New York City. 1916. Nineteen-year-old Kitty Weeks wakes up at 7:15 in the morning when her maid, Grace, draws back the curtains in her bedroom. She slips into her modern bathroom, showers in a tub complete with hand-shower and running hot and cold water. She brushes her teeth with toothpowder and then pads out her dressing room to choose her outfit for the day.
Kitty lives with her father, Julian Weeks, in the grand New Century Apartments on West End Avenue in Manhattan. He has the master bedroom; she’s converted the two back bedrooms into a suite for herself. The apartment boasts a living room, dining room, and study as well as kitchen and pantry, two maids’ rooms and a maids’ bathroom. The Weeks’ household includes two live-in staff—Grace, and their cook, Mrs. Codd. A daily also comes in to help.
After she dresses for the day, probably in a skirt with a matching jacket and a silk blouse paired with discrete pearl earrings, Kitty heads to the dining room to join her father for breakfast. He eats a hot meal—eggs, meat and coffee; she’s a bit of a health fiend, and enjoys Kellogg’s cornflakes. They both read the paper and discuss the news of the day. Then, a few minutes before nine, Kitty heads off to work—she’s a journalist who writes for the “Ladies’ Page” of the New York Sentinel.
Even though she has her own car, a sporty Stutz Bearcat, the Weekses’ chauffeur drives Kitty to the office in the family’s Packard because it’s difficult to park on Broadway. Kitty checks in with her boss, the indomitable Helena Busby, then settles in beside her co-worker, the shopgirl-turned-typist-turned-Ladies’-Page-assistant Jeannie Williams. Kitty only works until lunch, after which she leaves for home—or to secretly continue working on a case she might be investigating. In Murder Between the Lines, it’s the mysterious death of a sleepwalking boarding school student, Elspeth Bright; in A Front Page Affair, it’s the shooting of Hunter Cole, a society ne’er-do-well. Afterwards, she might go riding in Central Park, or visit her posh friend, Amanda Vanderwell. Kitty also enjoys trips to museums, going to the ‘movies’ to watch her favorite heroines on screen (with Grace to accompany her, naturally!), and she usually ends the day with dinner with father. From the description of her day-to-day activities you would never guess that there’s a huge war going on in Europe… and soon, as Kitty discovers, everything’s going to change…
You can read more about Kitty in Murder Between The Lines, the second book in the “Kitty Weeks” mystery series.
Intrepid journalist Kitty Weeks returns in the second book in this acclaimed WW1-era historical mystery series to investigate the death of a boarding school student.
When Kitty’s latest assignment for the New York Sentinel Ladies’ Page takes her to Westfield Hall, she expects to find an orderly establishment teaching French and dancing-but there’s more going on at the school than initially meets the eye.
Tragedy strikes when a student named Elspeth is found frozen to death in Central Park. The doctor’s proclaim that the girl’s sleepwalking was the cause, but Kitty isn’t so sure.
Determined to uncover the truth, Kitty must investigate a more chilling scenario-a murder that may involve Elspeth’s scientist father and a new invention by a man named Thomas Edison.
For fans of Jacqueline Winspear and Rhys Bowen, Murder Between the Lines combines true historical events with a thrilling mystery.
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Meet the author
Radha Vatsal is the author of A Front Page Affair, which was selected by Library Journal as Debut Mystery of the Month, and Murder Between the Lines (May 2017), the first two novels in the Kitty Weeks mystery series set in WWI-era New York. Vatsal studied women filmmakers and action-film heroines of silent cinema at Duke University, where she received her Ph.D. from the English Department. Her writing has appeared in the Smithsonian.com and the Atlantic.com. She is also co-editor of the Women Film Pioneers Project. She was born in Mumbai, India and lives in New York City. You can find her at www.radhavatsal.com
All comments are welcomed.
Giveaway: Leave a comment below for your chance to win a print copy of Murder Between The Lines. U.S. entries only, please. The giveaway ends July 10, 2017. Good luck everyone!
I enjoyed A Front Page Affair and would like to win this second book in the series!
This sounds like thrilling read.
Already added to my WishList…..
Thank you for the giveaway!!!
I’m not usually a big fan of historical fiction, but this book sounds really good. I’m adding it to my TBR list.
I really like historical fiction so this is one I want to read.
I really enjoy reading new authors. I would love to win this one.
I just finished A Front Page Affair and can’t wait to jump into this book!!
Historical mysteries are enjoyable to read not just because they include a mystery but it is interesting to see how the mystery is wrapped around a historical time. Thanks for hosting Radha Vatsal. Winning this book would be great since I have not had an opportunity to read this author’s books yet.
Sounds interesting. Would to read this book.
This sounds ‘quite’ interesting, thank you for your review it attracted me even more. Thank you for the chance to win a copy.
wfnren at aol dot com
I enjoy historical mysteries. Thanks for a chance to win a copy.
New to me author but the story line caught my eye as my family for several generations have sleepwalking stories to tell. Most of us outgrew them but my daddy never did.
Awesome! I’m not usually into historical books but this one grabbed my attention. Thanks for the chance.
This is already on my ever growing wish list. Thank you for the chance to win.
Glad to see a relatively new series kicking off. I’d definitely like to win a copy, I think we’d both enjoy it. Thanks
I would love to win a hard copy of this. Just by what little I read I want more! Sounds so interesting.
I look forward to reading this series. I love the time period. So much happens and changes in a relatively short time.
Am going to put this on my very long tbr list. Would love to win a copy to help that list, lol. Thanks for the chance to win!
Love both books, waiting to see what comes next! The day in the life of Kitty is so interesting, love that corn flakes is considered health conscious food!
New author and series for me – added to my list. Thanks for the chance to win a copy.
Thank you for a great introduction to this series! I will be adding it to my to be read pile.
I really enjoyed the first in the series. I read it last year so I’m looking forward to this one. I love historical mysteries.
I love the cover! This is a new author to me and I would enjoy reading the book. Really like reading historical mysteries. Thanks for the chance.
Kitty sounds like an interesting lady. I’d like to read more about her.
Books with the grand and olden-time are almost as good as puppies and kittens!
always fun to see NY in the past become a character in a well written book – thanks for the opportunity!
book sounds great, thank you for the chance to read all about Kitty and her adventures.
I love historical fiction books.
Thanks for introducing me to another must read author & series.
The book sounds wonderful, thanks for the give a way.
A must read.
Thank you for introducing me to this new-to-me series & author. I enjoy historical mysteries, and this sounds delightful.
Seems like a great era for a strong woman in that field. Thanks for the chance to win!
A new author/series is so exciting. Thanks for the intro. It does look like a fantastic read. So hope this will be a start. I love period pieces.
Sounds good!!
**** WINNER ****
Murder Between The Lines is Ruth Nixon
Congratulations