This is a great follow-up to Last Call at the Nightingale. Vivian has managed to renegotiate her life as a working-class woman in prohibition era NYC to make things a little easier for herself and her sister. She isn’t thrilled by the idea of undergoing another investigation, but she also doesn’t hesitate to help Bea.

I really appreciated the relationship between Vivian and her sister Florence. It’s clear that the events of the previous book have allowed them to become much closer. Flo is finally beginning to bloom into her own person rather than a protective older sister.

Note: This is the second book in the Nightingale Mysteries series. This story builds off the previous book, so it is best to read them in order. Book 1 is Last Call at the Nightingale.

Expected publishing date of this book is June 6th 2023.

The setting of this book is New York in the 1920’s. The main character is Vivian, who works at a speakeasy called the Nightingale. Her friends uncle, was poisoned. It turns out that several individuals in their neighborhood have been threatened with poison as well. Vivian and her friends investigate the crimes, and the local police don’t seem too concerned about deaths in their poor neighbour hood.

This book was a bit slow at the start, but quickly picked up momentum. Overall, well written with well developed plot and characters. I enjoyed the mystery, even though books set in the 1920s aren’t usually my jam.

Thank you to Netgalley and St Martins Press for providing me with an eARC of this book to read and review.

A girl’s gotta support her family, even if it’s family by choice. This is exactly what Viv does when Bea’s Uncle dies, even though the coppers believe it was a suicide. With her nose for sniffing out clues and digging, Viv will find the truth, if the truth doesn’t kill her first.

I wish I had read the first one in this series, but I was able to follow along just fine and will fix my mistake by reading the first one very soon. I really love the camaraderie and closeness of not only Viv and Flo, but the speakeasy family. I wish I could go back in time and experience it myself, as a guest for an evening…though the writer really does take you there.

The doorman is poisoned but the police rule it a suicide. Others do not and try to solve the murder before anyone else dies.

The second of the Nightingale series is full of prohibition era history, lively characters and mystery. You don’t have to read the first to enjoy this one. The intriguing title took awhile for the meaning to be revealed but as the clues came together there were surprises at every turn. I couldn’t read fast enough and hope the author continues writing this genre. This time period was rife with corrupt cops, prejudices against many ethnicities and women. It surely wasn’t glamorous, very interesting to read about.
Vivian lives in a poor neighborhood tenement in NYC with her older sister Florence. They have a tenuous relationship. While Vivian needs to feel alive, loves to dance and take risks, Flo is reserved, content to work hard as a seamstress and follow the rules. Viv spends several nights a week serving drinks at the Nightingale club. The club’s owner, Honor, is strong, enigmatic, protective, and keeps the illicit liquor flowing at her speakeasy . There are hardscrabble neighbors struggling to feed their children. Bea and Viv are friends, she sings for the band at the Nightingale. Bea’s uncle has died and she’s adamant the police version of the method is wrong. Viv sets out to uncover the truth, putting not only herself, but others in great peril. She discovers dastardly deeds, theft, blackmailing, mysterious letters, poison, corruption, all leading to murder.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing the digital advance reader copy of ”The Last Call at the Nightingale”, by Katharine Schellman, publisher Minotaur Books, St. Martin’s Press. These are all my own honest personal thoughts and opinions given voluntarily without compensation.

Even though this is book 2 in a series, you don't need to have read the 1st in order to enjoy this one.

This is a fast-paced fun historical mystery with a strong sense of place and expert character development. The author keeps the reader guessing and turning the pages. The mystery itself is well-plotted with a satisfying number of twists.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher; all opinions are my own.

This is a fun historical mystery and the second in the Nightingale series. I like this character a lot and everything about this story holds true to the era. This story starts out a bit slow but picks up quickly and it’s a fun ride until the end. This can read as a stand-alone but I highly recommend going back and reading the first. Looking forward to the third. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced readers copy for review.

[arc review]
Thank you to Minotaur Books for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
The Last Drop of Hemlock releases June 6, 2023

3.5

*This is the second book in the Nightingale Mysteries series*

We’re back at the Nightingale club with new roles for some of the characters — Bea being the lead singer and Vivian now a part time waitress.

The start of this story reveals that Bea’s uncle died of an apparent suicide, but Bea thinks it was a murder since Pearlie was doing well for himself and had a sudden influx of cash.

Not long later, Vivian and Bea learn that the person who gave Pearlie his cash and alcohol payout, laced it with arsenic.

Throughout the story, we follow a string of individuals who are on the receiving end of threatening letters that are demanding valuable goods from poor folk.

Who is the person behind these threatening acts, and will Vivian, her sister, and her friends come out unscathed? Or will the people you think you know best end up being the ones to blindside you?

Compared to the first in this series, I found this one to be much more gripping.
The tension between Huxley and Vivian is amplified and made for some interesting dynamics (though there’s still no resolution for the love triangle).
I enjoyed seeing Florence stepping out of her comfort zone!
I’m hoping that we’ll get a third installment to further explain the history of what happened to Vivian and Florence’s mother, plus it will be interesting to see how Vivian and Bea move forward in their friendship after that ending.

I’ve got to read book one Last Call at the Nightingale. After starting this book, I’ve decided to read the book one first.

The Last Drop is book two in the Nightingale Mysteries Series by Katharine Schellman.

This is a fun, fast-paced, action-packed mystery.
Katharine has a way to really capture you the reader and holding your interest. She did a very good job creating the time era. You could almost see and feel it all unfold.
The mystery was so well done. I enjoyed the many twists and turns.
I thought the mystery was intriguing and I found the story impossible to put down.
The story moved at a brisk pace and kept me guessing right up until its satisfying conclusion.
Great characters, plot, storyline and writing. Schellman did a fantastic job here and now I’m looking forward to reading book one.
A very exciting, entertaining historical mystery.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and Minotaur Books for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

The Last Drop of Hemlock by Katharine Schellman is a humdinger of a tale.

Will Vivian figure out what happened to Pearlie and his mazuma?

Vivian Kelly
Viv is our sleuth and the main character. She has a complex personality and a grasp of the world around her. Vivian takes care of those close to her. However, she is also a bit jealous of them too. I like Vivian. She is willing to go to extremes for her loved ones but won't compromise her core values.

Florence is Vivian's older sister. The two of them grew up in foster care, but now that they are adults, they are doing okay. However, okay in the 1920s is different from okay today. Vivian and Florence truly help their neighbors by purchasing food to help them out, helping with laundry, or washing dishes. These ladies aren't afraid of hard work.

The Mysteries
So, our central mystery is who killed Bea's Uncle Pearlie and took his money. Then there is who is threatening the poor people in their neighborhood into giving up their valuables. And the mystery of what happened to their mom and who their dad is. There is a bit of romance, with some couples forming and lots of flirting. Oh, finding the culprits and their justice is surprising. I didn't see it coming.

Five Stars
My rating for The Last Drop of Hemlock by Katharine Schellman is five stars. I loved the history lessons, the complex relationships, and the character growth throughout the story. Overall, it is entertaining, engaging, and a berries of a story. I highly recommend The Last Drop of Hemlock. I haven't read the first one but am adding it to my TBR. Hopefully, I will get to it before the third book comes out.

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of The Last Drop of Hemlock by Katharine Schellman.

Until the next time,
~Jen

If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out Baroness Book Trove.

After coming off of a five star read, I probably had higher than normal expectations. I was hopeful that I would enjoy this novel based on other readers' reviews. But knowing that I'm more critical than most readers, I wasn't surprised that my interest waned early in the novel.

The novel is touted as the second installment in the Nightingale Mystery Series. And though I didn't get to read the first installment, I didn't have a problem navigating through the different characters and backstories. There was enough background information to get me up to speed.

I found the pacing to be problematic for me. It's slower that what I'm accustomed to. But if you're a reader that enjoys atmospheric novels, The Last Drop of Hemlock just might be in your wheelhouse.

I didn't quite like the storyline. And perhaps the pacing had a lot to do with it. I just got bored. And after completing 35% of the novel, I gave up trying to find that spark or breadcrumb to keep me going. An unfortunate one star DNF.

I received a digital ARC from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

Another exciting, entertaining historical mystery from Katharine Schellman! In just a few books, Schellman has become one of my favorite historical mystery writers, between her Regency era Lily Adler series and this newer series set in 1920s New York City, featuring the down-at-heel but ever vivacious Vivian Kelly. Both books in the series so far are centered on the speakeasy The Nightingale, and Schellman's attention to historical detail informs, but never overpowers, her crafting of a tightly-constructed, dramatic mystery plot and intriguing characters. I loved The Last Drop of Hemlock and definitely look forward to the series continuing!

Thank you to Minotaur Books for the advance review copy!

I love the atmosphere of the world created at The Nightingale. No one is fully honest, no one is fully moral, but everyone is trying to do the best they can. And that joie de vivre, of getting lost in the dance and enjoying the moment, makes heroine Vivian so darned likable. And she’s so lucky to have two found families (in addition to her sister, Florence): both at the Nightingale and among her neighbors in her tenement. They truly do take care of their own. I can’t wait to learn more about all of them - so intriguing!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

A great sequel to the first book. The author progressed the storyline and the characters in a way that felt faithful to the first book. I hope this series is set to continue.

"In The Last Drop of Hemlock, the dazzling follow up to Last Call at the Nightingale, even a dance can come with a price...

The rumor went through the Nightingale like a flood, quietly rising, whispers hovering on lips in pockets of silence.

Life as a working-class girl in Prohibition-era New York isn't safe or easy. But Vivian Kelly has a new job at the Nightingale, an underground speakeasy where the jazz is hot and the employees look out for each other in a world that doesn't care about them. Things are finally looking up for her and her sister Florence...until the night Vivian learns that her friend Bea's uncle, a bouncer at the Nightingale, has died.

His death is ruled a suicide, but Bea isn't so convinced. She knew her uncle was keeping a secret: a payoff from a mob boss that was going to take him out of the tenements and into a better life. Now, the money is missing.

Though her better judgment tells her to stay out of it, Vivian agrees to help Bea find the truth about her uncle's death. But they uncover more than they expected when rumors surface of a mysterious letter writer, blackmailing Vivian's poorest neighbors for their most valuable possessions, threatening poison if they don't comply.

Death is always a heartbeat away in Jazz Age New York, where mob bosses rule the back alleys and cops take bootleggers' hush money. But whoever is targeting Vivian's poor and unprotected neighbors is playing a different game. With the Nightingale's dangerously lovely owner, Honor, worried for her employees' safety and Bea determined to discover who is responsible for her uncle's death, Vivian once again finds herself digging through a dead man's past in hopes of stopping a killer."

Because if there's one thing you don't do you don't target the weak.

I read the previous Nightingale Mystery and was very excited to read this one as well. Can we just talk about the cover art in this series?! Isn't it just gorgeous?!

Readers are returned to New York City smack-dab in the middle of Prohibition. Vivian now works nights at the speakeasy Nightingale and her best friend Bea is the main attraction singer. One night Bea races in with the tragic news of her uncle’s death. Cops have ruled suicide, but Bea is saying murder and asks Vivian for help. Then there are the rumors of blackmail letters in their building, “Give us your valuables, or be prepared to drink poison”, and Vivian feels she has no choice but to help. If, for no other reason, than to prevent another murder.

I made a guess at the beginning of the novel as to the murderer, but it was only a guess. I didn’t fully understand the solution until Vivian obviously explained it all. Definitely a full embodiment of the 1920’s and what gangsters, crooked cops, jazz clubs, and immigrants experienced.

I was surprised that the antagonist from the first novel made an appearance. It wasn’t as pronounced so it sort of felt out of place, but it makes a pattern for Vivian. I am curious to see if Vivian’s sister Florence will become more involved, especially with how the novel ends for both sisters.

However, I have a pet peeve about love triangles, so that bit is why I lowered my rating. I really don’t like wishy-washy, “I love you, but we can’t” storylines. If you can’t then you can’t and there’s no use wishing otherwise. I hope that bit gets resolved quickly. I will say that I can see both relationships, so it will be interesting.

Overall, I rate this novel 4 out of 5 stars.

I didn't read the book that this is a follow-up to, but even without it I enjoyed the book a lot! I'm starting to enjoy historical fictions more and more because of books like this. So good!

We are in New York in 1924. Vivian has a job at the Nightingale, a speakeasy with a reputation for fun and maybe dance and a drink.

Things are beginning to turn around for her and her sister. Living in a nasty two-room hovel, at least they have a roof over their heads.

The first thing we find out is that Bea’s Uncle Pearlie, who works at the Nightingale too, has been poisoned. His death is ruled a suicide, which we all know is not right. He was a family man who would have never left his family unprotected.

As if that was not enough, who is writing the threatening letters exposing her friend's secrets? Things are not looking good for any of them, and Vivian is back looking for clues and trying to find the truth. It won’t be easy.

NetGalley/ June 06, 2023, St. Martin’s Minotaur

TLDR: Six stars! Enjoy this engrossing tale of 1920s New York City during prohibition.

This is one of those series that makes you regret your previous five-star reviews because _this_ book really deserves those five stars! The first book in the series was fantastic and this one is, if anything, better. It's wonderful to read about all the characters you loved from the first book and, as a bonus, you get a historical travelogue of prohibition in NYC. (The author's note at the end even gives recommended further reading.) The mystery is pleasantly twisty and there's enough progress on the multi-book greater mysteries to be satisfying. Highly recommended.

A fun historical mystery. I've enjoyed Schellman's Lily Adler series and am happy to discover the other era / other heroine series.