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Secret of the White Rose (Simon Ziele #3)

3.81 of 5 stars 3.81 · rating details · 380 ratings · 74 reviews

The murder of Judge Hugo Jackson is out of Detective Simon Ziele’s jurisdiction in more ways than one. For one, it’s high-profile enough to command the attention of the notorious new police commissioner, since Judge Jackson was presiding over the sensational trial of Al Drayson. Drayson, an anarchist, set off a bomb at a Carnegie family wedding, but instead of killing mill...more

ebook, 400 pages

Published May 24th 2011 by Minotaur Books

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May 07, 2011 Tracey rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, lter, advanced-reading-copy

My LTER from last month was an ARC for the mystery The Secret of the White Rose, by Stefanie Pintoff. A trial is wrapping up in 1906 Manhattan; the defendant is one of the most reviled men in the city in decades, an anarchist called Al Drayson who made an inept attempt to blow up a Carnegie wedding and wound up killing, among other innocent (and non-upper-crust) bystanders, a small child. And on the eve of jury deliberations, the judge is murdered, his body found with the right hand resting on a...more My LTER from last month was an ARC for the mystery The Secret of the White Rose, by Stefanie Pintoff. A trial is wrapping up in 1906 Manhattan; the defendant is one of the most reviled men in the city in decades, an anarchist called Al Drayson who made an inept attempt to blow up a Carnegie wedding and wound up killing, among other innocent (and non-upper-crust) bystanders, a small child. And on the eve of jury deliberations, the judge is murdered, his body found with the right hand resting on a Bible, a white rose sitting before him. This turns out to be the first act in a chain of violence, conspiracy, ciphers, and revenge.

This is the third book in a series about Detective Simon Ziele's uneasy partnership with criminologist Alistair Sinclair, and the first I've read. Here, they become involved because the judge was an old classmate and old friend of Sinclair, and the widow has asked for his aid - and where he goes, so does Ziele.

From the beginning this bore a strong resemblance to Caleb Carr's The Alienist and Angel of Darkness. Those took place in 1896 and 1902 Manhattan, and feature the friendship and partnership of a journalist and a criminalist; they were dark and complex and detailed with a wonderfully real setting - I still wish I could go to turn of the century Delmonico's. The Sinclair novels - or this one, at least - treads the same ground, although not the same restaurant - Ziele goes to Lombardi's for a slice of tomato pie (pizza - Lombardi's is now closed). The comparison isn't favorable for White Rose ... It wasn't bad. It was a rather clever, red herring-filled mystery, though perhaps a bit too filled with herring. The writing was good, although some of the dialogue bore little resemblance to anything most human beings would utter in this century or the last. I liked the main character, Ziele, from whose point of view the story is told in the first person, but I didn't form attachments to him or any of the others. The setting was well done, but not as strong and sensual as Carr presented. It's a shame that the comparison is so inevitable, because on its own merits it might do better.

On Goodreads, there are no half-star ratings, which is a shame; this is one of the times when three stars isn't quite good enough, but four is a little too strong: 3 1/2 on LibraryThing is right. I enjoyed it; it was a quick read; I will certainly read the other books in the series if I come across them but won't seek them out. (less)

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May 17, 2011 Elizabeth of Silver's Reviews rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A high-profile trial, an honest, fair judge, and some undisclosed history of the participants. All these circumstances resulted in a judge being found murdered in his home office along with a white rose and a Bible.

Who could have done this? There was speculation about who the culprit could be, and the detectives didn’t think someone had acted alone. Every detective that had some connection to a group or a family member who may have some connections was involved in the case. "Get to it gentlemen....more A high-profile trial, an honest, fair judge, and some undisclosed history of the participants. All these circumstances resulted in a judge being found murdered in his home office along with a white rose and a Bible.

Who could have done this? There was speculation about who the culprit could be, and the detectives didn’t think someone had acted alone. Every detective that had some connection to a group or a family member who may have some connections was involved in the case. "Get to it gentlemen.........My goal is to arrest those responsible for the judge's murder within forty-eight hours." Page 70

Another idea to find the motive and the murderer was to get in touch with a judge named Angus Porter...he was a symbolist, and there definitely was a lot of symbolism in the clues and in the murder of Judge Hugo Jackson. The white rose in the judge's hand and also on a sheet of music gave the detectives the most clues as to why the murder had occurred. The crime scene was filled with symbolism, and the symbolism needed to be decoded. Some decoding was done, but another murder occurred shortly after, and again the murderer left a Bible and a white rose at the scene.

The similarities of symbols at both murders and the anarchist on trial, Drayson, led the detectives to a group of his followers. The group was then arrested for attacking an officer. While they were being held in jail, an explosion occurred...an explosion meant to assist in the freeing of the anarchists being held. It turned out the explosion had been a diversion so that Drayson could escape.

Meanwhile the two murders were not even close to being solved, but the clues were beginning to add up or so they thought. A third murder occurred, and it was not a judge....it was a professor at a local university. What connected all of them and why were the same items left with the bodies?

There was a surprise at the end, but not a great mystery/read for me. An interesting aspect was the setting in the early 19th century. It was interesting to see how crimes were solved during that time and how the police and detectives put clues together. It was also interesting to hear about the "cabs" that were pulled by horses in New York City.

I will give the book a 3/5 because I had trouble keeping track of the characters and their roles and it really wasn’t a “grab ya” story…it took a while to warm up to what was going on. (less)

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Mar 22, 2012 Amy Lignor rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

People vs. Drayson is the only headline in 1906 New York City. Everyone’s talking about the horrific anarchist who planted a bomb in a horse carriage in order to take out Andrew Carnegie - make him pay for his ill treatment of U.S. Steel workers. Instead, the bomb only took innocent lives on the street, including that of a child. Judge Hugo Jackson is in the center of this storm as he presides over the case. Every day he receives a new threatening letter and he’s becoming truly terrified.

Alista...more
People vs. Drayson is the only headline in 1906 New York City. Everyone’s talking about the horrific anarchist who planted a bomb in a horse carriage in order to take out Andrew Carnegie - make him pay for his ill treatment of U.S. Steel workers. Instead, the bomb only took innocent lives on the street, including that of a child. Judge Hugo Jackson is in the center of this storm as he presides over the case. Every day he receives a new threatening letter and he’s becoming truly terrified.

Alistair Sinclair is one of the judge’s friends, and a professor who knows all about the criminal mind and spends his time analyzing the ‘monsters’ of society. But when he shows up unannounced on Detective Simon Ziele’s doorstep in the middle of the night, this story absolutely explodes with excitement.

Simon knows Alistair well, but when he tells him that Hugo has been murdered, Simon tries to explain that he can’t help - seeing as that the crime didn’t occur within his precinct. But unable to turn Alistair down, Simon finds himself a part of the case whether he likes it or not.

The clues left behind by the killer are extremely odd; a bible and a white rose surround the body that has been sliced from ear to ear. Simon soon finds himself on a hunt, teaming up with Alistair’s widowed daughter-in-law, Isabella, to try and uncover what’s actually happening by investigating everything from the wealth of the 400 Club to the gangs banding together to fight for people’s rights. When Alistair up and disappears and yet another dead judge is found, Simon must put the puzzle together, or risk losing his career.

This is truly an outstanding mystery, and the vibrant color of 1900’s New York is so rich that readers will want to stay there. From the glorious wealth to the criminal element to the ‘good hearted’ anarchists who are just trying to receive decent wages and housing - every aspect comes together to form a truly amazing story. In addition, the morals and messages are loud and clear as the reader takes a look at how two ‘people’ can see one issue extremely differently. After all, is ‘an eye for an eye’ the only real justice in the world? You decide!
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Jun 19, 2011 Naomi rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I am thoroughly enjoying this mystery and will actually need to go back and check out others in the series...This book reminds me of a combination of Mary Russell Holmes(Laurie R. King) meets Sarah Brandt(Victoria Thompson)...

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Oct 21, 2011 Doreen Fritz rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was ready for a good mystery, and a friend recommended this one. Hooray! (I discovered that this is the 3rd in a series, so have since gone back to read the first two.) Detective Simon Ziele is called in on a murder case in 1906 New York City. A judge has been found with his throat cut in his home the night before he is scheduled to hand down a verdict in a case involving an anarchist who killed unintended victims (including a child). The setting makes this series, in my opinion. Descriptions...more

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Feb 23, 2013 Rusty rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, mystery-thriller

I truly enjoy this author. The complexity, the depth of the characters and the twists and turns of the mystery itself make White Rose a most enjoyable read. Simon Ziele has returned to New York and finds himself embroiled in the investigation of a judge's murder. As the city reels from the activities of the anarchists who commit robberies and bomb areas to call attention to their concerns about the ":system," another judge is murdered. The commissioner believes that the anarchists are responsibl...more

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Oct 04, 2011 Ron Chicaferro rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is another brilliant story by Stefanie Pintoff. Secret of the White Rose is an exciting story laced with actual historical places and events of the early 1900's in New York City. The story deals with the murder of three highly valued members of society and Detective Simon Ziele's search for the killer or killers. Mucking up the waters is the activity of violent but well organized anarchists bent on the destruction of society. There is politics aplenty as Ziele search leads to a run-in with...more

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Mar 29, 2012 Paige rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mysteries

I liked the characters, but thought the plot wasn't the finely-machined apparatus I was hoping for. The final whodunit reveal falls flat because the reader hasn't had quite enough information to even almost figure it out (and you know mystery readers LOVE it when they can almost but not quite solve the puzzle!). And I didn't like the transparency with which the author tried to educate me in interesting facts about New York City in the 19-aughts (Did you know that before the New York Times moved...more

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Oct 11, 2011 Molly rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: murder-mystery

I enjoy historical fiction and this book takes place in turn-of-the-century 1906 NYC. There are enough twists and turns, musical ciphers and white roses to keep you reading. I like a mystery that challenges me and keeps me guessing on "who did it" and this book fits that catagory. It is the third in Pintoff's detective Simon Ziele series: I discovered it in the library and only regret I did not read the series in order. There are references to Simon's past that would have been clearer had I read...more

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Jul 24, 2011 Sheila rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

First I must say this type of historical is not a normal kind of book for me, but it's on the Edgar submitted list so I thought I'd give it a try.
After much tracing and interviewing and analysis the mystery was finally solved. Would I choose to read it again. No. But I did finish it and it was OK. It's in the early 1900's and seems well written in describing the times and procedures. The story held my attention well enough to read to the end, so don't let my opinion stop you from giving it a try...more

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Sep 21, 2011 A. rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Series: 3rd in Detective Ziele Investigations
Main Character: Detective Simon Ziele
Setting: 1906, New York
Obtained Through: LibraryThing for an honest review

The book opens with Simon Ziele being hustled to a murder scene out of his jurisdiction by criminologist Alistair Sinclair. Alistair had gone to law school with murder victim, Judge Hugo Jackson. Since Judge Jackson was presiding over the trial of an anarchist Al Drayson his murder is the highest priority. Drayson planted a bomb to kill indu...more Series: 3rd in Detective Ziele Investigations
Main Character: Detective Simon Ziele
Setting: 1906, New York
Obtained Through: LibraryThing for an honest review

The book opens with Simon Ziele being hustled to a murder scene out of his jurisdiction by criminologist Alistair Sinclair. Alistair had gone to law school with murder victim, Judge Hugo Jackson. Since Judge Jackson was presiding over the trial of an anarchist Al Drayson his murder is the highest priority. Drayson planted a bomb to kill industrialist Andrew Carnegie but ended up killing five innocent people including a child. The media has whipped the city into high tension and the murder is ratcheting up the tension. The widow of Judge Jackson insists that Simon be on the case since Alistair wants him.

The widow's demands puts Simon on the bad side of Police Commissioner Theodore Bingham (a historical person who really did command the New York Police from 1906 to 1909.) Commissioner Bingham rules with a dictatorial style and insists that the anarchists will all be brought to justice for the judge's death. But Simon and Alistair uncover a secret code in a sheet of music at the crime scene (along with a white rose) which clearly shows it is revenge against the judge. More murders occur and Simon gets increasingly frustrated as it becomes clear that Alistair is keeping vital information to himself. Then the Commissioner wants to use Simon's tragic past to get to the anarchists. Both Alistair and Simon are in danger and there are some tense moments.

Simon Ziele is a meaty character with a sad past that has forged his sense of justice while having the compassion to understand it isn't always clear cut in crime. Simon must face his past and the ghosts that live there during the story which shows how deeply he still hurts. He is dating Alistair's daughter-in-law (a young widower) Isabella. His relationship with her is an ever present reminder of her social status and his lack of status. Isabella is great, I immediately liked her as a smart and capable woman who understands Simon well. Alistair is single minded and privileged and this story shows he is shaken to his core during this case. Alistair is an interesting character that at turns would draw me in and then make me mad.

The story was a bit slow to grab hold of me. It took a few chapters before the elements all meshed and I was compelled to read it at every opportunity. It seemed to pick up speed the further I got into the story. By the end I didn't want to leave Detective Simon Ziele's world - which is a sign it really came alive for me. It showed the seamy side of New York's streets, crime, and dirty politics against the backdrop of China Town and the Waldorf Astoria, from the "tombs" where prisoners are kept to the luxury homes of judges it displays NY and all her sides.

The plot was good with several elements coming together. The climax was gripping and there were several exciting tense scenes that were nicely done. All story lines were wrapped up well. I had not read the two prior books in this series and I had no problem picking up significant backstory. This novel is a little more "real" without being gruesome which I appreciated. If you enjoy historical mysteries with a little bit of grit this book will please you.

Join me on my mystery book blog:
http://mysterysuspence.blogspot.com (less)

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Apr 21, 2012 Sam Sigelakis-Minski rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I am not much of a mystery writer, but I could not resist reading Pintoff's books because her father is my dentist.

That being said, I guess I could have missed certain clues that other readers thought obvious, but for me,the mystery was very intriguing and kept me guessing. The historical context that the book is written in is a vivid portrayal of the American immigrant experience in New York. All in all, I enjoyed this book very much, both for the mystery and the history presented.

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Oct 08, 2011 CJ rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I love Pintoff's characters and the setting. In fact, I find that I read this one more for what happened to the main characters rather than for the mystery. Turn of the century New York is so real that it's almost a character in its own right. This isn't exactly a quick read, as the mystery has some turns and twists (I found myself entirely lost in the musical score bits of the book). Enjoyable, but it's time for me to take a break from this type of mystery for a while.

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Dec 07, 2011 Steve rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: crime-mys-suspense, historical-fic

The third entry in the Detective Simon Ziele / Criminologist Alistair Sinclair series takes place in early 1900s New York during the rise of the anarchist movement. When a judge proceeding over the murder trial of a high-profile anarchist leader, who happens to be a college friend of Sinclair, is found murdered in his home, Ziele finds himself involved in the investigation. I didn't enjoy this one as much as the previous books. While those focused on the sometimes uneasy partnership between Sinc...more

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Jun 10, 2011 Linda K K rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Set in New York City in 1906, this mystery surrounds the judicial system and the anarchists of the day. Characters of varied social levels along with descriptions of the surroundings and manners of the day brings a depth to this story. One facet of the story concerns the true to life disaster of the steamboat Slocum that killed hundreds of people, with those at fault not being brought to justice. The mystery that involves several murders is compelling, not predictable and very well written.

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Jul 23, 2012 Elaine rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is the third in Stefanie Pintoff's series. I enjoyed the first two books & enjoyed this one as well. I'm hoping that she'll even try for a fourth. I like the characters, the time period & the fact that it takes place in New York City. Add a murder to this combination & it will always have me coming back for more.

If any of you readers are fans of Calab Carr's "The Alienist" and "Angel of Darkness," you should give these a try. But make sure you read them in order. "In the S...more

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Apr 29, 2013 ScoLgo rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

★★★

Not bad but not as good as the first two Simon Ziele stories. The premise of the murder mystery itself was interesting but the anarchist angle just did not resonate with me. The ending also seemed very, very rushed.

Still a solid effort - based mostly on Pintoff's ability to bring her characters and early 20th-century New York off the page and into the reader's imagination.

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Apr 03, 2013 Susan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I have just discovered this series recently and have really enjoyed reading it. I love historical fiction and anything particularly having to do with turn-of-the-century New York City. I am looking forward to another Simon Ziele novel, but hope something changes with Isabella, things are moving really slow in that direction. A little wordy, but good atmosphere.

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Jan 02, 2012 Mark rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Continuation of the Simon Ziele series, set in New York of 1906. This one involves anarchists, secret societies, and revenge, but the best part of all this is the way Pintoff integrates all this with the personal lives of her characters, bringing home the hardship unchecked idealism brings to those closest---and sometimes not so close---to us.

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Sep 21, 2011 Sue rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: readers of historical fiction, mysteries

Shelves: historical-fiction, library-book, mystery, read-in-2011

The third in Pintoff's series of historical mystery/crime novels continues her story of New York City in the early 20th century. She continues with the same primary characters, and members of the NYC police department, judiciary, active anarchists, and ordinary citizens comprising the many secondary characters. While I don't want to give away plot details, I can say it is faithful to the history of the time while also being true to the characters we've come to know and allowing them to develop f...more

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Jun 18, 2011 Lora King rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-mystery, historical-fiction

Number three in the series, just keeps getting better. I hope Pintoff continues with these characters. It's fascinating, well written and a good history lesson hidden in a good read! Who could ask for more. I'm glad Isabella played a more prominent role and I hope she continues to develop her character. Also good the Simon is now back full time in NYC.

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Aug 24, 2012 Lisa Higgins rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I adore Stefanie Pintoff's series of turn-of-the-century police procedurals based in New York City, and this book, following A Curtain Falls and In The Shadow of Gotham does not disappoint. Detective Simon Ziele continues to evolve as do his potential paramour, Isabelle, and her criminologist father-in-law, Alistair Sinclair. Can't wait to read more.

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Jun 02, 2011 Ann rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Enjoyed Pintoff's 1st 2 books in this series, and now this one too. The mystery involves multiple murders and the events that link them, revenge for past deeds, anarchists, NYC in the early 1900's, politics and everyday life. The author's writing brings the times and characters to life and kept me reading.

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Jan 19, 2012 Gary rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Absolute page turner. Whenver I had to break away from it I couldn't wait to find 5 minuties to get back to it. The story kept you guessing right up til the end and it provided a very realistic picture of life in NYC in the early 1900's. Will definitely be going back to read book one and two in this series.

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Jun 16, 2011 Farin rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I enjoyed Secret of the White Rose, but not as much as the first two Simon Ziele books. The subject matter of foreign anarchists was fascinating, and the mystery was absorbing, but I felt like I lost the characters a bit in this one and that the story could have been pushed just a little bit further. Still can't wait for the next one!

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Aug 15, 2011 Suzanne Auckerman rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Very good historical crime fiction. Set in the early 1900s in NYC and centered on terrorism by anarchists (immigrants) were fighting for better working conditions. I want to read more by her.

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Jul 05, 2011 Shannon rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I found this a very interesting book. It was written by a woman but the main character is a man. Also it is set in the early 1900's. It is a pretty clean book and there are a lot of twists in it.

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Nov 05, 2011 Tamlyn rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011

Good "period" piece with a decent murder mystery story line. Liked the Ziele character; might have to check out the other 2 novels. Nice little twist ending that made this a fun read.

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May 30, 2012 Tori rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This mystery is set in turn of the century New York. I liked the characters and the pacing and would read more from this author.

Read if you like mysteries and/or historical fiction.

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Sep 04, 2012 Linda rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, new-york

As always, a Stefanie Pintoff Detective Simon Ziele novel is always guaranteed, for me, to be a mesmorising, atmospheric, intriguing and absolutely wonderful read. New York in 1906 comes alive.

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About Stefanie Pintoff

In 2008, Stefanie Pintoff became the inaugural winner of the St. Martin's Minotaur/Mystery Writers of America Best First Crime Novel competition. Her novel, In the Shadow of Gotham, developed from what she learned about criminology and detective fiction while earning a J.D. from Columbia Law School and a Ph.D. in English Literature from New York University.

A former attorney and teacher, she now wr...more

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In the Shadow of Gotham (Simon Ziele, #1)

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Secret of the White Rose (Simon Ziele #3)

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