Turn-of-the-century New York a rich setting for intriguing crime novel

“A Curtain Falls” by Stefanie Pintoff, $24.99

Historical New York never ceases to be rich fodder for some of crime fiction’s most intriguing plots. In her second novel, Stefanie Pintoff shows how the best in historical fiction not only unveils our past, but shows how our modern concerns evolved.

Set in 1906, Pintoff’s “A Curtain Falls” depicts a New York in transition and the beginnings of modern crime detection. Her comparison to Caleb Carr is well earned, although Pintoff shows a wider range and deeper affinity for storytelling than the author of “The Alienist.”

Pintoff’s meticulous research captures the heart of the era, but her detailed characters and gripping plot about greed, jealousy and obsession for fame set “A Curtain Falls” on a higher plane.

“A Curtain Falls” revolves around the vibrant Broadway theater scene of 1906. New York police detective Simon Ziele is asked to look into the death of a chorus girl found on a Manhattan stage dressed in the costume of the leading lady. The only clue is a cryptic note found near the body.

Teaming up with criminologist Alistair Sinclair, the pair discovers a series of similar murders. But the police don’t know about this because Charles Frohman, the wealthy owner of several theaters, is afraid the news will hurt ticket sales.

“A Curtain Falls” takes readers from the vibrant Broadway scene to the busy newsroom of the New York Times, where new Hammond typewriters are lauded as a progressive step for newspapers. Horses and cars jockey for position on the New York streets. And people still can’t get used to calling Longacre Square by its new name — Times Square.

“Two years wasn’t enough time to change long-held habits,” Simon notes.

Pintoff nails the historical aspects with aplomb while giving close attention to characters. The people who inhabit “A Curtain Falls” give glimpses into how New Yorkers lived at the turn of the 20th century.

“Theater syndicate owner” Frohman’s controls not just the buildings and plays but his staff’s lives, refusing to allow his actresses to walk down Broadway. “It had to be Fifth Avenue, because image was everything,” says a staffer.

The police department’s reliance and, at times, skepticism about fingerprints and new crime detection methods adds a believable level of conflict.

Pintoff’s debut “In the Shadow of Gotham” won the 2009 St. Martin’s Press/Mystery Writers of America Best First Mystery Award and, more recently, an Edgar Award for best debut. Her high standards continue in “A Curtain Falls.”