This is a book about Vivian Gordon, and by the end of it I still felt I knew nothing about Vivian Gordon, the lady gangster of jazz age, New York .

Such a fascinating and interesting character I really wished this book focussed on titular character, instead of gangsters and other characters of New York in general.

Disjointed history, left me confused and wanting more than it delivered.

As for the narration, Romy Nordlinger there’s a fine job is a good fit for the subject matter.

I think I understand why the rating on this book is so low: it's mis-titled and mis-described. Here is my suggestion for a more appropriate title: Tammany's Twilight: The Murder of Vivian Gordan, the Fall of Mayor Jimmy Walker, and the Rise of Anti-Corruption in Jazz Age New York. This book is only partially a biography of Vivian Gordon, and I'd hesitate to call her a "lady gangster." If she was a "lady gangster," she most certainly wasn't the only "lady gangster of Jazz Age New York," as Anthony M. DeStefano mentions several "Broadway Butterflies" throughout his tale. I would say that the Vivian Gordan biography only takes up about a third of the book. Vivian Gordon's murder may be the book's fulcrum, but in the meantime we learn so much about so many different characters, machinations, trials, etc. Although I thought Romy Nordlinger did an amazing job with her narration, there was just too much to keep up with when you didn't have the benefit of either an index or the ability to easily flip back and forth between sections for reference. Particularly confusing was the similarity in so many names, especially John Radeloff (Vivian's lawyer and ex-boyfriend) and Joseph Radelow (another ex-boyfriend, business partner, and, ironically, Radeloff's cousin). Not even Romy Nordlinger's enunciation could help me keep these two straight.

Don't get me wrong: I liked the book. I probably would've asked to read it even if I had known it's full subject matter. My advice to the interested reader is to give it a try-- just not the audio version unless you also have a paper or ebook copy handy for reference.

I would like to thank Tantor Audio for allowing me to experience this NetGalley audiobook.

Broadway Butterfly: Vivian Gordon, The Lady Gangster of Jazz Age New York was not really a book about Vivian Gordon. Sure, she guest starred here and there, but although it starts with her murder and continues on through a quick run through of her early life, this book is way more about prohibition-era New York City and Mayor Walker. Also, I completely forgot "lady gangster" was in the title until I came here to post this review since the title makes it seem like Gordon was this hot shot shot caller but in the end, despite a variety of diaries over a period of years in existence, we don't know a lot about her-- but we sure learn a ton about Mayor Walker!

As a biography this isn't it but it is a somewhat interesting history on the corruption in that era of New York City, with 'Broadway butterflies' such as Gordon as dim set pieces in the edges of the narrative.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for the ALC in exchange for honest review.

I only made it 25% through this book before I had to give up. This was the book that I thought it was and the narration made it that much worse. Where this book seem like it could be highly informative there appears to be a lot of conjecture in what I had gotten through especially when some of the 'information' was prefaced with how they could not find records to back it up. Also, where I thought that this book would have been about Vivian Gordon and instead it was more about the time in which she existed and not about her much. In the end this was a book that I just could not get into.

I am struggling with rating this book. As a book, I'd give it at least 3 stars. As a book about Vivian Gordon, it deserves about 1 star.

The title is a misnomer, as this is barely about Vivian Gordon. It is about corruption in New York. Sure, the two are related. But if a book is supposed to be about a specific person, they shouldn't be overshadowed by multiple other people. There are several people who are talked about more than Vivian Gordon in this book.

So my issue is with the expectations versus the reality. I didn't dislike the book- it just definitely was not about what I thought it'd be. Again, the two topics are intertwined. But the life and death of Vivian Gordon shouldn't be a subplot in a book about her.

Romy Nordlinger narrates the audiobook.

I received an advance audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

Broadway Butterfly is a captivating historical thriller that takes us back to the glamorous yet gritty world of 1920s New York City. The novel centers around the real-life unsolved murder of Dot King, a chorus girl with a penchant for luxury and a knack for making powerful enemies. DeStefano weaves a rich tapestry of intrigue, scandal, and corruption, bringing to life the vibrant, roaring Twenties with all its excesses and dark underbelly.
Great narrator

Outstanding! I read the book when it was first released and I really liked it. When I saw it was going to be released as an audio book, I was excited to listen to it. It was even better than the book! The narrator did a fabulous job at drawing the listener into this true crime story. I can't recommend this audio book enough.

The life and times (okay, so it's the 1920s in Jazz Age New York) of the real life Broadway Butterfly and her untimely and as yet unsolved demise. Many thanks to NetGalley for the ARC/audiobook and a smooth easy narrator.