The Death Beat is the third book in the Poppy Denby historical mystery series by Fiona Veitch Smith. Set in 1921, it brings to life the era very well — flappers, speakeasies, etc. And while Poppy hails from England, this newest adventure takes her to New York with her boss Rollo Rolandson. Poppy finds herself assigned to the unenviable job at the New York Times — the obituary writer. But as always, Poppy finds a much more exciting story to uncover.

I loved the references to the 1920s that Smith weaves throughout The Death Beat. The fashion, the night scene, the slang, all make this novel very authentic. And while the author may have taken a few liberties with dates and places, this fictional look at New York in the Roaring Twenties conveys the spirit of the time. America was struggling with immigration even then, and the mystery involves illegal immigrants that were used and abused. Human trafficking may not have bee a buzz word at the time, but it was a problem even then. Those two things are at the crux of the mystery. Poppy, a thoroughly modern young woman, is determined to uncover all the unsavory business that threatens to harm more disadvantaged women. There are many parallels in that era and what we now are discussing on the national stage, and I enjoyed the unique perspective. Clues are made known to both Poppy and the reader, but I managed to be clue–less about just whodunit. I loved the many surprises.

While many characters from previous books in the series make appearances, The Death Beat can be read as standalone. However, if you like historical mysteries, you may just want to get the three that are currently available — great for binge-reading fun.

Recommended.

Audience: adults.

(Thanks to NetGalley and Lion Hudson for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.) ( )