What the Dead Leave Behind

Gilded Age Mystery, Book 1

By: Rosemary Simpson

Narrated by: Sarah Zimmerman

Length: 12 hrs and 23 mins

Publisher's summary

As the Great Blizzard of 1888 cripples the vast machinery that is New York City, heiress Prudence MacKenzie sits anxiously within her palatial Fifth Avenue home waiting for her fiance's safe return. But the fearsome storm rages through the night. With daylight, more than 200 people are found to have perished in the icy winds and treacherous snowdrifts. Among them is Prudence's fiancé - his body frozen, his head crushed by a heavy branch, his fingers clutching a single playing card, the ace of spades.

Close on the heels of her father's untimely demise, Prudence is convinced Charles's death was no accident. The ace of spades was a code he shared with his school friend, Geoffrey Hunter, a former Pinkerton agent and attorney from the South. Wary of sinister forces closing in on her, Prudence turns to Geoffrey as her only hope in solving a murder not all believe in - and to help protect her inheritance from a stepmother who seems more interested in the family fortune than Prudence's wellbeing.

Filled with richly colorful characters, fascinating historical details, and thrilling moments of suspense, What the Dead Leave Behind is an exquisitely crafted mystery for the ages.

©2017 Rosemary Simpson (P)2017 Tantor

Excellent story!

Excellent story and narration. The story flowed very well and character development is good. Definitely recommend!

Good Mystery

I enjoyed the story. The story flowed nicely. The characters were interesting. The narrator did a great job. I liked the twists and turns.

Wow

I did not know what to expect but wow! Intense at times and a gently woven mystery of deceit, intrigue and murder!

Loved every minute and cannot wait to see what happens next!

Very good read

Really enjoyed this book. It kept my attention. If there are sequels, I will be reading them.

Worthy of Audible Plus read!

Very interesting story, although a bit convoluted. A worthy Audible Plus book! It would make a better movie than a book, as the large number of characters would be asker to track with faces, rather than just names. Somewhat frustrating, as many clues are hidden from the reader until the last moment.

Obviously well researched, interesting to view the perspectives of people during the Gilded Age!

Good story.

Good story. I plan to purchase the second book in this series. I look forward to listen. The narrator was excellent!

Every turn leads to another!

A stupendous read! Just when you think you're right you're wrong! Can't wait for the next book!

Amazing story! I could not put it down!

I loved this book! I did not anticipate the many twists and turns! I couldn’t put it down! I can not wait to read the next “chapter!”

The author gets opioid struggles and PTSD right

Not only are the writing and plot very good, but the main character's struggles with opioid addiction and PTSD are realistically and sympathetically portrayed. Prudence MacKenzie has been dealt a double blow: first her father died of an apparent heart attack, and now her fiancé has been found dead, frozen to death in the biggest blizzard New York has experienced -- and his skull cracked by a tree branch. It's no wonder she succumbs to her stepmother's urging to take more laudanum than the doctor thinks is safe. As Prudence struggles out of the opioid haze, her doubts about Charles' death surface. With the aid of the family solicitor who was in the blizzard with Charles, and Geoffry Hunter, Charles' best friend and former Pinkerton agent, Prudence sets about to discover just what happened to her fiancé, and soon comes to wonder: was her father's death natural, or was it just a little too convenient for her stepmother?

Took Me a Minute

I had trouble getting “hooked” by this at first. Once I was, there was no stopping! I found it well crafted, interesting and entertaining.