Mary Handley is a young woman living in 1890s Brooklyn who becomes one of the city’s first female detectives. She got her start investigating the murder of a man found at the Second Street Station, and her success on that case opened the door to more work in a field that was almost entirely closed to women at the time.
The cases Mary takes on are woven into real historical events from Gilded Age New York. She crosses paths with actual figures from the era while solving crimes that range from arson to murder. Her persistence and sharp thinking set her apart in a world that routinely underestimates her because of her gender.
Lawrence H. Levy writes Mary as resourceful and determined without making her into a superhero. She faces real obstacles, both from the criminals she pursues and from a society that doesn’t think women belong in detective work. The books follow her growth across five novels as she builds a reputation in Brooklyn and beyond.
Reading Order
See the complete A Mary Handley Mystery reading order for all books in the series.