Victoria Thompson's Gaslight Mysteries

Thanks for helping to make the Gaslight Mystery Series a success! I'm having a lot of fun writing about turn-of-the-century New York City. The time period is one of the most fascinating in all of history, and one that has been sorely neglected in fiction. I am constantly surprised that people living in the 21st Century are still interested in many of the same things they were interested in a hundred years ago. Nineteenth century "spiritualism" has become twenty-first century "new age." Back than, women were just entering the work force, and they were dealing with sexual harassment and discrimination and low wages, as they still are today. City life made meeting a suitable young man a challenge, sometimes even a dangerous challenge. The wealthy feared the poor, and the poor hated the rich. The media turned murder trials into three-ring circuses. The more research I do into this time period, the more I realize that nothing ever really changes except the technology. People are still people, with the same follies and foibles and hopes and fears.

My heroine, Sarah Brandt, comes from a wealthy family, but she has rebelled against the restrictions her social position would have placed on her. She married for love, against her family's wishes, and when her husband died, she chose to make her own way in the world. Her profession brings her into contact with all kinds of people, some of whom end up murdered.

Early in the first book of the series, Murder on Astor Place, Sarah meets Detective Sergeant Frank Malloy of the New York City Police. Frank is a typical cop of his era, a time when the police were underpaid and only investigated crimes for people who could afford to pay them a reward. Frank has ambitions of becoming a captain in the force, a position for which he must pay a substantial bribe, so he's saving his money carefully. He doesn't have time to waste solving the murder of a girl whose family doesn't want the crime solved, but Sarah Brandt won't allow him to shirk his duty. Making such a man a sympathetic character was a challenge, but I think when you read the book, you'll understand why Frank is who he is.

Both Frank and Sarah have tragedy in their pasts. Both have lost a beloved mate and both are driven to succeed. In spite of the differences in their backgrounds and social class, they come to respect each other and learn they can work well together. So well, in fact, that they bring that killer to justice and go on to solve many other murders as well.

People always ask if Frank and Sarah are going to get together. The answer is yes, but just don't ask me when. I don't want to spoil the mystery! In the meantime, I think you'll enjoy watching their relationship develop.