When we first meet Battle Annie, aka Annie Walsh, Queen of the gang known as the Lady Gophers Social and Athletic Club, she is going about the business of her rough and tumble life in 1890s New York: taking jobs from the highest bidder in the contentious battle between the railroad barons and the unions; rubbing elbows with the likes of Stumpy Malarkey, Gallus Mag, and other friends and foes; stashing balsam from her jobs in the secret hiding place for her boodle; and generally struggling to feed herself and the street urchins she protects. Soon enough she is caught up in the struggle between the sundry powers facing off during this tumultuous time, including corrupt officials and police, the Knights of Labor, and even Eugene Debs. When she is falsely accused of murder she goes into hiding—in plain sight as a Baltimore milliner under an assumed name, playing up her disguise as a respectable society lady. But her nemesis Webb is intent on flushing her out and putting her in the hoosegow—or the frying chair—and sets the Pinkertons on her trail. With the war of wiles on, Annie faces the biggest threat yet to her freedom and fighting spirit. Trish MacEnulty’s lively retelling of Battle Annie’s story brims with street lingo and snappy dialogue, all while bringing the reader along on a wild ride through Hell’s Kitchen and environs. A romping good read!

Battle Annie isn't my usual choice of reading material but it was actually really interesting and enjoyable. It shows the hard side of Hell's Kitchen in New York in the 1880s and how Annie Walsh, a Queen Bee and outlaw had to fight for everything she had. I would recommend.

A decent enough read if you enjoy a throwback to days gone by. To be honest, I found it a little tough going at times, but perhaps having read something similar prior to this didn’t help.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing a preview. In these present times, it's good to be reminded of where we women stand today. Battle Annie, who I pleasantly discovered as having been a real brick hurler, is brought to life in this historical novel. From the start, I felt the life in Hell's Kitchen, and love for Annie. When a young girl, Cora, latches onto her skirt to escape the Pinkerton detectives, another life is presented to them, away from the hard life they were both born into. Easy read, excellent driving scenes and scrumptious details. Loved it.

A very interesting book about the history of the R AI l road. Strikes In new york city in eighteen eighties. This woman named Annie was part of the gang called GO.P h c. I also had a helper named C o r a. These women are very tough because they Throw BRI CK. At the strikers. Very interesting past Cor a was running in the streets. And wanted to find her younger sister who was taken away Ami c was accused of murder. So she had to leave new york city and went to baltimore to start over.. C o r a went with her. They started a hat address making business. It was interesting at first. C o r a route to the place to find her sister. This was very interesting.She did find the sister eventually but it did not work out. She went back to new york city to the gang life. Ani c was arrested, but her life turned out really well. At the end. A very interesting book and I liked how went back and forth and explain how these women had to survive on their own

First queenpin?
As a former Hell's Kitchen resident, I loved this. I felt like I was in New York in the 1880s, and learned a lot about the business of the day: railroads. You've got a based on true stories, gangster with a heart of gold, and a fight to escape execution for a crime she didn’t commit... All told with precision and panache.