Death of a Butterfly

Lieutenant Sigrid Harald investigates the suspicious death of a woman named Margaret Held, who was found dead in her Manhattan apartment. The victim's connections to both the art world and academic circles provide multiple threads for Harald to untangle. The investigation brings Harald into contact with an array of characters from New York's creative and intellectual communities, including artists, professors, and gallery owners. As she works to solve the case, Harald must navigate complex relationships and uncover long-buried secrets within these interconnected social circles. The second installment in Maron's Sigrid Harald series combines police procedural elements with an examination of 1980s New York City life. The narrative explores themes of creative ambition, academic politics, and the masks people wear in their professional versus private lives.

Readers highlight the strong character development of protagonist Sigrid Harald and praise how the book balances police procedural details with personal relationships. Many reviews note the effective portrayal of the New York art world setting. Likes: - Complex relationships between characters - Detailed police investigation procedures - Authentic dialogue and interactions - Integration of art world elements Dislikes: - Slow pacing in first third of book - Several reviewers found the victim unsympathetic - Some character motivations unclear - A few readers thought the ending felt rushed Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (249 ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (28 ratings) Notable reader comments: "The art gallery setting adds depth without overwhelming the mystery" - Goodreads reviewer "Character interactions feel natural and unforced" - Amazon reviewer "Takes time to get going but pays off in the end" - Goodreads reviewer "The middle section drags with too much detail about art" - Amazon reviewer

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🦋 The novel is part of Margaret Maron's Sigrid Harald series, featuring a no-nonsense NYPD lieutenant who navigates both crime-solving and the New York City art world. 🎨 Maron drew inspiration for the art-related elements in the book from her husband's career as a professional artist. 📚 "Death of a Butterfly" (1984) was the second book in the Sigrid Harald series, following "One Coffee With" (1981). 🏆 Margaret Maron went on to win multiple major mystery writing awards, including the Edgar Award, Agatha Award, and the North Carolina Award for Literature. 🗽 The book's Greenwich Village setting captures a pivotal moment in New York City's cultural history, as the neighborhood was transitioning from a bohemian artist enclave to a more gentrified area in the 1980s.