April 8, 2024
Schellman’s sharp third outing for Vivian Kelly (after The Last Drop of Hemlock) gives the 24-year-old gumshoe one week to solve a murder. In 1920s New York City, Vivian spends her nights pouring drinks at the Nightingale speakeasy and her days working for a small dress shop. Her day job lands her in trouble when she delivers a dress to Evangeline Buchanan’s Fifth Avenue mansion for a fitting. With Evangeline absent, her husband, Huxley, pours Vivian a cup of coffee before he’s summoned to a business meeting in another room. Vivian dozes off; when she awakens, she rouses an unconscious Huxley, only to find he’s been fatally stabbed. The blood that police find on Vivian’s hands makes her a prime suspect, but a friend connected to the police commissioner helps spring her from jail and brokers a deal that gives her seven days to track down and deliver the real killer to the authorities. As Vivian races to clear her name, she unearths some surprising connections between Huxley and one of her close friends, leading her to fear the truth might hit close to home. The fair-play plotting takes several clever turns that will keep even the best armchair sleuths on their toes. This continues Schellman’s winning streak. Agent: Whitney Ross, High Line Literary.
September 13, 2024
In New York City during Prohibition, Vivian Kelly is a dressmaker's delivery person by day. By night, she serves drinks at a speakeasy. While delivering dresses to a wealthy customer, she discovers the body of the homeowner. She calls for help, but since she was found with the body, Vivian is the prime suspect. The police threaten her with prison but give her a week to find the real killer. Vivian uses the meager influence she has to investigate but soon uncovers rampant corruption throughout the circles of the upper echelon. She also discovers that an old flame may have some connection to the case, suggesting an unexpected personal connection. Schellman's third installment in her "Nightingale" mystery series (following The Last Drop of Hemlock) is a story about rich vs. poor, powerful vs. powerless, and the meaning of family. Narrator Sarah Young offers a strong performance, capturing the era's spirit of revelry and offering period-appropriate voices and accents. VERDICT Though those new to the series may want to catch up before diving in, this book should appeal to fans of glitzy historical mysteries.--Joanna M. Burkhardt
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