Summary from Goodreads:

Who killed Dr. Harvey Burdell?

Though there are no witnesses and no clues, fingers point to Emma Cunningham, the refined, pale-skinned widow who managed Burdell’s house and his servants. Rumored to be a black-hearted gold digger with designs on the doctor’s name and fortune, Emma is immediately put under house arrest during a murder investigation. A swift conviction is sure to catapult flamboyant district attorney Abraham Oakey Hall into the mayor’s seat. But one formidable obstacle stands in his way: the defense attorney Henry Clinton. Committed to justice and the law, Clinton will aid the vulnerable widow in her desperate fight to save herself from the gallows.

Set in 1857 New York, this gripping mystery is also a richly detailed excavation of a lost age. Horan vividly re-creates a tumultuous era characterized by a sensationalist press, aggressive new wealth, a booming real-estate market, corruption, racial conflict, economic inequality between men and women, and the erosion of the old codes of behavior. A tale of murder, sex, greed, and politics, this spellbinding narrative transports readers to a time that eerily echoes our own.

My Review:

There’s just something about an unsolved mystery.  I mean, we know the outcome (or you will by reading this book or researching online), but still – the possibilities are endless.

That’s how this book felt to me – like the possibilities were endless.  Even knowing how everything turned out beforehand I wanted to see Ellen Horan’s spin on it, to see how she could possibly manipulate the story to make it seem new and fresh (I remember reading about the murder of Dr. Burdell years ago and it fascinated me then.)

The verdict?  Horan did a magnificent job.  She pieces together the story in a simple past/present format that works well for the story.  Each character is painted in such a way as to show both innocence and guilt and make the reader continue guessing as the story progresses.  What I was most impressed with, however, was her manner of handling the coroners inquest.  It felt so real that I felt the outrage of Clinton, the fear of Emma Cunningham and the excitement of those waiting for the answers.

This is a fantastic historical murder mystery and one I had a difficult time putting down. Well worth the read!

About the Author

Ellen Horan’s website and her Facebook page.

For more reviews on 31 Bond Street by Ellen Horan, please follow the book tour.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from TLC Book Tours. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”