Set in New York City in 1899, the seventh Dutchman historical mystery (after 1997's The Lucifer Contract
) from the pseudonymous Meyers (the husband-wife writing team of Martin and Annette Meyers) offers plenty of rich period detail, from the founding of the Automobile Club of America to the building of the new subway system, but the storytelling falls short of the standard set by, say, Caleb Carr or Daniel Stashower. John “Dutch” Tonneman, of the NYPD's two-man Commissioner's Squad, investigates a series of stabbing murders, whose victims include Delia Swann, a prostitute who was last seen alive by Esther Breslau, a photographer, who happens to be the detective's love interest. The politically progressive Breslau has begun a project to photograph streetwalkers, but it's unclear whether her encounter with the victim was mere coincidence. Those readers anticipating a whodunit may be disappointed to learn the killer's identity and motivation early on. (Oct.)
