Review: Murder in the Manuscript Room (A 42nd Street Library Mystery #2) by Con Lehane

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 5583.0 KB
• Print Length: 320 pages
• Publisher: Minotaur Books (Nov. 21 2017)
• Sold by: Macmillan CA
• Language: English
• ASIN: B072L67N8W

Book Description

 When a murder desecrates the somber, book-lined halls of New York City's iconic 42nd Street Library, Raymond Ambler, the library's curator of crime fiction, has a personal interest in solving the crime. His quest to solve the murder is complicated by personal entanglements involving his friend--or perhaps more-than-friend--Adele Morgan. Not only does Adele's relationship with the young woman staffer who was murdered get in the way of Ambler's investigation, more disturbing for him is Adele's growing interest in a darkly handsome Islamic scholar.

Soon the Intelligence Division of the New York Police Department takes over the case from NYPD homicide detective Mike Cosgrove, Ambler's friend and sometimes partner-in-crime solving. Ambler suspects that the murder of the young woman, who'd been working at the library under an assumed name and the curious intervention of NYPD's intelligence division are connected. The trail of intrigue leads to a seemingly unrelated murder in an upstate prison and a long ago murder of a trade union reformer.

No one else sees the connections Ambler is sure are there--not an unusual state of affairs for Ambler. But with the city's law enforcement establishment determined to stop his investigation, the inquisitive and intrepid librarian faces challenges that may put his very life at risk.

Praise for Murder in the Manuscript Room:

“Con Lehane has the whole package here: characters the reader cares about, plot twists like a grand slalom course, and in the middle of it, a story utterly relevant to the real-life horror story unfolding in America’s immigration politics.”―Sara Paretsky

"The second title in a nicely bookish series, this one highlights the formidable memory and ratiocinative skills of Ambler, the curator of crime fiction at the landmark New York Public Library."―New York Times Book Review

"Con Lehane's Murder in the Manuscript Room caught my attention because not only does its crime take place in a great library, its detective is also a believable librarian. That hook, though, brought me into a whole world of well-developed characters--relatives, crooks, good cops, bad cops, possible terrorists, and a plot ranging in scope from New York high society soirees down through back rooms in great neighborhood bars. I found, myself, Murder in the Manuscript Room is a fun book to read in a neighborhood bar!"―Thomas Mann, author of The Oxford Guide to Library Research

"Not to be missed.” —Megan Abbott


About The Author

  Con Lehane grew up in the suburbs of New York City and currently writes from just outside of Washington, DC. Once a college professor, union organizer, bartender, and editor at the National Education Association, he now writes full time and teaches at The Writer's Center. He holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in fiction writing from Columbia University School of the Arts. Death at the Old Hotel is his third novel in the Bartender Brian McNulty mystery series. His newest offering, the first book in a new series, is due from Minotaur-Thomas Dunne Books in 2014.

My Review

 Murder in the Manuscript Room is the second book in A 42nd Street Library Mystery series by Con Lehane. I had not read the first book in the series and found that Murder in the Manuscript Room can easily be read as a stand alone.

I love the setting of the 42nd street library in New York City. While I have not been inside yet as I find myself in NYC infrequently, I have seen the outside and was very impressed.

Murder in the Manuscript Room is a well written and deeply layered book. There is a lot going on...in the past and the present. As each new layer is exposed it is impossible to put this book down.

There are great characters particularly Raymond Ambler, the library's curator of crime fiction, who is a librarian detective. He has a lot going on his life! I found the relationships in this book to be very realistic and authentic.

I really enjoyed Murder in the Manuscript Room. Highly recommend.