Synopses & Reviews
The careers of New York City detective Simon Ziele and his former partner Captain Declan Mulvaney went in remarkably different directions after the tragic death of Zieles fiancée in the 1904 General Slocum ferry disaster. Although both men were earmarked for much bigger things, Ziele moved to Dobson, a small town north of the city, to escape the violence, and Mulvaney buried himself even deeper, agreeing to head up the precinct in the most crime-ridden area in the city.
Yet with all of the detectives and resources at Mulvaneys disposal, a particularly puzzling crime compels him to look for someone he can trust absolutely. When a chorus girl is found dead on a Broadway stage dressed in the leading ladys costume, there are no signs of violence, no cuts, no bruises—no marks at all. If pressed, the coroner would call it a suicide, but then that would make her the second girl to turn up dead in such a manner in the last few weeks. And the news of a possible serial killer would be potentially disastrous to the burgeoning theater world, not to mention the citizens of New York.
Following on the heels of Stefanie Pintoffs acclaimed and award-winning debut, A Curtain Falls is a moody and evocative tale that follows Ziele and his partners as they scour the dark streets of early-twentieth-century New York in search of a true fiend.
Review
Praise for In the Shadow of Gotham
“Superior historical mystery… The author has inevitably been compared to Caleb Carr, whom she certainly rivals in her meticulous research into the period and its fledgling forensics.… She does an outstanding job of blending historical detail with engaging characters and a suspenseful plot.”
—The Denver Post
“Pintoff excavates a rich vein of early criminology.… She also delivers a gripping detective story.… Great for dexterous plotting and for New York atmosphere at the turn of the last century.”
—Booklist
“Will remind many of Caleb Carr at his best.”
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“What a fabulous first novel… Pintoffs fascinating historical mystery has believable multidimensional characters.”
—Romantic Times (Best First Mystery of 2009)
"The first winner of the Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Competition nicely contrasts academic theorizing with the reality of police detection set against the backdrop of a vividly depicted turn-of-the-century Gotham. Recommended to readers who enjoy historicals of this period, such as Caleb Carrs The Alienist and Ann Stamoss Bitter Tide.”
—Library Journal (starred review)
Review
“Stefanie Pintoff shows how the best in historical fiction not only unveils our past, but shows how our modern concerns evolved. . . . Her detailed characters and gripping plot about greed, jealousy, and obsession for fame set A Curtain Falls on a higher plane.”
—Oline Cogdill, Sun-Sentinel
“This worthy sequel to Pintoffs acclaimed Edgar Award-winning debut, In the Shadow of Gotham, brings to life New Yorks theater world at the turn of the twentieth century and the fledgling science of criminology. Fans of Caleb Carr will like this one.”
—Library Journal (starred review) on A Curtain Falls
Synopsis
Following on the heels of "In the Shadow of Gotham," Pintoff's acclaimed and award-winning debut, "A Curtain Falls" is a moody and evocative tale of detective Simon Ziele and his partners who scour the dark streets of early-20th-century New York City in search of a true fiend.
Synopsis
The careers of New York City detective Simon Ziele and his former partner, Captain Declan Mulvaney, went in remarkably different directions after the tragic death of Zieles fiancée in the 1904 General Slocum ferry disaster. While earmarked for bigger things, Ziele moved north of the city to escape the violence, and Mulvaney dug in deeper, heading up the precinct in the most crime-ridden part of New York.
Yet with all of the resources at Mulvaneys disposal, a puzzling crime compels him to ask his former partner for help. A chorus girl has been found dead on a Broadway stage dressed as the lead. There is no sign of violence. The coroner would call it a suicide, but then shed be the second actress to die that way in only days.
Following on the heels of Pintoffs Edgar Award-winning debut, A Curtain Falls is a moody and evocative tale that follows Ziele as he scours the streets in search of a true fiend.
About the Author
Stefanie Pintoff is the author of In the Shadow of Gotham and Secret of the White Rose. In the Shadow of Gotham is the winner of the 2010 Edgar Award for Best First Novel and the Washington Irving Book Prize, and she has earned nominations for the Agatha, Anthony and Macavity Awards. She is also a graduate of Columbia University Law School and has a Ph.D. in literature from New York University. Now a full-time writer, she lives with her husband and daughter on Manhattans Upper West Side.
Reading Group Guide
Discussion Questions1. Discuss the meaning(s) of the title A Curtain Falls.
2. Charles Frohman is a real historical figure credited with inventing the “star system” that shaped early Broadway (and was later used in the Hollywood studios of the 1930s and 1940s). What are the rules of his system? How do they infuse an environment already marked by greed, ambition, and jealousy?
3. At the heart of any series is the continual emotional development of the principal characters from book to book. Which character grows the most in this book? How?
4. In addition to serving as a physical location, the Broadway theater is almost a character is its own right. Does this setting add to the novel? What kinds of details bring it alive?
5. The essence of theater is the blurred line between appearance and reality, truth and lies. In what ways does this theme lie at the heart of A Curtain Falls?
6. The author depicts many representations of family, relationships, and the nature of grief. How do characters compensate for absence and loss? Which are the most successful? Why do you think that is?
7. Detective Ziele struggles with his newfound knowledge when he discovers Timothy Poes true situation. Did you find his struggle true to his character and time period?
8. What is your favorite scene in the book and why?