Christmas memories awakened!

The Ghost of Christmas Past (Molly Murphy #17) 
by Rhys Bowen.  

This is the first Molly Murphy mystery I've read. Even so, I was not lost with what was happening, or the relationships between the main characters. I am sure earlier readings would have given me more depth of understanding into the intricacies of the various relationships--between Molly and Bridie and Daniel, Daniel Sid and Gus, Molly and Daniel's mother.

Through a series of almost happenstance events, Molly, Daniel and Bridie end up spending Christmas at Greenbriars, the home of Cedric and Winnie Van Aiken, near Scarborough on the Hudson River. 

The loss of a child is devasting, and in Winnie Van Aiken's case, the disappearance of her daughter Charlotte years ago, the not knowing if Lottie is alive or dead, continues to be shattering. 

The plot around Charlotte's disappearance is convoluted. The child's footsteps led outside to the edge of a frozen stream and disappeared. Searches turned up nothing. No ransom was ever asked for. Charlotte was gone. What had happened?

Molly is on edge, she feels apprehensive in the house and doesn't like Cedric Van Aiken. Certainly things turn nasty as Molly pursues her investigative intuition about Lottie's disappearance..

I reserve judgement on Daniel. He obviously loves Molly and yet disapproves of many of her actions. Perhaps if I'd met him in earlier novels I'd like him more.

On top of this it seems their ward Bridie is to be reunited with her father--something that has Molly upset and Bridie uncertain.

A NetGalley ARC

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