Official Synopsis from Goodreads: Mariah Fredericks’ compelling adult debut novel follows Jane Prescott, a ladies’ maid in an upper-crust 1910 NYC household, after her mistress’s playboy fiancé is gruesomely murdered. Jane Prescott has perfected the art of serving as a ladies’ maid in the upper-most echelons of 1910 New York City society. Invisible until she’s needed, Jane has a deft hand and a sharp, observant mind. Which means she sees a lot more than the wealthy, glamorous people she serves realize. When her mistress, Charlotte Benchley, surprises the family by getting engaged to notorious society playboy Norrie Newsome, Jane understands how the engagement might have come to pass, and what it means for both families. And when Norrie is suddenly and gruesomely murdered, Jane is uniquely positioned to understand who might have wanted him dead—from the family he was supposed to marry into before he proposed to Charlotte, to the survivors of a tragic accident in a mine owned by the Newsome family, to the rising anarchists in industrial revolution-era New York City who are sick of the elite classes getting away with anything they want simply because they were born wealthy.
Jane’s thoughtful, clear-eyed, and witty voice leads us into the heart of a gripping, atmospheric murder mystery in Mariah Fredericks’s debut adult novel.
Genre: Mystery, Historical Mystery
Setting: 1910 New York City
***I received an eARC copy of A Death of No Importance from the publisher, Minotaur Books, via NetGalley***
*** this post contains affiliate links ***
Review: A gripping history mystery that will transport you to 1910 New York City!
A Death of No Importance by Mariah Fredericks takes us to the world of pep pills and hobble skirts, where society rules and things are left unsaid. With a murder, the historical setting, and the upper crust, you’ve got one of my favorite types of books to read, so I was really looking forward to this title. And it didn’t disappoint!
Our main character is Jane Prescott, a ladies maid who starts poking around and trying to solve the crime when the fiancé of the lady she works for is murdered. Jane is a capable, intelligent woman, who is an intriguing heroine. Along the way she meets Michael Behan, a reporter, who also is interested in the murder. I couldn’t ever decide if Michael was slimy or suave, but I liked the fact that I couldn’t figure him out throughout the novel.
I enjoyed all of the twists, turns, and sideplots, and appreciated all of the historical detail in the book. I really thought this book excelled at all of the different characters. They were unique enough to keep straight, but not so unique where they felt like caricatures, and I enjoyed the family that Jane works for. I am hopeful that there will be more books starring Jane in the future! I’d definitely love to read more, and I thought the ending of A Death of No Importance was fabulous and fitting. I love a mystery that has a great ending, and this is one that I’ll remember for some time! Motive, motive, motive! My favorite part of a murder mystery is a motive that makes sense and draws the reader in. I really enjoyed this book and truly can’t wait to read more. I definitely recommend this book to those who enjoy historical mysteries, specifically those readers who enjoy reading Anne Perry.
Bottom Line: An excellent historical mystery with a fabulous ending.
LINKS ***the Amazon link is an affiliate link which means I receive a small commission if you click the link and make a purchase***
Do you enjoy historical mysteries? Or do you prefer mysteries set in today’s time?
luvtoread 
Great review! I can hardly wait to read this book myself.
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Thanks! I think you will really enjoy this book 🙂
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Jane becomes an amateur sleuth? Is she convincing, or does she bounce around messing things up?
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She is convincing! She knows when she is able to investigate and when she needs to pull back and let the professionals take over. She wasn’t annoying in her investigation, either. It felt very natural!
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