In preparing for this review, I had to ask myself why I don’t read much in the mystery genre. I read a lot of science fiction and fantasy, and a lot of the stories I love in that genre are mysteries. The Dresden Files are some of my favorite books, and that’s just a mystery dressed up in fantasy clothing. So, why don’t I peruse the mystery aisle more often at the bookstore? When I saw a chance to get The Last Drop of Hemlock by Katharine Schellman from Minotaur Books, I was interested in a way that I’m usually not for a lot of mysteries. The Last Drop of Hemlock is set in the Jazz Age, and that is what I found most interesting. What draws me to mystery stories is the setting and characters. Upon reading, it becomes clear that Katharine Schellman has created a wonderful setting for her Nightingale Mysteries series. The Last Drop of Hemlock is the second book in the series and was a fun introduction to that world. Scraping by during the day and waitressing in a glitzy speakeasy at night, Vivian Kelly is a character worth getting to know.
Disclaimer: The publisher provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Any and all opinions that follow are mine alone.
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TL;DR
The Last Drop of Hemlock is a beautifully depicted mystery during the Jazz Age in New York City. Vivian Kelly must solve who is threatening her neighbors, friends, and sister while staying ahead of the police and figuring out where she stands with her boss. This delightful mystery does not disappoint. Recommended.
From the Publisher
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.
Review: The Last Drop of Hemlock by Katharine Schellman
Prohibition gave organized crime a chance to establish itself and grow its power. Americans didn’t abide by the laws prohibiting alcohol; they turned to underground, illegal clubs called speakeasies. Vivian Kelly is a waitress at a speakeasy in New York City during the night and delivers dresses during the day. She’s hustling just to survive, but with the additional money from the Nightingale, Vivian has achieved a little comfort in her life. She lives with her sister Florence, who is a dressmaker but doesn’t join Vivian at the speakeasy. Their lives are tough but endurable. The building in which they live contains a lot of people struggling more than the sisters. When one of the bouncers at the Nightingale seemingly commits suicide, Vivian begins asking questions. Pearlie, the bouncer, didn’t seem capable of suicide. Pearlie was the uncle of the Nightingale’s talented singer, Bea, and Bea doesn’t believe Pearlie committed suicide. Vivian believes her and soon stumbles into a series of threatening letters to residents of the poorer areas. Someone is stealing important, personal items from people who don’t have much and likely can’t go to the cops. If they don’t comply with the threats, the thieves are poisoning people. Soon, Vivian’s sister gets a letter, and it’s up to Vivian to figure out who’s behind the whole scheme.
The Last Drop of Hemlock by Katharine Schellman is a third person historical mystery. This is the second book in The Nightingale Mysteries series. Vivian Kelly is the main character, and the book follows her as she seeks information on Pearlie’s death. This book is quick and fun with a beautiful setting. Schellman’s depiction of New York City during the Jazz Age is excellent, and after the completion of the novel, she gives some recommendations for further reading about that time.
The Jazz Age
Schellman clearly did a lot of research into Jazz Age New York to set the background for her story. She’s created a lovely little few city blocks that focus on people often not discussed in that time. At the same time, she paints a portrait of the city as a place of danger and excitement with people just barely scraping to get by. Her scenes in the Nightingale are by far the best. Readers can feel that it’s a safe space for Vivian, and her job there is central to her life.
Schellman takes readers to Chinatown in NYC for a portion. While she doesn’t give us a lot of background info, she does discuss how Asians were discriminated against during that time. The law was that only men could immigrate for labor purposes. The powers that be were afraid of Asian women coming over and having kids, increasing the non-white population in the country. Sounds familiar, right?
A lot of the dialogue uses language from that era, and it can seem kind of hokey to modern ears. However, it works. It’s another way of setting readers in the time.
Love Triangle
Mystery
The mystery here wasn’t as important to me as the setting and characters. I enjoyed Vivian’s interactions more with her friend, co-workers, sister, and romantic interests more than her sleuthing. I didn’t solve the mystery, exactly. I had a partial solution, but I enjoyed everything else more. I did like that the mystery was small and affected everyday people. Schellman had me more interested in how Vivian would protect people than in who was doing the dastardly deeds. I appreciate that reversal. Usually, in mysteries, I want answers to my questions and will miss what a joy the characters are. Here, the joy of the characters shown through.
Conclusion
Katharine Schellman’s The Last Drop of Hemlock is a beautiful depiction of the Jazz Age with a focus on the less affluent. Vivian Kelly is a smart, tough detective pulled in many directions as she tries to figure out who’s stealing from the poor. The threat of the police during Prohibition, other gangster’s, and crime is a constant throughout the novel, but Vivian finds escape on the dance floor of the Nightingale. When you read this book, you’ll escape with her. Recommended.
The Last Drop of Hemlock by Katharine Schellman is available from Minotaur Books now.
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