Welcome to my stop on the Great Escapes Virtual Book Tour for Death at the Dock: An Alyssa Chalmers Historical Mystery by Carmen Radtke! Today we are featuring a review of the third mystery in this captivating series that transports readers back to the 1860s, with a heroine determined to make her own way in a society made for men. Perfect for fans of Rhys Bowen’s Molly Murphy and Elizabeth Peters’ Amelia Peabody. Stop by each blog on the tour or interviews, guest posts, spotlights, reviews, and more! There is also a Giveaway for a digital copy of The Case of the Missing Bride (Alyssa Chalmers mysteries #1). ENTER HERE! ⬅️

Death at the Dock: An Alyssa Chalmers Historical Mystery
Historical Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Setting – Portland, Oregon, in 1862
Independently Published
Publication date ‏ : ‎ February 27, 2026
Print length ‏ : ‎ 191 pages
Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0GGSRKWDK
Will be available in Paperback too

 About the Book:

A sharp tongue. An even sharper mind. A Victorian sleuth criminals overlook at their peril.

1862. A new home in a prospectors’ town, a new life, and two steadfast admirers: Alyssa Chalmers’ future is secure among her friends.

But when Captain Moore sends a message, begging for her help, she can’t say no.

With the doctor and the First Officer by her side, she travels to Portland, Oregon. She finds a situation worse than she feared. Two of the captain’s crew have gone missing and the local marshal is adamant they simply jumped ship. Even the discovery of a body is unable to change his mind.

Captain Moore knows better. He is convinced that something sinister is going on, and he needs sharp-witted Alyssa and her sleuthing partners to figure it out.

But dark secrets and vices are lurking everywhere. Alyssa needs all her wits to figure out who to trust – and how to save the missing men before there’s another murder.

My Review:

This reader can attest to the fact that the latest entry into this historical mystery series can be read as a standalone, although I am interested in visiting books 1 and 2 to learn more back story. (And as of the writing of this post, the series is available in Kindle Unlimited). 

The plot summary described our main character Alyssa as sharp-witted and that is the perfect description. Alyssa is a wonderful sleuth, especially in a time period when women were to be seen and not heard (although thankfully a few of the male characters in this story know Alyssa’s worth!). 

The detailed setting was transportive, and it was fascinating to see Portland, Oregon as a new town and not how I think of it now. 

At 191 pages, this is a quick and fun read, great for readers who enjoy historical mysteries!

About the Author:

Carmen has spent most of her life with ink on her fingers and a dangerously high pile of books and newspapers by her side.

She has worked as a newspaper reporter on two continents.

When she found herself crouched under her dining table, typing away on a novel between two earthquakes in Christchurch, New Zealand, she realised she was hooked for life.

The shaken but stirring novel made it to the longlist of the Mslexia competition, and her next book and first mystery, The Case Of The Missing Bride, was a finalist in the Malice Domestic competition in a year without a winner. Since then she has penned several more cozy mysteries, including the Jack and Frances series set in the 1930s. The cozy midlife witch series featuring Bex Merriweather and her cat familiar are the latest addition to her literary output.

In real life, she’s only spilled blood once, when she swatted a fly, and even that was an accident. Although she’s a devoted cat servant, her feline companion doesn’t talk. Yet.

Carmen now lives in Italy with her human and her four-legged family.

Author Links: Website – Facebook 

Purchase Links: Amazon

TOUR PARTICIPANTS:

• March 5 – Jody’s Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT
• March 5 – Maureen’s Musings – SPOTLIGHT
• March 6 – Christy’s Cozy Corners – CHARACTER GUEST POST
• March 6 – Sapphyria’s Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
• March 7 – Angel’s Book Nook – SPOTLIGHT
• March 7 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT
• March 8 – Deal Sharing Aunt – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
• March 8 – Carla Loves To Read – REVIEW
• March 9 – Boys’ Mom Reads! – SPOTLIGHT
• March 9 – Sarandipity’s – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
• March 10 – Cozy Up With Kathy – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
• March 10 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
• March 11 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT  –
• March 12 – Sarah Can’t Stop Reading Books – REVIEW
• March 12 – Novels Alive – REVIEW
• March 13 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT
• March 14 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT

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