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Henrietta and Inspector Howard #5
A Child Lost
A spiritualist, an insane asylum, a lost little girl . . .
When Clive, anxious to distract a depressed Henrietta, begs Sergeant Frank Davis for a case, he is assigned to investigating a seemingly boring affair: a spiritualist woman operating in an abandoned schoolhouse on the edge of town who is suspected of robbing people of their valuables. What begins as an open and shut case becomes more complicated, however, when Henrietta―much to Clive’s dismay―begins to believe the spiritualist's strange ramblings.
Meanwhile, Elsie begs Clive and Henrietta to help her and the object of her budding love, Gunther, locate the whereabouts of one Liesel Klinkhammer, the German woman Gunther has traveled to America to find and the mother of the little girl, Anna, whom he has brought along with him. The search leads them to Dunning Asylum, where they discover some terrible truths about Liesel. When the child, Anna, is herself mistakenly admitted to the asylum after an epileptic fit, Clive and Henrietta return to Dunning to retrieve her. This time, however, Henrietta begins to suspect that something darker may be happening. When Clive doesn’t believe her, she decides to take matters into her own hands . . . with horrifying results.
When Clive, anxious to distract a depressed Henrietta, begs Sergeant Frank Davis for a case, he is assigned to investigating a seemingly boring affair: a spiritualist woman operating in an abandoned schoolhouse on the edge of town who is suspected of robbing people of their valuables. What begins as an open and shut case becomes more complicated, however, when Henrietta―much to Clive’s dismay―begins to believe the spiritualist's strange ramblings.
Meanwhile, Elsie begs Clive and Henrietta to help her and the object of her budding love, Gunther, locate the whereabouts of one Liesel Klinkhammer, the German woman Gunther has traveled to America to find and the mother of the little girl, Anna, whom he has brought along with him. The search leads them to Dunning Asylum, where they discover some terrible truths about Liesel. When the child, Anna, is herself mistakenly admitted to the asylum after an epileptic fit, Clive and Henrietta return to Dunning to retrieve her. This time, however, Henrietta begins to suspect that something darker may be happening. When Clive doesn’t believe her, she decides to take matters into her own hands . . . with horrifying results.
256 pages, Paperback
First published April 28, 2020
About the author
Michelle Cox
8 books1,925 followersMichelle Cox is the author of the multiple award-winning Henrietta and Inspector Howard series as well as “Novel Notes of Local Lore,” a weekly blog dedicated to Chicago’s forgotten residents. She suspects she may have once lived in the 1930s and, having yet to discover a handy time machine lying around, has resorted to writing about the era as a way of getting herself back there. Coincidentally, her books have been praised by Kirkus, Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, Booklist and many others, so she might be on to something. Unbeknownst to most, Michelle hoards board games she doesn’t have time to play and is, not surprisingly, addicted to period dramas and big band music. Also marmalade.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 169 reviews
April 23, 2020
A Child Lost is part of an established series, Henrietta and Inspector Howard, but I was able to read this as a standalone.
Clive begs Sergeant Davis for a new case to work on and ends up with an easy one, or so he thinks. A spiritual woman is taking advantage and robbing her clients of their valuables. It seems as if she’s guilty, but Henrietta thinks otherwise and actually listens to the woman.
Instead, Clive and Henrietta come on board with investigating Elsie’s concern- they are searching for a lost little girl, which leads them to an asylum.
A Child Lost is a complex story, one that shines a light on the horrors of asylums and the prejudices and misunderstandings of mental health from this historic time period. I really enjoyed “meeting” Clive and Henrietta, as well as the dynamic between them, and I think had I read more of this series, my experience would have only been enriched.
Overall, A Child lost is an entertaining and suspenseful mystery, and I’m grateful I read it.
I received a gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
Clive begs Sergeant Davis for a new case to work on and ends up with an easy one, or so he thinks. A spiritual woman is taking advantage and robbing her clients of their valuables. It seems as if she’s guilty, but Henrietta thinks otherwise and actually listens to the woman.
Instead, Clive and Henrietta come on board with investigating Elsie’s concern- they are searching for a lost little girl, which leads them to an asylum.
A Child Lost is a complex story, one that shines a light on the horrors of asylums and the prejudices and misunderstandings of mental health from this historic time period. I really enjoyed “meeting” Clive and Henrietta, as well as the dynamic between them, and I think had I read more of this series, my experience would have only been enriched.
Overall, A Child lost is an entertaining and suspenseful mystery, and I’m grateful I read it.
I received a gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
March 24, 2020
This is my first-time reading Michelle Cox’s dynamic duo, Henrietta and Inspector Howard, a Historical Fiction mystery set in 1930’s Chicago. This is the fifth book in the series and read well as a stand alone for me.
In this installment of the series, Henrietta is going through depression given a recent miscarriage and Clive (Inspector Howard) knows that a new case will certainly cure the blues for Henrietta. The cases they take involve an asylum, a hypnotist, and a lost child.
Michelle Cox writes masterfully in bringing to life in vivid detail and well researched historical fiction story about asylums and the management of depression/hysteria/epileptic fits in crossing the divide and the stark difference between men and women, those with money and without as well as the prejudices in mental health at the time.
The characters’ depth and complexity is beautifully written and that I would appreciate more had I read the previous episodes to get to know Henrietta and Clive in depth. And the reason why I am quickly ordering all previous books in this series.
This is a truly enjoyable and addicting series full of personality and that I truly enjoyed and highly recommend.
In this installment of the series, Henrietta is going through depression given a recent miscarriage and Clive (Inspector Howard) knows that a new case will certainly cure the blues for Henrietta. The cases they take involve an asylum, a hypnotist, and a lost child.
Michelle Cox writes masterfully in bringing to life in vivid detail and well researched historical fiction story about asylums and the management of depression/hysteria/epileptic fits in crossing the divide and the stark difference between men and women, those with money and without as well as the prejudices in mental health at the time.
The characters’ depth and complexity is beautifully written and that I would appreciate more had I read the previous episodes to get to know Henrietta and Clive in depth. And the reason why I am quickly ordering all previous books in this series.
This is a truly enjoyable and addicting series full of personality and that I truly enjoyed and highly recommend.
April 23, 2020
Thank you Iread and the author for a complimentary copy. I voluntarily reviewed this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
A Child Lost
Henrietta and Inspector Howard #5
By: Michelle Cox
REVIEW ☆☆☆☆
Michelle Cox is a new to me author, and A Child Lost is the fifth book in her Henrietta and Inspector Howard series; however, this book can easily be read as a standalone.
In this book, Henrietta is, on the heels of a miscarriage, depressed. Clive(Inspector Howard) wishes to lighten her mood and senses a new case might be just the thing. In turn, the couple work a case that is emotionally complex and disturbing.
The quest for answers involves an asylum,
a child, class divisions, and aspects of both spirituality and mental health. Being in the era of the 1930s, treatments and stigmas were quite different from today. An epileptic seizure sends a child to the asylum instead of the hospital. A person's medical treatment, or lack thereof, hinges upon money. The sharp divide between classes is obvious in the field of medicine. Mental illness carried a negative stereotype, and those suffering were treated inhumanely at best. The story, beyond these things, is thought provoking, heartbreaking, dramatic, mysterious and cloaked in a mystifying atmosphere. Henrietta is a sympathetic relatable character. Clive is intelligent, intuitive and sensitive. Together, they are dynamic as well as entertaining. I found the story informative in many ways. The author writes with elegance and a style that is appealing in a subtle yet serious fashion. A Child Lost is historical fiction at its best, and I suggest picking up a copy today.
A Child Lost
Henrietta and Inspector Howard #5
By: Michelle Cox
REVIEW ☆☆☆☆
Michelle Cox is a new to me author, and A Child Lost is the fifth book in her Henrietta and Inspector Howard series; however, this book can easily be read as a standalone.
In this book, Henrietta is, on the heels of a miscarriage, depressed. Clive(Inspector Howard) wishes to lighten her mood and senses a new case might be just the thing. In turn, the couple work a case that is emotionally complex and disturbing.
The quest for answers involves an asylum,
a child, class divisions, and aspects of both spirituality and mental health. Being in the era of the 1930s, treatments and stigmas were quite different from today. An epileptic seizure sends a child to the asylum instead of the hospital. A person's medical treatment, or lack thereof, hinges upon money. The sharp divide between classes is obvious in the field of medicine. Mental illness carried a negative stereotype, and those suffering were treated inhumanely at best. The story, beyond these things, is thought provoking, heartbreaking, dramatic, mysterious and cloaked in a mystifying atmosphere. Henrietta is a sympathetic relatable character. Clive is intelligent, intuitive and sensitive. Together, they are dynamic as well as entertaining. I found the story informative in many ways. The author writes with elegance and a style that is appealing in a subtle yet serious fashion. A Child Lost is historical fiction at its best, and I suggest picking up a copy today.
March 21, 2020
Entertaining is just one word I would use to describe this book. This is the fifth book in the Henrietta and Inspector Howard series. I did not read the first 4 books. This one can be read as a stand alone book. I was not lost at all, it felt like I knew the characters and I hated to see this book come to an end.
4 stars and I recommend it.
The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.
4 stars and I recommend it.
The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.
April 15, 2020
Guilty as charged. I have to admit, this is my first Michelle Cox book. Can you believe it's book 5 of her Henrietta and Inspector Howard Series? Yeah, I had no clue. So starting out saying that doesn't sound so good, does it? Let's not take this review in THAT direction, I just wanted to be up front with you and let you know this is a series and an author I was unaware of before I dug in. It wouldn't be fair otherwise.
So Michelle Cox writes historical fiction based on 1930's Chicago, Illinois. Her main characters are Inspector Clive Howard and Henrietta Von Harmon, who meet in book 1 and carry on their investigations to this latest installment of book #5. Now don't be alarmed, you most certainly can read this book as a stand alone and will enjoy it just the same, but I will tell you each book in consecutive order tells the story of how Clive and Henrietta's relationship evolves and they do pull together if you read them as a series, (I know this from doing a bunch of research after finishing this, my first Cox read). So let's get to my thoughts.
If you like historical fiction, definitely pick this one up. If you haven't read historical fiction at all, and are interested in giving it a try, definitely pick this one up, If you have no interest in reading historical fiction ever because its not for you, still, I implore you, pick this one up. Michelle Cox has a way of writing that immerses you into a story so well, that you think you are actually there. The mystery, the suspense, the twists and turns all mixed with brilliantly researched history on the era make this book a page turner. Not to mention the grit and intensity of Inspector Howard and Henrietta that make you want to see these investigations though to the end right along with them. There are two very unique mysteries/investigations to solve that become a lot more than our sleuths expected, and take on quite the ominous turn. And then Michelle Cox does a wonderful job of leaving you with a sweet cliffhanger ensuring you'll come back for the next installment. FYI: There are some strong themes in this one such as depression, miscarriage and mental health, as well as social issues, but they are not overly done (You just need to be aware in case you need trigger warnings).
In a nutshell, you are going to absolutely love this book. You will love it so much you will want to order the previous 4 installments. I might just suggest you order all 5 right now and start from the beginning. I know I will be ordering the other 4, and of course whatever books come next too. (The first 4 have absolutely amazing reviews). This was fun, intriguing, page-turning, unputdownable, and just a damn good. book, 4.5 Stars from me. A great read.
So Michelle Cox writes historical fiction based on 1930's Chicago, Illinois. Her main characters are Inspector Clive Howard and Henrietta Von Harmon, who meet in book 1 and carry on their investigations to this latest installment of book #5. Now don't be alarmed, you most certainly can read this book as a stand alone and will enjoy it just the same, but I will tell you each book in consecutive order tells the story of how Clive and Henrietta's relationship evolves and they do pull together if you read them as a series, (I know this from doing a bunch of research after finishing this, my first Cox read). So let's get to my thoughts.
If you like historical fiction, definitely pick this one up. If you haven't read historical fiction at all, and are interested in giving it a try, definitely pick this one up, If you have no interest in reading historical fiction ever because its not for you, still, I implore you, pick this one up. Michelle Cox has a way of writing that immerses you into a story so well, that you think you are actually there. The mystery, the suspense, the twists and turns all mixed with brilliantly researched history on the era make this book a page turner. Not to mention the grit and intensity of Inspector Howard and Henrietta that make you want to see these investigations though to the end right along with them. There are two very unique mysteries/investigations to solve that become a lot more than our sleuths expected, and take on quite the ominous turn. And then Michelle Cox does a wonderful job of leaving you with a sweet cliffhanger ensuring you'll come back for the next installment. FYI: There are some strong themes in this one such as depression, miscarriage and mental health, as well as social issues, but they are not overly done (You just need to be aware in case you need trigger warnings).
In a nutshell, you are going to absolutely love this book. You will love it so much you will want to order the previous 4 installments. I might just suggest you order all 5 right now and start from the beginning. I know I will be ordering the other 4, and of course whatever books come next too. (The first 4 have absolutely amazing reviews). This was fun, intriguing, page-turning, unputdownable, and just a damn good. book, 4.5 Stars from me. A great read.
September 3, 2020
I enjoyed catching up with Inspector Howard and his now wife Henrietta and the rest of her extended family including the warm hearted Elsie. Circumstances have changed dramatically for both Clive and Henrietta since they met during a murder investigation at the club where she worked. Her mother had come from a well to do family but had been disowned following her marriage, but in subsequent books in the series to this point, Henrietta and her sisters had been taken back under the wing of her wealthy grandfather.
Now married, Clive, now out of the police force, and Henrietta have begun a private detective agency and Elsie finds them a case which she has become personally involved in. Putting aside a personal tragedy, they take on the task of finding the mother of a little girl who has been brought all the way from Germany by a kind stranger in an effort to reunite her with her family.
This leads the couple down some dark alleys bringing back deep seated painful memories and danger to them both.
Michelle Cox has created an authentic and fascinating world in Chicago between the world wars. It is evident that the period and the city have been meticulously researched and being a resident of Chicago she has also been able to draw on her own personal experiences of living and working there.
The characters are not perfect and are the more interesting and memorable for that. If you have read the previous books you will already know that Henrietta is no social butterfly and she finds the wealthy environment she now inhabits to be stifling. She also has an open mind when it comes to the spiritualist aspect of another case they are investigating despite Clive’s attempts to wrap her in cotton wool. And for good reason as the story reaches a climax in the dark depths of the insane asylum
Previous characters are not neglected and having updated their whereabouts and situations in life, the series is poised for the next book in the series which I look forward to.
I recommend the book for the excellent writing and characters and I am sure mystery and period book readers will enjoy.
Now married, Clive, now out of the police force, and Henrietta have begun a private detective agency and Elsie finds them a case which she has become personally involved in. Putting aside a personal tragedy, they take on the task of finding the mother of a little girl who has been brought all the way from Germany by a kind stranger in an effort to reunite her with her family.
This leads the couple down some dark alleys bringing back deep seated painful memories and danger to them both.
Michelle Cox has created an authentic and fascinating world in Chicago between the world wars. It is evident that the period and the city have been meticulously researched and being a resident of Chicago she has also been able to draw on her own personal experiences of living and working there.
The characters are not perfect and are the more interesting and memorable for that. If you have read the previous books you will already know that Henrietta is no social butterfly and she finds the wealthy environment she now inhabits to be stifling. She also has an open mind when it comes to the spiritualist aspect of another case they are investigating despite Clive’s attempts to wrap her in cotton wool. And for good reason as the story reaches a climax in the dark depths of the insane asylum
Previous characters are not neglected and having updated their whereabouts and situations in life, the series is poised for the next book in the series which I look forward to.
I recommend the book for the excellent writing and characters and I am sure mystery and period book readers will enjoy.
March 28, 2020
Calling all historical fiction and mystery fans! A Child Lost is the fifth installment of the Henrietta and Inspector Howard series but don’t let that deter you because it can be enjoyed as a standalone!
Henrietta is going through severe depression as she copes with a recent miscarriage. Clive (Inspector Howard) is at his wit’s end trying to help. He ultimately decides that the best thing for Henrietta is to feel needed by immersing herself in a new case.
Rather than once case, Henrietta and Clive quickly find themselves embroiled in two very different cases which ends up leading to a combination involving: a psychic, an asylum, and a lost child.
There were lots of twists and turns in the investigations, which kept me wanting to know more. I loved both Henrietta and Elsie as they refused to be anything but willful and strong during a time (1930s Chicago) that wasn’t always kind to women.
Additionally, the author does a fantastic job of tackling a myriad of social issues such as depression, miscarriage, and domestic abuse in a way that is both respectful yet insightful. There were definitely parts that were challenging to read, so I just want to warn anyone of possible triggers.
Thank you to the author for providing a review copy. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.
Henrietta is going through severe depression as she copes with a recent miscarriage. Clive (Inspector Howard) is at his wit’s end trying to help. He ultimately decides that the best thing for Henrietta is to feel needed by immersing herself in a new case.
Rather than once case, Henrietta and Clive quickly find themselves embroiled in two very different cases which ends up leading to a combination involving: a psychic, an asylum, and a lost child.
There were lots of twists and turns in the investigations, which kept me wanting to know more. I loved both Henrietta and Elsie as they refused to be anything but willful and strong during a time (1930s Chicago) that wasn’t always kind to women.
Additionally, the author does a fantastic job of tackling a myriad of social issues such as depression, miscarriage, and domestic abuse in a way that is both respectful yet insightful. There were definitely parts that were challenging to read, so I just want to warn anyone of possible triggers.
Thank you to the author for providing a review copy. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.
August 16, 2020
A Child Lost is #5 of Michelle Cox's Henrietta and Inspector Howard novels. We are in the Chicago area, in the mid-1930s. I have missed a couple in this series, but this novel stands alone very well. Months after their European honeymoon was interrupted with the death of Clive's father, followed just recently by Henrietta losing her baby at just about 2 months PG, we are again with Henrietta and Clive in the wing of his family home as they both try to interweave their own lives. Added to the mix, Clive is taking on his father's role in the family business, both of them are working to get their private investigation business off to a good start, and Henrietta still mourning the baby that might-have-been and keeping in touch with her sister Elsie and the Hennessey family who practically raised her. Without much effort on their part, the two find themselves with two investigations added to their frantic-paced lives.
A friend and former co-worker of Clives with the Winnetka police department has a job he needs to be done, investigating Madame Pavlovsky, a fortune teller, who might be hypnotizing her subjects and having them bring in treasures which they will then give to her. If Clive and Harriette can solve that problem for them, the force at Winnetka will be pleased. It is certainly not considered something they would handle themselves, but they are getting grief from a politically connected constituent.
And then a big challenge - finding the four-year-old child Anna Klinkhammer- daughter of Elsie's friend Gunther's friend Liesel, who lived in the boarding house in Heidelberg run by Gunther and his English mother after his father was killed in battle. Gunther was a student at the same university that his father had taught at before he was conscripted, and upon his graduation, Gunther was also teaching there. Liesel, suffering postpartum depression, slips away in 1931, determined to find her lover who has since immigrated to the United States. She left Anna in Guenther's mother's care, meaning perhaps to come back for her. They received one letter saying she had found work at Mundelein in the Chicago area, and then nothing more from Liesel. Three years later, Gunther conveniences his mother to immigrate with him and Anna, to get out of this war zone and start fresh in a free country. Unfortunately, his mother does not live to see the end of that voyage. Gunther winds up in Chicago begins his search for Liesel. Anna is heartbroken and missing Gunther's mother. Though Anna will not remember Liesel, Gunther is committed to finding her and reuniting mother and daughter. As he soon discovers, Mundelein was a very well-liked and respected Bishop in the Chicago area, and many many things are named for him. Streets, buildings, a city, a college, a seminary... Gunther soon finds work as a janitor at Mundelein College, hoping to find Liesel, but he has no one to care for Anna while he is at work, and so she must spend the week at a nearby orphanage, then home with Gunther on his days off. But Anna disappears after having a seizure while at the orphanage. She was transferred to a hospital and released from there, but Clive and Henrietta have trouble finding out who she was released to - and against all hope, it was to Dunning, The Chicago State Hospital, a notorious asylum for feeble-minded and insane persons. This is the same place, they soon find, where Anna's mother Liesel died after an electric shock treatment for her latest seizure. It seems Anna inherited epilepsy from her mother.
And in the world of 1935, epilepsy was considered the work of the Devil...
REviewed on July 23, 2020, at Goodreads, AmazonSmile, Barnes&Noble, BookBub,
A friend and former co-worker of Clives with the Winnetka police department has a job he needs to be done, investigating Madame Pavlovsky, a fortune teller, who might be hypnotizing her subjects and having them bring in treasures which they will then give to her. If Clive and Harriette can solve that problem for them, the force at Winnetka will be pleased. It is certainly not considered something they would handle themselves, but they are getting grief from a politically connected constituent.
And then a big challenge - finding the four-year-old child Anna Klinkhammer- daughter of Elsie's friend Gunther's friend Liesel, who lived in the boarding house in Heidelberg run by Gunther and his English mother after his father was killed in battle. Gunther was a student at the same university that his father had taught at before he was conscripted, and upon his graduation, Gunther was also teaching there. Liesel, suffering postpartum depression, slips away in 1931, determined to find her lover who has since immigrated to the United States. She left Anna in Guenther's mother's care, meaning perhaps to come back for her. They received one letter saying she had found work at Mundelein in the Chicago area, and then nothing more from Liesel. Three years later, Gunther conveniences his mother to immigrate with him and Anna, to get out of this war zone and start fresh in a free country. Unfortunately, his mother does not live to see the end of that voyage. Gunther winds up in Chicago begins his search for Liesel. Anna is heartbroken and missing Gunther's mother. Though Anna will not remember Liesel, Gunther is committed to finding her and reuniting mother and daughter. As he soon discovers, Mundelein was a very well-liked and respected Bishop in the Chicago area, and many many things are named for him. Streets, buildings, a city, a college, a seminary... Gunther soon finds work as a janitor at Mundelein College, hoping to find Liesel, but he has no one to care for Anna while he is at work, and so she must spend the week at a nearby orphanage, then home with Gunther on his days off. But Anna disappears after having a seizure while at the orphanage. She was transferred to a hospital and released from there, but Clive and Henrietta have trouble finding out who she was released to - and against all hope, it was to Dunning, The Chicago State Hospital, a notorious asylum for feeble-minded and insane persons. This is the same place, they soon find, where Anna's mother Liesel died after an electric shock treatment for her latest seizure. It seems Anna inherited epilepsy from her mother.
And in the world of 1935, epilepsy was considered the work of the Devil...
REviewed on July 23, 2020, at Goodreads, AmazonSmile, Barnes&Noble, BookBub,
March 28, 2020
I think this one is my favorite inspector novel so far! A child with a missing mother, Elsie tangled up with another man, and Clive being called upon to look into a shady spiritualist woman. Their private investigator business seems to be booming even though the cases may seem to be that they will be easily solved. But they have to start somewhere, right?
Elsie calls Henrietta asking to meet, she has something important she wants to discuss. Henrietta, having been ill forces herself to meet Elsie and is concerned about what she has gotten herself wrapped up in this time. However, this is just what Henrietta needs to break her out of her funk. A small child, with a missing mother and the fear of this child being placed in an orphanage or potentially an asylum because of her fits.
Clive comes home and tells Henrietta he has got them a case. They need to look into a supposed shady spiritualist, rumor is, she is taking people's possessions and jewelry for payment. The police don't really have the time to look into her, so his contact thought to pass it onto them and see if anything comes about. IS there truth in these rumors?
Neither one is excited about the other's case, but they get to work. If they want to make a name in the investigator business, they have to start with whatever come their way. Both cases turn out to be more in depth than either could have guessed. When they think they have found all there is to find out about the child's mother, Henrietta gets herself tangled up in the asylum. She knows there's something more sinister going on than what appears and is determined to find out.
Thank you to the author, Michelle Cox and publisher, She Writes Press for the arc and allowing me to be part of her street team! I am excited to see where their private investigations take them next.
Elsie calls Henrietta asking to meet, she has something important she wants to discuss. Henrietta, having been ill forces herself to meet Elsie and is concerned about what she has gotten herself wrapped up in this time. However, this is just what Henrietta needs to break her out of her funk. A small child, with a missing mother and the fear of this child being placed in an orphanage or potentially an asylum because of her fits.
Clive comes home and tells Henrietta he has got them a case. They need to look into a supposed shady spiritualist, rumor is, she is taking people's possessions and jewelry for payment. The police don't really have the time to look into her, so his contact thought to pass it onto them and see if anything comes about. IS there truth in these rumors?
Neither one is excited about the other's case, but they get to work. If they want to make a name in the investigator business, they have to start with whatever come their way. Both cases turn out to be more in depth than either could have guessed. When they think they have found all there is to find out about the child's mother, Henrietta gets herself tangled up in the asylum. She knows there's something more sinister going on than what appears and is determined to find out.
Thank you to the author, Michelle Cox and publisher, She Writes Press for the arc and allowing me to be part of her street team! I am excited to see where their private investigations take them next.
March 7, 2021
It is the 1930's in Chicago and Private Detective Clive Howard and his wife, Henrietta have recently undergone a terrible tragedy. After meeting in the first book in the series and subsequently marrying, Henrietta became pregnant only to suffer a heartbreaking miscarriage.
After dealing with this trauma, Henrietta and Clive experience some emotional upheaval and this novel begins with Clive looking for ways to encourage his wife out of her depression.
Taking initiative, Clive asks his police officer friend Frank Davis for a case that he can apply his skills to, with the intention of bringing Henrietta in as well. Having solved cases together previously, Clive thinks this will be the perfect thing to get Henrietta's mind onto something else and away from their loss. However, soon he begins to worry that he has made a mistake as the case --a spiritualist who may be stealing money from her clients-- brings about some upsetting memories for Henrietta.
While they are investigating this case, a friend asks for help locating the mother of the child that her new beau has been taking care of. This additional investigation, brings the couple to the underworld of psychological institutions in the early 20th century and involves them uncovering some family secrets that have long been kept in the dark.
This was an excellent piece of writing and a wonderful addition to this series. Michelle Cox has a talent for conjuring a historical setting that is unmatched. I not only enjoyed the setting, but I learned a lot about that time period that I didn't know.
This story has two different mysteries, but at its heart, it is a human, emotional story that will definitely tug at the heartstrings of even the most stoic reader. 'A Child Lost' is a must read for any mystery lover!
After dealing with this trauma, Henrietta and Clive experience some emotional upheaval and this novel begins with Clive looking for ways to encourage his wife out of her depression.
Taking initiative, Clive asks his police officer friend Frank Davis for a case that he can apply his skills to, with the intention of bringing Henrietta in as well. Having solved cases together previously, Clive thinks this will be the perfect thing to get Henrietta's mind onto something else and away from their loss. However, soon he begins to worry that he has made a mistake as the case --a spiritualist who may be stealing money from her clients-- brings about some upsetting memories for Henrietta.
While they are investigating this case, a friend asks for help locating the mother of the child that her new beau has been taking care of. This additional investigation, brings the couple to the underworld of psychological institutions in the early 20th century and involves them uncovering some family secrets that have long been kept in the dark.
This was an excellent piece of writing and a wonderful addition to this series. Michelle Cox has a talent for conjuring a historical setting that is unmatched. I not only enjoyed the setting, but I learned a lot about that time period that I didn't know.
This story has two different mysteries, but at its heart, it is a human, emotional story that will definitely tug at the heartstrings of even the most stoic reader. 'A Child Lost' is a must read for any mystery lover!
April 30, 2020
Mysterious, suspenseful, historical fiction at its best! Reading this well-written novel will transport you to Chicago during the 1930’s. This time and place is rich with intrigue, history, class distinctions, timely social norms and a cast of quirky characters.
The characters are well developed and well connected. I especially enjoyed the two main couples. By enduring grief, surviving danger and working together while solving mysteries, Clive and Henrietta’s relationship grew deeper and thrived. Through shared compassion and interests, while combining efforts to help a little, lost girl, Elsie and Gunther’s relationship and level of mutual trust deepened.
Part of the storyline occurs in, around and because of the Dunning Asylum, a very real place with a dark history. The author’s depictions of Dunning, gave me a greater understanding of how the mentally ill were treated during the 1930’s.
I very much enjoyed this well crafted novel which is filled with excellent storytelling and characters that have become my friends. Well done!
The characters are well developed and well connected. I especially enjoyed the two main couples. By enduring grief, surviving danger and working together while solving mysteries, Clive and Henrietta’s relationship grew deeper and thrived. Through shared compassion and interests, while combining efforts to help a little, lost girl, Elsie and Gunther’s relationship and level of mutual trust deepened.
Part of the storyline occurs in, around and because of the Dunning Asylum, a very real place with a dark history. The author’s depictions of Dunning, gave me a greater understanding of how the mentally ill were treated during the 1930’s.
I very much enjoyed this well crafted novel which is filled with excellent storytelling and characters that have become my friends. Well done!
February 9, 2020
It’s 1936 in Chicago
Elsie, Henrietta’s sister, is now a student at Mondelein an all-women faculty in Chicago. There she befriends the German custodian who’s looking after a little girl, 5-year-old Anna. She was left in his mother’s boarding house back home in Germany by Liesel who went to America to look for Anna’s father. Gunther has now followed her to the USA because Anna suffers from epilepsy (what was considered a mental illness at the time or even possession by the devil by the less educated people) and the nazi party is on the rise in Germany and they’re not tolerant towards handicapped people. He lost the trail of Liesel and can’t look after the girl and work at the same time, so Anna has to stay in an orphanage most of the time. Elsie asks her sister to look into the case and find the mother.
Henrietta is recovering from her miscarriage but suffers from depression. Her loving husband Clive notices this and hopes to lift her spirits through an investigation. He asks his friend Frank from Winnetka police if there’s something that he can send their way. He has a strange story about a man that came to the station and reported that his wife was hypnotised by a spiritualist and now she gives all her meagre jewellery to him. It’s not really illegal to give away your own jewels, but Frank sniffs some fraud and connery going on. When he comes home to tell her about the first case of their detective agency, she has found a case herself. So now they have two.
Then there’s Rose, a friend/acquaintance of the two sisters. Her story isn’t absolutely essential for the ‘cases’, but I like to hear more about the way people lived, worked, thought and behaved in the past especially when those norms are clearly deviant of those we live by today. It also ties up some loose ends from the previous books. She lives with her abusive (sexual, physical and psychological) dad and her retarded brother. But her dad gets worse and worse with the beatings of her brother and now her as well. She has a boyfriend Stan, who previously was in love with Henrietta first and later Elsie, who also lives with his mother. He’s not the brightest light but has a kind and loving heart and will do anything to not lose Rose. So, to save her and her brother from their dad he agrees to a secret civil wedding so they can get a flat for the three of them (not having to live in sin) and have the official church wedding later on as planned. How does this work out?
The visit to the asylum at Dunning is very confronting for Henrietta as she realises that it is only money that is the difference between the women inside and those with depression, melancholia, hysteria or other ‘typical female’ afflictions. She thinks that she herself may suffer melancholia and depression after her miscarriage and wonders if the women were like they’re now when they first came to the asylum or that the sorry state of the women that they witnessed is the consequence of therapies as water-hosing or electroshocks? Not long ago, I read another book about mental health institutions in the 1880ies and it doesn’t look very different from this account 50 years later and only 100 years ago.
The woman talking about the people that inhabit the centre of the earth may have read Jules Verne, who wrote a famous book about this subject, which is mentioned in the text as well. As he was a man, nobody put him into a madhouse. The book has a strong focus on the madhouse and what we consider as crazy and what is merely eccentric. And just as well today as in the past, money talks and those with enough funds are rarely incarcerated. Also, certainly in the past, it was a lot harder for women to avoid non-voluntary admission than for men. And till recently it wasn’t very hard for a husband to have his wife admitted.
This is a very pleasant and entertaining historical mystery. Mrs Cox has found the near-perfect balance between interesting historical details and being bombarded with facts that clutter the story. In her afterword, she says that finding this line is even more difficult when dealing with real existing historical figures. I think she did a great job here and enjoyed it that she disclosed some of those details in that last address.
I received a free ARC from the author and this is my honest review.
Elsie, Henrietta’s sister, is now a student at Mondelein an all-women faculty in Chicago. There she befriends the German custodian who’s looking after a little girl, 5-year-old Anna. She was left in his mother’s boarding house back home in Germany by Liesel who went to America to look for Anna’s father. Gunther has now followed her to the USA because Anna suffers from epilepsy (what was considered a mental illness at the time or even possession by the devil by the less educated people) and the nazi party is on the rise in Germany and they’re not tolerant towards handicapped people. He lost the trail of Liesel and can’t look after the girl and work at the same time, so Anna has to stay in an orphanage most of the time. Elsie asks her sister to look into the case and find the mother.
Henrietta is recovering from her miscarriage but suffers from depression. Her loving husband Clive notices this and hopes to lift her spirits through an investigation. He asks his friend Frank from Winnetka police if there’s something that he can send their way. He has a strange story about a man that came to the station and reported that his wife was hypnotised by a spiritualist and now she gives all her meagre jewellery to him. It’s not really illegal to give away your own jewels, but Frank sniffs some fraud and connery going on. When he comes home to tell her about the first case of their detective agency, she has found a case herself. So now they have two.
Then there’s Rose, a friend/acquaintance of the two sisters. Her story isn’t absolutely essential for the ‘cases’, but I like to hear more about the way people lived, worked, thought and behaved in the past especially when those norms are clearly deviant of those we live by today. It also ties up some loose ends from the previous books. She lives with her abusive (sexual, physical and psychological) dad and her retarded brother. But her dad gets worse and worse with the beatings of her brother and now her as well. She has a boyfriend Stan, who previously was in love with Henrietta first and later Elsie, who also lives with his mother. He’s not the brightest light but has a kind and loving heart and will do anything to not lose Rose. So, to save her and her brother from their dad he agrees to a secret civil wedding so they can get a flat for the three of them (not having to live in sin) and have the official church wedding later on as planned. How does this work out?
The visit to the asylum at Dunning is very confronting for Henrietta as she realises that it is only money that is the difference between the women inside and those with depression, melancholia, hysteria or other ‘typical female’ afflictions. She thinks that she herself may suffer melancholia and depression after her miscarriage and wonders if the women were like they’re now when they first came to the asylum or that the sorry state of the women that they witnessed is the consequence of therapies as water-hosing or electroshocks? Not long ago, I read another book about mental health institutions in the 1880ies and it doesn’t look very different from this account 50 years later and only 100 years ago.
The woman talking about the people that inhabit the centre of the earth may have read Jules Verne, who wrote a famous book about this subject, which is mentioned in the text as well. As he was a man, nobody put him into a madhouse. The book has a strong focus on the madhouse and what we consider as crazy and what is merely eccentric. And just as well today as in the past, money talks and those with enough funds are rarely incarcerated. Also, certainly in the past, it was a lot harder for women to avoid non-voluntary admission than for men. And till recently it wasn’t very hard for a husband to have his wife admitted.
This is a very pleasant and entertaining historical mystery. Mrs Cox has found the near-perfect balance between interesting historical details and being bombarded with facts that clutter the story. In her afterword, she says that finding this line is even more difficult when dealing with real existing historical figures. I think she did a great job here and enjoyed it that she disclosed some of those details in that last address.
I received a free ARC from the author and this is my honest review.
February 5, 2021
Historical mystery with a twist-- 'A Child Lost' by Michelle Cox gave me the familiarity of a rich and sumptuous historical piece with a little unexpected flair for good measure.
I have never read Michelle Cox before, but if this novel is representative of the rest of her books, then sign me up!
I couldn't get enough of this novel while I was reading and I couldn't put it down until I finished every last page.
Rarely do I find a historical novel that I feel is so well researched and thought out, plot-wise.
Here is the lowdown on what to expect from the plot: Clive and Henrietta are a married couple living in Chicago in the 1930's, the time of mobsters, murders and mysteries.
Clive is a detective and in this installment in the series, he is desperate to find a new case to take his wife's mind off of her recent miscarriage.
Worried about Henrietta's depressed state of mind, Clive takes on a random case from a friend of his and asks her to help with it.
The case, a spiritualist who seems to be stealing money from unsuspecting clients, seems pretty unremarkable to Clive. That is, until he begins to unravel the threads behind the case itself and begins to wonder if his wife has been taken in by the spiritualist's possibly fake powers.
Michelle Cox's writing is magnificent! I loved all of the finer details that she applied to make this book really stand out as a historical, such as Clive talking about his war time and Henrietta's time as a 26 girl.
No historical piece is complete without detail and Cox really portrayed that here.
I would love to read the rest of the books in this series and to see the origins of the characters.
This was great from start to finish!
I have never read Michelle Cox before, but if this novel is representative of the rest of her books, then sign me up!
I couldn't get enough of this novel while I was reading and I couldn't put it down until I finished every last page.
Rarely do I find a historical novel that I feel is so well researched and thought out, plot-wise.
Here is the lowdown on what to expect from the plot: Clive and Henrietta are a married couple living in Chicago in the 1930's, the time of mobsters, murders and mysteries.
Clive is a detective and in this installment in the series, he is desperate to find a new case to take his wife's mind off of her recent miscarriage.
Worried about Henrietta's depressed state of mind, Clive takes on a random case from a friend of his and asks her to help with it.
The case, a spiritualist who seems to be stealing money from unsuspecting clients, seems pretty unremarkable to Clive. That is, until he begins to unravel the threads behind the case itself and begins to wonder if his wife has been taken in by the spiritualist's possibly fake powers.
Michelle Cox's writing is magnificent! I loved all of the finer details that she applied to make this book really stand out as a historical, such as Clive talking about his war time and Henrietta's time as a 26 girl.
No historical piece is complete without detail and Cox really portrayed that here.
I would love to read the rest of the books in this series and to see the origins of the characters.
This was great from start to finish!
February 23, 2021
A Child Lost is both a smart and enthralling historical thriller cum fiction mystery with some real attitude. This superb read is the fifth instalment of Michelle Cox’s series comprising of the dynamic duo Henrietta and inspector Howard. In the current instalment, a concerned Clive (Inspector Howard) coerces Sergeant Davis for a new case; one which he believes will distract a shattered and already depressed Henrietta who has recently undergone a miscarriage. On his part, Davis assigns them a seemingly obvious case revolving around a spiritualist woman residing in an abandoned house and who has been accused of robbing people of their valuables. In a strange turn of events and to Clive's dismay Henrietta somehow starts believing the woman's rumbling.
On the flip, another interesting story revolving around a 4-year old child brought into Chicago in a bid to trace her mother is brewing. With the determination to help solve the case the duo’s investigation leads them to a creepy and frightening asylum with some strange occurrences. With all the twists and turns coupled with the very lurking presence of immense danger will the duo solve the case or rather will they make out of this alive?
Michelle Cox through some detailed research has been able to bring the 1930s to vivid life. This has been achieved through her mastery of atmospheric prose thus providing the reader with a comprehensive description of the Chicago locality and also citizens at the time. If you are looking for a unique, transportive and immensely satisfying read then I will wave frantically and recommend that you stop and grab this unforgettable read from the best in the fold in historical fiction writing.
On the flip, another interesting story revolving around a 4-year old child brought into Chicago in a bid to trace her mother is brewing. With the determination to help solve the case the duo’s investigation leads them to a creepy and frightening asylum with some strange occurrences. With all the twists and turns coupled with the very lurking presence of immense danger will the duo solve the case or rather will they make out of this alive?
Michelle Cox through some detailed research has been able to bring the 1930s to vivid life. This has been achieved through her mastery of atmospheric prose thus providing the reader with a comprehensive description of the Chicago locality and also citizens at the time. If you are looking for a unique, transportive and immensely satisfying read then I will wave frantically and recommend that you stop and grab this unforgettable read from the best in the fold in historical fiction writing.
February 15, 2021
What a fantastic read! Like most historically set mysteries of the 1930s, one will typically expect historically charged content with the horrors of war, but this master pieces turn out to be a book of its own kind.
Elsie has just "began to feel certain stirrings" for a Gunter, a German custodian who seems to be lost in his search for one Liesel Klinkhammer. Liesel is also looking for her love in the USA, one Heinrich Klinkhammer, but she is again seemingly escaping Nazi German persecution following her Epileptic condition. Elsie feels for Gunter and wants to help. While she thinks that looking for Liesel and, in this case, even finding her won't help, she gives in persuading Gunter otherwise and decides to find Liesel with the help of Henrietta and her husband Clive, a Veteran and retired police detective.
Henrietta and Clive have a series of cases to handle, including one concerning a spiritualist woman who is thought of conning people on the other side of the town. They decide to first deal with Elsie's request. What follows is an unforgettable story that will touch your heart and make you believe in love's endurance legacy.
The story cuts across great investigative fiction work and love between Henrietta and Clive and Elsie and Gunter and the lost child Anna. This is simply a fantastic work of fiction; Michelle Cox thoroughly captures the readers' attention throughout the story. In the end, I felt like this was a true story, but it is a work of fiction. Michelle Cox makes it feel so real!
Elsie has just "began to feel certain stirrings" for a Gunter, a German custodian who seems to be lost in his search for one Liesel Klinkhammer. Liesel is also looking for her love in the USA, one Heinrich Klinkhammer, but she is again seemingly escaping Nazi German persecution following her Epileptic condition. Elsie feels for Gunter and wants to help. While she thinks that looking for Liesel and, in this case, even finding her won't help, she gives in persuading Gunter otherwise and decides to find Liesel with the help of Henrietta and her husband Clive, a Veteran and retired police detective.
Henrietta and Clive have a series of cases to handle, including one concerning a spiritualist woman who is thought of conning people on the other side of the town. They decide to first deal with Elsie's request. What follows is an unforgettable story that will touch your heart and make you believe in love's endurance legacy.
The story cuts across great investigative fiction work and love between Henrietta and Clive and Elsie and Gunter and the lost child Anna. This is simply a fantastic work of fiction; Michelle Cox thoroughly captures the readers' attention throughout the story. In the end, I felt like this was a true story, but it is a work of fiction. Michelle Cox makes it feel so real!
February 13, 2020
Author Michelle Cox has knocked it totally out of the park with her soon-to-be-released novel, ‘A Child Lost,’ the fifth in her Henrietta and Inspector Howard series. This novel is worthy of six or seven stars, and fans of historical mystery/romance would be wise to delve into her multi-award winning series set in Chicago in the 1930’s. (‘A Girl Like You,’ ‘A Ring of Truth,’ ‘A Promise Given,’ ‘A Veil Removed.’)
‘A Child Lost’ continues to follow the marital union of two families, one that was once indigent and the other which is affluent, via the love of Henrietta and Clive Howard. By book five in this series, the reader has become emotionally involved in the extended families of both spouses, and Ms. Cox does an extremely skillful job of exploring the complex relationships among her well-fleshed-out characters.
To my personal delight, ‘A Child Lost’ primarily seesaws between the absolute daring and sometimes foolhardy detecting of Henrietta and Clive, and the softer but nevertheless courageous life of Henrietta’s sister, Elsie. Those who love strong female characters will find both Henrietta and Elsie appealing, each in her own way.
Having already won myriad awards for her novels, this book is, in my opinion, the author’s best written yet. The action/suspense at the end of ‘A Child Lost’ sizzles, and Ms. Cox’s ability to capture love in many of its varied, authentic forms is mesmerizing.
August 18, 2023
Michelle Cox saved the best story for last! At least for now! “A Lost Child” is a true stunner! It has everything, and I fell right into this rabbit hole! It was too exciting! Of course, it tugged at my heart strings because of the lost child! But, what a story! Michelle sure can deliver a well-researched, heartfelt, mysterious story that you don’t want to put down. She is on the pulse of what readers want!
I give Michelle Cox’s writing the highest praise!
I was given a copy of this book by the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I give Michelle Cox’s writing the highest praise!
I was given a copy of this book by the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.
May 4, 2020
"We need to find her, you see," Elsie rushed on. "This Liesel. So we, well, I thought that maybe you and Clive could help?" Elsie's voice was getting higher and more faint as she spoke. "You know, with the new detective agency…"
Gunther Stockel had gambled everything and lost. Now he was alone in Chicago with a child that wasn't his, looking for a woman who did not want to be found.
Elsie Von Harmon was seriously considering becoming a nun, that was until she met Gunther. She cannot help but want to assist Gunther in his search to find Liesel Klinkhammer and reunite her with her child. However, time is running out, for Gunther is no longer in a position where he can take care of his charge. He has to work, and Anna is not a well child. He fears as he did back in Germany, that one day someone would take her from him for good.
Elsie is loathed to ask, but who else can she turn to but her sister? If she could convince Henrietta and her husband Clive, who runs a detective agency, to take on the case then maybe they will succeed where Gunther has failed.
However, things take a sinister turn when Henrietta discovers what really happened to Liesel Klinkhammer…
From the despair of a man who is running out of time to the discovery of a dark and dangerous truth, A Child Lost: A Henrietta and Inspector Howard Novel Book #5 by Michelle Cox is in all ways a Historical Fiction triumph!
With an enthralling narrative that grabbed me from the opening paragraph and did not let go until that final full stop, A Child Lost: A Henrietta and Inspector Howard Novel Book #5, is a book that appeals, impresses, appals, and fascinates in almost equal measures. There is not one dull moment in this book. Cox has penned a novel that is as impressive as it is brilliant.
There are several noteworthy characters in this story, but the one I utterly adored was Henrietta. Henrietta is this wonderfully insightful young woman who burns with a desire to find out the truth for her clients. She is a very heroic heroine who is doing a man's job in a time when a woman's place was in the home. I have to confess, I have not read the rest of the books in this series, but I got the sense that Henrietta married above her social station and therefore she is not a social butterfly, although she will willingly act the part. Instead, Henrietta wants to help people, she wants to discover the truth, and this leads to some rather rash decisions which have disastrous consequences. Of course, it also leads to a fabulous story and one I could not tear myself away from. I thought Cox's depiction of Henrietta was sublime. I loved everything about her.
Another character that captured my attention was Elsie Von Harmon. Elsie has this tremendous capacity to love, and she really brings something amazing to this tale. I could not help but like her. I thought her depiction was simply marvellous.
This novel deals with some very uncomfortable issues. The patients at The Chicago State Hospital "Dunning" Mental Asylum are being denied the right of a safe and secure hospital where they can get the treatment that they not only need, but deserve. Cox describes, with a great deal of care to the historical detail, the plight of a hospital that is woefully understaffed and does not have the capacity to cater for such a large number of patients. The nurses and doctors that are there seemingly lack any empathy, and if they did at some point sympathise with their patients, then the relentlessness of the job has unfortunately quelled any compassion for these poor unfortunate people who end up under their care. The fact that children were housed with adults and given the same treatment was genuinely shocking. Cox also portrays the very fine line between eccentricity and madness. You were called eccentric only if you could afford it — otherwise, you were just insane. I thought Cox captured the fear, the dread, the utter despondence and misery that a mental asylum such as Dunning's would have evoked. This book is not always an easy read, and there are some very distressing scenes, but the overall effect paints a candid picture of what these hospitals were, unfortunately, like.
The power the staff have over the patience at Dunning mental asylum is absolute. The image of a hospital is one where someone goes for treatment in the hope to be cured, but Dunning is the kind of hospital where one is locked away and forgotten. It is a realm beyond hope. There is no golden city waiting to be found, despite what one of the patients might say. Here, the nurses rule the world as well as the ward, and while some are disguised as Angels of Mercy, others are Angels of Death — and sometimes it is very hard to decipher between the two. The lack of understanding of mental health and indeed, epilepsy, in this era is shameful. The fact that the era saw the mentally and neurologically unwell people as burdens, as something that should be hidden from society for fear that one could catch it, is shockingly awful. The treatments that were prescribed, and carried on being prescribed for decades is disgraceful. Cox also asks her readers to consider the difference between the staff at Dunning and the patients — who is the more insane? The one who does not remember their name, or the one who no longer feels compassion? It is a sobering thought.
Asides from mental health issues, Cox also explores the devastation and grief of a miscarriage and how no one is comfortable enough to talk about it and to grieve with the woman in question. The emotional toll and the lack of sympathy is, unfortunately, an all too familiar story even in today's society where miscarriage is still a taboo subject. Likewise, Cox explores the devastating impact of domestic abuse. Both of these topics Cox has approached with a novelist's eye for the human detail, which made these scenes all the more real in the telling.
The historical detail makes this book a monumental work of scholarship. Cox must have dedicated many hours to researching this era and, in particular, some of the places that her characters visit. Her research was undoubtedly worth the effort, for this book rings loudly with historical authenticity and grace. Kudos, Ms Cox. Kudos indeed.
As I have already stated, I have not read any of the other books in A Henrietta and Inspector Howard Novel series, but much to my delight I did not need to. Cox gives just enough background to the characters that it is no effort for a reader to catch up.
If you enjoy your Historical Fiction to have a thriller edge, then you are going to adore A Child Lost: A Henrietta and Inspector Howard Novel Book #5 by Michelle Cox.
I Highly Recommend.
Review by Mary Anne Yarde.
The Coffee Pot Book Club.
September 1, 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed A Child Lost, the 5th book in the Henrietta and Inspector Howard series. Henrietta and Clive are dealing with the sadness following Henrietta's miscarriage. In an effort to help cheer Henrietta up, Clive looks for a case to jumpstart their fledgling private investigation business. Davis, his former colleague from the police department, offers him a case involving Madame Pavlovsky; is she a sincere spiritualist or a fraud fleecing her clients? At the same time Henrietta's sister seeks her and Clive's help to find a missing woman and mother of a small child being cared for by a new friend of Elsie's. It was fast paced, with an intriguing storyline, and held my interest. In addition to spiritualism, the reader is exposed to the horrible conditions of "insane asylums" in the 1930s and the irrational fears people felt about epilepsy as well as the inhumane treatments, medical and social, of that time. A very satisfying read.
April 28, 2020
Linda's Book Obsession Reviews "A Child Lost" by Michelle Cox, She Writes Press, April 29, 2020, for Suzy Approved Book Tours
Michelle Cox, author "A Child Lost" has written an intriguing, intense, captivating and suspenseful novel. The Genres for this novel are Mystery, Suspense, Fiction, with a touch of Historical Events. The timeline for this story is in the 1930s in Chicago. The author describes her dramatic cast of characters as complex and complicated.
This is one of the series of books in "A Henrietta and Inspector Howard Novel" and although this can be read as a stand-alone, it would be better to read the other books in the sequence they were written. Henrietta's husband hoping to get his wife busy and out of a depression asks for a case to solve. The case they are given has to do with a woman, who claims she can read minds, and is psychic and can communicate with the dead. This woman has a complaint from a man that insists the woman stole jewelry from his wife.
Henrietta's sister Elsie comes to her with a problem involving a handsome man, Gunter and a little 4-year-old girl that Gunter has been watching out for. The little girl belongs to a friend of Gunter who came to Chicago to work, and Elsie and Gunter want to find the mother. The little girl can't stay with Gunter since he has to work.
Henrietta and Clive's search takes them to a creepy and frightening insane asylum, where strange things seem to be happening. Henrietta and Clive have a strange feeling that something is very wrong at this place.
This is a story with twists and turns, betrayals, danger, and strange occurrences. There are parts of this story that are very edgy and intense. There are also quirky people and intricate clues.
I appreciate that the author describes the difference in class, between wealth and poverty, the way that ill people were treated in the 1930s, and the importance of family, friendship, love, and hope. I would highly recommend this thought-provoking story and look forward to Michelle Cox's next adventure.
Michelle Cox, author "A Child Lost" has written an intriguing, intense, captivating and suspenseful novel. The Genres for this novel are Mystery, Suspense, Fiction, with a touch of Historical Events. The timeline for this story is in the 1930s in Chicago. The author describes her dramatic cast of characters as complex and complicated.
This is one of the series of books in "A Henrietta and Inspector Howard Novel" and although this can be read as a stand-alone, it would be better to read the other books in the sequence they were written. Henrietta's husband hoping to get his wife busy and out of a depression asks for a case to solve. The case they are given has to do with a woman, who claims she can read minds, and is psychic and can communicate with the dead. This woman has a complaint from a man that insists the woman stole jewelry from his wife.
Henrietta's sister Elsie comes to her with a problem involving a handsome man, Gunter and a little 4-year-old girl that Gunter has been watching out for. The little girl belongs to a friend of Gunter who came to Chicago to work, and Elsie and Gunter want to find the mother. The little girl can't stay with Gunter since he has to work.
Henrietta and Clive's search takes them to a creepy and frightening insane asylum, where strange things seem to be happening. Henrietta and Clive have a strange feeling that something is very wrong at this place.
This is a story with twists and turns, betrayals, danger, and strange occurrences. There are parts of this story that are very edgy and intense. There are also quirky people and intricate clues.
I appreciate that the author describes the difference in class, between wealth and poverty, the way that ill people were treated in the 1930s, and the importance of family, friendship, love, and hope. I would highly recommend this thought-provoking story and look forward to Michelle Cox's next adventure.
March 2, 2021
In this 5th entry of a delightful series set in 1930's Chicago, the detective duo of Henrietta and Clive become embroiled in 2 separate mysteries, one involving a friend of her younger sister, the other involving a supposed psychic scam artist. Clive is given a case to investigate, when an irate husband complains that his wife has taken family jewellery and given it to a fake psychic. Her sister has fallen in love with an older German immigrant, the caretaker at her private school. He has brought a young child with him, from Nazi Germany, in hopes of finding the child's lost mother. When it is discovered, that the mother, who suffers from fits, has disappeared in an asylum, Henrietta takes the lead. Her enthusiasm leads her into a tense cat and mouse game, after she unexpectedly encounters the real killer in a harrowing visit to the mental asylum.
At times the story seems more like an English country house mystery set in the rolling countryside rather than the gritty Chicago of Al Capone. (not really a problem for myself, since English country house mysteries are my favourite) Mansions, country life, chauffeurs, servants, private schools, giggling classmates, parents and grandparents trying to set up Elsie with the "right" partner from among her privileged classmates. Clive's family is from England. However, the author does take on various social issues of the time, some of which are still a problem. The problems immigrants have coming to a new country, especially when they don't speak the language. Problems not only finding jobs to pay for basic necessities, but also problems communicating with doctors, when they have medical issues, the horrors they face when misdiagnosed and receive wrong treatments, the abuse patients received from primitive treatment for mental health issues.
Since this book was my introduction to the series, I am looking forward to catching up on the beginning and reading the further adventures of Henrietta and Clive.
At times the story seems more like an English country house mystery set in the rolling countryside rather than the gritty Chicago of Al Capone. (not really a problem for myself, since English country house mysteries are my favourite) Mansions, country life, chauffeurs, servants, private schools, giggling classmates, parents and grandparents trying to set up Elsie with the "right" partner from among her privileged classmates. Clive's family is from England. However, the author does take on various social issues of the time, some of which are still a problem. The problems immigrants have coming to a new country, especially when they don't speak the language. Problems not only finding jobs to pay for basic necessities, but also problems communicating with doctors, when they have medical issues, the horrors they face when misdiagnosed and receive wrong treatments, the abuse patients received from primitive treatment for mental health issues.
Since this book was my introduction to the series, I am looking forward to catching up on the beginning and reading the further adventures of Henrietta and Clive.
October 13, 2020
***Audiobook Links***
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April 29, 2020
Michelle Cox’s Detective-couple series-> Henritta & Clive novels-are based on a real life character from Chicago in the early 1900s. This is the first book I read from the series. I love mysteries and adore historical fiction. This book is a historical mystery and so best of both worlds for me.
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🌟🌟🌟💫/5
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Henritta & Clive Howard have just lost a child to miscarriage. As aspiring detectives, Clive tries to involve Henritta in the case of a seemingly fraudulent spiritualist - a simple case meant to merely distract Henritta. And Henritta’s does Sister Elsie, brings her the case of a missing Woman, who came to Chicago from Germany in search of her child’s father. Two cases which Clive believed where safe enough, turn horrifyingly dangerous, when Henritta tries to follow her instincts and get to the root of the mysteries.
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I found myself sucked into this book quite easily. The writing is very detailed and the descriptions verbose. This helped me form a full image of Clive and Henritta’s lives in 1930s Chicago.In almost all thrillers, the mystery and the plot is more important then the lives of the characters themselves. This story however felt like a domestic fiction peppered with a mystery plot. This was a different reading experience and took me a while to get used to.
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Clive is definitely a man too-forward-for-his-time and his dynamic with Henritta is cute and delicate. It is fun to watch a couple fight about personal issues, while trying to solve a serious crime case. I was more invested in their personal lives than I was in the Cases, to be honest.
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I liked that mental health was given a lot of importance in this book. Despite being set in a time, where mental wellness was not a recognized concept, Clive and Henritta repeatedly think about what it means to be mentally fit.
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On the whole, an enjoyable literary work, with a little bit of everything – romance, mystery, social injustice, mental health and spirituality.
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Thank you @ireadbooktours & @michellecox for gifting me this book as a part of the Blog tour. All thoughts and content are my own
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🌟🌟🌟💫/5
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Henritta & Clive Howard have just lost a child to miscarriage. As aspiring detectives, Clive tries to involve Henritta in the case of a seemingly fraudulent spiritualist - a simple case meant to merely distract Henritta. And Henritta’s does Sister Elsie, brings her the case of a missing Woman, who came to Chicago from Germany in search of her child’s father. Two cases which Clive believed where safe enough, turn horrifyingly dangerous, when Henritta tries to follow her instincts and get to the root of the mysteries.
.
I found myself sucked into this book quite easily. The writing is very detailed and the descriptions verbose. This helped me form a full image of Clive and Henritta’s lives in 1930s Chicago.In almost all thrillers, the mystery and the plot is more important then the lives of the characters themselves. This story however felt like a domestic fiction peppered with a mystery plot. This was a different reading experience and took me a while to get used to.
.
Clive is definitely a man too-forward-for-his-time and his dynamic with Henritta is cute and delicate. It is fun to watch a couple fight about personal issues, while trying to solve a serious crime case. I was more invested in their personal lives than I was in the Cases, to be honest.
.
I liked that mental health was given a lot of importance in this book. Despite being set in a time, where mental wellness was not a recognized concept, Clive and Henritta repeatedly think about what it means to be mentally fit.
.
On the whole, an enjoyable literary work, with a little bit of everything – romance, mystery, social injustice, mental health and spirituality.
.
Thank you @ireadbooktours & @michellecox for gifting me this book as a part of the Blog tour. All thoughts and content are my own
April 30, 2020
This is my first Michelle Cox novel and it's definitely not going to be my last. This novel combined my favorites into one! Mystery and historical! I loved meeting Henrietta and Inspector Howard in this novel. While it was my first novel by Cox, and the 5th in a series, it was not confusing, and easily read as a stand alone.
I absolutely loved the detail that Cox incorporated into this page turning story. I felt myself being instantly transported to the 1930s falling in love with that era in time. I felt the sadness that Henrietta felt both with her miscarriage and with finding a lost child, I felt the instensity of the world and how crazy it was during that time. The depth that Michelle Cox put into her characters was stunning and really helped this story to come to life for me.
This story is page turning and gripping, and definitely an unforgettable read! I loved every minute of this fantastically written novel by a new favorite author. If you want a novel that will keep you guessing, keep you intrigued and make you want more, then definitely grab this one up! I am looking forward to going back and reading the first 4 books in this incredible series! Get ready for the roller coaster of twists and turns with this one!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Publisher and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
I absolutely loved the detail that Cox incorporated into this page turning story. I felt myself being instantly transported to the 1930s falling in love with that era in time. I felt the sadness that Henrietta felt both with her miscarriage and with finding a lost child, I felt the instensity of the world and how crazy it was during that time. The depth that Michelle Cox put into her characters was stunning and really helped this story to come to life for me.
This story is page turning and gripping, and definitely an unforgettable read! I loved every minute of this fantastically written novel by a new favorite author. If you want a novel that will keep you guessing, keep you intrigued and make you want more, then definitely grab this one up! I am looking forward to going back and reading the first 4 books in this incredible series! Get ready for the roller coaster of twists and turns with this one!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Publisher and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
May 3, 2020
This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.
A Child Lost by Michelle Cox, is the fifth installment in her thrilling detective series featuring the Henrietta and inspector Howard Series.
Chicago, Illinois 1930s Inspector Howard and Henrietta are recent newlyweds, but they have already faced a slew of challenges, a miscarriage, along with family mishaps. Clive is determined to help his wife pull out of spiraling downward turn into the abyss depression takes on a new case to solve. Things become more than what the couple anticipated.
There is a dramatic cast of characters that are incredible fleshed out. The authors ability to grab the reader attention and as the story progresses, Richly descriptive details makes for superb atmospheric imagery. Seamless narration flows perfectly as the mysteries twist and unfold.
A stunning historical mystery, with suspense and tension here that kept me turning the pages. The exquisite writing captivated me, pulling me deep into this thrill ride of a book.
“A Child Lost,” was my first read in Michelle Cox, thrilling mystery series.
After reading it, immediately purchased the other books within the series.
#RomanticSuspense #HistoricalFiction @michellecox33
A Child Lost by Michelle Cox, is the fifth installment in her thrilling detective series featuring the Henrietta and inspector Howard Series.
Chicago, Illinois 1930s Inspector Howard and Henrietta are recent newlyweds, but they have already faced a slew of challenges, a miscarriage, along with family mishaps. Clive is determined to help his wife pull out of spiraling downward turn into the abyss depression takes on a new case to solve. Things become more than what the couple anticipated.
There is a dramatic cast of characters that are incredible fleshed out. The authors ability to grab the reader attention and as the story progresses, Richly descriptive details makes for superb atmospheric imagery. Seamless narration flows perfectly as the mysteries twist and unfold.
A stunning historical mystery, with suspense and tension here that kept me turning the pages. The exquisite writing captivated me, pulling me deep into this thrill ride of a book.
“A Child Lost,” was my first read in Michelle Cox, thrilling mystery series.
After reading it, immediately purchased the other books within the series.
#RomanticSuspense #HistoricalFiction @michellecox33
May 22, 2020
A Child Lost starts with Elsie, a college student who becomes friendly with the groundskeeper, Gunther. Gunther is the caregiver of a young girl, named Anna.
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Next we meet, Henrietta, the sister of Elsie. Henrietta had a difficult year and her husband Clive, hopes to distract her by investigating a few cases.
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In A Child Lost, the main mystery is to find the mother of young Anna. With a side story about a spiritualist suspected of operating a scam. Lastly, you have an asylum where things are not as they seem.
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The setting of A Child Lost is so detailed that you really feel like you are In 1930's Chicago. There are many characters in the story and all are equally well developed. The characters are from different social positions, but they all come together to solve a mystery. I did not see the final twist coming and I thought I knew how it was going to end. WRONG!
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Next we meet, Henrietta, the sister of Elsie. Henrietta had a difficult year and her husband Clive, hopes to distract her by investigating a few cases.
.
In A Child Lost, the main mystery is to find the mother of young Anna. With a side story about a spiritualist suspected of operating a scam. Lastly, you have an asylum where things are not as they seem.
.
The setting of A Child Lost is so detailed that you really feel like you are In 1930's Chicago. There are many characters in the story and all are equally well developed. The characters are from different social positions, but they all come together to solve a mystery. I did not see the final twist coming and I thought I knew how it was going to end. WRONG!
July 28, 2020
The setting is the 1930s Chicago and the surrounding northern suburbs. So travel back in time with me as we delve into Michelle Cox’s mystery book “A Child Lost”, the latest in the Henrietta and Inspector Howard series.
A husband and wife duo searches for answers to a pair of mysteries. One is a heart wrenching case, the other is mysterious and other worldly. This rich and fantastic couple go to extraordinary lengths to help those that come to them in need. They shore up each other’s weak points, lean on each other’s strengths, getting the jobs done. Sometimes though, a case that seems wrapped up, might need to be revisited. Is their work truly done by the end of the book, who knows but the ingenious author Michelle Cox and her mighty imagination!
Cox brought the 1930s to vivid life with her detailed descriptions of the Chicago area of that time and the life she breathes into her characters! Like Cox, I too am from the Chicago area, grew up there. It was super fun for me to recognize places she interwove into the story. Anyone one who has read one of her entertaining books is bound to agree with me that Cox is a master of classic mysteries and she adds in a touch of fiery romance!
Mystery lovers should bound down to their local bookstore or pop open their favorite online bookseller’s site and get a copy of this book, you all will be pleased with your purchase!
A husband and wife duo searches for answers to a pair of mysteries. One is a heart wrenching case, the other is mysterious and other worldly. This rich and fantastic couple go to extraordinary lengths to help those that come to them in need. They shore up each other’s weak points, lean on each other’s strengths, getting the jobs done. Sometimes though, a case that seems wrapped up, might need to be revisited. Is their work truly done by the end of the book, who knows but the ingenious author Michelle Cox and her mighty imagination!
Cox brought the 1930s to vivid life with her detailed descriptions of the Chicago area of that time and the life she breathes into her characters! Like Cox, I too am from the Chicago area, grew up there. It was super fun for me to recognize places she interwove into the story. Anyone one who has read one of her entertaining books is bound to agree with me that Cox is a master of classic mysteries and she adds in a touch of fiery romance!
Mystery lovers should bound down to their local bookstore or pop open their favorite online bookseller’s site and get a copy of this book, you all will be pleased with your purchase!
February 8, 2021
While 'A Child Lost' is book 5 in a series, I was able to read the book as a stand alone. I received the book as a gift.
The genre is historical fiction meets mystery and is set in Chicago in the 1930's. Without revealing too much, Henrietta is suffering from depression and Inspector Howard brings a new case to her in an attempt to distract her from her depression.
The case involves an asylum and a lost child.
Michelle Cox handles sensitive issues with aplomb and has crafted a compelling plot that keeps you engaged and turning the pages. The facts behind the story have been well-researched, giving the reader an insight into how mental health issues and epilepsy were handled and dealt with at that time.
The characters are well-developed and relatable, adding an extra dimension to a complex story.
I recommend this beautifully written book to lovers of historical fiction.
The genre is historical fiction meets mystery and is set in Chicago in the 1930's. Without revealing too much, Henrietta is suffering from depression and Inspector Howard brings a new case to her in an attempt to distract her from her depression.
The case involves an asylum and a lost child.
Michelle Cox handles sensitive issues with aplomb and has crafted a compelling plot that keeps you engaged and turning the pages. The facts behind the story have been well-researched, giving the reader an insight into how mental health issues and epilepsy were handled and dealt with at that time.
The characters are well-developed and relatable, adding an extra dimension to a complex story.
I recommend this beautifully written book to lovers of historical fiction.
February 24, 2021
This book was interesting in the fact the Clive was trying to boost Henriettas spirits by doing investigations into a missing woman, A fortune teller the missing woman's child.
Henrietta is still reeling from her miscarriage so Clive tries to help her. Along the way she gets into a scrape or two. The twist at the end is a precursor to what happens next?
Henrietta is still reeling from her miscarriage so Clive tries to help her. Along the way she gets into a scrape or two. The twist at the end is a precursor to what happens next?
March 29, 2020
A Child Lost is an entertaining historical mystery set in Chicago in the 1930s the author masterfully combines an intricate plot with complex and fascinating characters. The setting becomes another character, brought to life by this talented author. I enjoyed this book as a stand-alone, but now I’m going to go back and read the other books in the Henrietta and Inspector Howard series to get to know Henrietta and Clive from the beginning!
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