This was fun historical cozy mystery set in the 1920s! I loved the character of Kate and her best friend as they get ready to graduate high school, become a "modern", and solve a mystery! I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series.

This was a fun mystery set in the 1920s! I found the main protagonist to be very smart, outspoken, and feisty! I love the setting for her novel of the Jazz Age! The story is very well-written with a compelling mystery! Therefore, I recommend this for fans of Enola Holmes!

This historical mystery is set in LA in the time between the two world wars. The lead protagonist is a girl wanting to do more than just attend high school. The times are different, and the behaviour of the people around the 'youngsters' to them rather than their own behaviour sets the scene better. It is also a city where the money flows in from the movie industry, giving them a hold over things.
Kate happens to stumble on the death of a movie bigwig and arrives there with enough time to realise that things are being swept under the rug, or in this case, being smuggled out before the police make their arrival. This is just the opportunity Kate has been waiting for in order to prove to her father and even herself that she is an investigative reporter with all the right intuitions.
I was not as pleased by the narrative style initially as I was later on. The book begins with Kate being held in an interview room, and she is biding for time. She tells her story in drips, focussing on the mundane just to annoy the detective in front of her. It also annoyed me because I felt like the plot was not taking shape quickly enough. A few chapters in, I started to get more involved.
Overall, I was very satisfied with the book. I am not sure how accurate the lingo was, but it took me a while to get used to it. The people introduced to us were quite exciting, and the mystery at the heart of it all was worth the wait. The investigation was not dull, with a variety of efforts thrown into the mix.
I would definitely recommend this to people who like the cozy mystery-historical fiction mash-up. I look forward to the next book since a little of the angst in Kate's head and relationships have been tackled to some degree.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

Thank you, NetGalley, Lori Adams and the publishers for providing me this book in exchange for my review.

As a history geek, I was excited when I saw the title "Speak Easy" while browsing through NetGalley, Speakeasies were secret bars (hence the name "speak easy", meaning "speak quietly") established during the Prohibition Era in the US when drinking was prohibited. This book was set in the Roaring Twenties, which gave me a better view of that time with its unique dances such as the Charleston and the flappers. Overall, this was a good book and I am once again thankful to have read this book.

I received this book for free for an honest review from netgalley #netgalley

Smart and unique I really like this series set in the roaring twenties is definitely something new for my cozy crew

This book was a fantastically plotted mystery! Scandalously delicious: Miss Fisher meets Nancy Drew crossed with China Blues. Such a fun and sassy murder mystery. I am so glad I read this one. It kept me guessing the whole time.

This book is about a girl(Katharine Ann March) who aspires to be a reporter. When film director William Desmond Taylor is shot in the back, Kate takes it upon herself to investigate the crime.
Trust me, you would have never come across such a bold protagonist who has a penchant for trouble and also proves to be an exceptional investigator.
I think it managed to hold itself and remain interesting and engaging owing to its fresh voice and clever writing.
My only complaint is that it was a bit lengthy and some details could have been left out, Otherwise. there really isn't much I didn't enjoy.

Lori Adams’ Speak Easy had me laughing one moment and on the edge of the seat the next. The amazing mix of humor and suspense will have you flipping the pages like crazy. I can’t wait to read more of this author's works

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest, personal review. I really enjoyed this fresh take on a mystery story. The main character of Katherine Ann March is refreshing and she is focused on a career in journalism at a time when that was not what was seen as a future for a woman. Set in the 1920's, Kate is dealing with a lot of loss and chooses to take that and focus on finding a front page story for her father's newspaper. She takes the initiative when William Desmond Taylor is found murdered and you go on the ride with her as she delves into the secrets and lies surrounding the crime. You root for her to succeed and I found the story enjoyable, couldn't wait to finish it.

The time period this book was set in is fantastic. Adams really bings the setting to life, I felt immersed in the early days of Hollywood and in the mystery. It was a fun read and really checked all the things I like to see in a YA novel. I liked that this novel didn't ignore or shy away from the damage done to young men by WWI, and the main character herself carries pain that so many felt during that time period from losing loved ones during the war. The author clearly has skill in storytelling.

I will say that it took me till about the 50% part to really get involved in the book. Like the detective who was interviewing Kate, I took a while to get into the long drawn out explanations Kate gave. I really wanted the story to get on with it at some points. I also didn't connect with Kate as a character - but that is a personal preference. I just found her a tad annoying? She's very headstrong and stubborn (which could totally be a plus for others, but just didn't work for me) I did really like Nicky, and I fully understood his motivations. I can see the books getting more interesting as Kate ages and her relationship with Nicky expands. I think the series has good potential, even if I didn't fully connect with this book.

I would recommend this book for slightly older YA, New Adults, and Adults who want a relaxed mystery read set in the Roaring 20's.

A fun read. even though this is YA, didnt put me off. I wish this sort of book was around when i was a teenager, but i thoroughly enjoyed it as an adult.

While this isn't the best YA murder mystery I've read, it is a good one and ultimately the flaws are outweighed by the good plot, the bold protagonist, and the way the author wrote it. I also liked that the story as told with flashbacks, each chapter started with the police questioning Kate and then what happened. I think that detail worked really well, the long explanations, not so much.
This book brings the 20s to life. Between the details, the people referenced and the actual murder case, I was reading and researching finding out what was real and was the author’s imagination. While reading I thought that the war, the PTSD and the abandonment brought the post war environment that some authors avoid in a roaring 20s book.

My opinion of this book improved the more I was drawn into the story. In the beginning, the constant use of 1920s slang and historical details felt contrived. I was also put off by the format, starting each chapter with Kate being interviewed by a police investigator about the dead body with which she'd been found. Like the inspector, I became impatient with her long-drawn out explanation which had nothing to do with the dead body but instead details how she solved the main crime in the book. Almost despite myself though, I found myself enjoying Kate's adventures and mystery-solving skill. Although listed as a YA and despite the fact that Kate is a senior in high school at the beginning of the book, I would actually recommend this to adult mystery readers who want an entertaining, non-demanding read.

Speak Easy was so much fun - If you're looking for a fun and unique murder mystery to read this is definitely the one for you! I loved Kate as a character and her sleuthing was fantastic! The format and storytelling method were unique and kept me interested the entire time!

This was a really enjoyable and fun Murder mystery!
I liked Kate as a character and I enjoyed joining her in her sleuthing and I loved that she kept being ahead of the seasoned investigators
The format of the book was something I’ve never come across before and I thought it was great. Each chapter took the format of police questioning being answered by a flashback and I really enjoyed that
I will definitely be looking out for future books in this series

"Speak Easy" is the fictional tale of the investigation of the 1922 murder of real-life movie director William Desmond Howard. Teenage Kate Marsh, whose father owns a small newspaper that could be on the brink of shutting down, seizes the chance to investigate and solve the murder. Writing and publishing it in the family paper will be her way to save it. Author Lori Adams takes the reader on Kate's journey in solving the murder and in finding the path she wants her life to follow, all while giving the reader a glance into glamour of the Jazz Age and 1920s Hollywood
Reading this book was great fun. Written in first-person, something I tend to avoid, the story was engaging and full of interesting characters ~ real and fictional. They all contributed to helping me visualize all the events that unfold, and the emotional impact hose events had on each character. The only downside for me personally was the excessive slang. I know teens often talk this way, to the point it seems like a new language, but not every other sentence of dialogue. Having the adults in the book do it as well...a little much. Yet, overall it was a great book. I look forward to the next installment of the Kate Marsh mystery series.

Kate March, seventeen year old protagonist of author Lori Adams YA offering SPEAK EASY, makes her inaugural appearance as a high school senior whose interests and talents lie in areas that will have the reader visualizing a sleuth who is a combination of Nancy Drew and Nellie Bly.

Set in 1922, the tale begins with Kate becoming involved in the murder of a famous Hollywood director, William Desmond Taylor. In an attempt to save the family newspaper Kate decides to cover the story and launches her own investigation into the murder. With the assistance of film star Mary Miler Minter and BFF Addy, who longs to be a flapper, she becomes embroiled in inquiries that lead them into gambling dens, famous restaurants and speakeasies as well as discovering the sordid behind the scenes practices of a major motion picture studio……. all while incurring the wrath of the LAPD.

These three musketeers gossip, comfort each other as well as offering support to each other through the various setbacks in their case.

SPEAK EASY is a prime example of the eternal lure of the citizen sleuth.. 3 1/2 stars

I love murder mystery books and this was no different, kept me guessing and that’s what I like about mystery books. I definitely will be purchasing the other books by this author.

This is a fictionalized account of a real murder that took place in the 1920s. The story reads like YA fiction, with, plenty of period slang and an intrepid teenage (17-18 YO) heroine who is a reporter on her father's newspaper. She tries to solve the crime to prove her abilities and help her father hold on to his failing paper. She has a gallant admirer - a young cop who was her late brother's friend and helps run some interference when she gets herself in trouble. It is a light, pleasant read and is a good introduction to a future series.

I love books set in the roaring 20s and if they end up being mystery all the better. I still like if I had lived during the 1920s I would have ended up being a flapper. No doubt about it.

1920s, California, newspapers, murder, murder-investigation, amateur-sleuth, family-dynamics, family-business, friendship, law-enforcement, historical-fiction, historical-research, historical-setting****

Kate grew up quick when at fourteen both of her older brothers were killed in the Great War and her mother just left. Against the backdrop of the film industry, Kate wants to be a reporter but finds that she has a penchant for being a detective. Although it's a mite long, it held my interest to the end.
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Spyhop Publishing/Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) via NetGalley.

Speak Easy was like being dropped into "Newsies", except in LA. A lot of the time i had to remind myself that the characters wouldn't have that classic NY accent. This was a great "cozy" mystery, even in the metropolis that is Los Angeles.

Kate March is such an endearing character, mostly because she tries not to be. She follows her own path, the beat of her own drum, and forges her way into quite a first murder investigation for herself.

With my knowledge, this book seemed historically accurate when referencing other goings on in the time period (20s). I can't wait to read more of her adventures.

Although this genre seems to have a lot of new female heroines from the 20s, 30s, and 40s, it stands out because Kate isn't trying too hard to fit in with the boys. She goes and follows leads and produces information because she is bold and not afraid to ask questions.