This was a really fun historical mystery as both its own story and as a continuation of the first book. I enjoyed the progression of the character arcs and I appreciated Florence getting more involved in the story as well as getting her own little subplot. Viv and Honor continue to hold my heart in an iron grip.

I am a big @katharinewrites fan. She writes smart, engaging, intersectional books, both in this series (The Nightingale) and her Lily Adler series (about to read the 4th one over March break, so watch for a review).

This is the second in the Nightingale series. These are set in 1920's New York, among the people that worked to make the glamour of the Jazz Age happen for the privileged. The characters here are bouncers and singers and bartenders and delivery people and seamstresses and musicians. They know to trust no one, especially those who hold power, including the police.
Vivian and her sister Florence are back and are drawn into a mystery when their dear friend Bea's uncle, newly arrived in New York, is found dead. His death is ruled a suicide, but Bea doesn't want to believe that. With the help of familiar characters from the first book, Viv tries to find out what's going on. In the process, she uncovers a devastating scheme to rob some of the poorest people in their community of their few treasured possessions.
There is a lot of bleakness here. There is at least one unexpected twist, and the bleakness at least partly comes from that. There are also small joys, though - the joy of abandoning yourself to movement and music, the joy of a new romance, the joy of knowing you have somewhere to call home.

Schellman excels at building the world her characters inhabit. It is a gritty, painful, beautiful world. She also does great research and her back matter of reading suggestions is rich.

I wished for more of Honor, the enigmatic nightclub owner, and hope that we'll get that in future installments. The development of Danny, the bartender, as an important character was deftly done, and allowed the introduction of 20's Chinatown into the story.

Overall, this was a 4 star read for me, more because of the bleakness than any flaw in the writing. It's an accurate capture of a moment in time. It comes out June 6. Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the e-arc.

Kindle Copy for Review from Net Galley, Minotaur and St. Martin's Press.

I received a free, advance copy of this book and this is my unbiased and voluntary review.

Nightingale is a speakeasy club where society can break the rules. A young lady manages to get a job there where young people are free to do what they want after a dance and drink.

She isn’t one of them but the job allows her not to worry about rent and a minor luxury of fried ham for breakfast. She is surrounded by a cast of background character who she works with in this place.

Her best friend uncle commits suicide but they think he is murdered.+ and there is rumors that someone been threatened the neighbors with poison if they don’t do what they want.

An intriguing mystery that will keep you interested.

Before I dive into the review of Katharine Schellman’s The Last Drop of Hemlock, I just want to mention her cover artist. The covers for the two books in the Nightingale series are just stunning, and this one is no exception.

Vivian Kelly and her sister, Florence, are two Irish sisters struggling to get by in 1920s New York City. They both work for a seamstress during the day, but Vivian now works at the underground jazz club, The Nightingale, serving drinks several nights a week. She loves it, but one night a buzz goes through the crowd. A new bouncer at the club, Pearlie, is dead. Although the verdict is suicide, his niece, Bea, can’t accept it. Bea is Vivian’s best friend, and she asks Vivian to help her, to look into Pearlie’s death.

It’s the second time Vivian has looked into a death associated with The Nightingale, and she’s reluctant. But, Bea and her family helped the Kellys when they knew no one, and she feels obligated. Bea and Vivian fear Pearlie’s death was connected to the Mob, and it isn’t long before the two young women find a bottle and a note. They suspect the bottle was poisoned, but it’s their only proof that Pearlie didn’t commit suicide.

As Vivian digs, she discovers Pearlie isn’t the only one in their neighborhood to have received a note. But, the other notes threaten their poor neighbors, inducing them to turn over valued keepsakes. With mobsters, crooked cops, and eagle-eyed neighbors, the blackmailer could be anyone. When Florence is threatened, Vivian knows she has to call on all her resources to keep her sister safe.

While this time the crimes are centered around the Kellys’ poor neighborhood, Vivian’s friends are at The Nightingale. The contrast between the neighborhood and the underground club is stark, but there are threats in both areas. The Last Drop of Hemlock is a fascinating story of hidden New York City in the 1920s. But, readers really should pick up The Last Call at The Nightingale, and read it first.

Thank you, St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, for allowing me to read The Last Drop of Hemlock early!

Schellman wrote another thrilling mystery novel I quickly finshed!

If you are looking for a new twist on a historical mystery then look no further than the nightingale series! I wish I could be friends with Vivian and this book was such a great escape read. It makes one wish it was a mystery series that could be watched!

I really love this 1920s series! The setting is so interesting and the characters are unique and sympathetic without descending to stereotypes. I recommend reading “Last Call at the Nightingale” which introduces the setting and characters and was also a great read. You won’t regret it.

This is 1920s New York, but not the way the Jazz Age is usually depicted with wealthy Fitzgerald sorts whose lives have little meaning beyond their parties and conspicuous consumption. The main character, Vivian Kelly, is a poor Irish orphan living with her sister and working long hours for a parsimonious dressmaker. They’re making the dresses for the Fitzgerald characters. Her one escape is to go to the Nightingale where her best friend, Bea, works. There Vivian can forget her troubles dancing with men willing to buy her free drinks. At the end of the first book, she’s gotten a job as a waitress there at the Nightingale, where the mysterious female owner, Honor Huxley, seems to be attracted to her. There is also a handsome young man, Leo, with connections in both the police department and perhaps the underworld who is very attracted to her and always seems to show up at just the right time to help her out of a dangerous jam.

Vivian wavers between her attraction to both Honor and Leo while trying to solve the mystery of who killed her best friend’s uncle and who is forcing poor people to give up their only valuable items or face death. The mystery unfolds with several surprises that I just hadn’t glommed onto, but which the author had dropped breadcrumbs when I thought back on it.

The nightclub and main characters are a varied bunch that would fit in 21st century New York. There are people of different races and ethnicities as well as different sexual inclinations. I just don’t buy that they would all hang out with little judgment in one nightclub. I suspect that there would have been different nightclubs for each group. But it makes for an interesting and spicy mix and the possibilities for different plotlines that will extend into future novels in this series. I look forward to reading them.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

Oh my goodness this book was almost downright magical in its approach to history and how it was written. I loved every minute of it.