Tell Me, Pretty Maiden: A Molly Murphy Mystery    by Rhys Bowen Order:  USA  Can Minotaur, 2008 (2008) Hardcover     Reviewed by Tim Davis With her six previous Molly Murphy mysteries and her ten Constable Evans mysteries already having been fondly embraced by legions of readers of traditional mysteries, Rhys Bowen returns with another good old-fashioned adventure for the indefatigable Molly Murphy, the charismatic private investigator from Ireland. Tell Me, Pretty Maiden opens in New York City in 1902, and Molly finds herself drawn into several simultaneous puzzles: an actress urgently seeks Molly's assistance and protection since the actress is convinced that a ghost in the theater is trying to kill her; an unidentified young woman is found near death - and without any memory - in the snow, and Molly is determined to find out the woman's identity and help her return safely to her former life; a prospective bride's socially-connected family is concerned about the character of the prospective groom, and Molly - with the help of her beloved Daniel Sullivan (policeman with the NYPD) - needs to find out more about the groom's mysterious movements; and a relative of Daniel's former fiancée seems to be missing and is widely suspected of having been involved recently in a series of robberies and burglaries. The further Molly explores the various enigmas - some reluctantly and some enthusiastically - the more dangerous everything becomes for Molly (and many who are associated with her). Encountering all manner of characters - including a spiritualist, an alienist, a famous newspaper reporter, chorus girls, foreign-born gangsters, theater professionals, and even the authorities of an insane asylum - Molly uncovers surprising evidence of con-artists, blackmailers, kidnappers, and murderers. Charming, entertaining, and well-written, Tell Me, Pretty Maiden is another sure-fire winner that will certainly appeal to fans of Rhys Bowen, the winner of the Agatha Award and nominee for the Edgar Award. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Mystery books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews