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Canary Club Mystery #2
Harlem After Midnight
A body falls from a town house window in Harlem, and it looks just like the newest singer at the Apollo...in this evocative, twisting new novel from the authorof Miss Aldridge Regrets.
Harlem, 1936: Lena Aldridge grew up in a cramped corner of London, hearing stories of the bright lights of Broadway. She always imagined that when she finally went to New York City, she’d be there with her father. But now he’s dead, and she’s newly arrived and alone, chasing a dream that has quickly dried up. When Will Goodman—the handsome musician she met on the crossing from England—offers for her to stay with his friends in Harlem, she agrees. She has nowhere else to go, and this will give her a chance to get to know Will better and see if she can find any trace of the family she might have remaining.
Will’s friends welcome her with open arms, but just as Lena discovers the stories her father once told her were missing giant pieces of information, she also starts to realize the man she’s falling too fast and too hard for has secrets of his own. And they might just place a target on her back. Especially when she is drawn to the brightest stage in town.
Harlem, 1936: Lena Aldridge grew up in a cramped corner of London, hearing stories of the bright lights of Broadway. She always imagined that when she finally went to New York City, she’d be there with her father. But now he’s dead, and she’s newly arrived and alone, chasing a dream that has quickly dried up. When Will Goodman—the handsome musician she met on the crossing from England—offers for her to stay with his friends in Harlem, she agrees. She has nowhere else to go, and this will give her a chance to get to know Will better and see if she can find any trace of the family she might have remaining.
Will’s friends welcome her with open arms, but just as Lena discovers the stories her father once told her were missing giant pieces of information, she also starts to realize the man she’s falling too fast and too hard for has secrets of his own. And they might just place a target on her back. Especially when she is drawn to the brightest stage in town.
368 pages, Paperback
First published August 29, 2023
About the author
Louise Hare
7 books308 followersLouise Hare is a London-based writer and has an MA in Creative Writing from Birkbeck, University of London. Originally from Warrington, the capital is the inspiration for much of her work, including This Lovely City, which began life after a trip into the deep level shelter below Clapham Common.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 172 reviews
December 6, 2024
Those last 50 pages were INTENSE 😮💨
Take note: THIS is how you do a historical murder mystery!
I have somehow found myself in a historical fiction era which is weird because I am generally very fussy about the historical fiction books I read. Maybe I have just got lucky but this book was certainly a pleasure to read! It was a library blind-pick (is that even a thing? Idk 🤷♀️). In all honesty, I saw this after the library and fell in love with the cover and the title. I have never read any of Louise’s books before, nor had I even heard of this book but something was drawing me in. Thankfully, my gut instinct was correct and I am DELIGHTED that I picked up this book…
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
There was no messing around with this story. The plot kicked off with a bang 💥 17th September, 1936, 1am - Woman found splatted on the pavement, by newbie Patrolman, James Freeman. The woman in question had fallen from the window of a 2 story building, in Harlem. Passport found on her person with the name: Lena Aldridge.
Lena Aldridge grew up in a cramped corner of London, hearing stories of the bright lights of Broadway. She always imagined that when she finally went to New York City, she'd be there with her father. But now he's dead, and she's newly arrived and alone, chasing a dream that has quickly dried up.
We then take a trip back in time to 9 days previous…this is where the real story begins. Lena arrived, via the Queen Mary, full of hope and optimism. Onboard she met and fell for the charming musician, Will Goodman, who happened to find her a place to stay. Eager to see where this new romance would take her, she happily accepted the offer. However, Will isn’t her only reason for staying in Harlem…as Lena discovers the stories her father once told her were missing giant pieces of information, she also starts to realize the man she's falling too fast and too hard for has secrets of his own.
Throughout the course of the book, we are also taken further back in time to 1908 to find out what happened that caused her father, Alfie, to flee Harlem and head for London. Lena discovers long lost relatives and many secrets along the way.
The characters were brilliant. I particularly like Lena and Bel’s characters. I was fascinated by their relationship and how it changed through the book. I also loved Claud; she was the anchor holding the whole storyline together. She was the sister, friend, mother, daughter you’d always wanted. She had a deep understanding of people without any words being spoken. Furthermore, she was crucial to this story of misunderstandings, homeless and family-less people. But overall, Lena was definitely my favourite - she wasn’t perfect, but she was very likeable.
Throughout the course of the book, Lena drops subtle hints of mystery; as if she has done something, committed a crime, that she hasn’t owned up to yet…it is all very mysterious and definitely leaves you wanting more. Louise’s great storytelling makes for a very engaging and captivating read. 🤐
This mystery is full of twists and turns that keeps you guessing. But moreover, it is full of charm and the romanticised life of musicians in the 1900s NYC. This book definitely gives off a unique vibe that isn’t found in many books and I absolutely LOVED it. 🥰
Mystery, romance, historical fiction. This book has it all, and delivers it in an entertaining, modern and unique way. The last 50 pages was were this book really held it’s own. I found myself hanging on every word and it did take a bit of concentration to make sure I wasn’t missing anything. It was an intense rollercoaster of emotions and incredibly engaging! I am so glad I picked up this book and can’t wait to see what Louise’s other books have to offer. EASY 5 🌟
‘People make mistakes, but I wasn’t entirely sure that we weren’t meant to. Our lives were formed from those errors of judgement. Even the bad times sometimes begat the good.’
Take note: THIS is how you do a historical murder mystery!
I have somehow found myself in a historical fiction era which is weird because I am generally very fussy about the historical fiction books I read. Maybe I have just got lucky but this book was certainly a pleasure to read! It was a library blind-pick (is that even a thing? Idk 🤷♀️). In all honesty, I saw this after the library and fell in love with the cover and the title. I have never read any of Louise’s books before, nor had I even heard of this book but something was drawing me in. Thankfully, my gut instinct was correct and I am DELIGHTED that I picked up this book…
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
There was no messing around with this story. The plot kicked off with a bang 💥 17th September, 1936, 1am - Woman found splatted on the pavement, by newbie Patrolman, James Freeman. The woman in question had fallen from the window of a 2 story building, in Harlem. Passport found on her person with the name: Lena Aldridge.
Lena Aldridge grew up in a cramped corner of London, hearing stories of the bright lights of Broadway. She always imagined that when she finally went to New York City, she'd be there with her father. But now he's dead, and she's newly arrived and alone, chasing a dream that has quickly dried up.
We then take a trip back in time to 9 days previous…this is where the real story begins. Lena arrived, via the Queen Mary, full of hope and optimism. Onboard she met and fell for the charming musician, Will Goodman, who happened to find her a place to stay. Eager to see where this new romance would take her, she happily accepted the offer. However, Will isn’t her only reason for staying in Harlem…as Lena discovers the stories her father once told her were missing giant pieces of information, she also starts to realize the man she's falling too fast and too hard for has secrets of his own.
Throughout the course of the book, we are also taken further back in time to 1908 to find out what happened that caused her father, Alfie, to flee Harlem and head for London. Lena discovers long lost relatives and many secrets along the way.
The characters were brilliant. I particularly like Lena and Bel’s characters. I was fascinated by their relationship and how it changed through the book. I also loved Claud; she was the anchor holding the whole storyline together. She was the sister, friend, mother, daughter you’d always wanted. She had a deep understanding of people without any words being spoken. Furthermore, she was crucial to this story of misunderstandings, homeless and family-less people. But overall, Lena was definitely my favourite - she wasn’t perfect, but she was very likeable.
Throughout the course of the book, Lena drops subtle hints of mystery; as if she has done something, committed a crime, that she hasn’t owned up to yet…it is all very mysterious and definitely leaves you wanting more. Louise’s great storytelling makes for a very engaging and captivating read. 🤐
This mystery is full of twists and turns that keeps you guessing. But moreover, it is full of charm and the romanticised life of musicians in the 1900s NYC. This book definitely gives off a unique vibe that isn’t found in many books and I absolutely LOVED it. 🥰
Mystery, romance, historical fiction. This book has it all, and delivers it in an entertaining, modern and unique way. The last 50 pages was were this book really held it’s own. I found myself hanging on every word and it did take a bit of concentration to make sure I wasn’t missing anything. It was an intense rollercoaster of emotions and incredibly engaging! I am so glad I picked up this book and can’t wait to see what Louise’s other books have to offer. EASY 5 🌟
‘People make mistakes, but I wasn’t entirely sure that we weren’t meant to. Our lives were formed from those errors of judgement. Even the bad times sometimes begat the good.’
September 18, 2023
Lena was born in London to an African American father and a White mother. After the recent death of her father, she has sailed to New York to take a new job. Her boyfriend Will l finds her a place to stay with some of his Harlem friends. The voyage to New York, and the start of Lena’s romance with Will, was covered in the first book in this series, “Miss Aldridge Regrets”.
Set in 1936, this book begins with the discovery of the body of a woman who had fallen out of a Harlem window. I was expecting a mystery, but this book is primarily about some extremely messy relationships. The death happens at the end of the book. Most of the book involves the Lena/Will romance, Lena’s attempt to trace her father’s history, and Will’s relationship with his half sister Bel. The author seems to have done a lot of research on early 20th century New York. Everyone in the book has a lot of secrets, and they seem incapable of telling the complete truth about anything.
Unfortunately, I did not read the first book, and this sequel can’t really be read as a standalone. Don’t bother with this book without reading book one first. You need a spreadsheet to keep track of all the relationships. This second book just provides glimpses of the convoluted goings-on that occurred in the first book. I did gather that Lena’s presence seems to coincide with a lot of deaths. The story is still unfinished at the end of book two, so I assume that there will be a third book. I don’t care enough about the characters to read book one, and I won’t be continuing with the series. However, the writing wasn’t bad, so if you like historical relationship drama you might like the series. 3.5 stars
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
Set in 1936, this book begins with the discovery of the body of a woman who had fallen out of a Harlem window. I was expecting a mystery, but this book is primarily about some extremely messy relationships. The death happens at the end of the book. Most of the book involves the Lena/Will romance, Lena’s attempt to trace her father’s history, and Will’s relationship with his half sister Bel. The author seems to have done a lot of research on early 20th century New York. Everyone in the book has a lot of secrets, and they seem incapable of telling the complete truth about anything.
Unfortunately, I did not read the first book, and this sequel can’t really be read as a standalone. Don’t bother with this book without reading book one first. You need a spreadsheet to keep track of all the relationships. This second book just provides glimpses of the convoluted goings-on that occurred in the first book. I did gather that Lena’s presence seems to coincide with a lot of deaths. The story is still unfinished at the end of book two, so I assume that there will be a third book. I don’t care enough about the characters to read book one, and I won’t be continuing with the series. However, the writing wasn’t bad, so if you like historical relationship drama you might like the series. 3.5 stars
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
July 19, 2023
Happy release day~
Thanks to Berkley via Netgalley for an ARC of this to review. It'll be out August 29th.
If you really like mysteries, this is a more diverse historical one to add to your shelf - Lena Aldridge is a Black singer in 1936 Harlem in this installment, and flashbacks to her father's life show more of the early 20th century Black experience too.
I just...don't find the voice compelling, at all. I skimmed through the first book as an audiobook since I didn't realize Berkley sent me another sequel within a series, and I was dismayed at how dull that was too - I love ship mysteries! This sequel had an intriguing opening scene. With a little more flavorful writing it could be a really engaging whodunnit, and I love mysteries, so it gives me no pleasure to rate this on the lower end. I think committed whodunnit fans may find they enjoy this, but I'm picky with mine.
Thanks to Berkley via Netgalley for an ARC of this to review. It'll be out August 29th.
If you really like mysteries, this is a more diverse historical one to add to your shelf - Lena Aldridge is a Black singer in 1936 Harlem in this installment, and flashbacks to her father's life show more of the early 20th century Black experience too.
I just...don't find the voice compelling, at all. I skimmed through the first book as an audiobook since I didn't realize Berkley sent me another sequel within a series, and I was dismayed at how dull that was too - I love ship mysteries! This sequel had an intriguing opening scene. With a little more flavorful writing it could be a really engaging whodunnit, and I love mysteries, so it gives me no pleasure to rate this on the lower end. I think committed whodunnit fans may find they enjoy this, but I'm picky with mine.
August 6, 2023
A really great mystery and exceptional storyline. I felt that all the characters were fleshed out rather nicely in the end and was very satisfied by the time I finished the last page. There was a mild bit of tension from beginning to end. All the loose ends were tied up - some neatly and others with a glorious touch of messiness. Prior to this, I was unfamiliar with the author Louise Hare but will eagerly seek out anything else she has written. "Harlem After Midnight " is definitely 4.5 stars, and I would happily recommend it to anyone. Although there is some sexual content and violence, nothing is graphic.
February 11, 2025
2.5 Stars
What is this series, and why does it exist?
Lena is murder magnet. Everywhere she goes, someone is going to get murdered. Lena is the only likable character in this whole series. Everyone is trash or unbelievably stupid. The character motivations make no sense at all.
I have the first book 3 stars... with reservations. I had expected to have a better understanding of this series after reading book 2....and yet I don't.
If there is a book 3, I'm uncertain if I will read it. This series just really baffles me. I feel like I should enjoy this series more than I do. The pacing is not good. For wide swaths of this book, nothing much is happening, and then in the last 40 pages, suddenly, we are running to the finish.
On the positive side, this series has me craving more Historical Fiction.
No recommendation
What is this series, and why does it exist?
Lena is murder magnet. Everywhere she goes, someone is going to get murdered. Lena is the only likable character in this whole series. Everyone is trash or unbelievably stupid. The character motivations make no sense at all.
I have the first book 3 stars... with reservations. I had expected to have a better understanding of this series after reading book 2....and yet I don't.
If there is a book 3, I'm uncertain if I will read it. This series just really baffles me. I feel like I should enjoy this series more than I do. The pacing is not good. For wide swaths of this book, nothing much is happening, and then in the last 40 pages, suddenly, we are running to the finish.
On the positive side, this series has me craving more Historical Fiction.
No recommendation
August 31, 2023
I really enjoyed this book, more so than the first instalment, and I think this was helped by the fact that there were fewer characters and a less claustrophobic setting. I liked seeing the glamour of New York in the 1930s, mixed in with the social divides that still existed. In this story, Hare really brings the historical element alive.
This story continues just after the first book and I definitely recommend reading this series in order. It helps to get an understanding of Lena’s past life and what happened before she left for America. Some familiar faces make an appearance, otherwise the rest of the story is about Lena trying to find a mysterious Aunt that she believes she has… as well as readers finding out who was murdered at the beginning of the story.
Not only this, the book becomes a dual-timeline with flashbacks to Lena’s father. I enjoyed this part of the story because it made this character more realistic and I felt like I understood more about Lena’s motives. Furthermore, the racial divisions and how society treated people differently were more prevalent; I felt this helped inform the modern setting of the 1930s.
Some may consider this quite a slow book but I thought it was like a pan set to boil: it bubbles over time until it simmers to an intensity. I found the last quarter of the book to be most immersive as answers are revealed with both timelines. I enjoyed how the plot concluded and wonder if there is opportunity for Hare to continue this beyond a two-parter.
This was an interesting mystery but not of the cosy variety because it has some deeper topics. I liked this element of the story because I thought it added layers to the narrative and I enjoyed seeing how Lena adapts to her new environment – not just adjusting to life in New York after such a turbulent sea-crossing, but learning more about Will and the people she is living with. Finding about her past was just as intriguing but it was the opening scene that really grabbed me the most, wondering how and why there was a body with Lena’s passport in their hands.
Definitely more enjoyable than the first, this was a historical mystery set in the 1930s in a tough climate. The racial differences are still palpable in both timelines and I found myself rooting for Lena to learn more about her family.
With thanks to HQ Digital and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This story continues just after the first book and I definitely recommend reading this series in order. It helps to get an understanding of Lena’s past life and what happened before she left for America. Some familiar faces make an appearance, otherwise the rest of the story is about Lena trying to find a mysterious Aunt that she believes she has… as well as readers finding out who was murdered at the beginning of the story.
Not only this, the book becomes a dual-timeline with flashbacks to Lena’s father. I enjoyed this part of the story because it made this character more realistic and I felt like I understood more about Lena’s motives. Furthermore, the racial divisions and how society treated people differently were more prevalent; I felt this helped inform the modern setting of the 1930s.
Some may consider this quite a slow book but I thought it was like a pan set to boil: it bubbles over time until it simmers to an intensity. I found the last quarter of the book to be most immersive as answers are revealed with both timelines. I enjoyed how the plot concluded and wonder if there is opportunity for Hare to continue this beyond a two-parter.
This was an interesting mystery but not of the cosy variety because it has some deeper topics. I liked this element of the story because I thought it added layers to the narrative and I enjoyed seeing how Lena adapts to her new environment – not just adjusting to life in New York after such a turbulent sea-crossing, but learning more about Will and the people she is living with. Finding about her past was just as intriguing but it was the opening scene that really grabbed me the most, wondering how and why there was a body with Lena’s passport in their hands.
Definitely more enjoyable than the first, this was a historical mystery set in the 1930s in a tough climate. The racial differences are still palpable in both timelines and I found myself rooting for Lena to learn more about her family.
With thanks to HQ Digital and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Read
September 26, 2023From “Miss Aldridge Regrets” which I read last year: After a murder at the club where she worked in London mixed race Lena has fled London on the Queen Mary having accepted an offer from a man she didn’t know to appear in a show on Broadway. During the voyage two wealthy passengers are murdered and it’s looking like somebody is out to get Lena.
“Harlem After Midnight” begins with a woman falling from a building.
Lena has arrived in NYC. She had a fling with a band member on the Queen Mary and he has offered her accommodations in NY with friends of his.
The first book seemingly it didn’t make enough of an impression on me and I lost interest in this book.
Even though I read the first book I felt no connection to Lena in this one and after about 80 pages decided to give it a pass.
“Harlem After Midnight” begins with a woman falling from a building.
Lena has arrived in NYC. She had a fling with a band member on the Queen Mary and he has offered her accommodations in NY with friends of his.
The first book seemingly it didn’t make enough of an impression on me and I lost interest in this book.
Even though I read the first book I felt no connection to Lena in this one and after about 80 pages decided to give it a pass.
July 14, 2026
What an unexpected turn for Ms. Lena Aldridge. She's changed since the first book. What was once that observant and confident woman transitioned to a paranoid damsel. Her boat beau, Will Goodman, becomes a main character and it goes downhill from there. As her love interest, he sucks! Not only is this man emotionally unavailable, he's an egotistical manic with a sh*t ton of family baggage. But of course, Lena is drawn to chaos.
This story felt like a puzzle with all the major pieces centering around Lena. And I loved that the ending ties back to book one. Ms. Aldridge did her big one.
Final Rating: 3.75
This story felt like a puzzle with all the major pieces centering around Lena. And I loved that the ending ties back to book one. Ms. Aldridge did her big one.
Final Rating: 3.75
Did Not Finish
September 25, 2026having a LOT of trouble reading anything that’s not at least a little spooky
March 22, 2023
Thank you to Library Journal for the ARC and the opportunity to review this title!
The second 1930s-set "Canary Club Mystery" from Hare continues to build on Lena Aldridge's story, including how her parents met and the struggles her father faced as a Black musician trying to make it big. After her harrowing journey across the Atlantic on the Queen Mary (chronicled in Miss Aldridge Regrets), English-born Lena feels lonelier than she expected. She has no one and nowhere to go. Luckily, the intriguing musician she met on the ship, Will Goodman, has offered her a place to stay in Harlem. Soon Lena is welcomed into the fold of Will's family and friends and begins to feel like she belongs. But when a body of a woman who looks just like Lena falls from a window, it seems like death has other plans. As a multiracial woman, who is often perceived as white, Lena is able to blend in more but still can relate to her father's trials. Lena is a likable, brave straight talker with whom readers will empathize. The changing POVs keep the mystery alive until the climax, which falls a bit short. VERDICT Recommended for fans of the series and those who enjoy whodunits.—Carmen Clark Copyright 2023 Library Journal.
The second 1930s-set "Canary Club Mystery" from Hare continues to build on Lena Aldridge's story, including how her parents met and the struggles her father faced as a Black musician trying to make it big. After her harrowing journey across the Atlantic on the Queen Mary (chronicled in Miss Aldridge Regrets), English-born Lena feels lonelier than she expected. She has no one and nowhere to go. Luckily, the intriguing musician she met on the ship, Will Goodman, has offered her a place to stay in Harlem. Soon Lena is welcomed into the fold of Will's family and friends and begins to feel like she belongs. But when a body of a woman who looks just like Lena falls from a window, it seems like death has other plans. As a multiracial woman, who is often perceived as white, Lena is able to blend in more but still can relate to her father's trials. Lena is a likable, brave straight talker with whom readers will empathize. The changing POVs keep the mystery alive until the climax, which falls a bit short. VERDICT Recommended for fans of the series and those who enjoy whodunits.—Carmen Clark Copyright 2023 Library Journal.
March 5, 2024
Harlem After Midnight is the sequel to Miss Aldridge Regrets by Louise Hare. I definitely recommend reading Miss Aldridge first to understand the set up of the second book and get to know the characters.
Many unanswered questions were brought to conclusion in this book whilst also setting up the possibility to a third mystery.
The lack of ratings and reviews for Louise's books is frustrating. Put down those domestic thrillers about needy rich people and their husbands and read this instead!
Many unanswered questions were brought to conclusion in this book whilst also setting up the possibility to a third mystery.
The lack of ratings and reviews for Louise's books is frustrating. Put down those domestic thrillers about needy rich people and their husbands and read this instead!
June 27, 2023
I’m so glad I got to continue this journey with Lena right dab smack into the tail end of the Harlem Renaissance. This book captures the same themes and ideas found in most of the books of that time while keeping a modern writing structure and plot. The book opens with basically the end of Passing which I see as an homage to Nella Larsson and her amazing works, but it is also a good jumping point for a modern murder mystery. At this point the reader has traveled across the ocean on the Queen Mary with Lena and lived to tell of the harrowing journey. With a budding relationship formed on board Lena agrees to stay in Harlem with Will to see if there is more to their love affair, while also searching for more information about her father, Alfie. In true Harlem Renaissance fashion readers are taken to rent parties, the Apollo and invited into the world of arts and culture booming in the black communities of New York. The story is told from multiple timelines and although the mystery starts at the beginning of the book the reader is taken back in time to a week prior to get firsthand knowledge as to how it got to that point, all while getting small doses of Alfie’s life in New York interjected in between. At this point I’m invested in Lena, and I hope that there is a third book. This book ends with a soft cliffhanger, meaning everything is wrapped up, but there is still the lingering problem of the D.I./ Maggie and Will. I mean this isn’t how it all ends, or at least I hope it isn’t.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the chance to read this book. Thank you to Louise Hare for taking the time to write this book, I have enjoyed my time with Lena and I hope there is more to come (but no pressure or anything). This book is now available so stop by your local independent bookshop to pick up a copy today.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the chance to read this book. Thank you to Louise Hare for taking the time to write this book, I have enjoyed my time with Lena and I hope there is more to come (but no pressure or anything). This book is now available so stop by your local independent bookshop to pick up a copy today.
July 6, 2023
Lena grew up in London hearing of Broadway in New York – America. She dreams of making it to New York City with her father, but by the time she is able to go he has passed away. She meets a hansom musician during her crossing from England and luckily for her he offers her a place to stay in Harlem. She has nowhere else to go, and she wouldn’t mind getting to know him more. His friends welcome her with open arms, but she quickly learns that the man is harboring secrets of his own. Will the secrets he’s hiding put a target on her back?
This book drops you right into the story and I can appreciate that. I struggled with the rapid shifts in time with this one. I really had to pay close attention to know what was going on – more so than normal. It was a little tiring, and this book took me a few sittings to get through as a result. However, it was a very compelling and interesting story. The mystery that is interwoven within the book is engaging and thought provoking. I was trying to figure it out the whole time. I really became invested in the characters, especially Lena. I hope that the next book in the series focuses on her and her journey.
If you are looking for an interesting historical fiction with a mystery interwoven in its pages, then check this one out.
Many thanks to the publisher, Berkley Publishing, @BerkleyPub, and Netgalley, @Netgalley for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Additional links will be added once posted.
This book drops you right into the story and I can appreciate that. I struggled with the rapid shifts in time with this one. I really had to pay close attention to know what was going on – more so than normal. It was a little tiring, and this book took me a few sittings to get through as a result. However, it was a very compelling and interesting story. The mystery that is interwoven within the book is engaging and thought provoking. I was trying to figure it out the whole time. I really became invested in the characters, especially Lena. I hope that the next book in the series focuses on her and her journey.
If you are looking for an interesting historical fiction with a mystery interwoven in its pages, then check this one out.
Many thanks to the publisher, Berkley Publishing, @BerkleyPub, and Netgalley, @Netgalley for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Additional links will be added once posted.
August 29, 2023
Thank you to Berkley Publishing for my complimentary eARC and to PRHAUDIO for my complimentary audiobook. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Harlem after Midnight is the second book in the Canary Club Mysteries. The story picks up just after the ending of book one. While it would be helpful to read the books in order, it’s not necessary. I had a feeling I had cracked the case and was pleasantly surprised to find out I was correct.
I enjoyed all the historical aspects of this cozy mystery. Our story is set in Harlem in the late 1930’s. I enjoyed how the different points of view helped set the scene for the murder.
I paired the audiobook and enjoyed the character voices. Leonie Elliott has a wonderful voice and it was easy to differentiate between characters.
I am looking forward to more books in this series.
Harlem after Midnight is the second book in the Canary Club Mysteries. The story picks up just after the ending of book one. While it would be helpful to read the books in order, it’s not necessary. I had a feeling I had cracked the case and was pleasantly surprised to find out I was correct.
I enjoyed all the historical aspects of this cozy mystery. Our story is set in Harlem in the late 1930’s. I enjoyed how the different points of view helped set the scene for the murder.
I paired the audiobook and enjoyed the character voices. Leonie Elliott has a wonderful voice and it was easy to differentiate between characters.
I am looking forward to more books in this series.
September 5, 2023
I wasn’t quite sure what direction Louise Harr would go in with Lena’s story after the first book, and I was pleasantly surprised with what she chose in this continuation of the Canary Club mystery series.
Lena continues to be an intriguing and endearing character, and though I missed the atmosphere of the ship from the first book, Hare kept the story compelling and added a new layer of intrigue as Lena attempts to navigate her new (albeit temporary) life in New York.
We get a lot more on Alfie in this book, which helps flesh out some of the details of Lena’s search for answers about her family. I was surprised to see Lena land back in London by the end of this book, though the circumstances that place her there are more than enough to keep me interested and looking forward to the next novel in the series.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
Lena continues to be an intriguing and endearing character, and though I missed the atmosphere of the ship from the first book, Hare kept the story compelling and added a new layer of intrigue as Lena attempts to navigate her new (albeit temporary) life in New York.
We get a lot more on Alfie in this book, which helps flesh out some of the details of Lena’s search for answers about her family. I was surprised to see Lena land back in London by the end of this book, though the circumstances that place her there are more than enough to keep me interested and looking forward to the next novel in the series.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
June 21, 2025
Lena has landed in New York after her traumatic journey from England on the Queen Mary. She is getting to know Will, a musician on board, better and he has arrange to stay with his friends Claudette and Louis. She meets is stepsister, Bel, but isn't sure what to make of her. Despite Bel's overtures of friendship Lena isn't sure about her, especially when she finds Bel going through her things. Then Bel falls out of Lena's bedroom window at the party and Will is prime suspect. But with so many secrets swirling around, is he really guilty of pushing Bel to her death? Eliza invites Lena for coffee and a chat and Lena is hoping she can find out some more about her father.
Another good story in the Lean Aldridge series. A few things are left open which will, hopefully, be closed down in later books. Very atmospheric, a joy to read.
Another good story in the Lean Aldridge series. A few things are left open which will, hopefully, be closed down in later books. Very atmospheric, a joy to read.
September 18, 2023
Beginning pretty much where the first in this series (Miss Aldridge Regrets) left off, this is a very solid 2nd offering in a burgeoning series dripping with an authentic 1938 Harlem, NYC setting details, slow-to-begin but escalating Pace and adequate plotting. The CH development of our narrator, Lena, continues to add depth to who we already met, and we get more on Will, her love interest from the ship. Some other previous CHs get some more gravitas (her father Archie) and some new CHs are introduced. Lena does tend to ruminate more than I like—often spending paragraphs Hand wringing and chewing on her past and present decisions; however, the dialogue is well-integrated, and the show biz and social elements entertaining. A few twists in the story did not surprise me but Hare executes them well. She uses flashbacks to 1908 Harlem to great effect. Once again like the first one, justice is less than straight-forward and in this novel not as well explained, perhaps leaving the door for a follow-up. Lena’s adventure will continue and I’ll give the third one a try. Hare again uses song title chapter headings that add value. For better thoughts, read my review of the first one. I think anyone who enjoys period pieces set in the 1930s will find this a diverting read but begin with the first for a better understanding of CH and previous plot. Maybe fans of Amy Stewart, Katherine Schellman, and Tom Mead may want to dip there toe in.
December 15, 2023
I wasn't in love with the previous book that I found a bit too slow at times but I loved this one, the follow up.
Miss Aldridge is in NY and there's mysteries, a man who is not what he seems, family secrets and lies.
A lot is going on and the pace is right, there's an exciting atmosphered and the whodunit is solid and well done.
This is not the final book in this series so I'm curious about the next developments.
It' can't be read as a stand alone but it's an entertaining story if you read both.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
Miss Aldridge is in NY and there's mysteries, a man who is not what he seems, family secrets and lies.
A lot is going on and the pace is right, there's an exciting atmosphered and the whodunit is solid and well done.
This is not the final book in this series so I'm curious about the next developments.
It' can't be read as a stand alone but it's an entertaining story if you read both.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine
Did Not Finish
July 17, 2025I just remembered that I wasn't the biggest fan of book 1 so why is this on my TBR?
I'm not particularly drawn to this, the only reason I have picked up '
Miss Aldridge Regrets' is because the story took place on a ship crossing the Atlantic to NY.
But now that we are there, I am no longer interested.
I'm not particularly drawn to this, the only reason I have picked up '
Miss Aldridge Regrets' is because the story took place on a ship crossing the Atlantic to NY.
But now that we are there, I am no longer interested.
Read
November 3, 2023Louise Hare gives readers a glorious tour of 1930s New York City in her second Canary Club mystery, Harlem After Midnight. #Mystery #HistoricalFiction #NewYork
September 4, 2025
A bit underwhelming. Supposed to be a mystery but it was not. So just a novel that meandered a bit and the ending was casual and open ended. It was fine but not captivating.
March 21, 2026
An interesting historical murder mystery set in New York in the 1930s. I found it relatively slow until the remaining 50 pages and was disappointed with the ending essentially putting Elena back to where she was at the beginning of the first book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 15, 2024
Distinctly better than "Miss Aldridge Regrets"
4.5 stars
After not enjoying the first book in this series, I'm pleased to say that this was almost as enjoyable as This Lovely City.
4.5 stars
After not enjoying the first book in this series, I'm pleased to say that this was almost as enjoyable as This Lovely City.
September 10, 2023
I loved 'Miss Aldridge Regrets', the first novel by Louise Hare to throw singer Lena Aldridge into a new role as detective on board a transatlantic liner bound for New York in 1936. This second book, 'Harlem after Midnight', picks up the story of Lena's arrival in New York with new beau and ship-board musician Will Goodman.
Thanks to NetGalley for my copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
This book opens in dramatic style: a woman has fallen from a window at a party in Harlem. Clutched in her hand is a passport bearing the name Lena Aldridge... The narrative then moves back 9 days to Lena's arrival in New York when Will arranges for her to stay with friends of his, Claud and Louis. Instead of Will returning to England on the ship, he decides to take some leave, something that gives Lena hope that they can work out whether their relationship has a future. However, things are far from smooth due to Will's awkward sister, a host of family secrets and Lena's inability to decide whether she can find a home in Harlem. Added to this, Lena is in investigative mode as she tries to uncover her own family secrets about what happened to her father in New York in 1908 that caused him to leave for England.
It took me a while to get used to the time-hopping between the night of the accident, the events beforehand (both 1936) and Lena's father in 1908. However, it cleverly built the tension towards the main mystery: who pushed the woman from the window and why? Along the way, there's lots of fabulous period detail about the Harlem social whirl, the nightclubs and music scene - an aspect I loved.
As before, I liked the character of Lena Aldridge. She makes a compelling main character as she tries to do what is right by everyone - herself, Will, her new Harlem friends, the memory of her father and her best friend at home in London. She's at a kind of crossroads in her career and life so we get lots of insight into her thought processes and begin to root for her to have her happy-ever-after ending.
Hare explores the race relations of the era in an interesting way - Lena is of mixed heritage but passes as white, yet Will is black. This partnership is mirrored elsewhere in the novel - with Alfie (Lena's father) and his white girlfriend, plus in what Lena uncovers about her family's past. In each case, Hare draws out some contemporary reactions to such relationships, touching on society's expectations and prejudices, the awful lynchings in the South and the exploitation of black women by powerful white men. There are some really sobering moments in the novel for this reason and it's far from being a cosy crime novel..
The central mystery was well sustained by the use of flashbacks and the diversions into Lena's family's past. I didn't find the mystery quite as compelling as the first novel, but appreciated that more space was given to developing Lena as a character.
I'd recommend this to anyone who enjoyed 'Miss Aldridge Regrets' and would suggest that this second book is more easily accessible to those who have read the first novel - there's lots of references to the revelations in that first book and several of the characters reappear. It's a well-researched slice of historical fiction and an engaging read.
Thanks to NetGalley for my copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
This book opens in dramatic style: a woman has fallen from a window at a party in Harlem. Clutched in her hand is a passport bearing the name Lena Aldridge... The narrative then moves back 9 days to Lena's arrival in New York when Will arranges for her to stay with friends of his, Claud and Louis. Instead of Will returning to England on the ship, he decides to take some leave, something that gives Lena hope that they can work out whether their relationship has a future. However, things are far from smooth due to Will's awkward sister, a host of family secrets and Lena's inability to decide whether she can find a home in Harlem. Added to this, Lena is in investigative mode as she tries to uncover her own family secrets about what happened to her father in New York in 1908 that caused him to leave for England.
It took me a while to get used to the time-hopping between the night of the accident, the events beforehand (both 1936) and Lena's father in 1908. However, it cleverly built the tension towards the main mystery: who pushed the woman from the window and why? Along the way, there's lots of fabulous period detail about the Harlem social whirl, the nightclubs and music scene - an aspect I loved.
As before, I liked the character of Lena Aldridge. She makes a compelling main character as she tries to do what is right by everyone - herself, Will, her new Harlem friends, the memory of her father and her best friend at home in London. She's at a kind of crossroads in her career and life so we get lots of insight into her thought processes and begin to root for her to have her happy-ever-after ending.
Hare explores the race relations of the era in an interesting way - Lena is of mixed heritage but passes as white, yet Will is black. This partnership is mirrored elsewhere in the novel - with Alfie (Lena's father) and his white girlfriend, plus in what Lena uncovers about her family's past. In each case, Hare draws out some contemporary reactions to such relationships, touching on society's expectations and prejudices, the awful lynchings in the South and the exploitation of black women by powerful white men. There are some really sobering moments in the novel for this reason and it's far from being a cosy crime novel..
The central mystery was well sustained by the use of flashbacks and the diversions into Lena's family's past. I didn't find the mystery quite as compelling as the first novel, but appreciated that more space was given to developing Lena as a character.
I'd recommend this to anyone who enjoyed 'Miss Aldridge Regrets' and would suggest that this second book is more easily accessible to those who have read the first novel - there's lots of references to the revelations in that first book and several of the characters reappear. It's a well-researched slice of historical fiction and an engaging read.
April 1, 2024
Not a big mystery reader, but I wanted something different and short. Was unaware this was the second book in a series until I was over halfway through, which explains why I was disappointed in not getting details on what took place on the ship.
It’s a great period piece for this time in Harlem and the black community.
I was underwhelmed by the mystery/whodunnit. I think the revelation/ending was a fast for how slow it was to build up to the murder mystery. It felt almost incomplete, but I guess there will be some continuation with a third book.
It’s a great period piece for this time in Harlem and the black community.
I was underwhelmed by the mystery/whodunnit. I think the revelation/ending was a fast for how slow it was to build up to the murder mystery. It felt almost incomplete, but I guess there will be some continuation with a third book.
June 10, 2026
At the beginning of Harlem After Midnight, we find our beloved protagonist, Lena Aldridge, after a fall from a third-story window as a passing patrolman discovers her. An ambulance is called, and we flash back to the start of her Harlem visit just a week or two before. In the previous book, we saw Lena form a connection with Will during her trip to the States. When her plans in New York fell through (aka were revealed to be bogus from the start), she was left in an unfamiliar city without a plan. We learn that Will has offered her a room with his lifelong friends, Claud and Louis Linfield, for her visit, an excuse for the two of them to stay in touch and get to know each other a bit more. When she's not cozying up with Will, she has a mystery of a more personal nature to investigate. After some of her shipbound revelations about her past (see book one), she wants to find more information about her dad, Alfie. She can no longer trust that his life was as straightforward as she once assumed, and she wants to spend her time in New York leaving no stone unturned about his life in America.
The book has a different vibe from the first one. There isn't a sense of pressing danger, even though we're given foreknowledge that everything is leading up to that fateful fall (push?) from the window. As Lena uncovers more about Alfie's story, we get flashbacks to 1908, when he was just getting started as a piano player in New York. The reader is privy to more of the details than Lena through that storytelling method. Alongside the discoveries about Alfie, it's the things Lena learns about Will's complicated life that add tension to the book. Our protagonist has been dropped into his community without a primer on all the history and relationships that have kept him away for all this time, working on the ship where she met him. Lena suspects that he's been missing his roots more than he'd want to admit, so she tries to be a force for good in his life, pushing him toward all the blessings she wished she had for herself.
The different emphasis in this sequel (more interpersonal drama and less mystery) wasn't as much to my taste, and I wasn't expecting the pivot from what I loved about Lena's first adventure. But it was the end of the book that really kept me from enjoying this one as much as I'd hoped. Lena's familial investigation has the strongest resolution, in my opinion. Meanwhile, the stories about her best friend and lover are each left a bit open-ended with lingering tension. And I think I would have been more ok with that if I knew Lena was going to get more adventures in the future. Her life doesn't need to be neat and tidy, but I'm not sure where these two books have really left her. What has she learned from it all? We get an inkling of future plans, but it's left nebulous. Then there's the mystery, which I've mentioned takes more of a backseat in this one. In the end, some of the motives and loyalties of those involved still felt a bit inexplicable to me, not all the dots connecting between the characters. And I could be failing to see something right in front of my face, but I was left unsatisfied on that front. Some clues are left dangling, perhaps as distractions, but I still would have liked to know what they really signified, if not the major hint about the case you're first led to suspect.
I think the book's best feature is the historical detail and commentary. The author gives a street-level view of Harlem-- such a popular setting for pop culture, but this perspective is more grounded and lived-in than some I've seen. That's not to say there are no inclusions about the importance of the era. Lena and Will perform at Amateur Night at the Apollo, giving them a brush with all the musical star power that walked those hallowed halls. The setting isn't just window dressing, either. The author is interested in many veins of racism that were prevalent at the time, all with implications for a contemporary audience. Lena's story touches on colorism and what it was like to pass for white in the period. Alfie's story looks at interracial couples and the uneven danger taken on by the Black person involved, regardless of gender. But it also takes an intersectional feminism lens to consider the specific danger for Black women working in wealthy white households. Alfie's story also touches on lynching, a particular danger to Black men that couldn't be protected against or reasoned with. All it took was an accusation from a white person to incite violence. There's also a plot that looks at the horrors of unsafe, illegal abortion practitioners-- the only option for poor women in an era with the moralizing purity-obsessed on one side and the men who'd put them in such a position on the other. Squeezed economically and socially, the seeming best option could have deadly consequences.
So where does this leave me? Conflicted. I came in expecting a historical mystery from my knowledge of the series and was left disappointed on that front. However, I think readers who enjoy picking up more general historical fiction will not only be unbothered but, in fact, delighted, with all the book has to say and all the details it includes. I don't often find myself within that demographic, which is why I think it didn't land for me from a story perspective. So if you're a historical fiction reader, you should seek this one out for a book that gives you a glimpse of the beginning of the Great Migration at one end and a deep dive into the Jazz Age at the other. Thanks to Berkley for my copy to read and review!
The book has a different vibe from the first one. There isn't a sense of pressing danger, even though we're given foreknowledge that everything is leading up to that fateful fall (push?) from the window. As Lena uncovers more about Alfie's story, we get flashbacks to 1908, when he was just getting started as a piano player in New York. The reader is privy to more of the details than Lena through that storytelling method. Alongside the discoveries about Alfie, it's the things Lena learns about Will's complicated life that add tension to the book. Our protagonist has been dropped into his community without a primer on all the history and relationships that have kept him away for all this time, working on the ship where she met him. Lena suspects that he's been missing his roots more than he'd want to admit, so she tries to be a force for good in his life, pushing him toward all the blessings she wished she had for herself.
The different emphasis in this sequel (more interpersonal drama and less mystery) wasn't as much to my taste, and I wasn't expecting the pivot from what I loved about Lena's first adventure. But it was the end of the book that really kept me from enjoying this one as much as I'd hoped. Lena's familial investigation has the strongest resolution, in my opinion. Meanwhile, the stories about her best friend and lover are each left a bit open-ended with lingering tension. And I think I would have been more ok with that if I knew Lena was going to get more adventures in the future. Her life doesn't need to be neat and tidy, but I'm not sure where these two books have really left her. What has she learned from it all? We get an inkling of future plans, but it's left nebulous. Then there's the mystery, which I've mentioned takes more of a backseat in this one. In the end, some of the motives and loyalties of those involved still felt a bit inexplicable to me, not all the dots connecting between the characters. And I could be failing to see something right in front of my face, but I was left unsatisfied on that front. Some clues are left dangling, perhaps as distractions, but I still would have liked to know what they really signified, if not the major hint about the case you're first led to suspect.
I think the book's best feature is the historical detail and commentary. The author gives a street-level view of Harlem-- such a popular setting for pop culture, but this perspective is more grounded and lived-in than some I've seen. That's not to say there are no inclusions about the importance of the era. Lena and Will perform at Amateur Night at the Apollo, giving them a brush with all the musical star power that walked those hallowed halls. The setting isn't just window dressing, either. The author is interested in many veins of racism that were prevalent at the time, all with implications for a contemporary audience. Lena's story touches on colorism and what it was like to pass for white in the period. Alfie's story looks at interracial couples and the uneven danger taken on by the Black person involved, regardless of gender. But it also takes an intersectional feminism lens to consider the specific danger for Black women working in wealthy white households. Alfie's story also touches on lynching, a particular danger to Black men that couldn't be protected against or reasoned with. All it took was an accusation from a white person to incite violence. There's also a plot that looks at the horrors of unsafe, illegal abortion practitioners-- the only option for poor women in an era with the moralizing purity-obsessed on one side and the men who'd put them in such a position on the other. Squeezed economically and socially, the seeming best option could have deadly consequences.
So where does this leave me? Conflicted. I came in expecting a historical mystery from my knowledge of the series and was left disappointed on that front. However, I think readers who enjoy picking up more general historical fiction will not only be unbothered but, in fact, delighted, with all the book has to say and all the details it includes. I don't often find myself within that demographic, which is why I think it didn't land for me from a story perspective. So if you're a historical fiction reader, you should seek this one out for a book that gives you a glimpse of the beginning of the Great Migration at one end and a deep dive into the Jazz Age at the other. Thanks to Berkley for my copy to read and review!
April 21, 2026
An atmospheric and cleverly written whodunit set during the Harlem renaissance with a roldex of interesting characters and relationships.
This book starts really well. A woman falls off a balcony in Harlem clutching a British passport that has the name of our protaganist Lena Alderidge. This not only catches the readers attention but is also a twist. Most whodunits have the main character trying to figure out who committed the crime not be a victim of it themselves. The book then flashes back to Lena arriving in Harlem, creating tension as we try to figure out exactly how we got up to the books opening event. This is combined with flashbacks to Lena's father's time in Harlem, that information being the reason that Lena is in the city in the first place. This two (arguably 3) part narrative allows a well written, twist filled mystery plot to unravel bit by bit in layers. Its not a fast paced novel but all the moving parts make it engaging nonetheless.
The book is mostly told in first person through Lena's perspective. She is a good character with a strong narrative voice that sets her POV apart from the flashback. This is mostly to do with Hares strong prose; very much of the vocabulary of a young english woman in 30s Harlem, but also inventive and interesting at times:
"I spotted mould on the walls higher up, the smell of damp almost muscular as its shoved its way into my nostrils."
Lena is also just a well-written character. Well motivated, interesting but flawed. She isn't an intellectual super slueth but she is deeply emotionally intelligent and very much aware of her own shortcomings which makes her very compassionate. Whilst in the middle of a somewhat tense conversation with another character who is complaining about her lack of money she thinks:
"I thought about our shopping trip and I knew it wasn't for me to point out that Bel's wardrobe was a damned sight too fashionable for a woman in her position. Would I, in her shoes, be any different? Not a fortnight before I'd been living in a tiny room in Soho all my wages going on nights out, make-up, anything that made me feel better about myself. It was a lie but who wants the world to know the truth?"
Her deep knowledge of herself and her own mistakes makes her very good at sussing out other people's and empathising with them anyway. Which is especially useful in this book as most of the characters are deeply flawed. Some mystery novels with a large cast end up with a bloated page count and many underdeveloped characters but Hare seems to actively avoid this making all her characters complex. This greatly serves the themes of the novel, those of the complications of family and how the mistakes we make are a part of us. I would argue that, while the plot line about Lena's father seems to more embody the theme of family and the more modern plotline seems to focus on mistakes the two themes are intertwined amd appear in both as well. The entire book is full of characters making sometimes difficult and sometimes stupid choices about family that often end up being mistakes. But Hare seems to regard these mistakes not as an inherent evil, but as a part of life on the same level of importance as successes:
"People make mistakes, but I wasn't entirely sure that we weren't meant to. Our lives were formed from those errors of judgement. Even the bad times sometimes begat the good"
This complex worldview is maintained right up to the ending which is a bittersweet conclusion that never quite delivers justice. This is a good choice in my opinion as ending such a grey book with a black and white ending would have gone against the themes that Hare established.
Unfortunately the book is held back by the fact that this is very much a sequel despite the author/publisher thinking otherwise. The copy that I got my hands on gave no indication that this was anything other than a standalone novel so I went in with that mindset and it negatively impacted my reading experience. I don't think this was just a mistake on the cover of my copy though. I think that Hare is trying to create a serial similar to Poirot or Sherlock Holmes where there is one main character who reappears in multiple stories. But the way those books are written means you can read them in any order and it won't matter whereas this is not, in fact it picks up directly after the last book ended as is essentially a continuation of that story. I was inadvertently spoiled on events that happen in the previous book and I was obviously supposed to be emotionally invested in some parts like the romance and Lena's father except I wasn't because I had never met these characters before. Even the title on goodreads "A Canary Club Mystery #2" indicates to me that this is supposed to be part of a larger series of vaguely connected adventures with the same main character. But instead I came in halfway through the story and reading a sequel without reading book 1 can be a little off putting.
This didn't ruin the book for me it was still enjoyable I just wish I had read Miss Aldridge Regrets first. I may still pick that up despite being heavily spoiled, but I am definitely going to read This Lovely City as I do think Hare is a good author and I want to read more of her work. I do recommend this book but only if you have read Miss Aldridge Regrets first.
This book starts really well. A woman falls off a balcony in Harlem clutching a British passport that has the name of our protaganist Lena Alderidge. This not only catches the readers attention but is also a twist. Most whodunits have the main character trying to figure out who committed the crime not be a victim of it themselves. The book then flashes back to Lena arriving in Harlem, creating tension as we try to figure out exactly how we got up to the books opening event. This is combined with flashbacks to Lena's father's time in Harlem, that information being the reason that Lena is in the city in the first place. This two (arguably 3) part narrative allows a well written, twist filled mystery plot to unravel bit by bit in layers. Its not a fast paced novel but all the moving parts make it engaging nonetheless.
The book is mostly told in first person through Lena's perspective. She is a good character with a strong narrative voice that sets her POV apart from the flashback. This is mostly to do with Hares strong prose; very much of the vocabulary of a young english woman in 30s Harlem, but also inventive and interesting at times:
"I spotted mould on the walls higher up, the smell of damp almost muscular as its shoved its way into my nostrils."
Lena is also just a well-written character. Well motivated, interesting but flawed. She isn't an intellectual super slueth but she is deeply emotionally intelligent and very much aware of her own shortcomings which makes her very compassionate. Whilst in the middle of a somewhat tense conversation with another character who is complaining about her lack of money she thinks:
"I thought about our shopping trip and I knew it wasn't for me to point out that Bel's wardrobe was a damned sight too fashionable for a woman in her position. Would I, in her shoes, be any different? Not a fortnight before I'd been living in a tiny room in Soho all my wages going on nights out, make-up, anything that made me feel better about myself. It was a lie but who wants the world to know the truth?"
Her deep knowledge of herself and her own mistakes makes her very good at sussing out other people's and empathising with them anyway. Which is especially useful in this book as most of the characters are deeply flawed. Some mystery novels with a large cast end up with a bloated page count and many underdeveloped characters but Hare seems to actively avoid this making all her characters complex. This greatly serves the themes of the novel, those of the complications of family and how the mistakes we make are a part of us. I would argue that, while the plot line about Lena's father seems to more embody the theme of family and the more modern plotline seems to focus on mistakes the two themes are intertwined amd appear in both as well. The entire book is full of characters making sometimes difficult and sometimes stupid choices about family that often end up being mistakes. But Hare seems to regard these mistakes not as an inherent evil, but as a part of life on the same level of importance as successes:
"People make mistakes, but I wasn't entirely sure that we weren't meant to. Our lives were formed from those errors of judgement. Even the bad times sometimes begat the good"
This complex worldview is maintained right up to the ending which is a bittersweet conclusion that never quite delivers justice. This is a good choice in my opinion as ending such a grey book with a black and white ending would have gone against the themes that Hare established.
Unfortunately the book is held back by the fact that this is very much a sequel despite the author/publisher thinking otherwise. The copy that I got my hands on gave no indication that this was anything other than a standalone novel so I went in with that mindset and it negatively impacted my reading experience. I don't think this was just a mistake on the cover of my copy though. I think that Hare is trying to create a serial similar to Poirot or Sherlock Holmes where there is one main character who reappears in multiple stories. But the way those books are written means you can read them in any order and it won't matter whereas this is not, in fact it picks up directly after the last book ended as is essentially a continuation of that story. I was inadvertently spoiled on events that happen in the previous book and I was obviously supposed to be emotionally invested in some parts like the romance and Lena's father except I wasn't because I had never met these characters before. Even the title on goodreads "A Canary Club Mystery #2" indicates to me that this is supposed to be part of a larger series of vaguely connected adventures with the same main character. But instead I came in halfway through the story and reading a sequel without reading book 1 can be a little off putting.
This didn't ruin the book for me it was still enjoyable I just wish I had read Miss Aldridge Regrets first. I may still pick that up despite being heavily spoiled, but I am definitely going to read This Lovely City as I do think Hare is a good author and I want to read more of her work. I do recommend this book but only if you have read Miss Aldridge Regrets first.
November 21, 2024
I can’t remember the last time I read such a boring book. I’m halfway through and getting ready to fast forward to the end. What a snoozer. No redeeming qualities whatsoever.
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