A Deadly Entanglement is book 2 in Cathy Pegau’s historical mystery series, Harriman & Mancini.
Set in New York early in the 20th century, Margot Harriman has teamed up with another woman, Rett Mancini, to open an investigation agency. Margot is a widow, and president of a food company, and very much a part of the high society of New York. Rett is the romantic partner of Margot’s friend, Ceecee who is a nurse at a charity hospital for which Margot is planning a fundraiser. When Ceecee’s co-worker dies suddenly at the hospital, she comes to Margot with suspicions about the co-worker’s death, as well as suspicions about other patient deaths at the hospital, so Margot and Rett decide to investigate.
I have not read the previous book in this series, and I found A Deadly Entanglement to be rather slow paced for approximately the first quarter of the book. Once I got past the first quarter I was invested in the story, and really started to enjoy it.
I did find I had to suspend my disbelief a bit to believe that Margot was a member of high society, an active member of charities, the president of a fairly large business, and was able to run a private investigation business as well. Not only would she have been extremely busy, but I’m doubtful some of her business involvements would have been acceptable to her society friends. Aside from that though, I enjoyed the historical setting as well as the characters, and their relationships with each other. I especially liked the relationship Margot had with her driver, he seemed very devoted to her happiness.
The only thing I didn’t really like was how the mystery wrapped up. I found myself a bit confused about the deaths at the hospital. I understood the rest of the mystery and how that all worked, but I was confused about the motivations and/or reasons behind the deaths of the patients at the hospital, that part didn’t really make sense to me. I don’t know if I missed something, or misunderstood something, or what.
Overall, I enjoyed A Deadly Entanglement and would like to read more books in the series. I think it would appeal to lovers of more traditional style mysteries, and historical fiction lovers.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
A Deadly Entanglement will be published on September 15 2026.
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