The first in a promising series set in turn of the century New York, Murphy's Law is about a young woman, Molly Murphy, who must flee her village in Ireland after she kills a man. A twist of fate affords her a chance at a new life when she meets Kathleen O'Connor. Kathleen had hoped to board a ship with her two young children to go to America and meet up with her husband but she's just found out she has tuberculosis and knows she won't be allowed in the country.
Kathleen asks Molly to take her place on the ship and take the children to their father. Molly knows that this is the only way to save herself from a hanging and accepts Kathleen's offer. While on board the ship Molly encounters a man who will try to make life hard for her but no sooner has the ship arrived at Ellis Island and O'Malley is found dead and Molly is one of the main suspects.
Molly will do whatever it takes to prove her innocence, even if it means doing some of her own investigating. Of course, not only does the plucky heroine have to worry about the secrets she uncovers along the way but she also has to find a job and jobs are scarce for women.
This is an enjoyable cozy with a lot of period detail. I enjoyed reading about what the travel must have been like on the ship and what it must have been like to arrive at Ellis Island. Plus, the book features a very likable heroine, one who is also very independent and not easily beaten by her circumstances.
The main problem with this book though is that it relies too heavily on a lot of extraordinary coincidences to further the plot. I can only hope that the next book in the series has a lot less of that. I am interested enough in the characters and will more than likely read another book in the series plus I want to see what happens between Molly and the police captain.
Added 11/07