New York City: Historical Mystery Novels

The Dorothy Parker Murder Case by George Baxt (1984)

On the day after Valentino's death, a showgirl's body is found in George S. Kaufman's hideaway, and Dorothy Parker and Alexander Wollcott enter an unfamiliar world of murder and mayhem.

The Midnight Band of Mercy by Michael Blaine (2004)

When reporter Max Greengrass finds dead cats arranged in a ritual manner on a Greenwich village sidewalk, he pursues the story through 1893 New York society until he becomes the target of a bizarre conspiracy.

Murphy's Law by Rhys Bowen (2001)

Fleeing a false accusation of murder in Ireland, Molly Murphy becomes involved in another murder case in 19th century New York City when the man who was harassing her on the boat to America turns up dead. First in a series. The most recent title is In a Gilded Cage (2009).

The Alienist by Caleb Carr (1994)

In 1896 New York, psychologist -- or in period terminology, alienist -- Laszlo Kreizler joins forces with journalist John Schuyler Moore to track a vicious serial killer. Followed by The Angel of Darkness (1997).

The Spiritualist by Megan Chance (2008)

On a cold January morning in 1856, Evelyn Atherton's husband is found murdered after attending an exclusive séance. Having “married up” into New York society, Evie herself is the immediate suspect. Ostracized and vulnerable, she knows that to clear her name she must retrace her husband's last steps. And so, joining forces with her husband's best friend–and the only Manhattan lawyer who will accept her case–Evie dives into the mysterious underworld of the occult.

Suspension by Richard Crabbe (2000)

In the aftermath of the Civil War, the construction of the East River bridge becomes the target for a group of Southern partisans, as Detective Tom Braddock uncovers hints of the conspiracy and jeopardizes his own life.

Black Hats by Patrick Culhane (2007)

Visiting Brooklyn to assist deputy-turned-sportswriter Bat Masterson during a showdown with Prohibition-era mobsters, detective Wyatt Earp struggles to protect a speakeasy once belonging to the late Doc Holliday from falling under the rule of a young Al Capone.

Femme Fatale by Carole Nelson Douglas (2003)

After being warned that her mother has become the target of an assassin, American diva-turned-detective Irene Adler heads for New York City, where she finds herself investigating a series of bizarre killings while trying to find her long-lost mother, unaware that intrepid journalist Nelly Bly has enlisted the aid of master sleuth Sherlock Holmes to uncover the truth about Adler's past.

The Shroud of the Thwacker by Chris Elliott (2005)

In 1882 New York City, police chief Caleb Spencer, Evening Post reporter Liz Smith, and mayor Teddy Roosevelt try to unravel the mystery of the world's most bizarre serial killer, Jack the Jolly Thwacker, embarking on a wild chase through the streets of New York on the trail of a killer whose identity is revealed to modern-day comedian Chris Elliott, who joins the search courtesy of some time travel. In his debut as a novelist, his veteran comedy-writer's skills come to the fore in a wacky murder mystery that sends up best-selling thrillers such as The Alienist and The Da Vinci Code.

The Portrait of Mrs Charbuque by Jeffrey Ford (2002)

Hired by a mysterious woman who offers him a fortune to paint her portrait while refusing to let him see her, 1890s New York society artist Piambo is challenged to glean her visage while she sits behind a screen and recounts her life to him, a situation that is further complicated by a series of murders and a threatening note.

The War against Miss Winter by Kathryn Miller Haines (2007)

Struggling with missing her enlisted boyfriend, a lack of employment, and the growing impact of World War II on her New York City home, aspiring actress Rosie Winter reluctantly accepts work with a lowbrow detective agency and is caught up in a high-society mystery when her new boss is murdered.

A Time Gone By by William Heffernan (2003)

Unable to forget the murder of a 1940s gubernatorial candidate thirty years earlier, a crime for which an innocent man was put to death, Detective Chief Jake Downing sets out in hopes of finding the true killer.

Nevermore by William Hjorstberg (1994)

While a killer recreates grisly scenes from the pages of Edgar Allen Poe in 1920s New York, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is haunted by Poe's ghost, and Harry Houdini falls in love with a beautiful clairvoyant.

The Silver Chariot Killer by Richard A Lupoff (1996)

When Hobart Lindsey's roommate for a couple of training seminars is found murdered in Hell's Kitchen, Lindsey follows a lead to an antique toy chariot once owned by Julius Caesar – and last seen at the 1939 New York World's Fair -- that, in turn, leads him into the world of high art and politics.

The Queen of Bedlam by Robert McCammon (2007)

Investigating New York City's first serial killer in 1702, magistrate's clerk Matthew Corbert contemplates working with an elderly asylum resident who may hold the key to the killer's identity, in a case that is further challenged by the murderer's dark designs for the city.

Free Love by Annette Meyers (1999)

During the Roaring Twenties, poet Olivia Brown is determined to experience everything her Greenwich Village neighborhood has to offer, but suddenly finds herself embroiled in a murder. First in a series. Followed by Murder Me Now (2001)

The Dutchman by Maan Meyers (1992)

The apparent suicide of a tavern owner and a mysterious fire send Dutch sheriff Tonneman, a resident of 1664 Manhattan, on the hunt for a culprit. First in a series, which follows the Tonneman family from New Amsterdam in 1664, to New York City in 1895. The latest in the Dutchman series is The Organ Grinder (2008).

War at Home by Kris Nelscott (2005)

Searching for a missing Yale student who never arrived for his 1969 spring semester, private investigator Smokey Dalton pursues leads between New Haven and New York City. One of a series; the most recent is Days of Rage (2006).

Double Play by Robert B Parker (2004)

In 1947, as Jackie Robinson breaks the major league baseball color barrier by playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers, Joseph Burke, a World War II veteran and survivor of Guadalcanal, is hired by Dodgers manager Branch Rickey to be Robinson's bodyguard.

The Thomas Street Horror by Raymond Paul (1982)

This fictionalized recreation -- peppered with authentic, sensational newspaper clippings and period details -- provides an imaginative solution to the real-life murder of Helen Jewett, a stunning prostitute, in New York in 1835. By the author of The Tragedy at Tiverton.

This Dame for Hire by Sandra Scoppettone (2005)

When her boss joins the Army during World War II, secretary Faye Quick takes over his private investigation firm, and soon stumbles over the body of a murdered woman.

On Night's Shore by Randall Silvis (2001)

The discovery of a young woman's body in the Hudson River in 1840s Manhattan prompts much public speculation over the case, and inspires a young journalist named Edgar Allan Poe to investigate.

A Different Kind of Justice by Linda Sole (2008)

While visiting her mother in Prohibition-era New York, a series of murders grab Sarah Beaufort's attention. But while she's as inquisitive as ever, Sarah is determined not to get involved. Until, that is, her mother's maid, Morna, disappears following a date with a wealthy gentleman of dubious connections. When Morna's date is found brutally murdered in a house of ill repute in the guise of a nightclub, and with Morna still missing, Sarah can't help but become involved . . .

The Gilded Cage by Troy Soos (2001)

In nineteenth-century New York City, Rebecca Davies, who must find a way to keep her shelter for abused women from closing, turns to an ambitious young banker for help, but when the banker is murdered and her money vanishes, Rebecca joins forces with writer Marshall Webb to discover the truth. Rebecca also appears in Island of Tears (2001).

The Houdini Specter by Daniel Stashower (2001)

While attempting to expose fraudulent medium Lucius Craig to New York's gullible society, master magician and escape artist Harry Houdini is faced with investigating a murder during one of Craig's fake seances, an event that Houdini himself attended.

The Spice Box by Lou Jane Temple (2005)

Fleeing the Irish potato famine to build a new life in New York City, Bridget takes a job as a cook for a wealthy department store magnate, but her first day ends in tragedy when she stumbles upon a body. First in a series, followed by Death du Jour (2006).

Murder on Astor Place by Victoria Thompson (1999)

Following a routine delivery in a rooming house, turn-of-the-century midwife Sarah Brandt discovers the murder of another boarder and joins forces with Sergeant Frank Malloy to find the killer. First in a series; the most recent title is Murder on Bank Street (2008).

Fiction is arranged alphabetically by the author's last name. Please consult the online catalog or check with a librarian to verify location and availability.

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