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A Harriman & Mancini Mystery
by Cathy Pegau
A sharp, captivating historical mystery about two queer women in turn-of-the-century New York, for fans of Lavender House and A Most Agreeable Murder.
There can be a blurry line between what is ethical and what is legal.
Margot Baxter Harriman took the reins of B&H Foods after her father passed. It's not easy being a business woman in 1912, but she is determined to continue what her grandparents started decades ago, no matter what it takes.
So when Margot finds Mrs. Gilroy, her father's former assistant, dead in the office with a half-finished note confessing to nebulous misdeeds at B&H, she seeks out help from a very discreet, private investigator to figure out what's going on. Her company, and her good name, are at stake if scandal breaks...and she could lose everything, including her freedom.
Loretta "Rett" Mancini has run her father's investigation operation since he started becoming increasingly forgetful. When Margot offers her the chance to look into the potential scandal with B&H, she jumps at it.
But the more the two dig in, the more it becomes clear that Margot's company may be too far lost...and someone is willing to kill them both to keep things quiet.
Charming and witty, Cathy Pegau's A Murderous Business is perfect for fans of Lev Ac Rosen, Enola Holmes by Nancy Springer, and the Mr. Darcy and Miss Tilney mysteries by Claudia Gray.
What are you reading this week? (8/7/2025)
A Murderous Business by Cathy Pegau.
-Elizabeth
"A new detective duo is born when a business owner needs help saving her legacy...Murder, blackmail, and lesbian love in an era when what you ate could kill you in the name of the almighty dollar." —Kirkus Reviews
"An enjoyable historical series launch from Pegau [with] convincing period detail and likable leads." —Publishers Weekly
"A richly detailed historical mystery starring an engaging pair of investigators." —Library Journal
"A fresh and engaging mystery set in 1910s New York. Margot Harriman is making the transformation from boss's daughter to head of the company when she discovers a dead body and a mysterious note at the office. Readers will root for Margot, as her pursuit of the truth leads her to aspiring investigator Rett Mancini and Shiloh, a captivating magician's assistant with a way with locks and human hearts." ―Mariah Fredericks, author of The Lindbergh Nanny
"With a twisty plot, vivid historical setting, and a delightful cast of characters led by two smart, capable sleuths, Cathy Pegau's A Murderous Business has everything I love most in a mystery. If I had a crime to solve―or a dead body I needed help burying―I'd want Margot Harriman and Rett Mancini on my side. Until then, I'll be eagerly awaiting their next adventure!" — Katharine Schellman, author of Last Call at the Nightingale
This information about A Murderous Business was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Cathy Pegau is the author of the Charlotte Brody historical mystery series and LGBTQ romances with Carina Press. She lives in a small fishing town in Alaska with her spouse, pets, and the occasional black bear wandering through the yard.
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