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Nightingale Mysteries #3
The Last Note of Warning
The Last Note of Warning is the third in the luscious, mysterious, and queer Nightingale mystery series by Katharine Schellman, set in 1920s New York.
Prohibition is a dangerous time to be a working-class woman in New York City, but Vivian Kelly has finally found some small measure of both stability and freedom. By day, she’s a respectable shop assistant, delivering luxurious dresses to the city’s wealthy and elite. At night, she joins the madcap revelry of New York’s underworld, serving illegal drinks and dancing into the morning at a secretive, back-alley speakeasy known as the Nightingale. She's found, if not love, then something like it with her bootlegger sweetheart, Leo, even if she can't quite forget the allure of the Nightingale's sultry owner, Honor Huxley.
It’s not a safe life. Every day comes with the threat of poverty; every night could be the police raid that ends in disaster. But it’s a better life than Vivian once thought possible, and she’s determined to cling to it with both hands.
Then the husband of a wealthy client is discovered dead in his study, and Vivian was the last known person to see him alive. With the police and the press both eager to name a culprit in the high-profile case, she finds herself the primary murder suspect.
She can’t flee town without endangering the people she loves, but Vivian isn’t the sort of girl to go down without a fight. She can strike a deal with the police commissioner: one more week of freedom before she’s arrested for good. She can cash in every favor she has from the criminals she calls friends to prove she had no connection to the dead man.
But she can’t prove what isn’t true.
The more Vivian digs into the dead man’s life, counting down the hours until the police come for her, the harder it is to avoid the truth: someone she knows wanted him dead. And the best way to get away with murder is to set up a girl like Vivian to take the fall.
Prohibition is a dangerous time to be a working-class woman in New York City, but Vivian Kelly has finally found some small measure of both stability and freedom. By day, she’s a respectable shop assistant, delivering luxurious dresses to the city’s wealthy and elite. At night, she joins the madcap revelry of New York’s underworld, serving illegal drinks and dancing into the morning at a secretive, back-alley speakeasy known as the Nightingale. She's found, if not love, then something like it with her bootlegger sweetheart, Leo, even if she can't quite forget the allure of the Nightingale's sultry owner, Honor Huxley.
It’s not a safe life. Every day comes with the threat of poverty; every night could be the police raid that ends in disaster. But it’s a better life than Vivian once thought possible, and she’s determined to cling to it with both hands.
Then the husband of a wealthy client is discovered dead in his study, and Vivian was the last known person to see him alive. With the police and the press both eager to name a culprit in the high-profile case, she finds herself the primary murder suspect.
She can’t flee town without endangering the people she loves, but Vivian isn’t the sort of girl to go down without a fight. She can strike a deal with the police commissioner: one more week of freedom before she’s arrested for good. She can cash in every favor she has from the criminals she calls friends to prove she had no connection to the dead man.
But she can’t prove what isn’t true.
The more Vivian digs into the dead man’s life, counting down the hours until the police come for her, the harder it is to avoid the truth: someone she knows wanted him dead. And the best way to get away with murder is to set up a girl like Vivian to take the fall.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published June 4, 2024
50 people are currently reading
13630 people want to read
About the author
Katharine Schellman
19 books1,194 followersKatharine Schellman is the author of the Lily Adler Mysteries and the forthcoming Nightingale Mysteries. Her debut novel, The Body in the Garden, was one of Suspense Magazine's Best Books of 2020 and led to her being named one of BookPage's 16 Women to Watch in 2020. Her second novel, Silence in the Library, was praised as "worthy of Rex Stout or Agatha Christie" (Library Journal).
Katharine lives and writes in the mountains of Virginia in the company of her husband, children, and the many houseplants she keeps accidentally murdering. Find her on Instagram as @katharinewrites.
Katharine lives and writes in the mountains of Virginia in the company of her husband, children, and the many houseplants she keeps accidentally murdering. Find her on Instagram as @katharinewrites.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 155 reviews
August 7, 2025
The champagne was flowing in the Nightingale, poured out for the dancers who crowded around the bar.
Don’t tell, they agreed, toasting each other with sultry voices and bold laughter. Don’t tell. You never saw me here.
The Last Note of Warning, and the Nightingale Mysteries series by extension, is more bent on creating the Jazz Age vibes, albeit with modern women than on the crafting a realistic book. I found I couldn't focus on the actual murder mystery as I was distracted by the cardboard cutout characters and the unrealistic circumstances and series of events - just to create a premise for the mystery. This coupled with the heavy handed writing intent on telling rather than showing jarred me out of enjoying the book. I would have appreciated the character development, especially the relationship between the two sisters, if it wasn't so contradictory to itself.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
🌟 1/4
[1/4 star for the premise and the whole book; 1/4 star for the characters; 1/4 star for the writing; 1/4 star for the story; 1/4 star for the world-building - 1 1/4 star in total, rounded down to 1 star].
Don’t tell, they agreed, toasting each other with sultry voices and bold laughter. Don’t tell. You never saw me here.
The Last Note of Warning, and the Nightingale Mysteries series by extension, is more bent on creating the Jazz Age vibes, albeit with modern women than on the crafting a realistic book. I found I couldn't focus on the actual murder mystery as I was distracted by the cardboard cutout characters and the unrealistic circumstances and series of events - just to create a premise for the mystery. This coupled with the heavy handed writing intent on telling rather than showing jarred me out of enjoying the book. I would have appreciated the character development, especially the relationship between the two sisters, if it wasn't so contradictory to itself.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
🌟 1/4
[1/4 star for the premise and the whole book; 1/4 star for the characters; 1/4 star for the writing; 1/4 star for the story; 1/4 star for the world-building - 1 1/4 star in total, rounded down to 1 star].
December 2, 2024
This series is perfect for readers who love mysteries and historical fiction, especially if the 1920s interest you. With The Last Note of Warning, we are back in New York City in the 1920s, which means Prohibition and speakeasies. It’s a time when women were venturing beyond their traditional roles and behaviors.
Our main character, Vivian Kelly, works two jobs to make ends meet: making deliveries for a high-end seamstress by day, and waitressing and dancing at the Nightingale club at night. On one of these deliveries, Vivian finds herself asked to wait, as the woman who ordered the dresses has not returned home yet. When she decides she has waited long enough, she goes in search of a pen and paper with which to write a note and discovers the man of the house dead. Vivian is charged with his murder! With her connections, she manages to be released but the real killer must be found in the next seven days or she will be taken back into custody!
The author depicts real life situations, from the working class apartments/tenements to the lavish mansions uptown, the freedom of the nightclubs/speakeasies where pretty much “anything goes”, as well as more traditional lives. The LGBTQ representation is terrific in these books, starting with Vivian being bi. Her relationships with Leo Green and Honor (the female nightclub owner) ebb and flow from book to book, and it seems that more changes are in store for future volumes. I particularly enjoyed learning more about Honor in this story.
I did eventually guess at least part of the mystery but that did not lessen my enjoyment at all.
Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Our main character, Vivian Kelly, works two jobs to make ends meet: making deliveries for a high-end seamstress by day, and waitressing and dancing at the Nightingale club at night. On one of these deliveries, Vivian finds herself asked to wait, as the woman who ordered the dresses has not returned home yet. When she decides she has waited long enough, she goes in search of a pen and paper with which to write a note and discovers the man of the house dead. Vivian is charged with his murder! With her connections, she manages to be released but the real killer must be found in the next seven days or she will be taken back into custody!
The author depicts real life situations, from the working class apartments/tenements to the lavish mansions uptown, the freedom of the nightclubs/speakeasies where pretty much “anything goes”, as well as more traditional lives. The LGBTQ representation is terrific in these books, starting with Vivian being bi. Her relationships with Leo Green and Honor (the female nightclub owner) ebb and flow from book to book, and it seems that more changes are in store for future volumes. I particularly enjoyed learning more about Honor in this story.
I did eventually guess at least part of the mystery but that did not lessen my enjoyment at all.
Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
June 6, 2024
I had to give myself a minute to recover before writing about the newest installment in The Nightingale series by Katharine Schellman. This book was suspenseful and had me quite emotional! The main character, Vivian Kelly, has to prove herself innocent of a murder. At the same time, she is navigating changes in her relationships with her newlywed sister, her boss/sometimes love interest, and another friend who is also a love interest. All this while we see all the characters trying to survive working-class, 1920s New York. There's a stunning contrast between the lives of our main characters and that of upper-class New York, as the main character makes deliveries for an exclusive, custom dress shop.
The writing in this book instantly took me to the 1920s. From word choices to setting descriptions, the atmosphere permeated the story. Each chapter counted down the days until Vivian was to be taken into custody by the corrupt police commissioner, which heightened the suspense and gave me a feeling of dread as she followed leads (and worked her two jobs, which barely provide for food and shelter). I cried before Vivian did over her hopeless situation! Of course, there was a break in the case and a satisfying conclusion, but not without a little hint of more to come with Vivian's relationship with her boss.
The writing in this book instantly took me to the 1920s. From word choices to setting descriptions, the atmosphere permeated the story. Each chapter counted down the days until Vivian was to be taken into custody by the corrupt police commissioner, which heightened the suspense and gave me a feeling of dread as she followed leads (and worked her two jobs, which barely provide for food and shelter). I cried before Vivian did over her hopeless situation! Of course, there was a break in the case and a satisfying conclusion, but not without a little hint of more to come with Vivian's relationship with her boss.
July 6, 2024
Vivian is accused of murder after stumbling on a dead husband after delivering new dresses to his new wife. The dead man was considerably wealthy, and the family and its servants are quick to point the finger at Vivian, with the police happy to take the easy route and arrest an innocent, much less well-off woman.
Leo, her sort of boyfriend, helps get her out, but his police commissioner uncle gives her a week to find a more credible suspect, or she’s back in jail.
Thinking Honor might be able to help her, Vivian relays what happened, and then is shocked when Honor says she can’t help Vivian. Using what few, other connections she has, Vivian begins digging into the dead man’s family, looking for someone who might have hastened the man’s death. The man's will exposes a secret leading back to the Nightingale, but also gives Vivian a better picture about the dead man and his avaricious family.
The world author Katherine Schellman show's us in this series is wonderfully fleshed out, and each new installment set in 1920s New York City just keeps getting better.
Vivian continues to be an appealing main character, using her intelligence to navigate both the world of the Nightingale, but also that of the rich women she delivers dresses to daily.
The dangerous situation Vivian finds herself in has her dealing much more closely with police than she likes; it's not safe dealing with police as a poor woman of Irish descent, but Vivian keeps her head, and bargains for information from her few allies as she investigates who really had it in for the wealthy man so she can stay out of jail.
I also liked the progression of Vivian and her sister's relationship. They're on a much better footing than in book one, and it's great to see another side of the city in the life Florence and Danny are making together.
I was disappointed in Leo, but, there is a slight change in Vivian's and Honor's relationship, and I'm interested in where this might go.
Thank you to Netgalley and to St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for my review.
Leo, her sort of boyfriend, helps get her out, but his police commissioner uncle gives her a week to find a more credible suspect, or she’s back in jail.
Thinking Honor might be able to help her, Vivian relays what happened, and then is shocked when Honor says she can’t help Vivian. Using what few, other connections she has, Vivian begins digging into the dead man’s family, looking for someone who might have hastened the man’s death. The man's will exposes a secret leading back to the Nightingale, but also gives Vivian a better picture about the dead man and his avaricious family.
The world author Katherine Schellman show's us in this series is wonderfully fleshed out, and each new installment set in 1920s New York City just keeps getting better.
Vivian continues to be an appealing main character, using her intelligence to navigate both the world of the Nightingale, but also that of the rich women she delivers dresses to daily.
The dangerous situation Vivian finds herself in has her dealing much more closely with police than she likes; it's not safe dealing with police as a poor woman of Irish descent, but Vivian keeps her head, and bargains for information from her few allies as she investigates who really had it in for the wealthy man so she can stay out of jail.
I also liked the progression of Vivian and her sister's relationship. They're on a much better footing than in book one, and it's great to see another side of the city in the life Florence and Danny are making together.
I was disappointed in Leo, but, there is a slight change in Vivian's and Honor's relationship, and I'm interested in where this might go.
Thank you to Netgalley and to St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for my review.
September 16, 2024
I know this book is one of a series but do we have to repeat the same thing in every book?
Also when does this character sleep?
Also when does this character sleep?
May 10, 2024
Juggling her life between the day job managing Dress deliveries to the Elite art of society and at night dissolving herself in the back-alley life of Nightingale, Vivian is paying the price of her freedom with hard work. But when she goes knocking on one of the doors for dress delivery, trouble finds her. She is now a prime suspect in a murder and has just a week to find someone better to pin the blame.
The 1920s is a very interesting timeline for this story to be placed in. There are illegal nightclubs, elite parties, tea parties and all sorts of mishaps one can expect. The plot is set pretty fast and the constant progression with new discoveries around the mysteries keeps readers like us well engaged. I have a thing for strong-headed women and people who don't give up until the very end - and I found both traits developed well into our protagonist's character.
There was Leo's character however that I did not really love a tad bit, I felt he did not have enough backbone, to stand up for himself, or maybe I have not read the previous two books in this mystery series, so I feel a lack of build-up on his front. Nevertheless, it did not stop me from enjoying the story and having a great reading time with it. Lastly, I found the book well represents interracial differences and hints of LGBT tropes too.
Thanks for the review copy @minotaur_books @katharinewrites
Genre: #mystery #murdermystery #historicalfiction
The 1920s is a very interesting timeline for this story to be placed in. There are illegal nightclubs, elite parties, tea parties and all sorts of mishaps one can expect. The plot is set pretty fast and the constant progression with new discoveries around the mysteries keeps readers like us well engaged. I have a thing for strong-headed women and people who don't give up until the very end - and I found both traits developed well into our protagonist's character.
There was Leo's character however that I did not really love a tad bit, I felt he did not have enough backbone, to stand up for himself, or maybe I have not read the previous two books in this mystery series, so I feel a lack of build-up on his front. Nevertheless, it did not stop me from enjoying the story and having a great reading time with it. Lastly, I found the book well represents interracial differences and hints of LGBT tropes too.
Thanks for the review copy @minotaur_books @katharinewrites
Genre: #mystery #murdermystery #historicalfiction
June 10, 2024
Vivian works late into the night at a speakeasy.....she also works a day job delivering dresses to wealthy clients. No one ever thought that it would be her day job that would land her in trouble.
As she waits for customer the husband is very kind to her. When he is called away by a maid announcing a visitor Vivian falls asleep waiting for the wife. When she wakes her life is changed. She finds the husband and he has been murdered. Since she is the only stranger in the house the police commissioner is set on arresting her.
It is only because of Vivian's boyfriend Leo, the commissioner's nephew, that she is able to get one week of freedom to see what she can find out on her own. Vivian is very good at finding secrets, but this may be more than she can handle.
This is the 3rd book in a series, but read well as a stand alone. I had not read the first books and had no difficulty connecting with the characters. I do have an opinion about Leo, but won't go into more about that, in case of spoilers for readers following the series.
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Book for the opportunity to enjoy this fun, prohibition era, mystery e-ARC
As she waits for customer the husband is very kind to her. When he is called away by a maid announcing a visitor Vivian falls asleep waiting for the wife. When she wakes her life is changed. She finds the husband and he has been murdered. Since she is the only stranger in the house the police commissioner is set on arresting her.
It is only because of Vivian's boyfriend Leo, the commissioner's nephew, that she is able to get one week of freedom to see what she can find out on her own. Vivian is very good at finding secrets, but this may be more than she can handle.
This is the 3rd book in a series, but read well as a stand alone. I had not read the first books and had no difficulty connecting with the characters. I do have an opinion about Leo, but won't go into more about that, in case of spoilers for readers following the series.
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Book for the opportunity to enjoy this fun, prohibition era, mystery e-ARC
June 7, 2024
Another solidly plotted, fun Nightingale mystery from Katharine Schellman. 3.5 stars, rounded up.
This is an enjoyable and light historical mystery series that has been consistently well-paced and likable throughout its first three installments. These always feel like relatively low stakes mysteries, mostly because you know things will turn out alright in the end, but I appreciate having a go-to series where I know this will be the case.
I still wish there was a greater plot line tying the books together, as they feel more like standalones featuring the same characters rather than a series since they’re absent any sort of mystery or major plot thread that evolves from book to book.
Mostly the characters are a likable if thinly written bunch, though I still wish we saw less of Honor and more of Mags, Bea, and Viv’s sister. All are present and contributing to the story here, but I’d like to see them feature more prominently in the future.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
This is an enjoyable and light historical mystery series that has been consistently well-paced and likable throughout its first three installments. These always feel like relatively low stakes mysteries, mostly because you know things will turn out alright in the end, but I appreciate having a go-to series where I know this will be the case.
I still wish there was a greater plot line tying the books together, as they feel more like standalones featuring the same characters rather than a series since they’re absent any sort of mystery or major plot thread that evolves from book to book.
Mostly the characters are a likable if thinly written bunch, though I still wish we saw less of Honor and more of Mags, Bea, and Viv’s sister. All are present and contributing to the story here, but I’d like to see them feature more prominently in the future.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
August 21, 2024
I love this series! Such a scrappy heroine.
I especially liked the ticking clock and high stakes in this third installment. There are so many interesting characters, but Schellman makes it easy to tell them apart. I feel like I am in this world, and I can't get enough.
The covers are gorgeous. Ready for the next one!
I especially liked the ticking clock and high stakes in this third installment. There are so many interesting characters, but Schellman makes it easy to tell them apart. I feel like I am in this world, and I can't get enough.
The covers are gorgeous. Ready for the next one!
August 25, 2024
This was great. I hope there will be more to come in this series. I think there will as there are still some things that are unresolved.
April 6, 2024
This series just keeps getting better and better and, in this case, more nail biting. Once again, our heroine, Vivian, gets dumped into a situation that threatens her happiness and liberty. I have to admit that this book is so thrilling and scary that I lasted a whole 15% of the book before I peeked at the end or else I was going to stay up all night reading it. This is a fantastic mystery set in a dynamic era in time. Highly recommended!
May 29, 2024
3.5 Stars
Thanks to Minotaur books for the chance to read this ARC.
This was an interesting slow burn of a mystery. I was definitely intrigued at the start, but it kinda fizzled out shortly after. For whatever reason, it took me FOREVER to read this book. Although the plot hooked me for a bit, my desire to continue reading it faded more and more each day. The 19020s speakeasy setting was enjoyable though. It wasn’t amazing and it wasn’t terrible, just not my vibe. I like to feel something when I read a book and I got nothing from this. I did enjoy the friendship between Vivian and Bea. Bea was a rider forsure and I liked how they had each other’s backs. I do understand that this is the 3rd book in the series and I have yet to read the others so maybe that’s why it didn’t hit like I wanted it to? Regardless, for the slow burn mystery lovers out there, this one is for you.
Thanks to Minotaur books for the chance to read this ARC.
This was an interesting slow burn of a mystery. I was definitely intrigued at the start, but it kinda fizzled out shortly after. For whatever reason, it took me FOREVER to read this book. Although the plot hooked me for a bit, my desire to continue reading it faded more and more each day. The 19020s speakeasy setting was enjoyable though. It wasn’t amazing and it wasn’t terrible, just not my vibe. I like to feel something when I read a book and I got nothing from this. I did enjoy the friendship between Vivian and Bea. Bea was a rider forsure and I liked how they had each other’s backs. I do understand that this is the 3rd book in the series and I have yet to read the others so maybe that’s why it didn’t hit like I wanted it to? Regardless, for the slow burn mystery lovers out there, this one is for you.
June 2, 2024
I really enjoyed this latest addition to the Nightingale mystery series. I flew through this one! The stakes were very high and it was interesting to see how different characters reacted to specific outside pressures. The choices some of those characters made surprised me. I’m interested to see how that plays out in future books.
This is a great series. I love the LGBTQ+ representation in a Roaring Twenties setting. Vivian is at the edge of so many worlds. She’s white, but Irish (so still discriminated against in certain ways). She is working class but often rubs elbows with the rich and powerful. She’s a shopgirl by day and a waitress at an illegal speakeasy by night. She’s also bi, which makes for a very intriguing love triangle.
Vivian deals with a lot of high-powered people on a regular basis—from the police commissioner to the owner of the dress shop to criminal masterminds. I love that several of these people are women, especially those involved in NYC’s criminal underbelly. These women are very good at what they do and it’s fascinating to see all their machinations play out.
Note: This is the third book in the Nightingale mystery series. This story builds off the previous books, so it is best to read them in order. Book 1 is Last Call at the Nightingale.
Romance Steam Rating: Gentle Simmer [2 out of 5] (Closed Door/Fade-To-Black)
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Minotaur Books for an Advanced Reader Copy eBook.
This is a great series. I love the LGBTQ+ representation in a Roaring Twenties setting. Vivian is at the edge of so many worlds. She’s white, but Irish (so still discriminated against in certain ways). She is working class but often rubs elbows with the rich and powerful. She’s a shopgirl by day and a waitress at an illegal speakeasy by night. She’s also bi, which makes for a very intriguing love triangle.
Vivian deals with a lot of high-powered people on a regular basis—from the police commissioner to the owner of the dress shop to criminal masterminds. I love that several of these people are women, especially those involved in NYC’s criminal underbelly. These women are very good at what they do and it’s fascinating to see all their machinations play out.
Note: This is the third book in the Nightingale mystery series. This story builds off the previous books, so it is best to read them in order. Book 1 is Last Call at the Nightingale.
Romance Steam Rating: Gentle Simmer [2 out of 5] (Closed Door/Fade-To-Black)
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Minotaur Books for an Advanced Reader Copy eBook.
March 30, 2025
I'm giving this 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
This is the 3rd book in a series, and although I have read the first two books, I don't really think it's necessary. It's a great series that is perfect for readers who love historical mysteries and are interested in the 1920s.
Vivian is accused of murder and has a week to figure it out. That's a huge task even for her, and the tension along the way is palpable.
The Last Note of Warning was very well done. I love a good 1920s mystery featuring a speakeasy, the music, and the fashion of the time.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
This is the 3rd book in a series, and although I have read the first two books, I don't really think it's necessary. It's a great series that is perfect for readers who love historical mysteries and are interested in the 1920s.
Vivian is accused of murder and has a week to figure it out. That's a huge task even for her, and the tension along the way is palpable.
The Last Note of Warning was very well done. I love a good 1920s mystery featuring a speakeasy, the music, and the fashion of the time.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.
June 30, 2024
I loooooove this series! Uhhhh the 1920’s, the drama, the lifestyle, the wealth, the murder…what could be a better mix for a story?!? Vivian is one of my favorite literary characters -her street smarts and determination to, just, survive makes for an easy page turner. I already have ideas on where the next book may go and I can’t wait to see if I’m right! Book 4…I’m already ready for you!
July 3, 2024
4.5 stars!
Another entertaining mystery set during Prohibition at the Nightingale Club.
The cast of characters is familiar and interesting.....Vivian, Bea, Honor, Leo, Danny.
I recommend reading/listening to the books in order (this is number 3) to get the full rich backstory of each character and the ever-resourceful Vivian.
Expertly narrated by Sara Young.
Another entertaining mystery set during Prohibition at the Nightingale Club.
The cast of characters is familiar and interesting.....Vivian, Bea, Honor, Leo, Danny.
I recommend reading/listening to the books in order (this is number 3) to get the full rich backstory of each character and the ever-resourceful Vivian.
Expertly narrated by Sara Young.
September 30, 2024
Loved the setting and time period. Although, I liked the characters- it felt a bit like reading a book about a evening playing the game of Clue. I will say that much of the culture reflected in this book was supported by the excellent book "Bishop and the Butterfly". The storyline was predictable and the narrative was simplistic much in alignment with a Youth or Young Adult read.
August 14, 2024
This is the third book in this series, and it was pretty slow moving. After book 2 I wasn't sure I wanted to continue, but I gave it one more try. Vivian is OK as a character, but I really don't like Honor, and I don't like the direction of the storylines. I won't be continuing with this series.
October 8, 2024
Another great read by Katharine Schellman. I thoroughly enjoyed the turn of events for The Nightingale Mystery's protagonist, Vivian. With her own life on the line, she must consider not only herself but also her friends and family. A fantastic whodunnit with a ton of heart!
January 27, 2025
The third installment of this atmospheric historical mystery series was just as good as the previous two books. I love the strong characters in this book and the wonderful job of creating the Roaring Twenties setting this author does.
November 8, 2024
rtc but this was a really really strong addition to the series!!
February 13, 2025
Accidentally started with the third book in the series and that was totally fine. Nothing I love more than a silly little mystery with a bisexual heroine
April 22, 2025
I absolutely love this series. The character development is amazing. These cozy mysteries always keep me turning the page. I can’t wait for the next to come out soon!
July 14, 2025
3.5
Oh Vivian, such a likeable idiot. This girl lacks the capacity to learn from previous mistake......I like this series but geez this girl is exhausting.
Oh Vivian, such a likeable idiot. This girl lacks the capacity to learn from previous mistake......I like this series but geez this girl is exhausting.
September 13, 2024
Good story, I hope there’s more to the series.
November 21, 2024
This is another great, high-stakes murder that needs to be solved quickly. All your favorites (and least favorites) appear with a few new faces. I'm sick of Honor and her motives, or lack thereof, and I want Leo and Vivian to get back their coziness from the earlier books. I also hope Vivian catches a break in the future, that poor girl.
July 4, 2024
Thank you, NetGalley and Minotaur Books, for the free book for review.
This fast-paced historical mystery, set in 1920s New York City, is a real page-turner. Vivian Kelly, our protagonist, is someone you can't help but root for. She's likable and always seems to be in the wrong place at the right time. With just a few friends and the clock ticking, she must uncover the murderer before she gets arrested. The author spices things up with political intrigue, social class, and a tangled relationship. I love the twisty plot, the dead-end suspicions, and the ultimate revelation. It's a compelling read that keeps you guessing until the very end.
This fast-paced historical mystery, set in 1920s New York City, is a real page-turner. Vivian Kelly, our protagonist, is someone you can't help but root for. She's likable and always seems to be in the wrong place at the right time. With just a few friends and the clock ticking, she must uncover the murderer before she gets arrested. The author spices things up with political intrigue, social class, and a tangled relationship. I love the twisty plot, the dead-end suspicions, and the ultimate revelation. It's a compelling read that keeps you guessing until the very end.
June 3, 2024
The Last Note of Warning is the third in the Nightingale Mysteries cozy mystery series, but, thanks to massive time and relationship jumps, I thought I missed a book. Set in the 1920s, this series follows Vivian Kelly, a poor young woman who lives with her sister. By day she makes deliveries for a dressmaker and, by night, works at a speakeasy where everyone can and will mingle with anyone, LGBT relationships are nothing to stare at, and the woman running it all makes Vivian’s head turn every time. But murder has a way of following Vivian, and this one forces her to prove her own innocence, forcing her romantic rivals to decide if she’s worth losing everything for.
Several months after the events of the second book, The Last Drop of Hemlock, Vivian is happy with her bootlegger sweetheart Leo, but now lives alone since her sister married the Nightingale’s bartender and is now expecting a baby. After a dress delivery goes unexpectedly awry, she stands accused of murdering the man of the house. He was kind to her, but she maintains she doesn’t know him. The police commissioner, though, needs a culprit, and Vivian’s not only the only one he has, but she’s a nobody and the victim was a member of New York’s high society. With just a week to clear her name and present another suspect, Vivian does all she can to play every card she has, and then some. It’ll strain not just her relationship with her sister, but her romance with Leo and her mutual interest with her boss, Honor. As secrets come to light, Leo and Honor will be forced to decide if Vivian is worth the risk of losing everything.
There’s nothing quite like following a cozy mystery series where the characters grow, change, and undergo major life changes in each installment and then starting the next book only to desperately wonder if you’ve missed a book sometime in the last year since the last book came out. It took me a few chapters and frantic searching to discover, and come to terms with, the fact that I did not miss a book. Instead, The Last Note of Warning makes some big jumps from the second book. It jumps several months into the future. Vivian and Leo are still seeing each other and they seem comfortable with seemingly not moving it forward. Things are, of course, complicated because Leo is the police commissioner’s not quite on the up and up nephew and both Leo and Vivian frequent their favorite speakeasy. But the harder jump to wrap my head around was with Vivian’s sister Florence. I adore Florence, who is older and more levelheaded, and loved her budding romance in the second book with the Nightingale’s bartender, Danny. I expected to see them dating in the next book, not married and expecting a baby, so I kept wondering if I missed a whole book somewhere. After I figured it out and came to terms with it, it was much easier to enjoy the story.
This was a pleasant change from Vivian being forced to solve a murder mystery or taking it upon herself to prove someone was murdered and didn’t commit suicide. Instead, Vivian is the only unknown in a society family’s house when the man of the house is found murdered, so she becomes the sole suspect. Of course Vivian didn’t do it, but the police need someone to pin it on, and she’s a nobody, so no one would miss her. Vivian, though, isn’t new to solving murder mysteries, but she is new to finding most of her allies suddenly standing to the side. Honor and Leo have ties either to the family or the police, so they can’t offer her much help. Instead she finds herself leaning more on a society woman I absolutely love because she runs quite an underground network. Their relationship is fascinating and fun, and I love the way they function. But it was also hard to see people Vivian had come to rely on just not be there for her when her life is on the line. Every girl wants to know if she’s worth it for someone to throw everything they love and care about on the line, right? Well, Vivian’s about to find out, and it creates quite a shuffle in her romantic life.
I really enjoyed this one. The mystery was a lot of fun, there were backward and forward slides in Vivian’s love life, and it was really fun exploring high society. I love the relationship between Vivian and Florence, and enjoyed the quiet, tender moments between them. There’s also the matter of who their father is and who claimed their mother’s body. There wasn’t as much done with this subplot as I had hoped for, but it certainly keeps me reading. There was just too much going on in Vivian’s life in this one, and I was glad to see her complete commitment to it. Vivian is spunky and delightful and I completely get why Florence is forever worrying about her. But I loved her determination to see things through and do whatever it takes to solve the case. It was just harder this time around because I could hear the ticking clock and feel her desperation. It was hard to see everyone standing away from her, but it was also heartening to see who did flock to her.
Vivian has no shortage of friends. Many of the powerful ones who would have been huge helps chose to sit this one out, though I did love the way it all played out in the end. When it looked like Vivian would be forced to go it alone and probably end up arrested, other friends jumped out of the woodwork, eager to help and have fun with it. One of these was a society girl who also frequents the Nightingale, and I really loved how this part played out. I love getting a peek into the glitz and glamour of the 1920s, and this was certainly a fun part of it I didn’t know about. It did feel like it went on for too long, but the things Vivian uncovered were quite interesting. I loved how she thought fast on her feet and could make friends with just about anyone.
The truly fun parts, though, were when Vivian learned things about the people around her, things that helped her understand why they couldn’t help and things that had her looking at things in different lights. Some of it I could predict, but some things took me a little longer to figure out. I did feel like it took her too long to really home in on the major players in the murder mystery because doing that probably would have helped her solve this in a much shorter amount of time. But, at the same time, it would have taken away from other parts of the story that had to be told. Besides, Vivian’s best friend Bea steps in in the most amazing and committed way. I love the cautious spunk Bea has, and the devotion these friends have for each other is incredible and heartwarming.
The Last of Note of Warning is probably my favorite installment in the series so far. It did a lot with the characters and really put Vivian’s safety and life on the line. I loved seeing the players shuffling around as their own lives have to play out in certain ways. It’s also always just so much fun to travel around in high society with Vivian. I adored her bravery and the way she looked at things with a realistic eye. Even though I had faith she’d figure it out, things looked bleak from time to time, so I had a great deal of fun with this one.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.
Several months after the events of the second book, The Last Drop of Hemlock, Vivian is happy with her bootlegger sweetheart Leo, but now lives alone since her sister married the Nightingale’s bartender and is now expecting a baby. After a dress delivery goes unexpectedly awry, she stands accused of murdering the man of the house. He was kind to her, but she maintains she doesn’t know him. The police commissioner, though, needs a culprit, and Vivian’s not only the only one he has, but she’s a nobody and the victim was a member of New York’s high society. With just a week to clear her name and present another suspect, Vivian does all she can to play every card she has, and then some. It’ll strain not just her relationship with her sister, but her romance with Leo and her mutual interest with her boss, Honor. As secrets come to light, Leo and Honor will be forced to decide if Vivian is worth the risk of losing everything.
There’s nothing quite like following a cozy mystery series where the characters grow, change, and undergo major life changes in each installment and then starting the next book only to desperately wonder if you’ve missed a book sometime in the last year since the last book came out. It took me a few chapters and frantic searching to discover, and come to terms with, the fact that I did not miss a book. Instead, The Last Note of Warning makes some big jumps from the second book. It jumps several months into the future. Vivian and Leo are still seeing each other and they seem comfortable with seemingly not moving it forward. Things are, of course, complicated because Leo is the police commissioner’s not quite on the up and up nephew and both Leo and Vivian frequent their favorite speakeasy. But the harder jump to wrap my head around was with Vivian’s sister Florence. I adore Florence, who is older and more levelheaded, and loved her budding romance in the second book with the Nightingale’s bartender, Danny. I expected to see them dating in the next book, not married and expecting a baby, so I kept wondering if I missed a whole book somewhere. After I figured it out and came to terms with it, it was much easier to enjoy the story.
This was a pleasant change from Vivian being forced to solve a murder mystery or taking it upon herself to prove someone was murdered and didn’t commit suicide. Instead, Vivian is the only unknown in a society family’s house when the man of the house is found murdered, so she becomes the sole suspect. Of course Vivian didn’t do it, but the police need someone to pin it on, and she’s a nobody, so no one would miss her. Vivian, though, isn’t new to solving murder mysteries, but she is new to finding most of her allies suddenly standing to the side. Honor and Leo have ties either to the family or the police, so they can’t offer her much help. Instead she finds herself leaning more on a society woman I absolutely love because she runs quite an underground network. Their relationship is fascinating and fun, and I love the way they function. But it was also hard to see people Vivian had come to rely on just not be there for her when her life is on the line. Every girl wants to know if she’s worth it for someone to throw everything they love and care about on the line, right? Well, Vivian’s about to find out, and it creates quite a shuffle in her romantic life.
I really enjoyed this one. The mystery was a lot of fun, there were backward and forward slides in Vivian’s love life, and it was really fun exploring high society. I love the relationship between Vivian and Florence, and enjoyed the quiet, tender moments between them. There’s also the matter of who their father is and who claimed their mother’s body. There wasn’t as much done with this subplot as I had hoped for, but it certainly keeps me reading. There was just too much going on in Vivian’s life in this one, and I was glad to see her complete commitment to it. Vivian is spunky and delightful and I completely get why Florence is forever worrying about her. But I loved her determination to see things through and do whatever it takes to solve the case. It was just harder this time around because I could hear the ticking clock and feel her desperation. It was hard to see everyone standing away from her, but it was also heartening to see who did flock to her.
Vivian has no shortage of friends. Many of the powerful ones who would have been huge helps chose to sit this one out, though I did love the way it all played out in the end. When it looked like Vivian would be forced to go it alone and probably end up arrested, other friends jumped out of the woodwork, eager to help and have fun with it. One of these was a society girl who also frequents the Nightingale, and I really loved how this part played out. I love getting a peek into the glitz and glamour of the 1920s, and this was certainly a fun part of it I didn’t know about. It did feel like it went on for too long, but the things Vivian uncovered were quite interesting. I loved how she thought fast on her feet and could make friends with just about anyone.
The truly fun parts, though, were when Vivian learned things about the people around her, things that helped her understand why they couldn’t help and things that had her looking at things in different lights. Some of it I could predict, but some things took me a little longer to figure out. I did feel like it took her too long to really home in on the major players in the murder mystery because doing that probably would have helped her solve this in a much shorter amount of time. But, at the same time, it would have taken away from other parts of the story that had to be told. Besides, Vivian’s best friend Bea steps in in the most amazing and committed way. I love the cautious spunk Bea has, and the devotion these friends have for each other is incredible and heartwarming.
The Last of Note of Warning is probably my favorite installment in the series so far. It did a lot with the characters and really put Vivian’s safety and life on the line. I loved seeing the players shuffling around as their own lives have to play out in certain ways. It’s also always just so much fun to travel around in high society with Vivian. I adored her bravery and the way she looked at things with a realistic eye. Even though I had faith she’d figure it out, things looked bleak from time to time, so I had a great deal of fun with this one.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.
June 23, 2024
I got The Last Note of Warning and then realized that it was book 3 in a series. Of course, I went back and read the first two before I started this. While this ended up being my favorite, I’m glad I went back and read the other two. This one relies heavily on the background established in the first two books.
Vivian is at it again, but this time her freedom is on the line. She finally has a life she enjoys, delivering dresses for the shop during the day and serving drinks at the Nightingale by night. She has a steady date in Leo and while Honor has denied her a relationship they have been able to remain friendly. That is until Vivian is in the middle of a delivery and the husband ends up murdered and she is immediately to blame. She will spend the remainder of the story using all of her detective skills and high level connections gained in the first two books to try and clear her name and avoid spending the rest of her life in jail.
This one was definitely more high-stakes and I enjoyed it more than the other two. The semi-love triangle was a bit much for me, because at this point Honor no longer should be an option. She has clearly made her decision as to where her interests are and it is not in a relationship. I am also wondering if we are ever going to find out about Vivian and Florence’s parents. It seems like it has been dragged out way too long at this point.
Enjoyed the story, didn’t love the ending.
Vivian is at it again, but this time her freedom is on the line. She finally has a life she enjoys, delivering dresses for the shop during the day and serving drinks at the Nightingale by night. She has a steady date in Leo and while Honor has denied her a relationship they have been able to remain friendly. That is until Vivian is in the middle of a delivery and the husband ends up murdered and she is immediately to blame. She will spend the remainder of the story using all of her detective skills and high level connections gained in the first two books to try and clear her name and avoid spending the rest of her life in jail.
This one was definitely more high-stakes and I enjoyed it more than the other two. The semi-love triangle was a bit much for me, because at this point Honor no longer should be an option. She has clearly made her decision as to where her interests are and it is not in a relationship. I am also wondering if we are ever going to find out about Vivian and Florence’s parents. It seems like it has been dragged out way too long at this point.
Enjoyed the story, didn’t love the ending.
August 15, 2024
I’m still enjoying the series. The setting is great; 1920’s NYC is always interesting and throughout the series I have appreciated the acknowledgment of diversity. This time around we caught some Hamilton Lodge Ball, a masquerade ball which helped foster the Ballroom scene in NYC.
Vivian isn’t an annoying know-it-all or Mary Sue. She doesn’t humble brag to the reader about how smart she is or how talented (except mentioning her dancing skills for some dances) or how beautiful she is.
I’m a bit sad that we’ve time jumped some from the second novel, in which Florence and Danny are just starting to see one another, whereas Note of Warning sees them married and expecting. Granted, it would likely be exhausting if murders happened back-to-back-to-back for Vivian, but we missed out on the Flo-Danny courtship cuteness. Although, Vivian’s relationships with both Leo and Honor did not seem much progressed at the beginning of the story in comparison.
I’m interested to see what happens next in the Vivian-Hattie Wilson acquaintance, too. Vivian seems to be getting into that world a little deeper.
Some progress was also made in the Kelly Sisters’ parents mystery, too, but not much.
Vivian isn’t an annoying know-it-all or Mary Sue. She doesn’t humble brag to the reader about how smart she is or how talented (except mentioning her dancing skills for some dances) or how beautiful she is.
I’m a bit sad that we’ve time jumped some from the second novel, in which Florence and Danny are just starting to see one another, whereas Note of Warning sees them married and expecting. Granted, it would likely be exhausting if murders happened back-to-back-to-back for Vivian, but we missed out on the Flo-Danny courtship cuteness. Although, Vivian’s relationships with both Leo and Honor did not seem much progressed at the beginning of the story in comparison.
I’m interested to see what happens next in the Vivian-Hattie Wilson acquaintance, too. Vivian seems to be getting into that world a little deeper.
Some progress was also made in the Kelly Sisters’ parents mystery, too, but not much.
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