If you love historical fiction and thrillers and mysteries, then you will love some of these thrillers set in the gilded age. The American Gilded Age was a period in the late 1800s of great economic change and these are some of the most immersive stories that take place during that time!
Here’s our must-read Gilded Age historical fiction books>>
Where the Light Enters by Sara Donati
In the spring of 1884, Dr. Sophie Savard, an obstetrician, returns home to Manhattan after the death of her husband. With the help of fellow physician and cousin, Dr. Anna Savard, the two women plan on working to help underprivileged women. Shortly after her return, Anna’s husband calls the two women to assist with two criminal cases. In one case, a wealthy banker’s wife has vanished, and the other is the body of a young woman suggesting a serial killer may be targeting New York.
Murder on Astor Place by Victoria Thompson
Midwife Sarah Brandt has just discovered the body of a young woman in a rooming house, only to discover that she is from one of the more prominent families in Manhattan – and the sister of one of Sarah’s old friends. To avoid a scandal, the family refuses to give permission to have an investigation, but with the help of Sergeant Frank Malloy, Sarah begins the search for a killer before they can claim their next victim.
Opium and Absinthe by Lydia Kang
1899, New York City. Tillie Pembroke’s sister has just been found dead with two puncture wounds in her neck and her body drained of blood. Bram Stoker’s novel, Dracula, has recently been released, and now Tillie begins to wonder if the two are connected. Could her sister’s murderer be a real vampire? While Tillie is determined more than ever to find out what really happened to her sister, she’s self-medicating with opium, which she has no problem finding in her inner circle.
The Alienist by Caleb Carr
Reporter John Schuyler Moore has arrived in New York City in 1896 to assist friend and psychologist, Dr. Laszlo Kreizler, after the mutilated body of a young boy is found. During their investigation, the two create a psychological profile of the killer that would be known as criminology today. As the investigation continues, the two men try to get into the mind of a killer as more bodies begin to emerge.
Deception by Gaslight by Kate Belli
In the winter of 1888 in New York City, a jewel thief ironically called the “Robin Hood of the Lower East Side” has been stealing from the richest people in the city and giving to the poor. Although Genevieve Stewart’s family is part of Mrs. Astor’s famed 400, Genevieve makes a life of her own as a reporter. Shortly after deciding to cover this story, Genevieve finds a dead body in a dangerous neighborhood. Genevieve then starts to notice a handsome man, who is none other than society scion Daniel McCaffrey, and she is stuck at a crossroads in believing Daniel could be this Robin Hood—but also wanting to refuse to believe he is capable of being a criminal.
What the Dead Leave Behind by Rosemary Simpson
With the Great Blizzard of 1888 hitting New York City, heiress Prudence MacKenzie awaits the safe return of her fiancé as the storm gets worse and worse. The next morning, the blizzard will have claimed the lives of over two-hundred people, including Prudence’s fiancé, but Prudence is not convinced his death was not due to the storm. Prudence then turns to her fiancé’s friend, Geoffrey Hunter to not only help protect her but to get to the bottom of what really happened to her fiancé.
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