Last Call at the Nightingale is a solid beginning to a mystery series written by Katharine Schellman. It takes place in New York City during the Prohibition era and is centered around a speakeasy.
Vivian Kelly is a young woman who resides in with sister as they both yearn for something beyond their impoverished circumstances. They work for a somewhat tyrannical dressmaker. Vivian has taken to finding some relaxation at a nearby speakeasy where she can often drink and dance her troubles away.
Of course, her troubles only increase when she and a friend find a body in the alley behind the illegal establishment. The mysterious and seductive owner, Honor Huxley, has engaged her to ask around to see what she can learn about the dead man. Vivian becomes a reluctant sleuth. She will find that those at the Nightingale have deeper and more dangerous secrets than she may may know how to uncover.
I delved into this because the setting was one I found rather appealing. I found Vivian to be somewhat interesting but not that remarkable. The revelations she uncovered leading her to the murderer seemed to be managed more by luck than any real unique insight.
The tension between Vivian and her sister was pretty engaging, and there was real affection between them that was also rather complicated. Schellman brought out some unexpected moments of impressive resolve in the older sister, Florence. Florence is disapproves mightily of her sister’s extracurricular nocturnal activities, but she comes through at just the right moments.
I ended up enjoying this introduction to Schellman’s works. There were some pretty good twists, and Schellman seems to have done some thorough research into the era.
This may not be the greatest of current mystery series, but it was just compelling enough for me to keep an eye out for some of her other novels. Schellman is at least a competent and imaginative writer. She certainly managed to spark my imagination and appreciation to a distinct era in American history.
I may be returning to the literary doors of the Nightingale sooner than I expect.
Fow now, I will take a little non-fictional foray with a compilation of thoughts and musings of one Thomas Sowell. I think it’s time to delve into some Controversial Essays.
