Murder on Oak Street by I.M. Foster

April 10 – May 5, 2023 Virtual Book Tour

New York, 1904. After two years as a coroner’s physician for the city of New York, Daniel O’Halleran is more frustrated than ever. What’s the point when the authorities consistently brush aside his findings for the sake of expediency? So when his fiancée leaves him standing at the altar on their wedding day, he takes it as a sign that it’s time to move on and eagerly accepts an offer to assist the local coroner in the small Long Island village of Patchogue.

Though the coroner advises him life on Long Island is far more subdued than that of the city, Daniel hasn’t been there a month when the pretty librarian, Kathleen Brissedon, asks him to look into a two-year-old murder case that took place in the city. Oddly enough, the case she’s referring to was the first one he ever worked on, and the verdict never sat right with him.

Eager for the chance to investigate it anew, Daniel agrees to look into it in his spare time, but when a fresh murder occurs in his own backyard, he can’t shake his gut feeling that the two cases are somehow connected. Can he discover the link before another life is taken, or will murder shake the peaceful South Shore village once again?

My Thoughts

Fans of historical mysteries will enjoy this complex story set in the early 1900s and featuring a physician just beginning to explore forensic science. This time period was such a turning point for so many things. The medical profession, indeed all forms of science, were beginning to flourish, and women were making headway towards loosening the societal restrictions placed upon them. But change is slow, and Foster expertly conveys the frustration and helplessness felt by crime victims and their families who endure indifferent police and persecution by the wealthy and treacherous.

Foster’s writing includes plenty of historical details and some good character development, particularly for Daniel and Kathleen. However, I am not always a fan of dialect and found the Irish dialect distracting in the dialogue. There are a lot of characters to keep track of here, but Foster parses them out neatly enough that it’s possible to follow the plot. And what a plot! All in all, very nicely done.

Book Details:

Genre: Historical Mystery
Published by: Indie
Publication Date: October 2022
Number of Pages: 503
ISBN: 9781733337571
Series: A South Shore Mystery, Book 1
Book Links: Amazon | Goodreads—

Amazon – https://amzn.to/3XJsjo0

Goodreads – https://bit.ly/3HCzqZM

Book Trailer:

Check out the book trailer!

Tour Participants

04/10 Guest post @ The Book Divas Reads
04/11 Review @ Its All About the Book
04/12 Review @ Book Reviews From an Avid Reader
04/12 Showcase @ Books, Ramblings, and Tea
04/13 Review @ Reading is my Superpower
04/13 Showcase @ Silvers Reviews
04/14 Interview @ Mythical Books
04/15 Review @ Novel Nerd Blog
04/16 Review @ Coffee and Ink
04/17 Review @ tea. and. titles
04/18 Review @ mokwip8991
04/19 Showcase @ Im Into Books
04/20 Guest post @ The Reading Frenzy
04/20 Showcase @ The Mystery Section
04/23 Review @ Guatemala Paula Loves to Read
04/24 Showcase @ Cassidys Bookshelves
04/27 Interview @ Hott Books
05/01 Review @ Novels Alive
05/01 Review @ Urban Book Reviews
05/03 Review @ Paws. Read. Repeat
05/04 Review @ Celticladys Reviews
05/05 Review @ Melissa As Blog
05/05 Review @ nanasbookreviews
05/07 Review @ elaine_sapp65

Author Bio:

I. M. Foster is the pen name author Inez Foster uses to write her South Shore Mystery series, set on Edwardian Long Island. Inez also writes historical romances under the pseudonym Andrea Matthews, and has so far published two series in that genre: the Thunder on the Moor series, a time-travel romance set on the 16th century Anglo-Scottish Borders, and the Cross of Ciaran series, which follows the adventures of a fifth century Celt who finds himself in love with a twentieth century archaeologist.

Inez is a historian and librarian, who love to read and write and search around for her roots, genealogically speaking. She has a BA in History and an MLS in Library Science and enjoys the research almost as much as she does writing the story. In fact, many of her ideas come to her while doing casual research or digging into her family history. Inez is a member of the Long Island Romance Writers, and the Historical Novel Society.