Set in 1921 Manhattan, this alternate history fantasy novel was both dark and witty and quite the rollercoaster. Gilda Carr lives behind the fence, the 13-mile fence that separates Manhattan into two, the prosperous Eastside and the dangerous Westside, where people and structures just seem to disappear. The Westside is the home of the gangs, thieves, poets, painters, drunks and the poor. Gilda makes a leaving as a detective, only takes on tiny mysteries--not the big ones. Not like murder. But while investigating a case of a missing glove, she becomes embroiled in a big mystery, just the kind she tries to avoid--one that may be tied to her own past--or rather, that of her police detective father and his death.

There is much to like about this novel from the world-building to the colorful and well-developed characters, including Gilda. Gilda is resourceful and strong willed. Manhattan, particularly the Westside, is a character all its own. Why do things from the simple, like coffee pots, to the larger, entire buildings, disappear? And people too. Guns do not work and nature thrives. There is murder, smuggling, bootlegging, gang disputes, and something much darker and sinister going on in the Westside, along with ordinary people just trying to get by.

Fast-paced, full of action and unexpected twists, The Westside is one wild ride as Gilda tries to unravel the little mysteries that lead to the bigger one. I look forward to reading the next book in the series, Westside Saints.

Thank you netgalley and publisher for the early copy.

I read a few chapters but could not connect with the writing style. I decided to put it down.

In an alternate 1920's New York City, Gilda Carr works as a solver of small mysteries. She refuses larger mysteries since that is what consumed her father and lead to his death. But small mysteries can lead one into bigger mysteries. And Gilda's latest case of finding a matching glove for a lady leads her into gunrunning, gang warfare, solving murder mysteries, and inter dimensional travel. The atmosphere is nice, but the McGuffin of alternate reality/dimension reminds me of several other tales that worked a bit better. But still an interesting tale.

I thought the premise of the book was interesting. I guess I just couldn't connect to the characters. Maybe you need to have actual knowledge of New York?

I enjoyed the premise of this story, and may return to it when I have more time, but I just wasn't as engaged in the narrative as I like to be when I read a novel. Gilda was an interesting character, certainly, and the idea of a divided Manhattan drew me in, but I had trouble connecting with any character enough to invest in the narrative. While I do love the idea of a detective who solves only "tiny mysteries," the mystery proved too tiny for me to commit to. A read for another time, perhaps!

This book has an interesting premise, and some of the initial details around the existence of a divided New York are really intriguing. After the initial set-up, though, the plot didn't really stick together well enough for my taste.

I had not heard of this book or this author before I requested it on Netgalley, which is one of the wonderful things about Netgalley! I absolutely loved this book. The division of magical New York and mundane New York is so great. The storytelling is top-notch, and engaging. I also appreciate the mystery, as well as the teaser regarding the main character's unsolved mystery. I can't wait for the next installment!

Unfortunately, I had to DNF this book almost halfway through as I just could not connect to Hilda the main character. But, for anyone who enjoys mysteries kind of on par with cozy mysteries, then you will enjoy this one.

I liked the grittiness of this book and our little fiery main character. The mystery was interesting; I was certainly captivated what happened to her father and how Gilda was going to figure everything out. I really liked the premise of the story although I wish we had a bit more of Gilda's situation than so much about her father's past.

Overall a nice debut, a fun thought of a New York past imagined differently.

Even though the Westside of Manhattan is a dangerous wasteland that is inhospitable to modern (1920s) technology, home to strange magic and many disreputable residents, Gilda is proud to call it her home. Gilda is in a way a detective who specializes in "tiny mysteries" - those impossible puzzles and that keep you awake at night and chip away at you; questions that can ruin marriages and friendships. These cases distract her from her own grief and the impossible question of how her father died. The investigation of her newest tiny mystery about a missing glove leads her to a massive conspiracy that may even connect to her father's death.

Westside by W.M. Akers is a marvelous debut historical fantasy novel. There's so much to love about this story. It has nearly everything I could have asked for. I particularly enjoyed the well-drawn cast of characters (there are a lot of them). Gilda herself is quite engaging. I certainly appreciated her strong will and bravery. The alternate 1921 Manhattan's Westside is practically a character in its own right as well. Akers' world building is great and very visual. The story could have benefited from a map, though, but perhaps there's one in the final edition. The mysteries are so much fun to puzzle out with Gilda, especially in a setting where things and people have been known to just disappear like they never were. The author also does a good job handling the breathless action and all of the twists and turns (there is a lot going on) that will keep you right on the edge of your seat.

Overall, Westside by W.M. Akers is a fast-paced debut that will keep you turning the pages to keep up with Gilda. I have a feeling you will like the author's brand of historical fantasy with an engaging mystery and fully formed characters if you're a fan of Neil Gaiman and The Alienist by Caleb Carr. I can't wait to see what this author does next!

This review was originally posted on <a href="https://booksofmyheart.net/2019/05/10/westside-by-wm-akers/" target="_blank"> Books of My Heart</a>
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Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
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The premise of <strong>Westside</strong> sounded fascinating and I was very excited to read it.   I like historical fantasy with a mystery.  Actually I like mystery, period.  Somehow, even though this had all the parts I should like, it wasn't for me.  The beginning had the detailed world-building which gave me a bit of first book syndrome when I feel like I don't know or understand enough.  It's set in 1921 but this is an alternate sort of universe. It does feel like the time around Prohibition.

The main character Gilda is smart and brave. She has a wide knowledge about the people and happenings, partly because her father was a detective. But even so, she wasn't clued into everything. The real issue is I didn't feel I knew her or the other characters enough to care what happened to them.

The mystery was well plotted with enough twists and turns it wasn't obvious to solve. Plus the paranormal factors added to the inability to predict what would happen.  It felt slow for me, but really, others may enjoy it.

When I started reading Westside, I called it a ‘quirky little book’ – after a few chapters. Quirky, yes, but using just that one word does not do justice to the book. So here are a few more:

Unusual – the setting and plot of Westside are truly unique. I crave true originality in books, and when such imagination is expressed in a book, I must tell the world! The setting is an alternative early 20th century New York City. A wall divides the East from the West because the West started to go weird. Really weird. Houses started sinking, vegetation took over, rust overtook everything rustable and people started disappearing. But Gilda Carr loves her home and would not even consider changing where she lives.

Interesting – Good thing Gilda is a Westsider, because she makes a compelling heroine. Five-foot-tall, solver of tiny mysteries. “Those impossible puzzles that burrow into our brains like splinters and keep us awake at night.” Because big mysteries are dull. Interesting philosophy. Also interesting is the fact that a peace loving petite detective suddenly becomes a gun-toting, body-slamming big mystery solver. Gilda’s evolution was swift but, strangely, did not seem out of character. In all fairness, the big mystery started with a tiny mystery. The Case of the Missing Glove.

Action-packed – the story takes place over just a few days. It felt like longer, not because the story dragged, but because there was so much crammed into it. And not always neatly crammed, but messy, sloppy, what-the-heck-is-going-to-happen-next? crammed.

Which leads me to twisty. Reading the first few chapters, I could never have imagined how things would play out. Not even close. If I can’t guess the ending of a book, I call it a good one!

Colorful – so many big characters, dark corners, loud music and stormy skies. Imagine the Aurorae Borealis only more colors. And louder. Beautiful and fascinating and I just couldn’t take my eyes away from the page.

Genre-bending – okay, that may be a given, if you read the blurb. Historical, mystery, scifi, and horror. Take your pick, you will find it all in Westside.

So to summarize: unusual, interesting, action-packed, twisty, colorful, and genre-bending. When I put those all together, I get Quirky! 5 stars!

Through Netgalley, the publisher provided a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Westside matches mystery with fantasy, coalescing to form a brilliant setting that showcases the author’s strong imagination. I loved everything about this book, from the characters to the witty exchanges between random characters to the many nooks and crannies of this fascinating place. It’s a true joy to imagine our protagonist’s surroundings, reminiscent of a crumbling Narnia mixed with the mystery of Stardust’s Stormhold. The combination of genres plays well with the mysteries of the setting, adding intrigue to every moment spent on the Westside.

The author has done a great job making this fantastic version of New York City feel authentic. The many events that have shaped this part of the city are fit into existing history, creating a believable past filled with lore. Backstories are done with precision, providing just enough detail to establish each character firmly in our minds before moving on. People from past and present float in and out of the narrative, making this a true mystery from start to finish.

I can’t say enough about the brilliance of this setting. It seems like such a simple idea on the surface, a rundown part of New York City that’s accessible through a guarded gate. With the first entrance into this other half of the city, those perceptions are shattered and you’re met with an entirely different world that defies explanation. Buildings are sinking into the ground, food rots in hours, things disappear if you look away for too long. No one knows why it’s happening and no one seems to care anymore. It’s the kind of place that’s feared by visitors and accepted by those who have grown up there. I love when settings become stories of their own, filling books with a presence that mirrors the main character. This is in the top echelon of that set.

Overall, Westside is a fantastic fantasy novel, featuring a compelling protagonist filled with gumption and a setting that will blow your imagination out of the water. I’ll be eagerly awaiting the next book from this exceptional author.

I'm very frustrated with this book,which I liked for many reasons but still had to give up at 40 %.
There was absolutely nothing wrong about it, I appreciated the main character, the background was rather fascinating, as the idea of the heroine solving "tiny mysteries" as a job. I loved some funny metaphors and some witty dialogues.
But alas the rhythm didn't agree with. At each chapter, at each different scene even, I had to make an effort, the kind of effort one does at the beginning of a new read. I was always rather lost and had to concentrate to keep on with the story's thread.
I still don't know is the problem was mine and mine only (it was quite a vicious cercle as I couldn't read much on the book in one go and kept switching to my others current reads) or if it was objectively a flaw. The only explanation I found was that a certain absence of perspective, all the book's aspects were spread out equitably: the background, the mystery, the heroine's history, all characters, main, secondary and in passing ones... my brain couldn't manage to understand which elements were important to remember and which I could let go. And as my memory is not my best feature...
A shame as I don't like giving up reads I don't objectively dislike, especially Netgalley ones, but something one must admit defeat!
(I thus won't give any notation on Goodreads to the book, which I wish I could have finish, as it deserved).

Westside is a multi-layered historical fiction/fantasy that arrives on the scene with strength and the sign of clear talent as a debut from W.M. Akers. It's not a book without its own problems, but it's a solid example of inventiveness that left me constantly turning the pages. Westside is a book with quiet ambition that succeeds at creating a unique and innovative setting, but that blunders ever so slightly in finding a steady plot and pacing.

Westside is unpredictable and full of wit, grit, and everything you might imagine would be present in a wild and uncontrollable New York setting. The best parts of this book are the world-building and the protagonist, Gilda Carr, though both of these are not without their own problems. To start, the world-building is truly fascinating and a great example of an author taking a familiar setting and turning it entirely upside down into something almost entirely unrecognizable. I loved the Eastside/Westside situation and the background for how the Westside became what it is. I was entranced by the mystery of the people who disappear in the shadows and how buildings and streets can simply disappear and be suddenly replaced with random wild growths of forests or plants. The contrast between the Eastside and the Westside is stark, but I also enjoyed the slight similarities that could be discerned at times and spoke to some stronger themes. There is an additional rather large third setting that appears within the story that I can't specifically mention here because it's a fairly important plot point, but I can say that it's an intriging addition that added necessary depth to the story.

Gilda Carr is a street-wisened, rather hardened woman who has become a seasoned resident of the Westside and is afraid of very little, save, perhaps, the dark night of the Westside. Westside is told from the first person perspective of Gilda, and I'm not sure I'd have it any other way. Her dry wit, general uninterest, and apathetic commentary on what was happening around her was one of the most compelling components of the entire book. Her commitment to only solving tiny mysteries was one of the more interesting parts of this plot, and I enjoyed seeing how that slowly unraveled and also remained true at the same time. She certainly has some development in this book, but there were also plenty of times when I never felt fully connected to her and couldn't quite decipher all of her decisions. I liked the Akers wanted to keep some things about her and the world mysterious, but I felt disconnected from things just a bit too much at times.

Despite the positive components, there were some places where I struggled with this book. The biggest problem I had was that there just seemed to be too much going on. Too many character threads, too many random diversions and leads, and a general sense of feeling as if I've missed something. There were many times in the last two-thirds of the book where I realized that I was trying to read quickly so as to simply finish the book, and that's never really a good sign to be rushing through a book. There were also a few issues with inconsistent pacing throughout, with things happening to quickly or too suddenly and then other things that felt oddly drawn out. In general, though, things tended to be too fast rather than too slow.

Overall, I've had pretty mixed feelings about Westside. On the one hand, it's a seriously inventive and interesting novel with a lot of great things to explore, but on the other hand it felt a bit overdone and had too much going on overall. If you read the synopisis for this book and find yourself interested, then I certainly recommend you still check it out!

This book is as if Veronica Mars was written by Neil Gaiman.
This is a weird story set in an even weirder world that scares not because it is different but in how similar to our reality it can be.
Gilda is an amazing main character, with a keen mind, fast reasonings and an encyclopedical knowledge of people's base desires and their secrets that she is not afraid to use to her advantage but the absolute best thing about her is her independence and refusal to be controlled by anyone.
The story is rich in details and filled with plot twists that originate not because the Westside is different but because human greed is exactly the same as in our world and this book is filled with characters involved in criminal pursuits.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for this ARC.

I don't know why but this was a very slow slog of a read for me. Not for lack of action in the book really. Maybe I just didn't fully connect with all of the characters.

I did enjoy Gilda's story and she was a great lead character. I can see how the Gaiman comparisons would come about but I think this is more of a Warren Ellis or Neil Stephenson type story.

The plot was original, story fresh, and the writing had a natural flow. Visualization was key here and the author did a good job drawing out the story universe via text. I look forward to reading more by W.M. Akers.

My copy was provided by NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

The nitty-gritty: A weird and wonderful, multi-layered story with a tough-as-nails heroine, this delightful fantasy offers up plenty of mysteries, both big and small."I answer little questions. Those impossible puzzles that burrow into our brains like splinters and keep us awake at night. I solve the mysteries that spoil marriages, ruin friendships, and curdle joy. A murder is a dull thing. It simply ends a life. Tiny mysteries destroy us."Getting a hold of a review copy of Westside proved to be challenging, but I’m so glad everything finally came together, because I enjoyed this book immensely! This is Akers’ debut novel, but it turns out he's also an experienced playwright, and that experience really shines through.Westside is a strange, quirky and unexpectedly violent story that takes place in an alternate version of 1921 New York City. In Akers’ Manhattan, the city is divided into the Westside and the Eastside by a fence, put up after a rash of mysterious disappearances on the Westside threw the city into turmoil. Now the Westside is home to those who are willing to put up with its peculiarities. People continue to disappear on this side of the fence, as do objects. Buildings crumble and even disappear completely in the middle of the night, appliances have stopped working, and even guns no longer fire. In the middle of this slow-building chaos lives Gilda Carr, a woman who has lost both parents to the Westside and now works as a private detective of sorts, solving “tiny mysteries.” Unable to afford to live on the more affluent Eastside, Gilda is content to stay in her family townhouse alongside her close friend Hellida, who lives in the apartment next door.When the story begins, Gilda has taken on the job of finding a lost glove, misplaced by one Edith Copeland during a night of drinking and frivolity. Finding a lost glove is exactly the kind of tiny mystery that Gilda loves to solve, but as her investigation leads her from the Eastside to the seedier parts of the city, she finds herself in the middle of a much larger mystery involving smuggling, illegal moonshine and even murder. As Gilda dives deeper down the rabbit hole that is the Westside, she discovers the answers to all her questions, including the ultimate mystery: why is the Westside slowly dying? A tear in reality, secret tunnels full of shadow monsters, and an alternate New York all play parts in Gilda’s dangerous adventure.One of the joys of reading this book is solving the mysteries alongside Gilda. Strange things are happening on the Westside that can’t be explained. The banister in Gilda’s house disappears one day, as if it had never been there. Her neighbor Hellida wakes up to find her coffee pot is simply gone. And then there are the missing people, gone without a trace in the middle of the night. For this reason it’s considered foolish to go out after dark, and so Westsiders are prone to staying inside at night. Luckily there is a reason for all these odd disappearances, although it does take most of the book before Gilda discovers the truth.There are a lot of characters in this story, but despite that fact, Akers does a great job of making most of them feel three-dimensional. Gilda in particular was wonderfully drawn, a short-statured woman with a huge personality who practically leaps off the page. Gilda is fierce and plucky, ruthless at times and always brave. I have to admit, though, that I didn’t always like her. Despite her undying loyalty to her friends, she has a mean streak that showed itself in sudden bursts of violence. But living on the Westside, she’s been forced to cope with so much loss and danger that I had to forgive her for those moments. Her rough personality is tempered by her heartbreak over her missing father, a detective who simply disappeared without a trace one day. I also loved her interactions with her friend Hellida, a woman who used to be her nanny long ago and now rents the apartment next door to Gilda. The two women are wonderfully supportive of each other, and when they are tragically separated at one point in the story, I just about lost it.Other memorable characters include Cherub, a young man who is part of a Westside street gang called the One-Eyed Cats, one of Gilda’s oldest friends; Andrea “Barbie” Barbarossa, the “moonshine queen of New York City” who sells rotgut liquor out of the basement of a church; and Glen-Richard Van Alen, the undisputed ruler of the upper part of the Westside, a man known as the Firecracker who has armed his followers with guns, guns that didn’t work on the Westside until recently and now pose a huge threat.Akers adds some wonderfully poignant, emotional moments to his story, which is one reason I loved this so much. What could have devolved into a farcical action story is elevated by small—tiny, even!—moments that made me smile. For example, there is a running thread through the story of Gilda’s love of baseball. She spent hours as a child going to Giants games with her father, and she continues to study baseball stats as a way of keeping his memory alive. There is also the mystery of a song that one of the characters’ can’t get out of his head. No one seems to know the name of the song, but Gilda takes on the grueling task of finding out, another thread that winds its way through the story and is tied up neatly at the end. Even the mystery of the missing glove is resolved, bringing the story full circle.We’re also drawn into the pain Gilda still feels over the disappearance of her father, yet another mystery that has never been solved. Victor Carr, despite being absent from the story, looms large in Gilda’s memories, and so the reader also feels terrible about his loss. Akers gives us plenty of backstory, telling of his rise to fame with the NYPD, only to fall after he fails to solve the case of a missing girl. His story is part of why Gilda is drawn to mysteries in the first place, and it makes for a wonderful way to connect the two characters together. With a huge cast of characters and a multitude of side plots going on, the plot of Westside becomes convoluted and overstuffed at times, especially in the second half when Gilda’s hunt for the glove uncovers a much bigger mystery. It felt at times as though the sheer amount of story elements was just too big for the author to handle, and it was during these moments that I lost the thread of the plot. But this is my only complaint. Akers eventually corrals all the disparate parts, and it’s a testament to his writing skills that he’s able to juggle so many things at the same time.The story ends with a perfect, emotional scene that had me grinning from ear to ear. I loved Westside, and if you also have a penchant for beautifully written, intricately plotted stories with a touch of the weird, filled with larger-than-life characters, I urge you to read this book.With thanks to NetGalley, Edelweiss, Goodreads, the author and the publisher for multiple review copies. My cup runneth over!

First things first, this book is wholly original. The world building is fantastic! Imagine a New York of the early 1920’s … a little dangerous, colorful, fully jazzed and ginned up … now cut New York in half. A fence runs down the island splitting New York into the East and Westside. The East is fairly normal, maybe a little too crowded and a mess of corruption, but nothing too out of the ordinary. The Westside though … the buildings are rotting, shadows rule the night, and both possessions and loved ones disappear into the darkness with alarming frequency, never to be seen again. Who would want to live there?

Gilda Carr would. She is a fascinating character. A bold, gutsy, broken young woman in her mid-20’s, she is also the daughter of detective who disappeared years ago. She follows in his footsteps to a certain degree. She doesn’t get involved in serious crimes but does like to solve “tiny mysteries”. Of which there are plenty in this strange place. But the mystery of a missing glove grows exponentially into death and drama she doesn’t really want to be involved in but can’t she can’t seem to quit.

The writing in this book is excellent. The premise and world building are unique and very interesting. I was reminded a little of the grit and imagination of Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman. I read about 20 pages before I started raving about it to friends. I found it un-put-downable. Excellent read. I fully recommend this to everyone.

Song for this book: Welcome to the Black Parade – My Chemical Romance (New Orleans Marching Band Cover) ft. Joey Cook

Westside by W. M. Akers is one hell of a debut. I went into this book really loving the premise of a detective who solves small mysteries like a missing broach or jewelry is lead into this huge mystery involving murder and supernatural elements. The voice is similar to Neil Gaiman's and reminded me of Neverwhere meets Johnathan Strange & Mr. Norrell wih a little Blake Crouch's Dark Matter. It's a good Historical Fiction Mystery that adds a dash of Supernatural to it. This novel is a trip that is not easy to predict where it's going, and what a third act. I would like to thank HarperCollins Publishing and Netgalley for giving me the advanced uncorrected e-proof to read in exchange for an honest review.

Plot: We follow Gilda Carr who lives on the Westside of New York in the early 1910's.Gilda makes a living solving small mysteries like a missing glove or jewelry. The New York you know, isn't the Westside it's on the East, in this city the westside is the Eastside's cursed twin. The westside is full of decay and hollowed out building, there's no working electricity and gun don't seem to work as the barrel quickly rust up. The westside is ugly but Gilda just calls it home. She is content solving her small mysteries a trait passed down from her father who was detective on the police force for the Westside, her latest case is finding a woman's gloves that her husband bought her. This should be a nice small mystery, but this case opens her life up to murder, supernatural, and a case she had almost given up on the disappearance of her father.

What I Liked: Really unique way of describing people, that makes it easy to picture them. Really good world building and the history of Westside New York. I liked the device of small mysteries it gives you a slight Nancy Drew/Encyclopedia Brown vibe with a way darker tone which I enjoyed. I loved the characters of Gilda and her backstory and Virgil Carr her father's backstory. For side character's Ugly was my favorite, a henchman that clearly likes Gilda and all her moxie. The third act was great and the mastermind's reveal was pretty shocking and did not see coming.

What I Disliked: At the beginning I was super confused whether Glinda was on the Eastside or the Westside, 40 pages in it got easier to tell. It took a while to get differentiate all the side characters from one anther and how they relate. I wanted more payoff on Brass's song It felt like we were on it too much for it to make little impact to the story.

Recommendations: I really think you should check this book out it has a couple problem but really solid debut novel. If you like the way Neil Gaiman writes when he matches the real world with fantasy. If you like the colliding of genres like historical fiction with mystery and/or supernatural. I rated this book a solid 4 out of 5 stars.