For the Love of Mike

By: Rhys Bowen

Narrated by: Nicola Barber

Molly Murphy is starting to think the cards are stacked against her. She's determined to be a private detective, but hampering her investigations is the fact that she's finding many places in turn-of-the-century New York City where women are not welcome, something that's as frustrating to her fiery Irish pride as it is to her rapidly emptying pocketbook.

Then two business opportunities pop up simultaneously. An aristocratic family in Dublin fears their daughter has fled to the New World with her unsavory boyfriend, and they hire Molly to track the two down and send the young woman back home. Before she has time to consider her good luck, she's asked to go undercover as a piece worker in the garment business and investigate a potential case of industrial espionage. Now if she can only solve both cases without the help of Daniel Sullivan, the police captain who claims he loves her but who is engaged to someone else....

Full of the rich detail of New York's teeming immigrant community and the colorful historical personalities of the age, For the Love of Mike is the triumphant third installment in Rhys Bowen's Agatha Award-winning series.

©2003 Rhys Bowen (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

If you love Jean Grainger novels…

I believe I have listened to every Jean Grainger novel available on Audible, so I needed to find a new author to follow. I have fallen in love with the stories of the irrepressible, fearless, independent Molly Murphy. These novels give a glimpse into what it might have been like to be a struggling female immigrant in turn of the century New York city. A completely captivating heroine, mystery, and intrigue combine to make this series addictive. Thank you, Rhys Bowen, for this delightful character.

Trump and Republicans world...

Hope everyone reads this because with regulations being done away with and everything women have fought for under siege, not to mention rampant classism, isolationism, bigotry , sexism and corruption the new norm, this is the world we are headed back to.
This is what the Trump Republicans want. sweatshops, police brutality, sexism, men being able to put their hands on women and its just peachy...after all it's the women's fault.
Hard to enjoy the book knowing what a horrible time in history it was. Hard to enjoy it knowing our daughters will probably live in that same world.

Love Molly Murphy, a common-sense detective

If you could sum up For the Love of Mike in three words, what would they be?

Avoid Loving Heels

Who was your favorite character and why?

I love Molly Murphy and she's a fine detective. The biggest mystery is what she sees in Daniel Sullivan. I enjoyed Murphy's Law & bought City of Darkness and Light on sale. Then I bought two more: Death of Riley & For the Love of Mike. I erroneously thought the Death of Riley would lead to Molly's marriage. Then I thought For the Love of Mike would do it for sure. Now I'm done both & she's still not married. Just looked up the series and find there are a BATCH of books between these early ones & City of Darkness and Light, when Molly & Daniel are married. But I found myself annoyed to the point of hostility toward Daniel in this book. Molly is always aces but Daniel is rude, bossy, and treats her like a child. To find out in Death of Riley that he has not played fair with her on top of his male chauvinistic attitude is too much. And to have him send her to be a companion to the aunt of the woman he's engaged to is the height of arrogance! Don't know how she ever ended up married to him--she's much too good for him. (And even after they're married, his patriarchal attitudes remain from what I recall from City of Darkness & Light.)

Which character – as performed by Nicola Barber – was your favorite?

Molly

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I was horrified at the working conditions of the women in the sweatshops and I know in the days before unions such conditions prevailed. I've read of fires killing garment workers because of doors that were chained shut. I'd never heard of paying for your own needles for the sewing machines or for the towel in the washroom, but I can believe it. (And the way "Right to Work" (for less money & benefits) laws are being passed in many red states, we'll soon be back to those deplorable conditions. Unions gave us decent working conditions including: 8-hour days, 40-hour work weeks, minimum wage, overtime pay, safety regulations, vacation days, sick days, health insurance at work, retirement plans, and many other benefits and because UNION workers got these benefits workers in nonunionized industries got them as well to keep pace.)

Any additional comments?

Gotta add: Her new boyfriend, Jacob, is almost as loaded with patriarchal attitudes as Daniel.

really liked the book

I really liked the book. But I will admit that the story didn't grab me as much as the last two books.
The narrator was excellent. She bought interest to each of the characters. She is most excellent with all of the different accents. That's one of the reasons why I like to listen and not read certain books.
Looking forward to hearing the next in the series.

Fun and fast

I enjoyed the edgy aspect of the dangers gangs posed to Molly and others in For the Love of Mike. The narrator is excellent.

Too politically correct

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

It was okay but none of the male characters were realistic.

If you’ve listened to books by Rhys Bowen before, how does this one compare?

I don't particularly like this series. This will be the last one of the series I listen to.

What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?

The performance was excellent

Could you see For the Love of Mike being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

No

Always Surprising

This is the third book in a series. the characters are getting deeper the stories better. Molly is growing into a responsible and caring Detective. There are many subplots personal and professional that will be fun to follow through. I highly recommend this series for anyone looking for a delightful detective and small love story.

Sweat Shops and Close Calls

Molly just can't say no and walk away from responsibilities that are aren't hers. She is on an undercover case this time around in sweat shops. (Do people still have to work that way? I hope not!) She stands her ground possibly with the wrong gang. Her life and the lives of her friends could be in danger.
Will she make it out of the sweat shops? Will she have money for rent and food? What of Daniel, does he really care for Molly? Hum, you will have to listen to find out!

One of the best

True this is novel number 3, but I really loved this novel the best so far. The characters are well established and as in real life, nothing is easy or goes right all the time. I found myself laughing out loud at the contents that was Hilarious and somber in other times. I definitely recommend this novel to enjoy for yourself. I can't wait till my next credits to hit so I can get the 4th novel. Great storyline and the narration is spot on. Great teamwork here on all involved.

Molly Murphy is a force to be reckoned with.

Would you try another book from Rhys Bowen and/or Nicola Barber?

I am addicted to this series. Rhys Bowen paints 20th century New York so vividly by having Molly Murphy meet the social issues of that era head on. Nicola Barber's reading is crisp and engaging, bringing Bowen's words to life.

Would you be willing to try another book from Rhys Bowen? Why or why not?

Rhys Bowen's writing grabs a hold of me and doesn't let go until the very last page. That's in large part due to her main protagonist, Molly Murphy. Molly is an independent woman living in a time, where women were meant to be seen and not heard, get married, and have babies. Molly isn't the settling down type, and wants to make her own way in the world. Having Molly wanting to work in a field dominated by men, keeps me hooked and guessing where the story will lead next.

What does Nicola Barber bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Her voice for each character is unique and engaging. Sometimes a narrator can't quite get a character's voice right, and it becomes laughable every time I hear them speak, but Nicola Barber hits it right each time.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

First in line for a ticket. I'm a historical fiction addict.