book cover of The Lace Widow
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The Lace Widow

(2023)
(The first book in the Eliza Hamilton Mystery series)
A novel by

 
 
Could Alexander Hamilton be at the center of a vast murder plot engulfing Old New York? As his widow, Eliza, pieces together the puzzle, she unearths a heartbreaking secret that threatens to tear her family apart.

Perfect for fans of Sherry Thomas and Deanna Raybourn, taking us from the city’s gilded mansions to its meanest streets, Mollie Ann Cox’s debut historical mystery transports readers to center stage in a time of grave political danger.


New York, 1804. America’s beloved Alexander Hamilton lies dead after a duel with Aaron Burr. Meanwhile, Eliza Hamilton’s eighteen-year-old son, Alexander Jr., was seen fighting with a man in a tavern the night before his father’s duel and quickly comes under suspicion for murder when the man turns up dead. 

Eliza searches for ways to clear her son’s name, even as she is grieving, but as she combs through her late husband’s papers, she finds evidence of a plot to steal money from the government during his tenure as secretary of state. Hamilton was accused of stealing that money, and it was a scandal that almost broke the family—but is Eliza now holding proof of Alexander’s innocence?

Deep in debt and despair, with eight children to support, Eliza turns to selling her handmade lace—and is drawn into a mysterious network of widow lacemakers who are intimately connected to New York’s high-society families. They know their dead husbands’ secrets—and soon, Eliza begins to piece together the truth.

There’s a dark plot connected with the duel, as one by one, witnesses to the bout are being killed. Now, Eliza must not only clear her husband’s and son’s names but keep herself out of the killer’s sights.


Genre: Historical Mystery

Praise for this book

"In The Lace Widow, Molly Ann Cox deftly portrays Eliza Hamilton as an unexpected but resilient amateur sleuth determined to solve a murder in the aftermath of her husband's untimely death. Eliza's foray into the discreet upper-class lace-making world, to preserve her family's wealth and reputation, offers a particularly unusual method for gaining access to society's deepest secrets. Readers, especially those who enjoy early American history, will appreciate how this well-researched and plausible mystery unfolds against the backdrop of an emerging nation, with all its social and political complexities. An engaging and thoughtful read!" - Susanna Calkins

"Wonderfully steeped in the sights and sounds of early 1800s New York City, this novel places the newly widowed Eliza Schuyler Hamilton and her clever friend Alice at the center of a compelling mystery with its roots in a conspiracy to blame Hamilton for money missing from the Treasury. Eliza must defend her husband's legacy and prevent her son from being accused of murder - all while comporting herself with enough decorum to keep gossips at bay. The talented, courageous Eliza is a heroine to root for!" - Karen Odden

"Cox reimagines the circumstances surrounding Founding Father Alexander Hamilton's death in this charming murder mystery featuring his widow, Eliza Schuyler Hamilton, as a determined sleuth. From infiltrating a secret society to firmly standing up to the local constabulary, Eliza is willing to risk it all to discover the truth about several peculiar murders in colonial New York City. Historical mystery fans will enjoy the indomitable Eliza's passion for justice, her children, and, above all, her beloved Hamilton." - Christine Trent


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