they stop. They find a very young girl whose clothing do little to protect her from the freeing weather. When they talk to her, offering money and a promise to return the next day with Bridie’s old clothing, they are startled to hear her speak to them in an upper-class English accent. When Molly hears her story, she is captured by her tale: dead father, mother who has brought them to the US, believing that something good awaits them. But then their mother disappeared, leaving them in a run down house, overseen by two cruel adults.So now Molly has two jobs—prepare for Christmas, find the children’s mother, and get the house ready for her mother-in-law. Then a constable runs up to their house and says that Daniel has been shot. So Molly goes to work. This is a worthy addition to this series. I particularly enjoy the way that the major characters evolve, learning from their actions. I read this in three days, and it would have been faster if I’d had my way.

This was a lovely mystery! It is a fast read and is written very well! I like the combination of family and mystery during the Christmas season.