A Murder in Long Island (Penelope Banks Murder Mysteries, #1) by Colette Clark


A Murder in Long Island (Penelope Banks Murder Mysteries, #1)
Title : A Murder in Long Island (Penelope Banks Murder Mysteries, #1)
Author :
Rating :
ISBN : -
Language : English
Format Type : Kindle Edition
Number of Pages : 231
Publication : First published February 11, 2022

A death in a locked room and a house full of suspects…
New York, 1925

Penelope “Pen” Banks has a knack for puzzling things out and the uncanny ability to remember everything she sees. Two talents that have helped her make ends meet, playing cards in clubs and speakeasies. Now, they might just help her discover the true cause of death for a dear old family friend.

Agnes Sterling has been found dead in her Long Island mansion. The official cause of death is ruled a suicide. After all, she was found in her locked bedroom with both the bottle of poison and a final handwritten note on the bed next to her.

Penelope is certain Agnes Sterling’s death was not by her own hand. She’s been summoned to Long Island for the reading of the will along with the other beneficiaries. While there, she plans on doing a little sleuthing to discover what really happened to Agnes.

The surprising terms of the will and a secret letter have Pen all the more certain that foul play was at hand.

A Murder in Long Island is the first book in the Penelope Banks Murder Mysteries set in 1920s New York, with a spirited heroine, witty banter, and twists and turns that will leave you guessing. Perfect for readers who enjoy the feel of a cozy mystery with the excitement and daring of Prohibition and the Jazz Age.


A Murder in Long Island (Penelope Banks Murder Mysteries, #1) Reviews


  • Noah

    A classic setup, but with an independent and headstrong main character that makes this a welcome addition to the genre rather than a tired one. Besides, it’s been a minute since I’ve read a book completely without the urge to reach for my phone. I’m very much looking forward to reading the sequels!

  • Cheryl

    A Simply Smashing Murder Mystery

    This is a 4.5 🌟 read rounded ⬆️ to 5 🌟.

    I really love the 1920s flapper era. A Golden Era full of huge changes, particularly for women, and to have this novel take place during that time with an incredibly intelligent and winsome main character determined to solve her friend's murder was just the bees knees! A wonderfully written cosy mystery that I'm sure to read more of.

  • Fantasia ☮HippieMoonchild☮

    Rating: 4.5 / 5

    I have to admit, although this did have a bit of a slow start...well, it just has a bit of everything in it, really!

    Ladies and gents, meet Penelope Banks, a very not-heiress who makes her living by gambling. See, she's got something we call a photographic (eidetic) memory, but what in the context of the 1920s, they just call a "peculiar quirk that no one should know about".

    Anyways, one of her mother's dear friends apparently passed away via suicide, and Pen's named in the will, so off to Long Island she goes! There, it doesn't take long for Pen's suspicions to be aroused to the conclusion of murder, and so a lovely cozy mystery begins!

    In many ways, this was quite typical of a cozy mystery, but since I'm a fan of cozy mysteries myself, it's a formula that I'm quite alright with. Not only that, but I'm indeed quite a fan of the many different aspects of cozy mysteries, starting with their delightful covers! (The face on Penelope is exactly the same as Eleanor Swift, by the way, which leads me to conclude that the same kind of cover maker is used for both books.)

    What really makes a great cozy mystery though, especially if in a series, is the characters, and frankly, these characters are delightful--heroes and suspects alike! I'm already shipping Pen with the enigmatic and charming Detective Prescott, I'm amused at poor Cousin Cordelia's antics, I'm wondering if Pen will ever patch up her relationship with her father, I'm curious about the underworld dealings she doesn't want to get involved in and, by the end of the novel, I'm definitely wondering which characters will make a reappearance!

    Also, just a heads up for everyone reading this book, which is free with Kindle Unlimited: the end includes a link to get a free prequel to the series, with quite a gorgeous cover of its own, so...yeah, all's well and good, I'll be reading that as well!

    And also, though I'm not sure yet, we MAY have yet another contender for a favourite series of mine to add up to my shelves, but I think I'll read further into the series before drawing just that conclusion--and spending the money to get physical copies of the books as well.

    Stay tuned until then, I suppose!

  • Kymm

    The first book in any cozy mystery series is the one that determines if the reader is going to continue or not. For me cozies are all about the characters and the first book is where I get to know everyone. In "A Murder in Long Island" by Colette Clark, Penelope "Pen" Banks is living a life completely different from the one she was born into. After fleeing the altar and a man she didn't want to marry, her father has cut her off and refused to give her any money forcing her to get a job and her own place to stay. But her loss of funds hasn't dampened her attitude, if anything she's become quite resourceful in how she gets by.

    When Pen finds out a dear family friend, Agnes Sterling is dead, and she died by suicide she knows there's something fishy going on. There's no way Pen thinks Agnes killed herself and since she's been called to the house for the reading of the will, she's going to get to the bottom of things. She's not the only one called to the reading of the will and for Pen these other guests are more than fellow beneficiaries, they're suspects in Agnes's murder!

    I had such a good time reading this one. It's a fun story with great characters and a well thought out mystery and I love the character Pen, she's the kind of lady in the 1920's that I'd like to hope I'd be. Outspoken, independent and willing to buck the system, but do it in a classy way. Pen never forgets the manners or ways of society she grew up with and is always prim and proper when in polite society, but when she's out there earning money at the card table or in the speakeasy, going up against not so reputable men, she has no problem holding her own! I can't wait to see what Pen gets into next. There's twists and turns, a hint of a romance and secrets, secrets, secrets! If you're like me and love cozies, especially historical cozy mysteries, then this is a great start to a new series. And the best part, there's already a book 2! Happy Reading!

  • Autumn {Seasoned Reader}

    I adored the time period in this book, prohibition playing a big part in this and the setting of NYC is one of my favorites. Done really well, the writing was appropriate for that era and I couldn’t put it down until I found out whodunnit. So excited to have come across this new series!! Pen is a new fave amateur sleuth for sure…

  • Eden

    2022 - Bk 198. This is one of the many new mystery series that have sprung up thanks to the self publishing options now available. While it isn't up to the sophistication of Rhys Bowen or Carola Dunn, it was very enjoyable and a provides a brief look at the world of the 1920's New York society/speakeasies/Long Island crowd. I did enjoy watching the main character solve the murder and enjoyed her gutsy way of taking on life after being dis-inherited by her father. I will most likely purchase the second book in the series because of the hints in the last chapter.

  • Michelle

    Penelope Banks formerly a member of New York’s high society set has been shunned because she left her cheating fiancé at the altar. She now uses her gift of perfect recall to make enough money to support herself as her father has cut her off. Her lone friend left in the fashionable set is Agnes Sterling on of her late mother’s dearest friends. When an unexpected dinner invitation from her father arrives Penelope learns than Agnes has died apparently from suicide. She refuses to believe such a thing and sets out to find the true culprit. After the reading of the will things become both more clear and murkier at the same time. Penelope is more than up for the challenge and determined to find out who could have murdered such a dead friend.
    A lovely peek into the past and the rather wild times of the 1920’s in New York City. I very much enjoyed Penelope’s spunk, determination and her strength of character. I love her super power aka her photographic memory which allows her to see clues and connections easily overlooked by others. I love the fact that she never let her reduced circumstances make her bitter or resentful, she simply went out and made herself a new life. A fabulous character to read about with a tricky closed door mystery to solve all set in a wondrously real background of the roaring 20’s. Definitely a must read!

    I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

  • Aysia Fergerson

    Clearly a fan of Agatha Christie

    This book started off really strong in my opinion. It was fun and it kept me engaged at first. Then I realized about half way through the book, that this plot line is the exact same as Agatha Christie’s novel A Mysterious Affair at Styles, which was also the beginning of Christie’s Detective series. The author name drops Agatha Christie (three times), Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot. It seemed like she was trying to be like Christie through this novel.

    I could tell she really enjoyed writing this, but there were some issues. She played on certain stereotypes that was a little uncomfortable. She overused what I assume was 1920’s slang which made me roll my eyes every time I saw the words “berries” “kale” and especially “Zounds”. The main character Penelope, is kind of annoying at times, she wants to be taken seriously in a word that is oppressive to women, but then she’s always acting so childishly and without forethought, then gets upset when she isn’t taken seriously. She stated acting so silly by the end of the book that I didn’t want to finish. I did, but I don’t think I’ll be continuing the series.

    Overall I was a bit disappointed in this book, it was so interesting and fun in the beginning but I think it lost its way by the end.

  • Mike Kerr

    Penelope “Pen” Banks is charming as a smart, fiercely loyal woman possessing a photographic memory who is yet trapped in the 1920s, suffering the biased and boorish bluster of men and the silly indulgences of unenlightened women. Her friend, the famously wealthy dear “old fun gal” Agnes Sterling is dead. She suspects foul play despite the official view.

    The story is playful and amusing harkening to the golden age of novels and even referencing Agatha Christie. It takes place almost entirely in one setting, the Sterling mansion. The scenery is slowly painted as the writing indulges in the many nuanced thoughts, actions and histories of the other characters, though not necessarily moving the plot. I found these characters echoing the figures in the board game Clue with the Major, the pampered Mrs. Holloway, the roughish Raymond, the handsome and witty “confirmed bachelor” Benny etc.

    Despite being a murder mystery, the story safely avoids any scenes of violence. Or of sex, for that matter. Murder In Long Island engages a reader’s fancy through sharp dialogue and tell-tale clues. I felt the revelations were artificial, but perhaps what matters is the stylish charm and laughable foibles of entitlement.

  • Inishowen Cailín

    A fantastic start to brand new series.
    Penelope is a very endearing character. She is clever, resourceful and self-sufficient. She relies on herself to get by in the world and she's not against bending the rules or circumventing the law in order to do so.
    This first book in the series introduces her as riches to rags character who soon finds herself flush in cash again after inheriting a fortune. The murder mystery and the other mysterious goings-on are very entertaining and I enjoyed watching Penelope puzzle it all out. The suspects were all believable. I was pretty sure who was involved in the art forgery from the beginning but I needed Penelope to figure out exactly how it was all done.
    I loved the interactions between Penelope and the Detective. Although he appears later in the novel, sparks fly between them right from the onset and it injects a lot of humour and a certain amount of frisson. I can see how the pair will make a great duo in solving crime for the rest of the series. I can't wait.

  • Delphia Von Heeder

    A Murder in Long Island is Book 1 in a Penelope Banks Murder Mystery by Colette Clark. It is 1925 and Penelope (Pen) is a thoroughly modern girl! Raised on 5th Avenue, but, when she crossed her father, she was put out without a penny. Well, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Pen put het brilliant mind to work and made money very creativity. Her cousin, Cordelia, took her in and they eked out a living. Her mother's friend Agnas Sterling suddenly dies and Pen's life dramatically changed. The police say suicide, but is it murder? Agnas is wealthy and family and friends are waiting for the will with hands out. This cozy mystery is outstanding and clever. The characters are interesting and Penelope is very fun and totally smart. I can't wait to read book 2 and see what adventures Pen get into next! I received an arc for free and am leaving my review voluntarily.

  • Liz

    I am SO delighted to find this new-to-me cozy mystery author! Colette Clark kept me on the edge of my seat as I enjoyed this fast-paced 1920s whodunnit. Protagonist Penelope Banks is bold and adventurous. Her sharp memory makes her a perfect card-shark when she’s cut off by her snobby father… and a successful detective when the old friend who believed in her is murdered. The other characters in this Long Island setting are (believable) caricatures, but Aunt Cordelia is a dear - the perfect contrast to Pen’s modernity. I can’t wait for the second book in this series to be published and see what these women are up to next! I received a complimentary copy of this book via Book Sirens, but was not obligated to post a review.

  • Dew

    Almost awesome

    I want to like this series more than I actually do. There are clever ideas and creative characters,but the individual books do not have great cohesion. I can only assume that it’s because there are teaser novellas that the author offers if readers join her newsletter. Perhaps they bridge the gap between each book? Except that each book seems to take place within a week or two of the previous book least the fmc turn 25. I couldn’t say as I didn’t read them. As it is, there are a few slight issues with the 1920’s lingo, for example the slang “kale” is used ad nauseam. There are other words for money and one would think that different people of different ages and backgrounds might not all use the exact same slang.

  • Jessi

    Apparently the Kindle Unlimited algorithm has decided that I like 1920s mysteries with a plucky heroine. And this is about my favorite so far. Penelope was disinherited by her father for unknown reasons three years ago. She lives with her father's cousin Cordelia and makes money by gambling. Her edge? Her eidetic memory. But shock of all shocks, her father has called her for dinner. Her mother's dear friend Agnes is dead. Supposedly she did herself in but Penelope isn't so sure. Especially since the same people who were there at her aunt's car accident are the same ones who are there this weekend.
    The mystery is maybe a little thin and I really wish we had gotten to know Agnes but I am looking forward to getting to know the other characters.

  • Emily Pennington

    Murder or Suicide ? . . .

    Penelope “Pen” Banks has an amazing photographic memory, as well as the reasoning power to figure things out that would stump others. When her dear friend Agnes Sterling is found dead in her mansion, it is ruled a suicide because she was in a locked room with poison and a note beside her.

    But Penelope is sure that Agnes would not have killed herself. Pen was asked to come to Long Island for the Will’s reading since something was left to her. So it’s the perfect time for her to do a little sleuthing. Will she discover what happened and who murdered her friend?

  • Rune

    If you liked Chagicos Roxy Heart and Velma Kelly you will fall in love with Penelope Banks.
    Is a throughly modern gal enjoying life to its fullest including playing cards and drinking in local speakeasies.

    Just when she thinks life is staring to look a bit blue and her finances grim she is told that her mothers dear friend and has passed away and she's named in the will.

    She I'd very dismayed at the loss and soon finds herself in her very own real life locked room mystery.

    I love getting to know Pen she is a fantastic character! A perfect way to start out a writer's career!

  • Carol

    1925, Long Island is the setting for this delightful, fast paced cozy mystery. Penelope Banks, former socialite and current bookkeeper with a penchant for cards finds out a dear friend of her mother has passed away. Pen knows suicide isn't possible and sets out to prove she was murdered. The characters were quirky, the setting appealing, and I will look forward to more in this series. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

  • Larry

    Far better than I expected.

    This was a wonderful cozy mystery. I am rather fond of riches to rags and back to riches stories. It gives a whole new perspective to the previously rich characters and hopefully makes them realize just how incredibly lucky they are and will do better during their second chance. The plot is easily followed and the story is a good one. I definitely recommend this book.

  • Connie Hansmeyer

    A cozy mystery set in Long Island and involves the inheritance from the deceased, Agnes, and who would kill for it. Penelope the main character is a young woman somewhat disowned by her well to do father but the daughter of the woman who was the Agnes' best friend. Pen has a photographic memory and goes about solving which one of Agnes' guest is a murderer. Has a little bit of a "Clue" feel to it but wonderfully set in the 1920s. I will read more in this series.

  • T.I.

    I have always loved a good mystery and this one didn't disappoint. It kept me guessing to the very end. It was easy to read, with great characters, and was very entertaining. I would recommend this book to all those that like a good mystery. Enjoy.

    I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.