In Sunshine or in Shadow

Molly Murphy Mysteries, Book 20

By: Rhys Bowen, Clare Broyles

Narrated by: Nicola Barber

Length: 8 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's summary

Retired Detective Molly Murphy Sullivan is back with In Sunshine or in Shadow, the next book in this beloved series by New York Times best-selling author Rhys Bowen and Clare Broyles.

New York, 1908: The days are getting longer—and warmer—in Manhattan. Molly Murphy Sullivan doesn’t want to leave her home in the city, but typhoid is back, and she’s expecting. So she heads north with the children to summer with her mother-in-law in Westchester County. Molly tells herself it won’t be so bad, after all the countryside is pretty, and she’s determined to make the best of it. Even if she’s leaving her husband, Daniel, behind. And at least she’s not the only one heading north. Her great friends, Sid and Gus, are headed to the Catskills to visit Sid’s family.

Though her mother-in-law is a surprisingly excellent host, Molly quickly grows bored. And when Sid and Gus invite her to visit, Molly jumps at the chance to stay with them at an artist’s community. What a pleasant time they’ll have, so far from the city, although Sid isn’t so enthusiastic about having to visit her family in the nearby Jewish bungalow community. But deep in the Catskills, tensions are running high, and it’s not long before a body delays Molly’s return to Westchester.

©2024 Janet Quin-Harkin (writing as Rhys Bowen) and Clare Broyles (P)2024 Audible, Inc.

I love Molly!

Themes of Jewish life and antisemitism, feminism and adolescent angst add to Molly’s solving a mystery while people treat her like a delicate flower because of her pregnancy. So glad that doesn’t happen anymore!

Lovely

I love this series. I have all of them. Always happy to see new books added to the collection.

wonderful return

Rhys Bowen does it again, with a wonderfully enjoyable, entrancing, fast paced mystery. So lovely to spend time with Molly and crew.

I wish there were more.

Molly stories are always great this was no exception. I love Molly book. Can’t wait for the next.

Slow start but ends up great

I listened to this because I have loved all the others in this series. The first one third of the book has a slow start in my opinion-I kept thinking: come on let’s get to it. I wonder whether the co-author had anything to do with it. Anyway, eventually the plot thickened and moved along. And I didn’t want to stop listening! In fact I returned to the last two chapters to be sure I got the details right as to how it ends - so pay attention to every word! That’s why I gave the storyline 5 stars after all.

Very good story

I thought the setting was brilliant and imaginative departure from NYC. The mystery was good though no surprises much. I had an idea of the mystery solution after a certain clue. The characters were engaging also.

Storyline was weak, and toward the end, it didn’t really even matter if she solved the crime.

This book was not as good as the previous books in the series. It was a bit disappointing, had too much discussion with herself, and the book tended to fall onto stereotypes.

Wanted more!

I LOVE the Molly Murphy series but this recent book left me wanting more. The plot was tiresome and predictable. Characters were dull and boring. Almost seemed like the poor narrator had to dig deep to make it through the book. Wish I could recommend it.

One of the best series around

This series is in my top 5 of all time. With the writing of Rhys Bowen and narration of Nicola Barber, it’s a win every time. I really enjoyed seeing Molly in her element and not under anyone’s thumb in this book but being pregnant, especially when she had previous issues, I feel she took too many risks. That’s the only reason I gave this book a 4 instead of a 5 star review.