Death of a New American (Jane Prescott, #2) by Mariah Fredericks

Death of a New American (Jane Prescott, #2) Reviews

• 
  Jennifer ~ TarHeelReader

  I have a new historical mystery series to love! ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
  
  Death of a New American is second in the Jane Prescott historical mystery series. I have not read the first book, A Death of No Importance, but I was easily able to jump into this inviting and engaging story!
  
  Jane Prescott is a ladies’ maid, living with the Benchley family and traveling with them to Long Island. The daughter in the family, Louise, is set to be married at her aunt and uncle’s mansion. The Tylers are high impact people, with adventurous lives.
  
  Everyone is adjusting to life at the Tylers’ house when Jane becomes friendly with Sofia, the nanny of the Tylers’ children. One hot spring night, Jane wakes to find Sofia murdered.
  
  While the Tylers think the murder is an attempted kidnapping of their children, Jane is asked to gather facts from inside the household to share with her journalist friend. The questions are if the Tylers are right and this was an attempted kidnapping of their baby, or was this a murder by someone inside the household?
  
  Wow, Jane! What a masterfully drawn main character. She pushes the envelope of what she can do in her particular role, and she does so with gusto. The social concerns of the time (immigration, racism) are gently placed in the background of the story adding to the sense of time and place.
  
  Overall, Death of a New American has strong elements of history grounding the mystery, a page-turning pacing, and an engaging plot that kept me hooked. I’ll definitely be back for more of Jane’s mysteries.
  
  I received a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
  
  My reviews can also be found on my blog:
  www.jennifertarheelreader.com
• 
  Mackenzie - PhDiva Books

  A socially-conscious, atmospheric, historical mystery exploring issues of ethnicity, class, and gender equality in the backdrop of early 1900s New York City. The novel is set right after news of the Titanic hits New York, and just before tens of thousands of women march the streets in support of women’s suffrage. With an explosive mystery and fascinating social commentary among the leading characters, I found Mariah Frederick’s book Death of a New American to be a fascinating addition to the historical mystery genre!
  
  Jane Prescott is the lady’s maid to wealthy, kind, and introverted Louise Benchley. Jane, who is intelligent, bold, and open-minded limited by her wealth and upbringing is starkly contrasted with the wealthy Louise, who is kind but child-like, sheltered from the types of life experiences and knowledge that I think many of us take for granted.
  
  As Louise Benchley prepares for her wedding to the attractive and socially-connected, yet less-wealthy William Tyler, Jane accompanies her to Long Island for the preparations. Louise and William are so naïve despite their social standing. At times it felt that Jane was forced to act as matchmaker, counselor, and motivator to remind them that they are a rare socially-connected couple of the time that actually did fall in love.
  
  And Jane herself has an interesting relationship with a male journalist who is her intellectual equal, but spoken for in marriage. I wasn’t sure what to make of this connection at first, but ultimately found it to be a delightful element to the story, and an important catalyst in the central mystery.
  
  When the nanny to William Tyler’s niece and nephew is murdered not long before the wedding is to take place at his Aunt and Uncle’s home, things get much more complicated. Sofia was an Italian-American at a time when Italians were considered a dirty social class by many Americans. Sofia’s murder causes an interesting conversation around issues of class, heritage, and gender, and Jane is right in the middle of it.
  
  I found Mariah Fredericks had a keen take on the social complexities of human nature and the trials and tribulations of being a woman in the early 20th century America. The mystery itself seemed straight forward, but got more complex as the story progressed until the conclusion was nothing short of explosive! The pending march for women’s suffrage added a rich context to the novel that I immensely enjoyed. This book is feminist, intriguing, and unique—readers will love it!
  
  Thank you to Minotaur Books for my copy. Opinions are my own.
  
• 
  Magdalena aka A Bookaholic Swede

  The year is 1912 and ladies maid Jane Prescott is preparing to travel to Long Island with the Benchley family for Louise's upcoming wedding. Louise is marrying William Tyler, whose uncle, Charles Tyler, is New York's Deputy Commissioner. Their wedding will take place at his grand home. Alas, everything goes haywire when the Tyler family's nanny is found murdered. Was it a kidnapping gone wrong, or a lovers' tiff? Charles Tyler has made enemies among the Italian mafia - could they have tried to kidnap the baby and the nanny got it the way? And what will happen to the wedding now?
  
  READ THE REST OF THE REVIEW OVER AT
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• 
  Corrie

  I absolutely loved Death of a New American (Jane Prescott #02) and I think it was even better than the first novel. I chose for the audiobook again as Stephanie Willis did such a splendid job the first time around. Her accents are fantastic and she brings something special to every voice in the book (even the men). Her narration is simply flawless.
  
  I'm not in the mood to write a lengthy review atm so this will have to do. Mariah Fredericks outdid herself in this wonderfully crafted murder-mystery. I did not guess who the murderer was before Jane Prescott figured it out. I'm looking forward to listen to the third book (available on Scribd as book and audiobook). I highly recommend!
  
  5 stars
• 
  Alyssa Maxwell

  I was lucky enough to read an ARC of this book. I found it to be an engrossing page turner with an engaging sleuth, an in-depth study of human nature across social lines, and a fearless exploration of Gilded Age New York with its underbelly of crime, poverty, and ruthless politics. Mariah Fredericks writes with stunning vividness and historical authenticity. I read the first book as well, and I'm loving this series!
• 
  Stephanie

  Although I haven't read Mariah Fredericks first book in the Jane Prescott series, A Death of No Importance, I still wanted to read Death of a New American because I enjoy this time in American history. If you are like me and love historical mysteries, then this book is not to be missed even though it's book two! Best of all, Fredericks does a wonderful job giving new readers enough information about what happened in the first book that they aren't lost.
  
  Jane Prescott, ladies' maid to Miss Louise Benchley, is sent to Long Island to oversee Louisa's wedding to William Tyler at his aunt and uncle estate. Charles and Ava have a much-talked about past—Charles took down the Black Hand (the Italian mafia), and Ava is a former society darling, so they have wealthy, glamorous lives, as well some enemies, so they keep a well-guarded and secure household.
  
  Jane only expects the usual wedding and family drama when she gets to Long Island, but she couldn't be more wrong as she settles into the Tyler household and soon makes friends with their nanny, Sofia. In a shocking turn of events, Jane finds Sofia murdered! It appears to be a botched kidnapping attempted, but is it really? Or is it something more sinister at play?
  
  Jane begins investigating the murder with the help of her journalist friend, Michael Behan since he knows she's in a perfect position to gather clues from the household. While sleuthing and discovering clues, Jane's intelligence and wit are perfect in helping her solve this mystery, and I love her character!
  
  One thing that I found appealing about Death of a New American is how obvious it is that Fredericks researched the time period around America in 1912. The detail in the novel is stunning, and the scenes are masterfully written. Also, parts of the storyline, although over a hundred years ago, feel very relevant to today, which I found compelling. The issues of the time period with immigration, women's rights, racism, and classism echo issues of today although these issues are subtlety crafted into the novel's background to give the main plot a strong and vibrant narrative thread.
  
  If you love historical fiction with some mystery, then you'll love this book and Jane! She's a heroine who I found extremely appealing, compassionate, dynamic, and well-characterized. I definitely want more Jane Prescott in the future, and I look forward to future books in the series.
  
  **Thank you Minotaur Books for the review copy. All opinions are my own.**
• 
  Nancy Bilyeau

  I also read the first book in this series, "A Death of No Importance," and while I really enjoyed it, I liked this novel even more. (And you don't have to have read the first book to follow 'A Death of a New American' perfectly well.) The main character, Jane Prescott, is an intelligent and resourceful maid working for a wealthy family in New York City in 1912, one whose money is "new." Once again she is thrown into the middle of a brutal murder, during a visit to another family in the country, one that is riven with strange tensions. Like the best murder mysteries, it captured my curiosity early on and I HAD to keep reading until I discovered the identity of the murderer. In this book, the fate of the immigrants, in particularly those born in Italy, in America plays an important part, with fear and racism raising their ugly heads. All the social concerns are handled with subtlety, woven into the narrative to make it a rich one. The most winning part of the novel is the character of Jane, who is vividly compelling and as forceful as a maid could be in this time period. It's quite a page turner, and I'm very much looking forward to the next book in this series.
• 
  The Lit Bitch

  If you have been following me for just about any amount of time, it’s pretty clear that I love historical mysteries. Obviously this is a huge genre with mystery novels coming out of every period to fit just about every interest.
  
  So when I am looking for a new historical mystery, I want to read something that is either ‘new’ or different, or has an outstanding main character that can relate to. When this series came up for review, I hadn’t heard a thing about it.
  
  In fact I was actually kind of surprised that I hadn’t heard anything about it since it’s set at the turn of the century which is one of my favorite historical mystery periods.
  
  So as I said, I am always looking for either new, refreshing approaches to historical mysteries, or I am looking for interesting characters. A lot of reviewers raved about Jane Prescott, especially after the first book in this series. So needless to say I was excited to see what all the fuss was about.
  
  Immediately I could tell that Jane was going to be a fun character who was easy to relate to and unique in her own way. She is a lady’s maid and I love that she is kind of an ‘ordinary’ girl. In so many mystery series, the protagonist is more from the posh set rather than a maid or another ordinary person in the household. I noticed some other reviewers pointed this aspect out and I think it’s important to note that many fans love that she is ‘normal’ rather than from the upper crush of society.
  
  While this is a second book in the series, I found it was easy to follow along with what was going on from the first book. The author gives you enough information to keep you in the loop, without giving away anything really from the first book.
  
  I also liked that this book explored some of the darker sides on American history, with gangs and mafia influence of this time period. I thought it was well researched historically and I loved that there were enough red herrings and twists to keep me interested and reading until the very end.
  
  If you are a fan of this period, or historical mysteries with a strong female amateur detective, then this series is not to be missed. Historical mystery fans will find a lot to love in Jane Prescott!
  
  
  See my full review here
• 
  Barb in Maryland

  This second entry in this series shows no signs of a sophomore slump from the author.
  The blurb is pretty good, as far as it goes.
  
  The things I liked:
  I loved Jane. Her heart is in the right place and she's not grown cynical, though she's not as naive as she was in the first book.
  I liked our murder victim--poor Sofia! The author was very sympathetic towards her throughtout the book, which emphasized how cruel her death actually was.
  The author did a fabulous job presenting the tumult of NYC--the clashes between earlier immigrant communities(such as the Irish) and the newer arrivals (the Italians) and the clashes between Italians from different regions of the Old Country. She doesn't shy away from the police corruption and the activities of the various criminal gangs. Nor does the press escape the author's gaze--sensational stories with screaming headlines sell quite well; veracity is an after thought.
  The mystery itself was nice and twisty--deftly plotted, with numerous red herrings to lead Jane (and the reader) astray.
  The secondary storyline about Louise and William's upcoming wedding was a nice counterpoint to the murder. The courtship did not go smoothly and the wedding planning scenes between her mother and his provided a welcome touch of humor. (Well, this reader found their wrangling funny. Poor Louise was often in tears and William disappeared a lot--so they weren't amused at all).
  What I didn't like:
  The resolution to the murder case was sordid and, IMO, over the top. I didn't buy the solution--though that's where all the clues pointed. Ugh, ugh, ugh.
  
  I will give the author another chance--I'll definitely read the next book, whenever it comes out. I like the direction Jane is headed at the end of this book and I want to see where her self-education projects take her.
• 
  Susan in NC

  I really like Jane Prescott as a heroine, and this second in what I hope will be a long series does not disappoint.
  
  The book opens in 1912, right after the sinking of the Titanic. Jane is lady’s maid to the Benchley family, and as in the first mystery, her access to the wealthy and powerful, combined with the relative invisibility of servants, gives her an excellent vantage point to the foibles and failures of the upper classes. Now, as Louise Benchley is about to marry William Tyler, the Benchley family and Jane travel to the Long Island estate of William’s aunt and uncle to prepare for the festivities.
  
  Charles and Alva Tyler are a famous and glamorous couple, with a storied past of travel and adventure. Now Charles is famous for prosecuting the Black Hand, or Italian Mafia, in New York City; his reputation has earned him threats, and armed men guard the estate and Mrs. Tyler insists windows be kept closed and locked at all times, fearing kidnapping attempts on the children. Jane befriends the Italian nanny, Sofia, and senses all is not well. Her fears are justified, as Jane is woken one night to screams from the nursery; Jane finds Sofia dead and the window thrown open.
  
  A kidnapping gone wrong, an attempt by the underworld to intimidate Tyler, is the immediate suspicion. Jane is asked to investigate, along with her friend, newspaper reporter Michael Behan; Jane wants justice for Sofia, and Michael wants the story simmering under the surface...
  
  Another excellent mystery, and fascinating look at New York society as it reels from the Titanic disaster, the impacts of immigration, the struggles for women’s suffrage, and workers’ rights. I look forward to future books!
• 
  Mary

  I feel like I just stepped our of the year 1913! Wonderful read. So much history and a great story. I did a lot of googling while reading this one.
• 
  Jeanette

  This author writes a clear, smooth flow easy read copy. And her characters are well drawn, all of them have considerable depth. You know "them"- not only their physical attributes or societal/work modes but a larger chunk of their personalities and thought processes. Which in this genre is never a given, and in this case is above average. For sure.
  
  And I definitely would read another. But I felt the plotting and especially the last 40 pages were trite, almost formulaic. Not only to the focus of guilt but also for the outcome.
  
  For my perception, I thought the author kept pretty well in the actual "circle" of sensibilities and perceptions of that time/era. That's a 4 star level for fiction, mystery, historic genre presently. It's rare. This one wasn't perfect in that aspect, but very above average for Jane's and others' judgments.
  
  It was a lot more fun to read during the first half than the second half.
  
  As a personal aside- my maternal Grandmother died quite young. But she was the moving element, not her husband (they came from the same town in Sicily to Chicago while still in their late teens around 1918)- to get all her blood relations (kids and kids' spouses) out of the Italian neighborhood and into another entire area of the city. She did this in an extremely short time after coming here. It was super outlier to not settle "in your own ethnic neighborhood and church/ parish group". They were fruit peddlers near the Southside lakefront (Michigan)turned eventually into tiny grocery store Mom & Pop operators. Regardless, they got fire bombed twice before I was born and during those years when my Mom was a teenager. While outside of the Italian sections on top of it. And for several different reasons. Black Hand wasn't the only outfit who either wanted graft or didn't like who they rented to. But they were especially debilitating to the Italian predominant sections of most Northern urban USA cities.
• 
  Kay

  Mariah Fredericks’s second Jane Prescott mystery, Death Of A New American, has a rich, layered, vivid backdrop: 1912 New York. Indeed, Fredericks’s vibrantly-rendered historical detail may be as immersive and compelling as her mystery and characters. Of the latter, her amateur sleuth, ladies maid Jane Prescott, is eminently sympathetic: intelligent, observant, and compassionate. Jane’s lowly social status allows her the freedom to fade into the background and take in the details of the wealthy, privileged, and as aristocratic as Americans can be, families she serves. Fredericks may write about the rich and powerful, but the moral core of her mystery lies with the people of the “downstairs”. Their lives, thanks to the historical context in which Fredericks situates them, will change as social, economic, and political tides sweep over early twentieth century New York.
  
  Fredericks has penned a novel as richly conceived historically as it is domestically. When it opens, the papers are crying the news of the Titanic‘s sinking. On the domestic front, Jane is preparing a trip to the Long Island home of the Tylers, as her mistress, Louise Benchley, prepares to marry their nephew, William. Charles, William’s uncle, is the powerful, influential, and famous-for-fighting-the-emerging-Italian-NY mafia, police commissioner. But, who is the “new American” and how and why does she die?
  
  When Jane arrives at the Tylers’ home, Pleasant Meadows, she notes a strain in the family. Charles’s wife, Alva, is taxed by motherhood and still grieving an infant son’s loss. There’s a new baby, a chubby cherub, Freddy, and a daughter, Mabel, but they seem to spend their time with the beautiful, mysterious, newly-made-American nanny, Sofia Bernardi. Fredericks does a marvelous job of showing the bigotry and “othering” new Americans faced, in this case, Italians, and echoes present-day sentiments, in certain quarters, towards refugees and newly-arrived immigrants from Muslim countries. When you read her novel, you can’t help but think of these parallels. As has by now become obvious, the eponymous new American is Sofia and it is her murder, in an attempted kidnapping of baby Freddy, that provides the who and why dunnit as tackled by our intrepid, sympathetic Jane.
  
  Into Jane’s amateur investigation walks journalist Michael Behan, less invested in justice for the oppressed than his own glory in scoring a scoop for his newspaper, the Herald. Behan and Jane’s relationship is a complicated one and obviously carries over from the first novel in the series. Behan is a bigot and the name-calling and negative opinions he expresses about Italians puts him in the “better not make him Jane’s significant other” and he-can’t-be-the-hero territory. Glad to see that Fredericks gives him a few redeeming moments, thanks to Jane’s tutelage in tolerance and understanding, but keeps him well out of Jane’s action after the novel’s first half. It is definitely Jane’s book; her ethic, compassion, and care make this a strong book and relegating Behan to the margins helps this along.
  
  As quiet, unassuming, yet dogged in her pursuit of justice and truth, as Jane is, the sweep of history and the face of a demographically changing America elevate Fredericks’s novel. I particularly loved Jane’s friendship with Anna, her Marxist friend, as she campaigns for workers’ rights. (Fredericks even nods at the ILGWU, the now-defunct union that Mrs. Bates mère belonged to!) The social and political tensions that marked the era make for a thematically-intense narrative: Sofia the nanny’s murder becomes a commentary on how Americans view the newcomer, how immigrants bring their own troubled, fraught histories to America’s shores, and how perception and prejudice make for social and political conflict.
  
  In the end, when Jane puts the puzzle pieces together to give Sofia, if not vindication, a modicum of justice, the who and why dunnit devolves to domestic drama. This was a letdown. The mystery’s resolution, however, occurs well before the novel’s conclusion. That conclusion, on the other hand, is magnificent, as Jane and her “downstairs” colleagues watch and then join the NYC Suffrage Parade of May 1912. Fredericks’s description of the parade is rendered in loving detail. It moved me to tears, as did Jane’s realization of the world of possibility it opened to women. I would urge you to read Death Of A New American for the mystery, the wonderful Jane, the sympathetic characters and even the negative but interesting ones, but mostly for Fredericks’s vision of women on the march for autonomy, a voice in the political arena, and feminist identity. With Miss Austen, who forged her own unique vision of what women could be and have, we say that Mariah Fredericks’s Death Of A New American offers “a mind lively and at ease,” Emma.
  
  Mariah Frederick’s Death Of A New American is published by Minotaur Books. It was released on April 9th and may be found at your preferred vendors. I am grateful to Minotaur Books for an e-ARC, via Netgalley.
• 
  Samantha

  As was the case with A Death of No Importance, I’m impressed with Mariah Fredericks’ ability to take a plot line as old as the hills and make it into something that feels fresh and original.
  
  Death of A New American, like the preceding Jane Prescott novel, isn’t exactly an easy read. It’s atmospheric and charming and compelling and, for better or worse, also a little bit heartbreaking.
  
  There’s a significant component of the conclusion/solve in this book that is strikingly similar to the solve in the first novel in the series. And in both cases, it felt awfully convenient. Fortunately, that is my lone complaint. I absolutely adore Jane and enjoy spending time in her world.
  
  *I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
• 
  Donna

  This is Historical Fiction and the second book in the Jane Prescott Mystery series. I pretty much feel the same way about this one as I did the first book in the series. I like Jane. She is smart, sassy, but respectful given the setting and her station.
  
  I also like the pace and they way the author injects the clues. It all unfolds naturally. This would normally be 3 stars, but the narrator of the audio did a fabulous job, so 4 stars.
• 
  Debbie

  I reviewed this for mystery scene magazine see the spring '19 issue for my complete review
• 
  Ellen

  It is always a happy day when I get approved for an e-arc on Netgalley, particularly when it is a book I am really looking forward to. Needless to say, I was quite excited to be approved for Mariah Fredericks new book Death of a New American and immediately started reading when I received it.
  
  The second in the series, we return to Jane Prescott’s world right after the sinking of The Titanic. She continues to work for the Benchley family and is now helping Louisa prepare for her upcoming society wedding. But as we know nothing ever goes as planned. Waring parents, a groom with a wandering eye, and murder all conspire to to derail the wedding. Add in a larger then life crime fighting Uncle with a propensity for the spotlight and a relentless reporter and you have the making of a great book.
  
  I found myself enjoying this book even more then the first. The mystery was well done - and the reasoning behind it reflecting the reality of the time. But what really drew me in was Jane. I found myself really liking Jane after reading the first book in the series. She is smart, honest, and humble. Her sleuthing skills are quite sharp and she is always willing to stand up for what is right despite the consequences for doing so. In Death of A New American we get to know her and her thoughts better. What I am eagerly awaiting is how her own life will proceed. She is so busy serving others she has little time for her personal life. I am hopeful
  
  Thank you St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for the review e-arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
• 
  Jan

  Addicted as I am to well researched historicals, this one really makes the grade!
  It certainly seems appropriately researched (I'm geeky about checking such things) in areas related to the story line. The characters are all interesting and engaging even the brainless ones. The sleuthing is fascinating with the sort of plot twists and very red herrings. There are a couple of things that I wish I could address, but that would definitely be in spoiler territory.
  Bottom line is that it held me captive and I loved it!
  I requested and received a free ebook copy from St Martin's Press via NetGalley. Thank you!
• 
  Maureen Timerman

  A story that shows hate for a nationality, murder, wealth, and timestamped by the sinking of the Titanic.
  As we journey for answers and they start be revealed, and boy I didn’t see most of it coming.
  There are a great many twists and turns here, and be sure to read the epilogue, wow!
  
  I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher St. Martin’s Press, and was not required to give a positive review.
  
  
• 
  Carolyn Mackler

  Mariah Fredericks has written another wonderful historical mystery set in old New York! Great plotting, authentic language, and fab NYC details. Juicy, fascinating, and so so good. Mariah: please write MORE Jane Prescott. And what’s the deal with Michael? Will they ever hook up?!
• 
  Betty

  The second book in the Jane Prescott Historic series finds Jane working a ladies maid to Louise Blanchly. In 1912 Jane travels with Blanchlys to Long Island as Louise is married William Tyler. While there they will plan the wedding. Charles Tyler is known for putting down the Italian mafia of the Black Hand in New York City. Jane quickly becomes friends with nursery maid, Sofia who is later found dead in the nursery with the baby is crying in the floor. Jane is determined to find the answer to who killed Sofia as everyone is concerned for a kidnapping attempt that went wrong. Will Jane succeed in the quest? There are a number of twists and red herrings that will hold your attention before the surprising end. This was the first time I have read this author and I will read her again. I highly recommend this book.
  
  Disclosure:' Thanks for a copy from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley. The opinions expressed are my own.
• 
  Susan

  1912 and rich Louise Benchley is preparing for her wedding to socially connected William Tyler. It is finally decided that the wedding will take place at the home of Charles Tyler, uncle to William, at Long Island. But unfortunately for the families concerned a body is discovered late one night. Does ths have anything to do with the activities of Charles Tyler and his clamp down on crime?
  Jane Prescott, an intelligent and resourceful ladies maid is teamed up with reporter Michael Behan to discover the truth. A slow paced but well crafted mystery with its well-rounded characters. An enjoyable read.
  A NetGalley Book
• 
  Robin

  I was knocked out by Mariah Frederick’s first novel, A Death of No Importance, and wasn’t sure how her book about a maid in a wealthy American household slightly after the turn of the century could be translated into a series, but it seems it surely can be. Jane Prescott, a woman of her time in some ways, is grieving over the recent loss of the Titanic like everyone else, but unlike everyone else, she’s shepherding her charge, Miss Louise Benchley, through the trials and tribulations of a giant society wedding.
  
  The first novel and this one are framed by a snapshot of the present which then looks back to Jane’s past. That’s appropriate, as Fredericks’ passion translates across the eras. The villainization of Italians in 1912 can so easily be substituted for the villainization of Muslims at the moment. Jane teeters between the privileged world of her charge and the actual world where she lives.
  
  This all sounds like a polemic and it certainly has that possibility, but in Fredericks’ capable hands it’s far from it. She’s presenting a good story that makes the reader think. As the book opens Louisa is visiting her fiancée’s family in swanky Long Island to plan the wedding, something that is making the shy Louisa incredibly anxious.
  
  Her fiancee’s uncle, who is hosting the wedding, is well known for many reasons, but one of them is that he’s recently saved a kidnapped child, freeing him from the clutches of the notorious Black Hand. When his Italian nanny is killed in an apparent kidnapping attempt, Jane and her reporter friend are asked to discretely look into the matter. There’s a wedding to consider, after all.
  
  Fredericks doesn’t shy from the messiness of real life as Louisa’s courtship undergoes a trauma, the young daughter of the house mourns the loss of her nanny, and the lady of the house appears to be a shadow of her former self. Meanwhile the spotlight is turned on the Italians. The victim is Italian and so is the perhaps shady chauffeur, who is staunchly defended by his employer.
  
  As Jane and the reporter make their prickly way toward a solution, their differing points of view and connections make getting to the answer more assured. At one point they share a meal at an Italian restaurant. At the time Italian food was incredibly exotic, which seems bizarre to us, illustrating the fact that all of us become eventually acclimated to what is originally seen to be very different from our supposed norms.
  
  The underlying passion of these novels is one of the true attractions, though the expert plotting and character development doesn’t hurt either. Jane is a wonderfully sensible character to build a series around, and you feel as protective of Miss Louise as she does herself. Jane is gifted with a view of both sides of the wealth divide, and it makes her character more rounded, more compassionate, and more unexpected. This is one of the most vivid new series I’ve read in quite awhile.
  
• 
  Gretchen

  I want to be Jane Prescott.
• 
  Niki (nikilovestoread)

  Death of a New American by Mariah Fredericks is the second book in the Jane Prescott series. She is a lady's maid for the Benchley family, New Money in the world of the rich. Their eldest daughter is engaged to marry William Tyler, a member of an elite family, who have been facing financial troubles. The Benchleys, along with Jane, travel to the family estate of William's uncle, Charles Tyler, where the wedding will take place. As soon as she arrives, something feels off to Jane, but she's not sure where that feeling is coming from. When one of the servants in the house is murdered, Jane digs deeper into the mystery with her friend, Michael Behan, a journalist for the New York Herald.
  
  I enjoyed the first in the series, A Death of No Importance, but I loved this one even more. It's so interesting to feel like you're right there in history while you're reading it. So much is going on. We have the Italian Mafia and racism against innocent immigrants, the suffrage movement for women's right to vote, the murder of a servant and the wealthy family she worked for doesn't seem too concerned to find the killer. It was such a time of change. Workers were starting to realize they deserved to be treated better. The story takes place in 1912. So society is dealing with the sinking of the Titanic. It seems like a lot going on when I list it out, but it works. It was a time of change.
  The mystery itself was well done, too. What seems like a pretty open and shut case proves to be anything but. The cast of characters is engaging and our amatuer sleuth, Jane, is smart, quite candid about her life and those around her, and such a wonderful character. I highly recommend this historical mystery. It has everything I love: a cast of engaging, authentic characters, an accurate reflection of the time period in history, and a great mystery. I can't wait for the third one to come out next year!
  
  I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
• 
  Nicole

  Great read. Ladie's Maid Jane is back, assisting her charge in the run up to her wedding with William Turner. Turner's father Charles is notorious about locking up members of the Black Hand (Italian Maifia). Jane befriends the young Italian nanny, Sophia, when she joins the household in preperation for the wedding.
  
  The family is vigiliant about security, including Turner's wife, Alva who mandates locked doors and shut windows at all times as a deterent to those that would harm her husband and children. The family's safety is threatened, when Jane discovers Sofia murdered in the nursey, with her young charge lying on the floor. The windows that were so carefully secured now flung open. Was is a kidnapping attempt or something even more sinister?
  
  With her reporter friend Michael in tow, she dives deep into the family mystery and why Sofia was targeted. Or if she was targeted. The final conclusion was suprising, and I thought a well paced novel. It also highlighted the predjuce that normal Italians went through during the rise of the Black Hand, and how even the police force was't immune to bias.
• 
  Sarah

  Death of a New American is the second entry on what is shaping up to be a really compelling historical mystery series. Our heroine is Jane Prescott, a lady's maid in New York City on 1912. Because most historical mystery protagonists are from the upper crust, it's refreshing to read about someone from another station. Jane and her employers are at a country house preparing for a wedding when a young Italian servant is murdered, and Jane works with a newspaper reporter to solve the case.
  
  While this story feels firmly rooted in its time, it also addresses so many issues that are relevant today, particularly that of immigration, and three are many parallels to be drawn to modern circumstances between attitudes about Italian immigrants at the time and immigrants today. There is also a particularly affecting scene of a march for women's suffrage. Jane is a fascinating character, and I will eagerly await the next installment in this series.
  
  *I received a free ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
• 
  Homerun2

  Substantial historical mystery set in New York in 1912. Lady's maid Jane Prescott is busy helping plan a wedding for Louise, the daughter of her employer. It's an eventful time: the novel takes place right after the sinking of the Titanic, just before the major suffragette march, and during considerable societal upheaval.
  
  Jane's lady, Louise, is having mixed feelings about her upcoming marriage. And then Jane discovers the murdered body of the fiance's uncle's nanny. With the help of her reporter friend Michael Behan, Jane tries to unravel the mystery. She is intelligent, capable and compassionate and a very strong and likeable character.
  
  The characterizations and plotting are well done, but the real appeal of this book is its depth. Without being pedantic, lots of meaty issues appear, including women's rights, ethnic discrimination, gender roles, and depression. The very last pages describe the electric atmosphere of the 1912 women's suffrage march and its stunning effect on the women who watched it and participated.