A Murderous Business - by Cathy Pegau (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Margot Baxter Harriman took the reins of B&H Foods after her father passed. It's not easy being a business woman in 1912, but she is determined to continue what her grandparents started decades ago, no matter what it takes. So when Margot finds Mrs. Gilroy, her father's former assistant, dead in the office with a half-finished note confessing to nebulous misdeeds at B&H, she seeks out help from a very discreet, private investigator to figure out what's going on. Her company, and her good name, are at stake if scandal breaks--and she could lose everything, including her freedom. Loretta 'Rett' Mancini has run her father's investigation operation since he started becoming increasingly forgetful. When Margot offers her the chance to look into the potential scandal with B&H, she jumps at it. But the more the two dig in, the more it becomes clear that Margot's company may be too far lost--and someone is willing to kill them both to keep things quiet"--Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

"Everything I love most in a mystery. If I had a crime to solve―or a dead body I needed help burying―I'd want Margot Harriman and Rett Mancini on my side." - Katharine Schellman, author of Last Call at the Nightingale

A sharp, captivating historical mystery about two queer women in turn-of-the-century New York, for fans of Lavender House and A Most Agreeable Murder

There can be a blurry line between what is ethical and what is legal.

Margot Baxter Harriman took the reins of B&H Foods after her father passed. It's not easy being a business woman in 1912, but she is determined to continue what her grandparents started decades ago, no matter what it takes.

So when Margot finds Mrs. Gilroy, her father's former assistant, dead in the office with a half-finished note confessing to nebulous misdeeds at B&H, she seeks out help from a very discreet, private investigator to figure out what's going on. Her company, and her good name, are at stake if scandal breaks...and she could lose everything, including her freedom.

Loretta "Rett" Mancini has run her father's investigation operation since he started becoming increasingly forgetful. When Margot offers her the chance to look into the potential scandal with B&H, she jumps at it.

But the more the two dig in, the more it becomes clear that Margot's company may be too far lost...and someone is willing to kill them both to keep things quiet.

Charming and witty, Cathy Pegau's A Murderous Business is perfect for fans of Lev Ac Rosen, Enola Holmes by Nancy Springer, and the Mr. Darcy and Miss Tilney mysteries by Claudia Gray.

Review Quotes

LGBTQReads, "Most Anticipated LGBTQ+ Adult Fiction: July-December 2025"

We Are Bookish, "Fall Books to Have on Your Radar"

Autostraddle, "Most Anticipated Queer Books for September 2025"

"A richly detailed historical mystery starring an engaging pair of investigators." - Library Journal

"A new detective duo is born when a business owner needs help saving her legacy...Murder, blackmail, and lesbian love in an era when what you ate could kill you in the name of the almighty dollar." - Kirkus

"An enjoyable historical series launch from Pegau [with] convincing period detail and likable leads." - Publishers Weekly

"Both [Margot and Rett] have worked in the shadows of larger-than-life fathers; both are queer. Solving the meaning of Mrs. Gilroy's note, as well as her murder, means reckoning with the most intimate aspects of themselves." - New York Times

"Pegau paints a delightfully vivid picture of early-20th-century Manhattan, from Madison Avenue to the Lower East Side, with a plethora of historical detail to place readers in the streets, the clubs, and the drawing rooms... the novel offers promise as the start of a new series about queer lives at a time rarely covered in fiction." - Historical Novel Society

"Pegau's fast-paced historical mystery... provides a fascinating glimpse of the hidden life of lesbians in early-20th-century New York." - The Washington Post

"I inhaled this mystery in an evening and a morning, loving every page and sorry to say goodbye to Margot and all when it ended. It is fascinating to hear the story from Margot's point of view at a time in history when a woman couldn't even open her own bank account." - Kings River Life Magazine

"The story is brisk and appropriately complicated, and the main characters of both Margot and Rett are so appealing that I'm hoping this is the start of a long lived series... If you enjoy a good story well told, you're in business." - Aunt Agatha's

"A Murderous Business is a winning combination of an exciting plot, realistic characters, queer romance, and a fascinating look into Manhattan in the early part of the 20th century." - Marilyn's Mystery Reads

"A story about doing what is right instead of what is easy." - Reading Reality

"Two extraordinary women--smart, courageous, principled, and ahead of their time--risk personal ruin and life-or-death danger to solve a crime of unspeakable greed. Margot Harriman, a woman born to wealth and genteel power, and Rett Mancini, a private investigator no stranger to crime and the streets, will whisk the reader into the daily life and attitudes of 1912 America. Author Cathy Pegau brilliantly immerses us in the pleasures, the biases, and the underlying energy of the emerging 20th century." -Ann Aptaker, multi-award winning author of A Crime of Secrets and the Cantor Gold crime series

"With sharply drawn characters, a twisty mystery and a pair of sleuths as determined as they are intrepid, A Murderous Business is a charming and pitch perfect addition to my historical mystery keeper shelf. If I needed out of a jam in a hurry, I'd definitely call Rett and Margo and the gang." -Manda Collins, author of A Lady's Guide to Mischief and Mayhem

"A fresh and engaging mystery set in 1910s New York. Margot Harriman is making the transformation from boss's daughter to head of the company when she discovers a dead body and a mysterious note at the office. Readers will root for Margot, as her pursuit of the truth leads her to aspiring investigator Rett Mancini and Shiloh, a captivating magician's assistant with a way with locks and human hearts."--Mariah Fredericks, author of The Lindbergh Nanny

"With a twisty plot, vivid historical setting, and a delightful cast of characters led by two smart, capable sleuths, Cathy Pegau's A Murderous Business has everything I love most in a mystery. If I had a crime to solve--or a dead body I needed help burying--I'd want Margot Harriman and Rett Mancini on my side. Until then, I'll be eagerly awaiting their next adventure!" - Katharine Schellman, author of Last Call at the Nightingale

About the Author

CATHY PEGAU is the author of the Charlotte Brody historical mystery series and LGBTQ romances with Carina Press. She lives in a small fishing town in Alaska with her spouse, pets, and the occasional black bear wandering through the yard.