Time of Fog and Fire: A Molly Murphy Mystery (Molly Murphy Mysteries Book 16) - Kindle edition by Bowen, Rhys. Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

Although I liked the book and enjoyed another episode in the lives of the characters, the book that I ordered was not very well-bound. After reading about 3 or 4 chapters, that entire section, and eventually about half of the pages in the book, became detached from the spine - not due to any fault of my own. I did not return the book because by that time I had read the entire story, but I would caution buyers to check the book immediately upon delivery and to make sure that it is solidly bound and to return it in case of damage.

While I’ve always enjoyed reading the books in the Molly Murphy series, I’ve never been to any of the cities where the stories are set. So you can imagine the special thrill that I found out that Time of Fog and Fire was going to be set in San Francisco.Of course, the book opens in New York City in spring of 1906. It’s been a long, hard winter and winter doesn’t quite seem to want to let go. Meanwhile, Molly’s husband Daniel is still facing problems at work. So when Mr. Wilkie of the secret service shows up and recruits Daniel for a secret mission to parts unknown, he agrees to go. Molly is less than enthused about him being gone and the danger he might face, but he assures her that everything will be fine.Daniel’s been gone for a couple of weeks when Molly gets a letter from him. At her first reading, Molly finds it rather infuriating. But then she begins to think it was really a secret message. Does Daniel want Molly to join him in San Francisco? Determined that this is exactly what the letter was all about, she sets out. But what danger will she find when she gets there?This book has a different feel than many of the books in the series. While there is a mystery, it isn’t the strongest element in the book. Having said that, there is a strong mystery that truly begins to unfold once Molly reaches San Francisco.However, this book is more about the history. We get a bit about what cross country travel was like during that period, and it is fascinating. And always in the back of our minds as we read is why is Daniel sending for Molly? He’s never encouraged her detective work in the past, so something major must be happening here.Once Molly arrives, she once again finds herself caught up in some history that complicates her life. I loved how this whole thing unfolded and couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.Without slowing things down, we still get time with the series regulars before Molly leaves, and it’s always wonderful to meet up with them again. Since most of the book takes place away from home, we get a nice collection of memorable new characters, and it wouldn’t surprise me if one of them popped up again in the future.And the parts in San Francisco? I loved it! It was wonderful to visit a city I know now but as it was back in 1906. While obviously things were different back then, I was still able to picture the parts of the city that Molly visited, which was tons of fun.The Molly Murphy series has always been a fun way to experience bits of history while enjoying a mystery. Time of Fog and Fire keeps that tradition alive. Fans of the series will love their visit to the west coast with Molly.

Daniel, just recovered from a Mafia bullet wound, is having trouble at the NYC Police department. Rumors have been spread that he directed a young officer to bring in the head of the mafia; even though it’s not true, and despite the fact that he was wounded trying to save the office, the rumors persist and his career seems to be going nowhere. Then John Wilkie shows up and offers Daniel a secret job for the feds. Daniel accepts, leaving Molly in NY with the baby, their ward, Birdie, and their non-conformist friends across the street. Then Molly gets a letter from Daniel—except that nothing in the letter rings true. As she and Gus and XXX peruse it, they see a hidden message (COME) and hints that he is in San Francisco. Taking only Liam, she grabs a train west, not sure how she will try to find Daniel. But when she arrives she is told that Daniel fell off the cliffs and has been buried. Distraught, she decides to stay long enough to gather Daniel’s body to take back to NY. Then odd things begin to happen that make her question his ‘accidental’ death. The the San Francisco earthquake strikes and she loses Liam in the mayhem. Injured during the quake, Molly begins an odyssey, seeking her son and someone to tell of her suspicions. This is a wonderful, powerful, scary tale—the kind of book that keeps one up way too late.