A Deadly Endeavor
by
Jenny Adams
Adult Historical Fiction / Mystery
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
Publishing Date: March 5, 2024
Page count: 352 pages
SYNOPSIS:
Philadelphia, 1921. When Edie Shippen returns home after spending years in California recovering from Influenza, she’s shocked to discover her childhood sweetheart is engaged to her twin sister. Heartbroken and adrift, Edie vows to begin living her life as a modern woman—and to hell with anyone who gets in her way. But as young women start to disappear from the city, her newfound independence begins to feel dangerous.
Gilbert Lawless returned home from the Great War a shell of his former self. He hides away in the office of Philadelphia’s Coroner, content to keep to himself until a gruesome series of corpses come into the morgue. And when his sister, Lizzie, goes missing, he risks his career to beg help from the one person Lizzie seemed to trust: her employer, Edie Shippen.
Fearing the worst, Edie and Gilbert desperately search for clues. It soon becomes clear that Lizzie’s disappearance is connected to the deaths rocking the City of Brotherly Love… and it’s only a matter of time until the killer strikes again.
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REVIEW:
5 stars!
An endearing heroine, vivid settings, vibrant fashion, and an absolutely riveting plot.
A Deadly Endeavor, the debut novel in author Jenny Adams’s new historical Deadly Twenties Mystery series, grabbed me from the very start and held me hostage in my easy chair for the rest of the night. With its endearing heroine, damaged hero, vivid 1920s setting, exquisitely vibrant descriptions of the fashions of the time, and absorbing plot, I was hooked and left anxiously waiting for more!
I fell in love with young society gal Edith “Edie” Shippen from the first scene. Still recovering from a devastating case of the Spanish Influenza that took her mother’s life, she’s now struggling to get past the engagement of her twin sister, Frannie, to the man she always thought she would wed. Despite her disappointment and the knowledge that her own actions led to Theo’s attention turning to her sister, she pulled herself up and tried to put on her best face and move forward. Her world is one of glamor, glitter, and frivolity, yet there are expectations of her, especially coming from the strong-willed matriarch of the family, her grandmother, Flora. While she attempts to project the appearance of following most of her grandmother’s strictures, in reality, Edie has a will that is just as strong as Flora’s and is a modern girl. She’s a bit of a free spirit, and, at times, I was delightfully surprised by some of her antics. She proves to be way more down-to-earth and savvy than others give her credit for being.
The male protagonist, Gilbert Lawless, has his own struggles, especially those resulting from his wartime experiences. A widower with a young daughter, he returned from the war a changed man. Despite the continued support of his family and mentor and his love for his child, he self-medicates with morphine to survive. His collapse at the story’s outset was emotional and haunting, and I found it heartbreaking reading. His backstory is tragic, and how it connects to Edie’s is a great subplot.
While the setting and the initial engagement party scene had me expecting a light, cozy mystery, I was surprised and pleased when the plot was darker and grittier. The dialogue absolutely sparkles, but the nature of the crimes and the atmosphere is much grimmer than what would be found in a true cozy. The story is well-paced, with subplots in play from the start. The first murder victim is discovered quite soon. I was on the edge of my seat early because characters I’d quickly gotten to like were foreshadowed as possible targets. But despite some pretty debilitating personal obstacles, Edie and Gil get to the truth of what’s happening. I’m delighted this is a series and can hardly wait for their next adventure.
I recommend A DEADLY ENDEAVOR to readers who enjoy traditional mysteries or a 1920s Philadelphia setting.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jenny Adams has always had an overactive imagination. She turned her love of books and stories into a career as a librarian and author. She holds degrees in Medieval Studies and Library Science from The Ohio State University and Drexel University, and currently lives in Alexandria, Virginia with her family.
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