Murder at the Foundling Hospital hits all the right notes in this distressing (due to the death of a child) next installment in Shapiro's atmospheric Tate and Bell series.

I love the slowly building relationship between Gemma and Sebastian, how they are fully cognizant of society's expectations and their own hurts. It's good to see Sebastian starting to live again and Gemma have hope.

The play on words with some of the names was fascinating and an excellent use of foreshadowing.

Not as dark as the first (thank you!), but still exposing the lengths to which desperate people will go to, Murder at the Foundling Hospital is an excellent study in humanity and an enjoyable mystery.

This is the 3rd book in the series and involves an intriguing mystery set in a dark and moody Victorian London setting. The atmospheric, descriptive writing really brought the era to life and I found myself pulled into the story from the beginning which start where the second book finishes. This book runs at a good pace to hold the attention and is filled with twists and turns that make it difficult to spot the villain. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I really loved this book, in Victorian times in England things were done very different to today. To have a child out of wedlock was definitely a no-no very often you were chastised but the Foundling Hospital was one of the better orphanages at that time ran on benefactors donations children up until the age of 16yrs had schooling but also had hard chores to do. . Sometimes the children were put into foster care as did Amanda but then ended up at Foundling
The story of Amanda a still a child wanted to go into service so she could wed her childhood sweetheart at 16yrs was found brutely murdered, and Gemma Tate a nurse was called upon by Police Inspector Sebastian Bell to take a look at the child to give her views which she was upset but with Gemma she always had time for the children which is frowned upon by matron, and matron was more worried about the benefactors than with the murder of one of her charges.
To investigate crime at that time was very difficult as not like today with DNA etc at the ready, so it was up to the police and there wisdom and what they see.
This book was very well written the characters well defined it was a pleasure to read, and would recommend it.

Bell and Tate are back for another very interesting investigation!
In the previous book, part two in the Bell and Tate series, Gemma got a new job in the foundling hospital, where she got really close to one of the girls living there. So when Sebastian sends for her because one of the girls is found dead in the laundry-room in a tub full of water that had frozen overnight she hurries to the foundling hospital praying that it isn't Lucie. It turns out to be another girl that has been murdered, called Amanda, Even so, Gemma is devastated by the death of such a young girl and is going to do everything that she can to find out who killed her, even to her own detriment. Because she works in the foundling hospital Gemma is in a better position to sleuth around than Scotland Yard is.
In the mean time Sebastian is doing everything to find out what happened at the outside, off course helped by some of his junior police officers and Colin, his surgeon friend who dissects the body so it gives up all it;s secrets.

What I admire about this series is the very scenic descriptions of London and the workings of the foundling hospital. It is clear that the author has a very good understanding of the time this book is set in. Also all the characters, the main protagonists as well as the minor support characters undergo a personal development in every episode. With every new episode I read in this series I'm growing more fond of these characters, so I am really looking forward towards the next book!

I want to thank Netgalley and Storm Publishers for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my unbiased review.

Once more Irina Shapiro has delivered a mystery full of suspense, intrigue, and excitement! Gemma joins forces again with Inspector Bell to solve the murder of the unfortunate Amanda Carter, a resident in the local orphanage. With Gemma working as a nurse at the foundling home, she has an exclusive view on the workings of the home and can talk to the residents easier than the Inspector. Feelings are arising between the Inspector and Gemma, adding to the intrigue. If you like historical mysteries, put this book on your reading pile.

Book 3 - and I couldn't wait to dive in!

Nurse Gemma Tate in now working at the Foundling Hospital and despite warnings, she's grown some attachments. So needless to say, when she hears one of the young girls has been found dead, her heart sinks. Her friend, inspector Sebastian Bell is on the case and she knows he will work tirelessly to find the truth.

Sebastian observes the girls pockets have been turned inside out as if someone was searching for something - and he finds a small wooden carved doll in her hand. How will Sebastian thwart the obstacle of the surly matron to work out what's happened? I loved the reappearance (although sometimes brief) of former characters... especially Gustav the cat.

These novels have such a feeling rich with history and nuances of the day - it makes them extra enjoyable.

Thanks to NetGalley, Storm Publishing and Irina Shapiro for the eARC.

Thanks to Storm Publishing and Net Galley for this ARC. Love this series, its still going strong and its great the way some of the later Redmond & Haze characters are woven in. Hoping this series continues for a long time. The plot was great and character are written really well and develop more with each instalement.

I was pulled into the story from the very first page and couldn’t put it down until the case was finally solved! This book is well-paced, filled with twists and turns, and keeps you guessing until the last minute.

Book three picks up right where the second installment left off, as Police Inspector Sebastian Bell is called to the Foundling Children’s Hospital, where Nurse Gemma Tate is employed, to investigate the murder of a 14-year-old girl. Gemma and Sebastian have a great balance—they really complement each other as they work through the case. The plot is so cleverly constructed that I found myself constantly guessing what would happen next and trying to piece together the clues alongside them.

And I have to say that I love the main characters so much! The romantic tension between them is palpable, with both of them struggling between their emotions and professionalism—a head vs. heart conflict that adds another layer to the story.

With a multi-layered storyline, intriguing mystery and rich historical backdrop, this book does a fantastic job of immersing you in its dark and moody Victorian London setting. The atmospheric, descriptive writing really brought the era to life.

If you’re a fan of mystery novels and love books set in Victorian London, then this series is a perfect match for you. I highly recommend reading the books in order to fully appreciate the storyline and character development.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

BOOK: MURDER AT THE FOUNDLING HOSPITAL
AUTHOR: IRINA SHAPIRO
PUB DATE: 21 OCTOBER 2024
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REVIEW- 4.5 stars
Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for this ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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Another masterpiece in the Tate and Bell series. The author just keeps getting better and better. This is the third book in the series, and I liked that the crimes solved were very different and o appreciated that. It's more amazing how she manages to balance their professions of nursing and policing.
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This book was kinda depressing considering the victim, a 14 year old orphan. The author did a really good job in portraying the realities of orphans then, especially at the foundling hospital. I understood the matron's approach, but I'm not in support of that. The orphans were so pitiful, and their lives, while they had basic necessities, lacked love and attention. My heart broke for the poor victim, Amanda
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This book and the previous book in the series really delved into what English boarding houses were like, how extremely disciplined the owners were, and how lonely it could be. I don't think I could survive that kind of lifestyle. And that was how Gemma and Sebastian lived.
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It might sound like a cliche, but again, I didn't even guess who the culprit was this time. I had an idea about the person who committed the crime and the motive, but I was completely wrong. It was very nice that the author keeps surprising me in a good way. I'm definitely reading the next.
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In the last book, I mentioned that Gemma was like a supporting character, but this was remedied here. Sebastian did a really good job here as usual, but Gemma solved the case because she had more access and the smarts. The crime happened where she was working, so she had first-hand handling of the scene. I really liked seeing Gemma as a front runner.
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I really liked this book, and I'm definitely continuing this series. But, I do wish that the author spaces the books. The first three books are set in a period of four months. I want something longer in between, with the time frame spaced out. I just don't want the books to be rushed
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A great read that just seemed to go by so fast as I got into the story. in this book takes place in an orphanage and the squalor in which a poor orphan dies is the catalyst for this book.. Gemma is once more central to the action, and working with Sebastian uncover the truth of the killing of a poor 14-year-old girl. Life in the orphanage or foundling hospital is described in great detail, mostly the sadness and the cruelty, but a little of the joy and the learning and a tiny bit of love. The bizarre rituals that underpin the running of an orphanage dance alongside the coldness of matron as she protects her reputation above all else. A novel that really gives the details of life in the mid 19th century..

A Victoria sponge of a novel: well-constructed, tasty in places, and a comfort food.
Gemma Tate is now working as a nurse at the Foundling Hospital. When one of the foundlings turns up dead in the laundry, Inspector Bell quickly realises foul play is involved. But hospital’s matron fears a scandal would cause wealthy benefactors to withdraw their support and is keen the hush up the murder as just-another-child-death. Events have clearly moved on since “Murder at Highgate Cemetery” with Gemma and Sebastian now having the early stages of a romantic attachment.
I liked both lead characters, although at times it felt as though a big arrow was pointed at Gemma’s head saying “strong female character”. There was backstory about Sebastian’s alcohol and opium misuse, and it was nice that he didn’t back slide at one point where he imbibes of brandy to help him sleep. They pair are obviously attracted romantically, but both dealing with a head vs heart conflict, and at present the head is winning.
I also enjoyed the sparring between Bell and matron, over access to vital records that could help further the investigation. She felt like a strong character, but without being labelled as such, and it was satisfying when Bell eventually worked out how to dismantle her objections. Its one of those stories where vital information is withheld until right at the end; so less of a final twist, and more of an unveiling.
What triumphs in the end is the author’s ability to tell a cracking story,which kept me turning pages and coming back for more. I would happily read more by the same author…so well worth picking up.
ARC received in return for an honest, unbiased review.

Murder at the Foundling Hospital by Irina Shapiro

Nurse Gemma Tate is heartbroken when she hears that one of her young charges at the Foundling Hospital has been killed. She knows that police inspector Sebastian Bell will work tirelessly to uncover the truth, but obstructed by the curt matron, he’ll need her help navigating the cloistered world of the orphanage.

The mystery thickens when Sebastian finds a small wooden doll clutched in the murdered girl’s hand and Gemma hears whispers of a shadowy romance. But that isn’t the darkest secret hidden behind the high hospital walls. As time runs down on the investigation, Gemma won’t give up. But could the shocking discovery she makes be her last?

A very good book , I read this genre of book often but really enjoyed this one , I felt the author brought something else to it. Great characters , a story well told - what more could you want ?

When fourteen year old Amanda is found drowned in a tub of water at the Foundling Hospital on Boxing Day, Inspector Sebastian Bell is called in to attend the scene. He suspects she was murdered, most likely by someone in the orphanage. He has a few clues to go on including a tiny doll and something she had hidden in her clothing but doesn’t know what to make of them. With the matron of the orphanage concerned more with protecting its image than finding the murderer, his friend Gemma Tate, a nurse at the orphanage takes in into he own hands to help him find out more about the murdered girl and those who might be involved.

This is shaping up to be a really good Victorian mystery series. Gemma and Sebastian are both terrific characters, both flawed and doubting themselves but determined and willing to go to extra lengths to find the murderer. Gemma is an independent woman who is shaping up into quite the detective despite Sebastian’s warnings to take care and not get involved. Although there are romantic feelings between the two, they are both still in mourning - Gemma for her brother killed a few months ago and Sebastian for his wife and child who died during childbirth, so for now the romance is constrained.

Shapiro’s writing is sharp and engaging and the Victorian setting atmospheric, especially the descriptions of the Foundling hospital. The killer and their motives were hard to guess until Gemma and Sebastian finally put all the clues together in a very plausible scenario. It will be fun to see what future novels have in store for these two!

This continues to be a great series, with strong characters, intricate mysteries, and a great 19th century London setting. Gemma is again drawn into one of Sebastian’s cases when a child is killed at the Foundling Hospital where Gemma serves. Sebastian’s investigation and Gemma’s informal inquiries inside the Hospital combined bring them closer to the truth but also to danger to Gemma’s life and ability to provide for herself. The romance is more muted in this one as compared to the last, but for very plausible reasons that make sense for the characters. I’m already looking forward to the next one. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy. All views are entirely my own and offered voluntarily.

This is the third book in the "Tate and Bell Mystery Series". I have not read the first two books, yet I found this book easy to get into as the author supplied the necessary background from the previous books.

I found the mystery and the historical setting to be intriguing and the plot really held my interest. The two main characters, Nurse Gemma Tate and Scotland Yard Inspector Sebastian Bell, work together in a complimentary fashion to solve the murder mystery. The descriptions of not only the Foundling Hospital itself, but also London and the character's lodgings ring true and add to the authenticity of the story.

I did not figure out the who and why until it was revealed at the end, and I enjoyed observing all the steps of their investigations. Bell and Tate are very likable and one hopes their budding romance will prosper.

I highly recommend this series and I will sometime go back and read the earlier books.

The third in a series of books, Murder at the Foundling Hospital has Inspector Sebastian Bell enlisting the help of nurse Gemma Tate to solve the murder of a young girl at the foundling hospital where Gemma works. She has inside knowledge of the teachers, staff, and students, but she must tread carefully to avoid losing her position or threatening the murderer.

I have read one other book in this series; each one easily stands alone. The author does a good job of showing how bleak life could be for a poor person in London in 1858, and how nurses and police officers, including detectives, were not highly respected. The glimpse inside the foundling hospital (in truth, an orphanage) is a reminder of the grim situation that children of that era faced. The mystery was well constructed, believable, and unrevealed until the very end.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

This was so good I was picking it up to read it whenever I had time. The characters are easy to relate to as they have normal lives that anyone can empathize with. How the story twists and turns to you finding out who did it, I thought I knew but then something else happened. I could not who did it by the end of the book. The descriptions of characters was fantastic and could almost read their quotes in a different voice.

historical-fiction, historical-figures, historical-places-events, historical-research, historical-setting, history-and-culture, cozy-crime, Scotland Yard, murder-investigation, winter, grief, due-diligence, post-mortem, working-partners, orphanage, orphans, widow, riveting*****

1858 Boxing Day began with the discovery of one of the orphan girls dead in a tub of laundry water.
Inspector Sebastian Bell, a man haunted by the murder of his wife and child, and nurse Gemma Tate who was a nurse in the Crimean War, (October 1853–February 1856 fought mainly on the Crimean Peninsula between the Russians and the British, French, and Ottoman Turks). This is the third murder investigation they have worked on and again it is hampered by customs and attitudes of the day as well as willful deceptions, startling revelations, and astounding plot twist. Riveting and exceptionally well researched.
I requested and received a temporary E-proof from Storm Publishing via NetGalley. Thank you!
Avail Oct 21, 2024
#TateAndBellMysteryBk3 #MurderatTheFoundlingHospital #NetGalley #HistoricalMystery

Historical Mystery set in London 1858 about a nurse and a police inspector who team up to investigate an orphan girl's murder and uncover dark secrets hidden within the hospital walls.

5/5 stars: This is the third entry in Shapiro's Tate and Bell Mystery series, which is a Historical Mystery set in 1858 England and features an unconventional nurse and a troubled police inspector who work together to investigate the murder of a fourteen-year-old orphan girl who resides at the nurse's place of employment, the Foundling Hospital. As the two search for the killer they soon uncover dark secrets and make a shocking discovery hidden behind the high hospital walls. With plenty of twists and turns, Shapiro has masterfully crafted a mystery that deftly balances the suspects and weaves in plenty of clues and red herrings that will leave you pondering the whodunit until the final reveal. Written in dual POV, Shapiro's writing and character work are excellent; the characters are well-rounded and complex while remaining incredibly likable. It's great to catch up with Gemma and Sebastian. Gemma's tough, she's still grieving her brother's death and dealing with her experiences in the Crimean War, but Is determined to build a life for herself. While Sebastian's still recovering from his opium addiction and dealing his guilt and grief over his wife and child's deaths. Additionally, the secondary characters are engaging and well-rounded. Shapiro tackles some sensitive topics, so take care and the CWs. While you could read this as a stand-alone, you'll gain so much more by reading the series from the beginning; so be sure to pick up book one, The Highgate Cemetery Murder.

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

This is the third book in the wonderful Tate and Bell mystery series. You don’t need to read the earlier books to enjoy this one, but both are well worth reading. The action is set at Christmas time in 1858 in The Foundling Hospital in London where Gemma Tate is working as a nurse. One of the girls is murdered and Inspector Sebastian Bell of the Yard needs Gemma’s help more than ever to solve the crime, as she is working on the inside, but he cautions her about getting too involved. Both have to tread very carefully because the formidable matron is uncooperative and neither Gemma nor Sebastian are secure in their respective employs.

The poor foundlings in the hospital lead a very regimented life of chores and lessons and chapel, they daren’t speak out of turn lest they incur the wrath of matron, making investigating the murder very tricky. Also, the wealthy benefactors and directors of the hospital don’t want any hint of impropriety much less a murder associated with the institution. The historic atmosphere is deftly conjured up, the society of the time in Victorian London was very harsh for women without means who weren’t married. Sebastian and Gemma have a tentative romance that might blossom in future episodes. it was a thoroughly gripping and immersive read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Storm Publishing and the author for an advanced copy and I am voluntarily leaving my honest review. Expected Publication October 21, 2024