Cathy Pegau
Books: Mystery | Historical | Queer
Charlotte Brody: Murder on the Last Frontier (2015)
Harriman & Mancini: A Murderous Business (2025)
Charlotte Brody
Murder on the Last Frontier (2015) #1
Set in Cordova, Alaska in 1919
Charlotte Brody wants to escape her past, so she decides to visit her brother where he has settled down in Cordova Alaska as one of the town doctors.
Michael had told Charlotte he’d secure her a room as soon as she announced her intention to come to Alaska. Living at Sullivan’s, he’d explained, would be more comfortable, as his own home, with its attached office and exam room, would be too small for the two of them.
“How many people live here?”
“One thousand or so, including the Natives who mostly live along the lake and homesteaders who live outside of town but use its services.” He narrowed his gaze as if evaluating Cordova from a distance. “Things are a little different in these parts, Sis. It takes some getting used to.”
Charlotte and Michael had been close, until events of the last year closed Charlotte off from him–and it seems Michael has his own secrets he is hiding.
But the town isn’t quite what she was expecting.
For some reason, the idea that Cordova had electricity, telegraph, and telephone lines amused Charlotte.
But soon after her arrival, one of the local prostitutes is brutally murdered, and Charlotte decides to put her skills as an investigative reporter to work–especially after she ends up present at the autopsy conducted by her brother.
I quite liked Mrs Sullivan who runs the boarding house where Charlotte stays.
Mrs. Sullivan bustled out of her room. Her white hair was in a neat bun, her long-sleeved, high-collared, navy-blue dress appropriate for her matronly figure. “Doctor, I’m glad you’re here.”
“Is someone ill?” he asked.
A scowl added more wrinkles to Mrs. Sullivan’s face. “No, but my boys may need your services for cracked heads when I get to them.”
I wasn’t quite decided about Deputy James Eddington, thought I did appreciate his realistic take on people.
“I can’t think of a single man in this town who’d do such a thing.” Michael’s tone was pitched upward with his disbelief. “Not a one.”
“No?” James raised a sardonic eyebrow. “I can.”
I (unsurprisingly) particularly enjoyed the historical bits of the story.
A lone motorcar idled in front of the steamship company’s office. Several people argued or haggled with the driver—and each other—for a ride in the six-passenger Model T.
Michael secured his sleeves with garters, then pulled on the black gloves.
Charlotte’s attention piqued. Along with several states, the territory of Alaska had enacted its dry law months ago, but the federal Volstead Act would be voted upon in October.
The Volstead Act in particular, since that’s about to change the US significantly when it brings in prohibition.
Interesting story, and I’d like to read the next book, but not enough to pay full price for it.
Characters: Charlotte Mae Brody, Michael Brody, James Eddington, Mrs. Sullivan, Marie, Darcy Dugan, Miss Brigit O’Brien, Thomas Blaine, Henry, Ruth Bartlett, Reverend Samuel Bartlett, young Sam Bartlett, Francis Kavanagh, Tess Kavanagh, Albert, Mr. Perkins, Mrs. Popovich, Mrs. McGruder
Publisher: Kensington Books
September 2026 | Rating: 7.5/10
Harriman & Mancini
A Murderous Business (2025) #1
Set in NYC in 1912
Margot Harriman has taken over her family business at B&H Foods after her father’s death, but it’s 1912 and people don’t believe a woman can truly run a company.
Even her father’s second in command–a man who she has know since she was a child.
“I spoke to Meade,” she reminded him, moving her hands away from the coffee cup and clasping them together to stop them from shaking. “What else is going on?”
That she already knew slowly dawned in his eyes. His expression changed from indignation to resignation. He broke eye contact, staring into his cup as if he could find excuses in the dregs.
So when her father’s retired secretary is found dead–and in the middle of writing a note about something the company doing that could be killing customers, Margo wants to know the truth.
So she decides to hire a private investigator–someone recommend by her driver (whom she trusts).
Rett is trying to take over the family business, but her father is still alive–even if his memory is going. So she decides to take on Margot’s case on her own.
If you’ve never heard of the Poison Squad and the horrors of commercial food production and sales before the Pure Food and Drug Act, things were much worse than they come across in this book. You were just as likely to be poisoned by your food as nourished; if things weren’t watered down, then ‘fillers’ were used increase company profits, and if you were very lucky, those fillers weren’t poisonous.
The famous—infamous, to some in the foods industry—chemist and his research that led to the 1906 Pure Food and Drug Act were all over the newspapers across the country. The studies had caused quite the ruckus, pointing out terrible practices that eventually required food producers to take better steps toward consumer health and well-being.
There are also plenty of reminders of just what life was like for a woman of the time.
“You can’t open an account on your own.”
That women weren’t permitted to have their own private accounts rankled.
I’d say thank goodness were past that, but these days I’m not sure how far were going to regress.
It was a good mystery and an interesting story.
Characters: Margot Baxter Harriman, Loretta ‘Rett’ Mancini, Rosa Mancini, Albert Mancini, John Bascom, Hiram Potter, Julia Blumfeld, Marcus James, Giana Gilroy, Cecelia, Daniel Boone Wallace, Shiloh Wallace, Ken Thorpe, Lana, Charlie Meade, Sid Hoffmann, Lieutenant Presley, Calvin Jacobs, Mrs. Letitia Martin Jacobs, Sergeant Raymond Bittles, Franklin Barby
Cover by David Baldeosingh Rotstein
Publisher: Minotaur Books
August 2026 | Rating: 8/10