"Lights up 1902 New York City"
In 1902 Manhattan, the Slasher has attacked three working
class Irish women; the first two survived the ordeal, but
the third victim is dead. Fearing for her friend Maggie
Kennedy who lives in the same neighborhood that is under
assault, heiress sleuth Francesca Cahill begins to
investigate the vicious crimes over the objection of her
fiancé successful businessman Calder Hart. He does not
want her in harm's way or hanging out with his rival his
half-brother married Police Commissioner Rick Bragg
because Francesca and Rick were once thought to be in love. Still Francesca is an independent person and no one, even
her future spouse, will tell her what she cannot do. She
makes inquiries and visits the crime scenes where she runs
into Rick. Suspects are everywhere especially estranged
spouses and fiancés, but in spite of the combined efforts
of Rick and Francesca the Slasher strikes again. To catch
this killer Francesca knows she must be the bait. The seventh Cahill historical mystery provides Brenda
Joyce's audience with a wonderful lamplight look at
Manhattan at the turn of the century. The story line is
fast-paced but loaded with intricate family relationships
that bring to life the key players especially the half-
brothers, Rick's wife, and the heroine. The who-done-it
is fun as the suspects seem plentiful and the moving
forward on relational fronts provides a freshness somewhat
lacking in the last two books, but DEADLY ILLUSIONS is at
its best lighting up 1902 New York City. Harriet Klausner
Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted January 1, 2005
SummaryManhattan, 1902.
Irrepressible heiress and intrepid sleuth Francesca Cahill
moves from her own elegant world of Fifth Avenue to the
teeming underbelly of society, a place of pride,
passions...and sometimes deadly perversions.
Despite the misgivings of her fiancé, Calder Hart, Francesca
cannot turn away from a threat that is terrorizing the
tenement neighborhood of Lower Manhattan. A madman has
attacked three women, but while the first two victims
survived, the third is dead, raising the stakes. All the
victims are impoverished but beautiful Irishwomen—and
Francesca fears that Maggie Kennedy and Gwen O'Neil, two
friends who live nearby, could be next.
Soon she is working with her former love, police
commissioner Rick Bragg—Calder's half brother and worst
rival. But even as Calder's jealous passions leave his
relationship with Francesca teetering on the brink,
Francesca is frantically on the killer's trail, certain The
Slasher will strike again—afraid she will be too
late....
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