The Missing Floor

A Skyline Murder Mystery, Book 2

By: Martin Hill Ortiz

Narrated by: Robert T Sutherland

A dead dame. A psychotic mobster. Alan and Lorraine Priest seek clues to a murder among Prohibition gangsters, corrupt police, and Broadway stars.

Manhattan, 1928. When Alan Priest, reporter for the New York World, discovers a body at the demolition site for the new Chrysler Building, both his and his wife Lorraine's lives are thrown into turmoil. Can they navigate the worlds of vicious mobsters, corrupt police, and Broadway stars to find the killer?

The Missing Floor is full of plot twists and cliffhangers that make this book impossible to stop listening to. Vivid, endearing and memorable characters, along with a rich mastery of history make it impossible to tell which secondary characters are fictional and who actually walked the streets of Manhattan. Completely immersive! Listeners will be hooked!

©2025 Martin Hill Ortiz (P)2025 Martin Hill Ortiz

Even better than the first one

I really enjoyed the first book, so I grabbed this one right after and I think I liked it even more. The plot felt tighter, and I was way more invested in how everything would unfold. There were a few moments where I actually said “wait, what?” out loud. That’s how into it I got. If you're into crime stories that don’t follow a basic formula, this one delivers. I hope there’s a book 3 coming.

This Sequel Seriously Delivers

After loving Floor 24, I had to dive into The Missing Floor and wow, it didn’t disappoint. The mystery got darker, the stakes felt higher, and that eerie skyscraper vibe was back in full force. Martin Hill Ortiz has a way of layering clues that had me playing detective the whole time. Robert T. Sutherland’s narration brought just the right mood again calm, but with that slow burn tension. Totally binge worthy. I’m officially hooked on this series.

Mystery, danger, and pure 1920s thrill

This one had me hooked from start to finish. The tension, the setting, the characters they all pulled me right into the story. It’s fast, unpredictable, and full of moments that make you lean in closer. The grit of the city mixed with sharp twists kept me guessing the whole way. By the end, I felt like I’d walked those streets myself, and I didn’t want to leave. If you want something that excites and keeps you thinking,this is it.

Felt Like I Was Chasing Clues in 1928

I listened to this on a flight and didn’t even notice we’d landed until people started getting up. The tension, the setting, the shady characters ,it all felt super alive. What I really liked was how real the whole thing felt, even with all the wild turns. The mix of crime, drama, and a bit of that old New York charm just worked. I’m usually picky with sequels, but this one had me fully invested all over again.




Ask ChatGPT

Thrilling Noir Murder Mystery With Fascinating Historical Figures & Facts

The Missing Floor is a 1920s historical murder mystery and the second novel in the Skyline Murder Mystery series. This book can be read as a standalone, but it’s highly recommended to first read book 1, Floor 24.

The story picks up two years after the events of Floor 24, placing protagonist Alan Priest and his wife, Lorraine Priest, deep into Manhattan’s criminal underworld during Prohibition. Alan, now an established reporter for the New York World, stumbles upon a body at the demolition site of the soon-to-be Chrysler Building. The discovery launches both him and Lorraine into an investigation involving Broadway stars, dangerous mobsters, and corrupt police forces.

The story is intricate and unpredictable from start to finish, with a rollercoaster pace. The chapters are short, and many end in cliffhangers that will keep readers hooked and furiously turning the pages. For a book of only 286 pages, the author packs a lot into the book—a highly intricate murder mystery, a plethora of historical facts, numerous twists, turns, and detours, and more character introductions than you can count! If listening via audio, it’s highly recommended to listen at a slower speed to more easily keep track of everything—and jotting down character names as they’re introduced is a good idea!


Alan Priest is a resourceful, veteran reporter who navigates adversity with grit and intelligence. Lorraine Priest emerges in this book as not only his wife but also as his equal. Having been married for over two years, their dynamic is warm, witty, and grounded, and their banter is very engaging—making their relationship much more compelling than a typical romance subplot. Lorraine, given her own POV, is much more developed than in the first book—readers get to know her inner workings, fearlessness, complexities, and tenacity well. Her street‑savvy energy and emotional intelligence especially shine through during key investigative moments.

In addition, there are many colorful side characters they meet along the way—villainous mobsters, morally compromised officers, and eccentric Broadway personalities, many of whom are morally gray or morally black! Sergeant Mitchell Sullivan has a vendetta against them from the very start and wants them jailed without any evidence of wrongdoing. As the story unfolds, Lorraine and Alan discover the depths and reasons for the police corruption, which adds layers of intrigue and historical depth to the story.

The book's biggest strength (aside from its intricate storytelling) is the enormous historical context that is seamlessly woven into the narrative. The "Author’s Note" at the end goes into detail about the real-life characters in the story (including the Pulitzer family, the Marx brothers, gangster Jack “Legs” Diamond, and Arnold Rothstein) and the four prominent buildings featured (the Chanin Building, Hotel Chelsea, The World Building, and The Metropolitan Life Tower/Chrysler Building)! Fans of early 20th-century American figures and architectural history will be delighted!

After its many twists, turns, red herrings, and character appearances, the story culminates in a high-stakes, thrilling climax where all the key players come together on the grounds of the former real-life theme park “Dreamland.” The final chapter that follows has resolution and trademark "Alan and Lorraine humor" that will leave readers satisfied and eager for the next installment in the series!

🎙️Narrator Performance🎙️

The audiobook of The Missing Floor is a thrilling, immersive listen performed by Robert T. Sutherland, who also performed the first book, Floor 24.

In this audiobook, Sutherland once again uses an intelligent-sounding, charismatic voice to portray protagonist Alan Priest, accurately capturing the character’s grit and resilience. This book has a large cast of supporting characters, from evil mobsters to Broadway stars to new Italian immigrants to corrupt police officers—and Sutherland differentiates each of them effectively with distinct voices, accents authentic to the era, and unique emotional intensity. Lorraine's POV in this book takes up half the novel, and Sutherland makes her portrayal stand out using a sharp, articulate voice infused with sarcasm and wit to vividly bring her to life and make her lovable.

One of the major highlights of Sutherland’s performance, as in book 1, is the witty banter between Alan and Lorraine—both characters come across as vivid, organic, funny, and heartwarming. Sutherland’s excellent pacing and impressive vocal range bring their chemistry to life and make them a dynamic duo that readers will easily root for! Sutherland also seamlessly transitions between Alan’s and Lorraine’s perspectives and maintains a distinct personality and emotional tone for each, making the audiobook a fully immersive listening experience the entire time!

This book and series is a must-listen for fans of historical mysteries, atmospheric suspense, and noir detective fiction!