In Dublin's Fair City

Molly Murphy #6

by Rhys Bowen

Molly Murphy is sent by aging well-off NYC theatrical impresario Tommy Burke to find baby sister left with parish priest when they fled famine. But even before the ship lands, Broadway's leading actress, Oona Sheehan, vanishes, and her maid is found dead in her cabin.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical Mystery, Historical, Ireland, Cozy Mystery

265 pages, Hardcover

First published March 6, 2007

About the author

I'm a New York Times bestselling mystery author, winner of both Agatha and Anthony awards for my Molly Murphy mysteries, set in 1902 New York City.

I have recently published four internationally bestselling WWII novels, one of them a #1 Kindle bestseller, and the Tuscan Child selling almost a million copies to date. In Farleigh Field won three major awards and was nominated for an Edgar. My other stand-alone novels are The Victory Garden, about land girls in WWI and Above the Bay of Angels, featuring a young woman who becomes chef for Queen Victoria.
April 2021 will mark the publication of THE VENICE SKETCHBOOK--another sweeping historical novel of love, loss and intrigue.

My books are currently translated into 29 languages and I have fans worldwide.

I also write the Agatha-winning Royal Spyness series, about the British royal family in the 1930s. It's lighter, sexier, funnier, wicked satire. It was voted by readers as best mystery series one year.
I am also known for my Constable Evans books, set in North Wales, and for my award-winning short stories.

I was born and raised in England but currently divide my time between California and Arizona where I go to escape from the harsh California winters
When I am not writing I love to travel, sing, hike, play my Celtic harp.
Series:
* Constable Evan Mystery
* Molly Murphy Mysteries
* Her Royal Spyness Mysteries

Awards:
Agatha Award
◊ Best Novel (2001): Murphy's Law
Reviewer's Choice Award
◊ Historical Mystery (2001): Murphy's Law

Reviews

[Phrynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

And we are back in Ireland which makes a nice change and gives us a little respite from some of those New York city characters, particularly Daniel! Molly appears to miss him occasionally but not excessively.

The main story is exciting, set as it is in the 'troubles' in Dublin. Molly gets caught up in murder, gun running and blowing up a prison. Never let it be said that she has a boring life! When we leave her she is about to re enter America with a false passport. I hope that goes well for her.

So, a good story, some new and interesting characters and a bit of Irish history. I am back to giving it four stars after only giving three for the last book.

[Ingrid · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read, as usual. I loved the Irish history.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding! The Molly Murphy mysteries continue to bring thrilling stories with fascinating historical background. I wasn't sure how I would like Molly traveling to Ireland on an assignment and leaving behind familiar characters that I've come to enjoy. Sid, Gus, and Daniel were back in New York City, with Daniel getting ready to go to trial for bribery and setting up a prize fight. I should have known that Rhys Bowen wouldn't let me down. In Dublin's Fair City might even be my favorite one so far, although I still am looking forward to seeing how the Molly and Daniel storyline plays out.

This story begins with Molly accepting an investigative assignment to find a long-lost relative of a famous theatrical impresario, who has just learned of a baby sister left behind in Ireland when his family fled the potato famine many years before. Although Molly fears that there is still an outstanding arrest warrant for her in Ireland, she feels she can risk visiting Ireland, since her investigation won't take her near her childhood home she fled two years ago. The action starts before she sits a foot in her native land, with an unexpected turn of events and a murder on board the ship on which she is sailing. As usual, Molly is in the middle of trouble, but she is allowed to disembark and start her search for one Mary Ann Burke, the missing sister of her client. Awaiting her on her arrival in Dublin is a whole other set of problems and puzzles to solve, and her dealings with the Irish Republican Brotherhood provide a thrilling ride of suspense and revelation, as well as a romantic connection between Molly and the passionate leader of the Brotherhood. There are fleeting glimpses of Maude Gonne, Willaim Butler Yeats, and James Joyce in Dublin, too. I became so caught up in this book that I truly wanted more and more of it. I felt markedly sad when the tale ended. The best reading takes the reader into new territories of interests and encourages further examination. I now want to read more about Irish independence and the flight of the Irish from the potato famine. Such a moving story!

[Luffy Sempai · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here's an excerpt from In Like Flynn (Molly Murphy Mysteries #4) In all, it's been a good read, and I was entertained and rewarded in persevering with this series. But there's something about the latter which makes me compelled to keep reading the books, even if I rate them a 1.

This book would be the third one consecutively to notch 3 stars. There's something unhealthy and unwholesome about this series, and who knows, this very writer. But the latter's novels are addicting as hell. Much as I'm swamped with books trying to catch my eye, I always find time to squeeze in the last unread Molly Murphy book. Uncanny. But if the experience is rewarding then why not? Why not continue?

There's something else...for some time I thought I was being unfair to these books because I was fixating on the last third act. These did often disappoint. I said to myself that I was forgetting details to the earlier chapters and I was laying too much emphasis on the last act. Well this time I went into the fray with my senses sharpened and my memory acute and guess what, it turned out that this book was just like the others; good promising storylines that delivered almost nothing. But like I said, this book is a duality of promise and disappointment. I think I will continue, simply to know what the hell happens next to our daring historical fiction heroine.

[Wing Kee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Deeper than I had expected.

World: The world building is solid, we get to visit Ireland this time around and we get not only locales of Dublin but also the history and the political climate of the time. I did not expect the amount of depth in the terms of the politics and the English/Irish tension of the time so wow, good job! The new pieces of the world for this story were well done and fit into the world nicely, there are some tried and true characters and pieces that show up in the start but for the most part this book has a lot of new in terms of the stage.

Story: The story is well done, what sets up as a simple missing persons case becomes something more and it was nice cozy and enjoyable. I liked the pacing and the dialog and banter, it was a nice change from the heavy stuff I was reading before. The stuff about the English/Irish conflict was actually really well done and the tie into the world building made this story have a lot more depth than I had expected from a cozy mystery like this book.

Characters: Molly is always great, seeing her out of her comfort zone this time around really allowed for her character to grow and breath and I really enjoyed that. I really also like the new characters, they were well written and they were exactly what Molly needed at the moment, especially Conner (I think it was Conner...it's a C). I will say that I am tired of the police captain in New York and he needs to be tinkered or dropped completely, he annoys me.

A solid and deeper book than I had imagined.

Onward to the next book!

[Echo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was a little worried about this one, since I knew Daniel wouldn't be in it much what with Molly in Ireland and all. But of course there was no need for that, because I loved it. Might've helped that I had the handsome, charismatic Cullen Quinlan to crush on while Molly was abroad. Lucky girl. (Never mind that she's forever stumbling across dead bodies, being put in harm's way, and under suspicion for some crime or another. She has all these handsome Irishmen who like her!)

Er . . . wait, I'm supposed to be reviewing the book, NOT swooning over characters (even if they are Irish). Brilliant, as always. I got a nice look at turn-of-the-century Dublin, with some interesting cameos from real historical figures and a few nods to historic locations (Guinness Brewery, Grafton Street, and a fun exchange when Molly tries to walk onto the campus of TCD, which was still men only at the time). At least one character was based on a real person (whom I shall now have to look up and read about - once I find out the name of the real lady). Enjoyable read. Though, much as I love Ireland, I'm ready for Molly to get back to New York . . . and Daniel. (Hey, I'm smitten, what can I say?)

[Jessy · Rating 2 out of 5]

-------------------------- WARNING SERIES SPOILERS ----------------------------













I started out loving this series. I was convinced I had finally found another mystery-thriller pile of books that I could really sink my teeth in to. I'm not so sure this is the case anymore, unfortunately. It's amazing how much my enthusiasm for this series has waned.

I still adore Molly. She is one of the most endearing characters I've encountered. Her spunk and perseverance are truly spectacular. Her character is worthy of such a series as this. I can see her going far if not for one thing...Daniel.

In past reviews, I have stated my support for Daniel. He started out with amazing potential. However, in my opinion he becomes an impediment to Molly's character. This opinion was not arrived at in this book. In fact, Daniel barely figures in this book at all, which I found to be incredibly disappointing considering the state in which the author left him at the end of OH DANNY BOY.

The reversal of my Daniel vote is the result of a definite no-no on my part. I found myself becoming impatient with the lack of Daniel in this book. So, when I finished it, I failed to restrain myself. I went ahead and skimmed the blurbs for the following books in the series. Then, I flipped through the actual books reading any part in which Daniel and Molly figured. Not my proudest moment. However, I'm glad I did so.

Molly and Daniel's relationship does not at all progress the way I hoped it would. Daniel seems to become ever more domineering and pushy. He wants Molly out of the private detective business. He proves to be quite the chauvinistic ass. Yes, he had moments of chauvinism in the previous books. However, I always held out hope that his way of thinking would become more liberal with increased exposure to Molly's spirit. This, in my view, is not the case. Instead, Daniel seeks to suppress some of her more tempestuous qualities. The worst part? Molly sort of lets him. She's made him a promise to stay away from such detective business. Of course, she doesn't completely follow through on this promise. But, let's face it, if she did, there wouldn't be a series. So, technically she's still taking cases, but she's not the same Molly. She comes off as more subdued...more submissive to Daniel. I didn't like this. Also, what scenes I read in the following books featuring Molly and Daniel lacked the passion and spark hinted at and illustrated in Bowen's previous books.

I become extremely attached to characters and their relationships with each other. Characters and their choices can make or break a series for me. It saddens me that Molly and Daniel as a couple "grow" in a direction I am not happy with. The magic of this series has certainly dissipated. Bummer. It's possible that I'll have another go at this series in the future. I'm not positive, but it's possible...Damn.

[Mark Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Irish immigrant Molly Murphy returns to Ireland on a job to find a missing relative. Unfortunately, she gets involved with a murder on board the boat taking her back to her native country. I normally love this historical series, but this one was up to par. The mystery was sacrificed in favor of the historical plot, which was good enough to redeem the book.

Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good yarn. Molly returns to Dublin to find a missing person. On her way she swaps places with a star and the stars maid is murdered. Once in Ireland she looks for the missing person and manages to get untwined in a plot to disrupt British rule. The added complication of finding her brother and avoiding the man she thought she murdered throws another spanned in the works. Add Yeats and James Joyce also adds a bit of color. Overall a good story.

[Katie Sholty · Rating 2 out of 5]

The 6th installment in the Molly Murphy Mysteries floundered. There was almost too much going on in the plot: Oona Sheehan's mysterious disappearance, the murder of Oona's young maid, finding Tommy Burke's lost sister, anarchists, and the random popping up James Joyce (yes, the writer). Joyce didn't add anything to the story line. What bothered me more, was Molly's serendipitous meeting with her younger brothers who just happened to be in Dublin. It fell into place all too nicely. I sorely missed Gus and Sid's presence. The ending however, helped bumped it from a one star to a two star rating. I wish the entire novel, had run like that.

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the sixth edition of Molly Murphy series. Molly accepts an assignment to find a sister of a well known Irish Producer who was left in Ireland when the family arrived in America on a famine ship. The Producer did not know about the sister until his Mother died. Molly feels she is save enough to return to Ireland. Difficulties began before the ship sails. Molly find a murder girl in her cabin and encounters Scotland Yard on the trip over. Molly traces the baby starting at the church to Dublin. The ending will surprise you. As read this series I look forward to the next one.

[Hermien · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the story and the historical setting.

[Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another enjoyable read. Things resolved a bit too quickly at the end, with a few too many coincidences, but still fun.

[Nielson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was probably my least favorite out of the whole series. I felt like it just skimmed over the plot. It was one of the shortest books in the series, but it could have been one of the longest. I didn't feel satisfied at all with the ending because I felt like it left so much left undone. I had really gotten into the characters in the first five books and really thought that she should have tied these all together. It was entertaining enough, but not my favorite.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Dublin's Fair City by Rhys Bowen #6 Molly Murphy Mysteries. I have enjoyed all of Molly Murphy books. I'm pretty sure in this book she goes back to Ireland, to take care of something personal. I recommend reading all of Rhys Bowen's books, she is a great writer. I recommend all of her books.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

First sentence: "Be careful what you wish for." That was another of my mother's favorite sayings--one of the few in her wealth of warnings that didn't predict a bad end, hell fire, and eternal damnation.



Premise/plot: In Dublin's Fair City is the sixth Molly Murphy mystery. Molly Murphy gets a couple of paying jobs in this one. First, she's hired by a playwright (Tommy Burke) to go to Ireland and search for his long-lost "baby" sister, Mary Ann Burke. This search will take her--you guessed it--to Dublin, Ireland. Her second paying job is to switch places with a famous New York actress on the voyage over. This one isn't an investigative job, but, it leads to a whole other kind of investigation.



Now you may be wanting to know if there's any movement in the Daniel Sullivan story line--there isn't. Daniel is STILL in trouble with the law and awaiting his trial. He is out on bail. But Molly is quick to leave him--and New York City--behind when she gets an opportunity to earn some money.



My thoughts: I am finding the series as a whole mainly enjoyable. Molly is still stubborn and willful. Molly is still fierce and sometimes obnoxious. BUT. To be fair, in the big fight scene with Daniel...I wanted to yell at Daniel AND I wanted to yell at Molly. They were both being a bit obnoxious.

[Grace · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5/5 stars

I really don't know what to think of this book. I enjoyed the change in setting, and I very much enjoyed getting away from Daniel for a bit (until we got to the very end and Molly seems to be using her situation to rationalize some of Daniel's past behavior). But this book also did so much that it left all of it feeling half-finished. I felt genuinely unsettled when I finished this one, and that's just not what I want when I pick up a mystery. There's piquing my interest in the next book, and then there's leaving so much up in the air that it feels like several chapters were accidentally cut from the text.

Anyway, this series isn't really doing a lot for me right now, so it's time to take a break and maybe try a different historical mystery series. I'm not closing the door on coming back to this in the future, but for now, I think it's time for me to try something else.

[Sabrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is what I consider to be a “light read”; amusing, entertaining and perfect for in-between series. But somehow, in the course of this series, Molly Murphy has succeeded at pulling me in completely and I can easily give this book five full stars! Why? A likeable, independent, female character and an unanticipated, pulse-quickening ending, mixed with well researched (I’m actually not the best judge of that, but it seems very authentic) history around NYC in the 1900 with current topics, make this a highly pleasurable book. I look forward in reading a lot more of Miss Murphy!

A small taste here:
““Good God, “ he muttered, then apologized profusely, of course. Somehow men think that swearing in front of a woman is a mortal sin – often the same men who think nothing of ordering a woman around, demanding to be waited on by a woman, or even giving her a good hiding. Not for the first time in my life I considered what a strange world we live in.”

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book which is one of the earlier Molly Murphy mysteries. While one a mission to find a rich man's sister, who was left behind when her family immigrated to America during the potato famine, Molly unwittingly becomes involved with The Brotherhood, a precursor of the Irish Republican Army. This makes for a very exciting and fascinating book and I highly recommend it. The Molly Murphy mystery series is one of my great favorites.

[Sarah Coller · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one wasn't nearly as light-hearted as the ones before it. Molly is sent on a seemingly innocent assignment to Ireland but finds herself mixed up in the beginnings of civil war. There was a lot of great historical details in this story---much of which was new to me. Molly was able to wrap up some loose ends at home and gained a new appreciation for Daniel. All in all, a pretty good story.

[Sarah's Reading Nook · Rating 4 out of 5]

The 6th installment in the series was quite exciting as Molly headed back to Ireland for a case. Again, I wondered how she would make it out of each disastrous situation and live to tell the tale. Excited to start book 7.

[Plumpka · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 gwiazdki

[~☆~Autumn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was extremely exciting and I could not put it down. I recommend it to anyone who likes a super exciting book.

[Roberta · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a particularly good one in the series. Artful combination of history with a continuing well-loved protagonist.

[Dan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Once again I had a bad narrator for the cartridge so I did not care for the book.

[Nancy Haddock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another rousing winner in the Molly Murphy series! Molly gets herself into and out of predicaments in a story line that twists, but always satisfies!

[Cath Hughes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book. Interesting to read about the Irish fight against the English in the 1910s

[histeriker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wieder eine neue Geschichte von Molly Murphy, was für eine Freude! Ich mag die Reihe sehr, auch wenn ich nicht alle Bände gleich mag. Dieses Band gehört aber für mich zu den Highlights. Wir folgen hier Molly wieder nach Irland, weil sie den Auftrag hat, eine verlorene Schwester eines New Yorker Theaterproduzenten zu finden. Dass es dabei nicht bleibt, ist selbverständlich. Ich fand die Einblicke in die irische Geschichte, die diese Geschichte bietet, sehr interessant und ich finde, dadurch wird die Story sehr aufgewertet. Sie sind nicht aufgezwungen, es passt zu der Erzählung und ist ein natürlicher Bestandteil. Gleichzeitig merkt man fundierte Kenntnisse, die dahinter stecken.
Auch die private Geschichte von Molly entwickelt sich, wir erfahren mehr über ihre Familie und das Buch ist nicht mit dem Verhältnis zu Daniel Sullivan überfrachtet, wie zum Beispiel der vorherige Teil. Das hat mir sehr gefallen, dass der Schwerpunkt des Buches diesmal etwas liegt.
Eine klare Empfehlung von mir!

[Wide Eyes, Big Ears! · Rating 2 out of 5]

Molly is commissioned to travel back to Ireland to search for a missing sister. On the way she gets embroiled in a murder, gun-running, the IRA, and a jail-break. The more of this story I read, the lower my rating sank. There’s always a few juicy subplots in each Molly Murphy book, it’s one of the series’ strengths; however, here the subplots totally swamped the original storyline and it felt like overreach. To tie all these plots together, there were too many unbelievably neat coincidences and chance meetings. In past books, I’ve admired Molly’s strong moral compass - her actions in this book seemed to contradict this. This book has me considering discontinuing this series. 🎧 Much of the story was set in Ireland, so I was surprised by the number of English accents the usually excellent Nicola Barber used.

[Beachreader · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed the previous books in this series but not this one. The story seemed a real departure from Bowen's previous stories. Most of the story is set in Ireland and Molly gets mixed up with some questionable people. This plot is so convoluted and contrived. Many of the characters just happen to conveniently cross paths with Molly. This one just doesn't solidify. There is more violence in this story and the ending was the most contrived of all.

Molly is now truly a criminal and should have a price on her head. I don't understand how she is going to reenter the US, especially since she is travelling to New York under an alias.

Barely two stars. The story the author began is not the one she finished.