Murder on Union Square

Sarah and Frank a very close to adopting Catherine, the girl Sarah has been raising as her daughter when they encounter a legal roadblock. In Murder on Union Square by Victoria Thompson, it appears Catherine's birth mother was married to someone who although not the child's father, is legally considered to be the father. I know confusing.

In any case, the Malloy's meet with Parnell Vaughn and he agrees to relinquish parental rights to Catherine. His ambitious fiancee wants money for the child, but although it is illegal to pay for the custody, Frank is determined to finish the process.

The next day he goes to the theatre to give the money to Parnell and have him sign the forms only to find Parnell dead with his head bashed in from a violent attack.

Seizing on the opportunity for more drama, Eliza Grimes starts

screaming that Frank has killed her fiance Parnell. Before you know it, Frank is arrested and taken to The Tombs. Thoroughly mortified, he is finally released and his lawyer advises that if he pays enough money, his case will never go to court. Frank, however, doesn't want his future and his children's futures to exist under a cloud, so he decides to find the real killer.

With the theatre as the backdrop, there is much drama with the other actors. Leading lady and a little over the hill to be playing the ingenue, Adelia Hawkes makes her leading men jump through hopes to get the parts. Parnell Vaughn was one of them. Her husband turns a blind eye and her agent seems to drift in and out of the picture.

With all these characters, it is difficult for Frank and Sarah and their detectives to find the real killer and clear him.

Another excellent period book from Victoria Thompson and the wonderful cast of characters.