A Murder In Washington Square

Turn-of-the-century New York City midwife Sarah Brandt and Detective Sergeant Frank Molloy are thrust into a twisted case of murder—when a seductress falls victim to her own charades.

Turn-of-the-century New York City midwife Sarah Brandt and Detective Sergeant Frank Molloy are thrust into a twisted case of murder—when a seductress falls victim to her own charades.

Turn-of-the-century New York City midwife Sarah Brandt and Detective Sergeant Frank Molloy are thrust into a twisted case of murder—when a seductress falls victim to her own charades.

Turn-of-the-century New York City midwife Sarah Brandt and Detective Sergeant Frank Molloy are thrust into a twisted case of murder--when a seductress falls victim to her own charades.

A little late-night mischief reveals a body...that promptly vanishes. New York, 1925 Penelope "Pen" Banks and a few other zozzled young friends have decided to do something rather daring: break into the Washington Square Park Arch in an attempt to recreate the infamous affair of 1917. Their impromptu party at the top is cut short by a violent thunderstorm. But not before Penelope glimpses, in a single flash of lightning, the body of a woman next to the fountain below. By the time the partiers make it back down, the body has vanished. In a case centered around Washington Square-where the students of New York University, patrons of the infamous Black and Tan saloons, bohemian artists of Greenwich Village, and entrenched old money collide-Penelope, now working even more closely with Detective Prescott and her usual set of friends, plans on finding exactly what happened that night. A Body in Washington Square is the fifth book in the Penelope Banks Murder Mysteries series set in 1920s New York. The enjoyment of a historical mystery combined with the excitement, daring, and danger of New York during Prohibition and the Jazz Age.

A gripping murder mystery set in the heart of New York City. When a wealthy businessman is found dead in his home, a detective is assigned to the case. As he delves deeper into the mystery, he discovers that the victim's family has a dark secret, and that they may be responsible for the murder. With danger lurking around every corner, he must use all of his skill and experience to catch the killer before it's too late. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

A dash from an empty house at the sight of a murdered man with a dragon-topped hatpin protruding from one eye! An escape from the police on the back of a speeding roadster. The discovery that its driver, a curly-haired, beautiful girl, clutches in one hand the headless body of that same fatal dragon-topped hatpin! This is the first climax of breathless action that winds about the figure of Ford Harling, penniless derelict in Chicago, and plunges him into the heart of another famous web-work plot of Harry Stephen Keeler. He is caught in a maelstrom of circumstances that whirl about a stolen ruby, counterfeit bills, a nocturnal visit to a cemetery, and a peculiarly baffling murder involving a lovely heiress. It is the fastest-moving mystery ever written by Harry Stephen Keeler, expert in bafflement and tantalizing clues.

The surprising and unofficial system of social control and regulation that keeps crime rates low in New York City’s Washington Square Park Located in New York City’s Greenwich Village, Washington Square Park is a 9.75-acre public park that is perhaps best known for its historic Washington Square Arch, a landmark at the foot of 5th Avenue. Hundreds, if not thousands, pass through the park every day, some sit on benches enjoying the sunshine, play a game of chess, watch their children play in the playground, take their dog to the dog runs, or sit by the fountain or, sometimes, buy or sell drugs. The park has an extremely low crime rate. Sociologist, and local resident, Erich Goode wants to know why. He notes that many visitors do violate park rules and ordinances, even engaging in misdemeanors like cigarette and marijuana smoking, alcohol consumption, public urination, skateboarding and bike riding. And yet, he argues, contrary to the well-known “broken windows” theory, which suggests that small crimes left unchecked lead to major crimes, serious crimes hardly ever take place there. Why with such an immense volume of infractions—and people—are there so little felonious or serious, and virtually no violent, crime? With rich and detailed observations as well as in-depth interviews, Goode demonstrates how onlookers, bystanders, and witnesses—both denizens and your average casual park visitor—provide an effective system of social control, keeping more serious wrongdoing in check. Goode also profiles the parks visitors, showing us that the park is a major draw to residents and tourists alike. Visitors come from all over; only a quarter of the park’s visitors live in the neighborhood (the Village and SoHo), one out of ten are tourists, and one out of six are from upper Manhattan or the Bronx. Goode looks at the patterns of who visits the park, when they come, and, once in the park, where they go. Regardless of where they live, Goode argues, all of the Park’s visitors help keep the park safe and lively. The Taming of New York’s Washington Square is an engaging and entertaining look at a surprisingly safe space in the heart of Manhattan.