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The Wicked City #1
The Wicked City
New York Times bestselling author Beatriz Williams recreates the New York City of A Certain Age in this deliciously spicy adventure that mixes past and present and centers on a Jazz Age love triangle involving a rugged Prohibition agent, a saucy redheaded flapper, and a debonair Princetonian from a wealthy family.
When she discovers her husband cheating, Ella Hawthorne impulsively moves out of their SoHo loft and into a small apartment in an old Greenwich Village building. Her surprisingly attractive new neighbor, Hector, warns her to stay out of the basement at night. Tenants have reported strange noises after midnight—laughter, clinking glasses, jazz piano—even though the space has been empty for decades. Back in the Roaring Twenties, the place hid a speakeasy.
In 1924, Geneva "Gin" Kelly, a smart-mouthed flapper from the hills of western Maryland, is a regular at this Village hideaway known as the Christopher Club. Caught up in a raid, Gin becomes entangled with Prohibition enforcement agent Oliver Anson, who persuades her to help him catch her stepfather Duke Kelly, one of Appalachia’s most notorious bootleggers.
Headstrong and independent, Gin is no weak-kneed fool. So how can she be falling in love with the taciturn, straight-arrow Revenue agent when she’s got Princeton boy Billy Marshall, the dashing son of society doyenne Theresa Marshall, begging to make an honest woman of her? While anything goes in the Roaring Twenties, Gin’s adventures will shake proper Manhattan society to its foundations, exposing secrets that shock even this free-spirited redhead—secrets that will echo from Park Avenue to the hollers of her Southern hometown.
As Ella discovers more about the basement speakeasy, she becomes inspired by the spirit of her exuberant predecessor, and decides to live with abandon in the wicked city too. . . .
When she discovers her husband cheating, Ella Hawthorne impulsively moves out of their SoHo loft and into a small apartment in an old Greenwich Village building. Her surprisingly attractive new neighbor, Hector, warns her to stay out of the basement at night. Tenants have reported strange noises after midnight—laughter, clinking glasses, jazz piano—even though the space has been empty for decades. Back in the Roaring Twenties, the place hid a speakeasy.
In 1924, Geneva "Gin" Kelly, a smart-mouthed flapper from the hills of western Maryland, is a regular at this Village hideaway known as the Christopher Club. Caught up in a raid, Gin becomes entangled with Prohibition enforcement agent Oliver Anson, who persuades her to help him catch her stepfather Duke Kelly, one of Appalachia’s most notorious bootleggers.
Headstrong and independent, Gin is no weak-kneed fool. So how can she be falling in love with the taciturn, straight-arrow Revenue agent when she’s got Princeton boy Billy Marshall, the dashing son of society doyenne Theresa Marshall, begging to make an honest woman of her? While anything goes in the Roaring Twenties, Gin’s adventures will shake proper Manhattan society to its foundations, exposing secrets that shock even this free-spirited redhead—secrets that will echo from Park Avenue to the hollers of her Southern hometown.
As Ella discovers more about the basement speakeasy, she becomes inspired by the spirit of her exuberant predecessor, and decides to live with abandon in the wicked city too. . . .
366 pages, Hardcover
First published January 17, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,117 reviews
December 16, 2016
I am a long-time fan of Beatriz Williams' books. She has a unique ability to create feisty and head-strong female protagonists and interweave historical and modern-day story lines. Top this off with witty and flirty banter between the male and female leads and her books (a la old Rock Hudson and Doris Day comedies) and it's usually one fun romp. Unfortunately this new series fell quite a bit short from her previous works.
"The Wicked City" is the first in a proposed new series of books featuring the story lines of 1920's flapper "Gin" Kelly and Prohibition agent Oliver Anson, along with modern-day Ella Hawthorn and her handsome neighbor Hector. The 1920's story takes precedence here, and I found the story line to be convoluted and confusing (this wasn't helped by Williams' attempt to write in the vernacular, which I felt detracted -- not added -- to the story). If I read one more reference to NYC being "the wicked city," I might have needed a sip of some bathtub gin myself.
Williams' books are usually such a delight and she is a writer of great talent. I'm hopeful this book is merely an aberration, and that the next in the series will provide the same level of spunk and smartness we are used to seeing from her.
Thank you to William Morrow and Edelweiss for a galley of this book in exchange for an honest review.
"The Wicked City" is the first in a proposed new series of books featuring the story lines of 1920's flapper "Gin" Kelly and Prohibition agent Oliver Anson, along with modern-day Ella Hawthorn and her handsome neighbor Hector. The 1920's story takes precedence here, and I found the story line to be convoluted and confusing (this wasn't helped by Williams' attempt to write in the vernacular, which I felt detracted -- not added -- to the story). If I read one more reference to NYC being "the wicked city," I might have needed a sip of some bathtub gin myself.
Williams' books are usually such a delight and she is a writer of great talent. I'm hopeful this book is merely an aberration, and that the next in the series will provide the same level of spunk and smartness we are used to seeing from her.
Thank you to William Morrow and Edelweiss for a galley of this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 3, 2016
I just started reading this and noticed it is rated 1 star. Then I noticed only 1 person has reviewed it so far (no actual review, just a star) , and they are a newbie to GR and have given many books 1 star. So until I finish this, I am rating it 5 stars to balance out the one shady person who gave it 1 star.
February 7, 2017
The Wicked City is the first installment in a fabulous new series by Beatriz Williams. The story takes place on a dual timeline – in 1924 and in 1998. The plot is complicated so I will not retell the entire story here. While I liked both story lines a lot, my favorite was the Jazz Age 1920’s plot. Geneva Kelly is highly entertaining, and Williams includes so many twists and turns, none of which I predicted. I love when a tale can surprise me like that! I also learned a ton about the Jazz Age and prohibition which was a great side benefit. The story ends with some issues unresolved that I am dying to know more about. I look forward to her next installment to learn what happens with several characters.
I definitely recommend this book. Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I definitely recommend this book. Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 23, 2022
Its 1998, and Ella Gilbert, a forensic accountant, has caught her husband cheating. She moves out of their Soho loft for an apartment in Greenwich Village. Its 1924, and Geneva "Gin" Kelly, who has left the bootlegging Appalachians for New York City (hence the "Wicked City" title), lives a daring life. Apparently, the apartment Ella is now inhabiting was once the home of Gin. It is not brought out in the book as much as I thought it would have been, but Ella seems very "sensitive" to what is not always obvious to the naked eye. She finds an enamel box that once belonged to Gin, but it kind of stops there. There are also other threads that I wish had been brought out more. Since this is book 1 of a series, it was probably a setup for what comes later. I will probably read the other books in this series as I wondered what happens to Ella, a character that you could form an emotional attachment. Gin, while being a quick-witted and bold character, remained for me somewhat two dimensional. The majority of the story centered on her. It was probably to weave in the well-researched history of the prohibition period and the lifestyle of the flappers and the speakeasies that helped define this period.
November 28, 2019
So, some spoilers for this book lay ahead. And a very, very mild spoiler for a couple of Williams’ previous books.
I reeeeaaaallly wanted to love The Wicked City, and despite a few narrative flaws (a handful of historical anachronisms, some important action happening off-page and being revealed—after the fact—only through dialogue), I was fully prepared to do just that because it was so goshdarn fun to read. Beatriz Williams knows how to write fun, soapish historical fiction that’s unexpected and engaging and that’s why I was so excited to grab an e-galley of this.
It’s a romp through Prohibition-era Manhattan, where flapper Geneva (Gin) Kelly has landed after running away from her abusive stepfather in rural Western Maryland. She gets caught up in a sweep of the speakeasy next to her apartment and the dashing agent, Oliver Anson, persuades her to help him take down her stepfather, who has since become one of the country’s most notorious—and dangerous—bootleggers. Twists and turns abound in her storyline, but meanwhile, in 1998, Ella Hawthorne moves into that same apartment building after leaving her cheating husband. Intrigued by rumors of ghosts in the former speakeasy next door and the handsome fix-it-man upstairs, Ella is looking for the inspiration she needs to start a new life.
It was fun, it was peppy, it was full of unexpected plot twists. There’s a little romance and a lot of suspense.
And, of course, the Schuylers turn up to tie it all together.
But the last 50 or so pages really took the wind out of my fun sails and I found myself rather disappointed. And I think it’s mostly just because maybe Beatriz Williams wanted to focus on setting up her next book instead of flushing this one out as completely as possible.
At least, at this point, that’s what I’m hoping happened here.
Did you read Tiny Little Thing? Remember how there was a B-plot about Pepper restoring a car she’d found in Tiny’s garage and it basically went nowhere until you picked up the next book, Along the Infinite Sea? And even then, Pepper's story was not really the central focus. I’m either afraid or hoping that’s what happened here because there’s enough left unresolved to fill another book: .
If you are a die-hard Williams fan, this stuff might not bother you too much, but I’m starting to grow a little weary of the style. If you are new to Williams’ stories, she doesn’t make it super easy to jump in and truly, truly follow the whole universe; each additional book is theoretically stand-alone but the B-plots fill in the Schuyler narrative a little more completely. With each passing book, I suspect it will grow gradually more difficult for new readers to jump in.
If there is a follow up (this, maybe?), I plan to read it because I do hope to find resolutions to the questions left unanswered, but I think I’m starting to fall just a little bit out of love with Beatriz Williams. I feel like I keep getting burned, because so much of what bothered me here is the same things that frustrated me about Infinite Sea. I’d really rather have more resolution instead of just build up for something else. Cliffhangers and sequels are all well and good, but Williams’ books are marketed as stand-alones in such a way that I find it frustrating that her M.O. seems to be revealing answers in another book, whose plot seems to have little to do with the one at hand.
I reeeeaaaallly wanted to love The Wicked City, and despite a few narrative flaws (a handful of historical anachronisms, some important action happening off-page and being revealed—after the fact—only through dialogue), I was fully prepared to do just that because it was so goshdarn fun to read. Beatriz Williams knows how to write fun, soapish historical fiction that’s unexpected and engaging and that’s why I was so excited to grab an e-galley of this.
It’s a romp through Prohibition-era Manhattan, where flapper Geneva (Gin) Kelly has landed after running away from her abusive stepfather in rural Western Maryland. She gets caught up in a sweep of the speakeasy next to her apartment and the dashing agent, Oliver Anson, persuades her to help him take down her stepfather, who has since become one of the country’s most notorious—and dangerous—bootleggers. Twists and turns abound in her storyline, but meanwhile, in 1998, Ella Hawthorne moves into that same apartment building after leaving her cheating husband. Intrigued by rumors of ghosts in the former speakeasy next door and the handsome fix-it-man upstairs, Ella is looking for the inspiration she needs to start a new life.
It was fun, it was peppy, it was full of unexpected plot twists. There’s a little romance and a lot of suspense.
And, of course, the Schuylers turn up to tie it all together.
But the last 50 or so pages really took the wind out of my fun sails and I found myself rather disappointed. And I think it’s mostly just because maybe Beatriz Williams wanted to focus on setting up her next book instead of flushing this one out as completely as possible.
At least, at this point, that’s what I’m hoping happened here.
Did you read Tiny Little Thing? Remember how there was a B-plot about Pepper restoring a car she’d found in Tiny’s garage and it basically went nowhere until you picked up the next book, Along the Infinite Sea? And even then, Pepper's story was not really the central focus. I’m either afraid or hoping that’s what happened here because there’s enough left unresolved to fill another book: .
If you are a die-hard Williams fan, this stuff might not bother you too much, but I’m starting to grow a little weary of the style. If you are new to Williams’ stories, she doesn’t make it super easy to jump in and truly, truly follow the whole universe; each additional book is theoretically stand-alone but the B-plots fill in the Schuyler narrative a little more completely. With each passing book, I suspect it will grow gradually more difficult for new readers to jump in.
If there is a follow up (this, maybe?), I plan to read it because I do hope to find resolutions to the questions left unanswered, but I think I’m starting to fall just a little bit out of love with Beatriz Williams. I feel like I keep getting burned, because so much of what bothered me here is the same things that frustrated me about Infinite Sea. I’d really rather have more resolution instead of just build up for something else. Cliffhangers and sequels are all well and good, but Williams’ books are marketed as stand-alones in such a way that I find it frustrating that her M.O. seems to be revealing answers in another book, whose plot seems to have little to do with the one at hand.
Read
August 15, 2022DNF
Started reading this nearly a week ago— since starting it, I’ve read a few other books. Not a good sign.
Disappointing since I loved the premise but not the cast of characters— in either era.
Moving on.
Started reading this nearly a week ago— since starting it, I’ve read a few other books. Not a good sign.
Disappointing since I loved the premise but not the cast of characters— in either era.
Moving on.
April 19, 2017
3 stars
This novels follows two different MCs.
There's Ella Hawthorne, in 1998, who just moved out of her apartment she shares with her husband Patrick when she catches him cheating on her. Within her first week, she meets Hector, a new neighbor to her, who warns her of the strange noises coming out of the basement late at night.
Then there's Geneva Kelly, also called Ginger and Gin. It's 1924, and she gets caught up in a raid at a speakeasy known as the Christopher Club. It's then that she meets Oliver Anson, a prohibition enforcement agent. Anson is after Gin's step father, Duke Kelly, who has become one of Appalachia's most notorious bootleggers. Anson wants Gin's help in taking down Duke, but doing that would mean revisiting old memories for her, ones that she wanted to never look back on. And with her stepping out with Billy Marshall, she already has everything she wants...so she thinks.
This is the latest by Beatriz Williams. Now, the first book I ever read by Williams, Along The Infinite Sea....I absolutely loved it. Recommend it to all. The other 2 in that same series, also wonderful. But Williams other novels, her 'standalones' (not sure they can really be called standalones. They are all set in the same world, with the same cast of characters...but don't get me wrong, I love that aspect) have fallen a little flat for me.
It's not that they're not good, enjoyable reads. They just don't rope me in and have me hooked until the very last page like the 3 Schuyler sister novels did.
This book had me hooked during Gin's story, but during Ella's? Mostly, her story just seemed like filler. She provided a way to connect past and present somewhat, but not necessarily to Gin. Honestly, while I did love the bit towards the end where she's visiting with family (old characters from previous novels mentioned), I feel like the story could still have been a strong one just focused on Gin. And on top of that, I feel like I'm left with just as many questions regarding Ella as I am Gin....
Something I did love about this book? As mentioned above, the return of two of the Schuyler sisters, including my favorite, Pepper, from above mentioned book. As I stated before, I love that Williams has the same cast of characters throughout her stories, along with new ones that I come to love and look for in future novels. It's always fun to get a glimpse of someone familiar and see what point of their life they're in, or in the case of Pepper, kind of see where their life led. And, of course, it wouldn't be a Williams novel without Julie Schuyler. She always seems to be my favorite character, no matter the book.
Along with those familiar characters, we also get a glimpse into the life of Theresa Marshall, one of the MCs from the last book by Williams, A Certain Age, which took place 2 years previously in 1922. As she was certainly my favorite of the two MCs in that novel, it was nice to see her again and to learn more about her life.
Speaking of A Certain Age, I was hoping that her upcoming novel Cocoa Beach would be a kind of continuation to Gin's storyline, as I was left kind of hanging with her story and it was hinted at the end that she would be making her way down to Florida....but it seems that the synopsis for that book talks about Virginia Fortescue (older sister of the other MC, Sophie, in said above mentioned novel), so now I'm torn. I left A Certain Age thinking that Williams could've done a lot more with Virginia's character...but I also want more from Gin's story....and if I'm being honest with myself, Ella's story was left with some gaping holes as well.
All this all means is that Williams has certainly ensured that I'll pick up all her upcoming novels, plus the one I haven't read yet ;)
So was this a good novel? Yes. Was it mind blowingly life changing? No, not exactly. Was it still worth the read? Definitely.
My advice to anyone wanting to check out her novels? Just read them in publication order, so as not to miss anyone.
This novels follows two different MCs.
There's Ella Hawthorne, in 1998, who just moved out of her apartment she shares with her husband Patrick when she catches him cheating on her. Within her first week, she meets Hector, a new neighbor to her, who warns her of the strange noises coming out of the basement late at night.
Then there's Geneva Kelly, also called Ginger and Gin. It's 1924, and she gets caught up in a raid at a speakeasy known as the Christopher Club. It's then that she meets Oliver Anson, a prohibition enforcement agent. Anson is after Gin's step father, Duke Kelly, who has become one of Appalachia's most notorious bootleggers. Anson wants Gin's help in taking down Duke, but doing that would mean revisiting old memories for her, ones that she wanted to never look back on. And with her stepping out with Billy Marshall, she already has everything she wants...so she thinks.
This is the latest by Beatriz Williams. Now, the first book I ever read by Williams, Along The Infinite Sea....I absolutely loved it. Recommend it to all. The other 2 in that same series, also wonderful. But Williams other novels, her 'standalones' (not sure they can really be called standalones. They are all set in the same world, with the same cast of characters...but don't get me wrong, I love that aspect) have fallen a little flat for me.
It's not that they're not good, enjoyable reads. They just don't rope me in and have me hooked until the very last page like the 3 Schuyler sister novels did.
This book had me hooked during Gin's story, but during Ella's? Mostly, her story just seemed like filler. She provided a way to connect past and present somewhat, but not necessarily to Gin. Honestly, while I did love the bit towards the end where she's visiting with family (old characters from previous novels mentioned), I feel like the story could still have been a strong one just focused on Gin. And on top of that, I feel like I'm left with just as many questions regarding Ella as I am Gin....
Something I did love about this book? As mentioned above, the return of two of the Schuyler sisters, including my favorite, Pepper, from above mentioned book. As I stated before, I love that Williams has the same cast of characters throughout her stories, along with new ones that I come to love and look for in future novels. It's always fun to get a glimpse of someone familiar and see what point of their life they're in, or in the case of Pepper, kind of see where their life led. And, of course, it wouldn't be a Williams novel without Julie Schuyler. She always seems to be my favorite character, no matter the book.
Along with those familiar characters, we also get a glimpse into the life of Theresa Marshall, one of the MCs from the last book by Williams, A Certain Age, which took place 2 years previously in 1922. As she was certainly my favorite of the two MCs in that novel, it was nice to see her again and to learn more about her life.
Speaking of A Certain Age, I was hoping that her upcoming novel Cocoa Beach would be a kind of continuation to Gin's storyline, as I was left kind of hanging with her story and it was hinted at the end that she would be making her way down to Florida....but it seems that the synopsis for that book talks about Virginia Fortescue (older sister of the other MC, Sophie, in said above mentioned novel), so now I'm torn. I left A Certain Age thinking that Williams could've done a lot more with Virginia's character...but I also want more from Gin's story....and if I'm being honest with myself, Ella's story was left with some gaping holes as well.
All this all means is that Williams has certainly ensured that I'll pick up all her upcoming novels, plus the one I haven't read yet ;)
So was this a good novel? Yes. Was it mind blowingly life changing? No, not exactly. Was it still worth the read? Definitely.
My advice to anyone wanting to check out her novels? Just read them in publication order, so as not to miss anyone.
December 25, 2019
This book was brilliant, so different to other books I’ve read. I’ve read only one or two of Beatrix Williams books as they are so difficult to get hold off over here but when I saw this and the next one in the series on Amazon, I couldn’t resist. I’m glad I did as it is the sort of book which keeps you interested although it’s not fast and thrilling it goes along gently and suddenly you are on the last page.
Apparently there is a third one is this particular series so I will be looking out for that one.
Apparently there is a third one is this particular series so I will be looking out for that one.
November 20, 2018
CHEKHOV’S GUN. We’ve all heard of it. “If you introduce a gun (or a mysterious box of buttons and a haunted speakeasy) in the beginning of the story, it must be fired (or their significance needs to be explained) by the end.”
ANGE’S RULE. I just made it up. When you choose the “told in alternate chapters by two different characters at separate times in history” format for your novel, then at the end some sort of relationship between these two characters should be revealed.
The Wicked City by Beatriz Williams violates both of these rules.
The historic part takes place during the Prohibition. Ginger, a flapper with a heart of gold, frequents a speakeasy around the corner from her Manhattan rooming house. After being arrested in a raid, she is persuaded to participate in a dangerous plot to catch one of New York’s most notorious and violent bootleggers, who also happens to be the stepfather she despises. Ginger is a fascinating and sympathetic heroine and her story was full of great descriptions and characters, action and intrigue.
The modern part takes place circa 1995. The building that once housed the speakeasy is now an apartment building, which Ella moves into after catching her rich, rat-bastard of a husband screwing a prostitute in the stairwell of her OLD building. Seriously. It seems the prostitute was delivering a pizza at the time, because that was the excuse he gave to leave their apartment and go downstairs. Totally sleazy, but I was thinking it was an ingenious business model. (The fact that I was contemplating the viability of a “pizza and prostitute” business indicates that Ella’s part of the novel didn’t hold my interest as much as Ginger’s story.) Anyway, when Ella goes into the basement to do her laundry after a long day of moving in, she hears laughter and jazz music coming through the wall. Hector, the conveniently young, handsome and nice resident landlord, finds her there and suggests that she NOT go into the basement alone at night.
Almost at the end of the novel, Ella hears about the existence of Ginger from her great-grandmother, in a ridiculously coincidental way. Then the story just abruptly ends. Except for the box of buttons I mentioned at the beginning, there is literally no other overlap between their two stories. The ghosts in the basement, it is hinted, have something to do with Hector.
I don’t care if you are starting a series, as I found out later this is the first book in a new one. In my opinion, if a book can’t stand on its own, then it’s sloppy writing and/or blatant manipulation to get you to read the next installment, neither of which I appreciate. It’s a shame, because this had the potential to be awesome. I wouldn’t read another novel by this author.
ANGE’S RULE. I just made it up. When you choose the “told in alternate chapters by two different characters at separate times in history” format for your novel, then at the end some sort of relationship between these two characters should be revealed.
The Wicked City by Beatriz Williams violates both of these rules.
The historic part takes place during the Prohibition. Ginger, a flapper with a heart of gold, frequents a speakeasy around the corner from her Manhattan rooming house. After being arrested in a raid, she is persuaded to participate in a dangerous plot to catch one of New York’s most notorious and violent bootleggers, who also happens to be the stepfather she despises. Ginger is a fascinating and sympathetic heroine and her story was full of great descriptions and characters, action and intrigue.
The modern part takes place circa 1995. The building that once housed the speakeasy is now an apartment building, which Ella moves into after catching her rich, rat-bastard of a husband screwing a prostitute in the stairwell of her OLD building. Seriously. It seems the prostitute was delivering a pizza at the time, because that was the excuse he gave to leave their apartment and go downstairs. Totally sleazy, but I was thinking it was an ingenious business model. (The fact that I was contemplating the viability of a “pizza and prostitute” business indicates that Ella’s part of the novel didn’t hold my interest as much as Ginger’s story.) Anyway, when Ella goes into the basement to do her laundry after a long day of moving in, she hears laughter and jazz music coming through the wall. Hector, the conveniently young, handsome and nice resident landlord, finds her there and suggests that she NOT go into the basement alone at night.
Almost at the end of the novel, Ella hears about the existence of Ginger from her great-grandmother, in a ridiculously coincidental way. Then the story just abruptly ends. Except for the box of buttons I mentioned at the beginning, there is literally no other overlap between their two stories. The ghosts in the basement, it is hinted, have something to do with Hector.
I don’t care if you are starting a series, as I found out later this is the first book in a new one. In my opinion, if a book can’t stand on its own, then it’s sloppy writing and/or blatant manipulation to get you to read the next installment, neither of which I appreciate. It’s a shame, because this had the potential to be awesome. I wouldn’t read another novel by this author.
January 10, 2020
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
The Wicked City by Beatriz Williams is a great start to what I think is going to be a great series. Fully immersive, it takes you back to Prohibition through the eyes of a woman named Ginger, and it also ties together with the present and a woman named Ella.
The Wicked City was unexpectedly violent and disturbing, but amazing at the same time. I really liked both Ginger and Ella and listening to this on audio was quite the experience. I loved the narrator for Ginger, her accent was spot on and I felt like I was actually in the 20s. Ella's narrator on the other hand was someone I liked less, but I did eventually get used to her odd speech patterns and she started to grow on me. I started out reading the book but quickly switched to audio and I think that is the way to go. I am definitely keeping my physical copy, but the audio just offered something more.
I really enjoyed how Williams weaved the two stories together, and it's one of my favorite things when an author takes someone in the past and ties them to someone in the present. I thought Ginger's storyline was more interesting and exciting, but I really enjoyed Ella's as well. Both of these women have a lot of spunk and are dealing with their own issues. The dash of romance was fun as well, and nothing got too overly graphic which I appreciate. The Wicked City was a little racy at times, but it was a nice respite from the violence that is also in the book.
Final Thought: The Wicked City definitely left me wanting more of both Ginger and Ella so I'm excited to read The Wicked Redhead next. I hope this series continues past a sequel and if it does I will definitely listen to every book as well as collect them, so I have hard copies. I love the layered way that Williams writes, and the time periods really come to life in her novels. The Wicked City was no exception and the writing was very vivid. If you like a slow burn historical fiction novel and don't mind some violence, this is one to go for.
The Wicked City by Beatriz Williams is a great start to what I think is going to be a great series. Fully immersive, it takes you back to Prohibition through the eyes of a woman named Ginger, and it also ties together with the present and a woman named Ella.
The Wicked City was unexpectedly violent and disturbing, but amazing at the same time. I really liked both Ginger and Ella and listening to this on audio was quite the experience. I loved the narrator for Ginger, her accent was spot on and I felt like I was actually in the 20s. Ella's narrator on the other hand was someone I liked less, but I did eventually get used to her odd speech patterns and she started to grow on me. I started out reading the book but quickly switched to audio and I think that is the way to go. I am definitely keeping my physical copy, but the audio just offered something more.
I really enjoyed how Williams weaved the two stories together, and it's one of my favorite things when an author takes someone in the past and ties them to someone in the present. I thought Ginger's storyline was more interesting and exciting, but I really enjoyed Ella's as well. Both of these women have a lot of spunk and are dealing with their own issues. The dash of romance was fun as well, and nothing got too overly graphic which I appreciate. The Wicked City was a little racy at times, but it was a nice respite from the violence that is also in the book.
Final Thought: The Wicked City definitely left me wanting more of both Ginger and Ella so I'm excited to read The Wicked Redhead next. I hope this series continues past a sequel and if it does I will definitely listen to every book as well as collect them, so I have hard copies. I love the layered way that Williams writes, and the time periods really come to life in her novels. The Wicked City was no exception and the writing was very vivid. If you like a slow burn historical fiction novel and don't mind some violence, this is one to go for.
February 26, 2022
I have enjoyed all of the books by this author I have read so far and this one did not disappoint. I love dual timeline historical fiction, although I am a little annoyed that a lot of the connections won’t be apparent until future books. I thought it started a bit slowly, but I did enjoy the ending. I found some of the 1920’s lingo to feel a little forced, but I loved the glimpse into prohibition times. Ginger is a good character although I didn’t really care about her until about halfway through the book. This book had romance, mystery, ghosts, chase scenes, and so much more. I’ll definitely be looking up the second book in this series.
June 15, 2019
The Wicked City has a dual timeline story, in the 1920s do we meet Gin Kelly a flapper who frequently visits the Christopher Club until the club is raided and she got an "offer" she can't refuse from Prohibition enforcement agent Oliver Anson who is after her step-daddy Duke Kelly, an infamous bootlegger. Several decades later has Ella Hawthorne moved into the house the Christopher Club used to be housed. At night strange noises can be heard from the basement, clinking classes, jazz piano voices, even though the speakeasy was closed down years ago...
I read this book and thought "wait a minute" could that be the guy from that other book by the author? I know now after reading A Certain Age, The Wicked City, and Cocoa Beach that there are no coincidences. I also know if it feels like there are loose ends in any of the books is it probably a reason for that. A reason that only Beatriz Williams knows. The Wicked City has two different storylines, and although both were enjoyable did I enjoy the present one a bit more, could be Hector, the hot neighbor, could be the strangely haunted basement, or it could be the mysterious discover that Ella did or her awesome Great-Aunt Julie who gave Ella some great advice, when she didn't talk about all the men she slept with. Loved that chapter in the book when Ella was visiting her Great-Aunt, the dialog was cracking.
I read this book and thought "wait a minute" could that be the guy from that other book by the author? I know now after reading A Certain Age, The Wicked City, and Cocoa Beach that there are no coincidences. I also know if it feels like there are loose ends in any of the books is it probably a reason for that. A reason that only Beatriz Williams knows. The Wicked City has two different storylines, and although both were enjoyable did I enjoy the present one a bit more, could be Hector, the hot neighbor, could be the strangely haunted basement, or it could be the mysterious discover that Ella did or her awesome Great-Aunt Julie who gave Ella some great advice, when she didn't talk about all the men she slept with. Loved that chapter in the book when Ella was visiting her Great-Aunt, the dialog was cracking.
June 23, 2024
The Wicked City by Beatriz Williams is a novel that alters between two timelines 1924 and 1998.
In 1924, Geneva "Gin" Kelly, a flapper who finds herself involved in the Prohibition-era underworld of New York City. Gin's life takes a dangerous turn when she becomes involved with a federal agent, determined to take down the notorious bootlegger, Duke Kelly. Her story is filled with intrigue, romance, and the glitz and glamour of the Roaring Twenties.
In 1998 features Ella Hawthorne, a woman recovering from a painful divorce moves into an apartment in Greenwich Village. Unbeknownst to her, this apartment once housed Gin Kelly. Ella's story gradually uncovers secrets from the past, connecting her life to Gin's in unexpected ways. As Ella goes deeper into the history of her new home, she finds herself drawn into a mystery that spans decades.
December 14, 2020
Beatriz Williams continues to delight me and keep me in awe, both as a reader and writer. While not all her novels have the same level of plot (though none lack for it) her command of her narrators' voices is unparalleled. How she does it is a marvel to me.
In THE WICKED CITY, we're swept into a dual timeline story that doesn't have any of the drawbacks the device so often carries. In 1998 New York, Ella makes an inelegant escape from her fractured marriage to rent an apartment in a vintage Village brownstone, where she attempts to re-build her illusion-shattered life. She has a languid two-martini-lunch mother and outwardly repentant but incorrigible husband to deal with, and she's really not up to the task of either. After hearing inexplicable music emitting from a sealed wall in the basement, she meets an attractive musician while doing her laundry - only Williams could make a laundry encounter this hot - and begins to unravel a mystery that took place in the building in 1924.
Enter Geneva "Gin" Kelly - a flapper / secretarial worker with a very fast mouth, rather loose morals for the era, and enough heart and attitude to fill the silver screen. Except she's not important enough to be noticed much at all. A refugee from a lecherous stepfather and backwater Virginia town, she's just another high-heeled girl among thousands trying to make ends meet in the titular wicked city - until she becomes enmeshed with a furtive Revenue agent investigating a wide-ranging bootlegging operation that upends her carefree, if not trouble-free, existence. With gangsters hot on her tail and a clueless society boyfriend desperate to make a decent woman out of her, what's an independent-minded girl to do? When the chips come down, Gin is no man's toy and nobody's fool. She can give as good as she gets. Sometimes, she gives better.
The novel rides high on the effervescent, wildly imaginative, and irresistible voice of Gin, who we just can't help falling in love with. She makes all kinds of mistakes, and we suspect her penchant for callow rich boys vs brooding Revenue agent is a weakness she must overcome. We root for her all the way. Williams resurrects the gin-soaked jazz age in the Big Apple with exuberant flair while never overwhelming with her obviously intense research. Like Gin herself, Williams wears the details lightly, letting her character do the heavy lifting; and it's a joy to read.
The 1998 story line is more subdued yet equally compelling. Williams makes the smart choice to let Gin assume center stage, and our brief returns to Ella's travails become more poignant for it, as each woman's life, separated by decades, begins to intertwine. In the end, both timelines bring a satisfying ending that makes us feel as if we've been drinking, smoking, and eavesdropping our way through the tawdry speakeasies and gilded homes of two centuries in New York. For above all else, this novel pays tribute to the city that never sleeps.
By far, THE WICKED CITY is my favorite Williams novel since her astounding and underappreciated A CERTAIN AGE.
In THE WICKED CITY, we're swept into a dual timeline story that doesn't have any of the drawbacks the device so often carries. In 1998 New York, Ella makes an inelegant escape from her fractured marriage to rent an apartment in a vintage Village brownstone, where she attempts to re-build her illusion-shattered life. She has a languid two-martini-lunch mother and outwardly repentant but incorrigible husband to deal with, and she's really not up to the task of either. After hearing inexplicable music emitting from a sealed wall in the basement, she meets an attractive musician while doing her laundry - only Williams could make a laundry encounter this hot - and begins to unravel a mystery that took place in the building in 1924.
Enter Geneva "Gin" Kelly - a flapper / secretarial worker with a very fast mouth, rather loose morals for the era, and enough heart and attitude to fill the silver screen. Except she's not important enough to be noticed much at all. A refugee from a lecherous stepfather and backwater Virginia town, she's just another high-heeled girl among thousands trying to make ends meet in the titular wicked city - until she becomes enmeshed with a furtive Revenue agent investigating a wide-ranging bootlegging operation that upends her carefree, if not trouble-free, existence. With gangsters hot on her tail and a clueless society boyfriend desperate to make a decent woman out of her, what's an independent-minded girl to do? When the chips come down, Gin is no man's toy and nobody's fool. She can give as good as she gets. Sometimes, she gives better.
The novel rides high on the effervescent, wildly imaginative, and irresistible voice of Gin, who we just can't help falling in love with. She makes all kinds of mistakes, and we suspect her penchant for callow rich boys vs brooding Revenue agent is a weakness she must overcome. We root for her all the way. Williams resurrects the gin-soaked jazz age in the Big Apple with exuberant flair while never overwhelming with her obviously intense research. Like Gin herself, Williams wears the details lightly, letting her character do the heavy lifting; and it's a joy to read.
The 1998 story line is more subdued yet equally compelling. Williams makes the smart choice to let Gin assume center stage, and our brief returns to Ella's travails become more poignant for it, as each woman's life, separated by decades, begins to intertwine. In the end, both timelines bring a satisfying ending that makes us feel as if we've been drinking, smoking, and eavesdropping our way through the tawdry speakeasies and gilded homes of two centuries in New York. For above all else, this novel pays tribute to the city that never sleeps.
By far, THE WICKED CITY is my favorite Williams novel since her astounding and underappreciated A CERTAIN AGE.
February 6, 2017
I really enjoyed this book! It was a very fun read about the Prohibition Era and bootleggers. There was also a modern day story being told about Ella who naturally is part of the Schuyler family. I'll let you discover for yourself where she fits in on the family tree....
I loved the ending of the 1920s story. I was worried for a bit but things worked out okay. The ending was honestly pretty stressful but things came out okay. The main characters are now headed to Cocoa Beach, the title of the author's next book. So that is something to look forward to!
I didn't really love the ending of the modern day story with Ella and Hector. It seemed too rushed. I'm not unhappy with how they ended up, just how they suddenly got there from where they were before the final segment on them. It just was a little odd to me.
Overall I give the book 5 stars because it was very entertaining and definitely pulled me into the story. The ending did not leave me upset or anything, but usually Beatriz Williams' writing is perfection to me and this is the first time (and I've read all of her books) that I've ever had even the slightest complaint.
I loved the ending of the 1920s story. I was worried for a bit but things worked out okay. The ending was honestly pretty stressful but things came out okay. The main characters are now headed to Cocoa Beach, the title of the author's next book. So that is something to look forward to!
I didn't really love the ending of the modern day story with Ella and Hector. It seemed too rushed. I'm not unhappy with how they ended up, just how they suddenly got there from where they were before the final segment on them. It just was a little odd to me.
Overall I give the book 5 stars because it was very entertaining and definitely pulled me into the story. The ending did not leave me upset or anything, but usually Beatriz Williams' writing is perfection to me and this is the first time (and I've read all of her books) that I've ever had even the slightest complaint.
April 20, 2024
Review from 2017
I've given this a B+ for both content and narration at AudioGals.
The Wicked City tells the story of two very different women who live in New York City at very different times. In 1998, Ella Gilbert has just left her husband, and in 1924, Geneva Rose Kelly – known to her friends as Gin or Ginger – is a bright young thing who can be found most evenings at Christopher’s the speakeasy next door to the apartment building where she lives. While I enjoyed both stories, the book isn’t equally split between the two; it seemed to me as though we spent about 65% of the time with Ginger and 35% with Ella, but because both storylines were equally interesting, I didn’t find myself getting impatient with one while waiting to get back to the other. That said, there are a few pacing issues in Ginger’s sections of the story, places where an overabundance of descriptive prose impedes the progress of the narrative, but this becomes less frequent as the story progresses – or I just didn’t notice it as much.
When Ella caught her husband of six years having sex with a prostitute in the stairwell of their apartment building, she was devastated and left him that very evening. She has just moved into a new place in Greenwich Village and is trying to get her bearings, pull herself back together and decide what to do next, whether to attempt to reconcile or to start divorce proceedings. Deciding to do her laundry early on a Saturday morning because she thinks it’s likely the machines will be free and it’s unlikely she’ll meet anyone else down in the basement, she is startled and a bit miffed to discover that not only are all the machines in use, but that she’s not alone. An affable, good-looking man who introduces himself as Hector engages her in conversation, and Ella is startled to discover that she is attracted to him. While she was married, she kind of “turned off” that side of herself, quite happy for her husband to be her one and only – but now those blinkers have been removed and she’s a little unnerved to be looking at a stranger through the lens of physical attraction. After a chat amid the laundry baskets, Hector leaves Ella to it, but not before he’s mentioned that coming down to the basement in the evenings probably isn’t a good idea, warning her about the noises that start up at night from the speakeasy next door, the “music and the voices, people laughing and having a good time. Sometimes you can actually feel the walls vibrate, you know, from the dancing and all that…”
Ella doesn’t think any more of that comment the next time she needs to do laundry – until she hears it for herself late at night; laughing, chinking glasses, smooth jazz… and screaming.
In 1924, Ginger Kelly, a sassy young flapper, is a regular at Christopher’s, where, to steal from Kander and Ebb, the gin is cold and the piano’s hot. This is the era of Prohibition, and a raid one night brings Gin to the attention of Oliver Anson, an austerely handsome and strait-laced Prohibition enforcement agent. Anson asks her if she’ll help him to bring down the bootleg liquor empire run by her stepfather, Duke Kelly, but Gin isn’t going there. She isn’t going to risk the consequences of being a rat, no matter how much she hates Duke – and she does hate him – and she refuses Anson’s request.
Straight after her release from custody, Gin receives a letter telling her her mother is dying, and she immediately makes her way back home to the sleepy little town of River Junction in Western Maryland. Gin tells her story in the first person, and it’s here that we learn that she ran away to New York a couple of years earlier after Duke tried to force himself upon her. Going back there and seeing him again brings it all back, and when he offers her money if she’ll deliver small packages to people in New York from time to time, Gin agrees, even though the thought of doing anything for Duke turns her stomach. But when she gets home, she contacts Anson and agrees to work with him against Duke.
Gin is sparky and funny, the sort of person who always looks on the bright side and tackles life head on. But her strength and determination are sorely tested when events unfold in such a way as to make her unsure of who to trust, all while she’s trying not to fall in love with Anson.
The book moves easily between the two stories, which intersect at various points along the way. Towards the end, we find out how both Ella and Hector are related to the speakeasy and some of the people who frequented it, but the ending as a whole is somewhat dissatisfying, as it leaves a lot of unanswered questions. While it seems that both couples have arrived at HFN endings, I wanted to know more. Did Ella lose her job? What was the significance of the box of buttons she found hidden under a floorboard (the listener knows the box used to belong to Ginger)? What happened to Ginger and Anson? What happened at River Junction after Duke was gone? I don’t know if the author plans a sequel, but there’s surely enough left hanging here to warrant one.
I’m not familiar with either of the narrators, but both deliver effective and enjoyable performances here that accurately reflect the characters of Ginger and Ella. Ella’s narrative is strongly performed by Julie McKay, whose natural, mezzo-range voice is generally pleasing to the ear, and really suits the character of the well-educated, New York professional. Ms. McKay differentiates very well between all the characters she performs – there’s never any confusion in the few scenes to feature several female characters, and I really liked her portrayal of Hector, whose warmth and charm is evident in every word. I do have a couple of minor criticisms though, one of which is that she seems to have adopted some kind of drawl – or perhaps it’s not adopted – which means that ends of words often sound elongated; and the other is that her pacing is just a teeny bit on the slow side. But those really are minor issues and didn’t get in the way of the story at all. Dara Rosenberg gives voice to Ginger and her softer timbre and higher pitch are a nice contrast to Ms. McKay’s darker tones. I freely admit to not being an expert on American accents, and as I was listening I emailed our esteemed editor, Melinda, to ask her if people from Western Maryland normally sound like Dolly Parton! So I can’t attest as to whether the accent Ms. Rosenberg has adopted for Gin is accurate, but it is at least consistently maintained throughout. Like her narrating partner, she also delineates each of her characters very well, and makes use of a suitably masculine pitch and timbre to perform Anson and the other male characters in her part of the story.
As I said at the beginning, I did have a few issues with some of the pacing of the story in the early stages, but taken as a whole, The Wicked City turned out to be an engrossing and entertaining listen that provided something a little different to my normal listening fare. I’m happy to recommend it to others and plan to check out more of this author’s work in both print and audio sometime soon.
I've given this a B+ for both content and narration at AudioGals.
The Wicked City tells the story of two very different women who live in New York City at very different times. In 1998, Ella Gilbert has just left her husband, and in 1924, Geneva Rose Kelly – known to her friends as Gin or Ginger – is a bright young thing who can be found most evenings at Christopher’s the speakeasy next door to the apartment building where she lives. While I enjoyed both stories, the book isn’t equally split between the two; it seemed to me as though we spent about 65% of the time with Ginger and 35% with Ella, but because both storylines were equally interesting, I didn’t find myself getting impatient with one while waiting to get back to the other. That said, there are a few pacing issues in Ginger’s sections of the story, places where an overabundance of descriptive prose impedes the progress of the narrative, but this becomes less frequent as the story progresses – or I just didn’t notice it as much.
When Ella caught her husband of six years having sex with a prostitute in the stairwell of their apartment building, she was devastated and left him that very evening. She has just moved into a new place in Greenwich Village and is trying to get her bearings, pull herself back together and decide what to do next, whether to attempt to reconcile or to start divorce proceedings. Deciding to do her laundry early on a Saturday morning because she thinks it’s likely the machines will be free and it’s unlikely she’ll meet anyone else down in the basement, she is startled and a bit miffed to discover that not only are all the machines in use, but that she’s not alone. An affable, good-looking man who introduces himself as Hector engages her in conversation, and Ella is startled to discover that she is attracted to him. While she was married, she kind of “turned off” that side of herself, quite happy for her husband to be her one and only – but now those blinkers have been removed and she’s a little unnerved to be looking at a stranger through the lens of physical attraction. After a chat amid the laundry baskets, Hector leaves Ella to it, but not before he’s mentioned that coming down to the basement in the evenings probably isn’t a good idea, warning her about the noises that start up at night from the speakeasy next door, the “music and the voices, people laughing and having a good time. Sometimes you can actually feel the walls vibrate, you know, from the dancing and all that…”
Ella doesn’t think any more of that comment the next time she needs to do laundry – until she hears it for herself late at night; laughing, chinking glasses, smooth jazz… and screaming.
In 1924, Ginger Kelly, a sassy young flapper, is a regular at Christopher’s, where, to steal from Kander and Ebb, the gin is cold and the piano’s hot. This is the era of Prohibition, and a raid one night brings Gin to the attention of Oliver Anson, an austerely handsome and strait-laced Prohibition enforcement agent. Anson asks her if she’ll help him to bring down the bootleg liquor empire run by her stepfather, Duke Kelly, but Gin isn’t going there. She isn’t going to risk the consequences of being a rat, no matter how much she hates Duke – and she does hate him – and she refuses Anson’s request.
Straight after her release from custody, Gin receives a letter telling her her mother is dying, and she immediately makes her way back home to the sleepy little town of River Junction in Western Maryland. Gin tells her story in the first person, and it’s here that we learn that she ran away to New York a couple of years earlier after Duke tried to force himself upon her. Going back there and seeing him again brings it all back, and when he offers her money if she’ll deliver small packages to people in New York from time to time, Gin agrees, even though the thought of doing anything for Duke turns her stomach. But when she gets home, she contacts Anson and agrees to work with him against Duke.
Gin is sparky and funny, the sort of person who always looks on the bright side and tackles life head on. But her strength and determination are sorely tested when events unfold in such a way as to make her unsure of who to trust, all while she’s trying not to fall in love with Anson.
The book moves easily between the two stories, which intersect at various points along the way. Towards the end, we find out how both Ella and Hector are related to the speakeasy and some of the people who frequented it, but the ending as a whole is somewhat dissatisfying, as it leaves a lot of unanswered questions. While it seems that both couples have arrived at HFN endings, I wanted to know more. Did Ella lose her job? What was the significance of the box of buttons she found hidden under a floorboard (the listener knows the box used to belong to Ginger)? What happened to Ginger and Anson? What happened at River Junction after Duke was gone? I don’t know if the author plans a sequel, but there’s surely enough left hanging here to warrant one.
I’m not familiar with either of the narrators, but both deliver effective and enjoyable performances here that accurately reflect the characters of Ginger and Ella. Ella’s narrative is strongly performed by Julie McKay, whose natural, mezzo-range voice is generally pleasing to the ear, and really suits the character of the well-educated, New York professional. Ms. McKay differentiates very well between all the characters she performs – there’s never any confusion in the few scenes to feature several female characters, and I really liked her portrayal of Hector, whose warmth and charm is evident in every word. I do have a couple of minor criticisms though, one of which is that she seems to have adopted some kind of drawl – or perhaps it’s not adopted – which means that ends of words often sound elongated; and the other is that her pacing is just a teeny bit on the slow side. But those really are minor issues and didn’t get in the way of the story at all. Dara Rosenberg gives voice to Ginger and her softer timbre and higher pitch are a nice contrast to Ms. McKay’s darker tones. I freely admit to not being an expert on American accents, and as I was listening I emailed our esteemed editor, Melinda, to ask her if people from Western Maryland normally sound like Dolly Parton! So I can’t attest as to whether the accent Ms. Rosenberg has adopted for Gin is accurate, but it is at least consistently maintained throughout. Like her narrating partner, she also delineates each of her characters very well, and makes use of a suitably masculine pitch and timbre to perform Anson and the other male characters in her part of the story.
As I said at the beginning, I did have a few issues with some of the pacing of the story in the early stages, but taken as a whole, The Wicked City turned out to be an engrossing and entertaining listen that provided something a little different to my normal listening fare. I’m happy to recommend it to others and plan to check out more of this author’s work in both print and audio sometime soon.
February 24, 2017
When I picked up my first Beatriz Williams book, I was completely engrossed and fell in love with her writing style.
I wasn’t sure that I would like her books and wasn’t excited to read the first one, but I did and when I began, I was completely sucked in and impressed with her ability to tell a story.
So from that point on, she earned a place in my heart as one of my favorite writers.
When this latest book came across my desk for review, I was thrilled because I knew the caliber of writing and story telling would be second to none and I wasn’t disappointed in this one!The ‘jazz age’ or ‘prohibition era’ isn’t really my favorite era in American history. It’s not even in the top 5, but it’s a popular time period in historical fiction right now, so I’ve tried to embrace it over the last year or so. Even though I wasn’t ‘excited’ about a book set in this time period, I love Williams and had confidence that she would be able to create a lovable story for her readers.
While I personally wasn’t a fan of the period, even in this book, it was the love story that made me love this novel. The mismatched love story between Gin and Oliver was charming believable, and memorable. The chemistry between them was electric and made me want to keep reading to see things heat up. I loved their story and I think it’s one that will hold readers interests.
Williams tends to have two storylines in her novels…..the modern day story and the historical fiction story. While I think it worked in Along the Infinite Sea, I am not entirely convinced that this story needed the modern day parallel story.
For me the relationship and story that shined was the Gin/Oliver story and Ella’s story seemed less drawn out and more of a filler. I personally was much more invested in the other plot and could have done without Ella’s plot.
William’s hallmark style is a descriptive, whimsical, and elegant style with memorable characters and to that, this book doesn’t disappoint. Though a tad slow in the beginning, the overall pace of the novel picks up and readers will easily fall into the story after a couple of quick chapters.
While this wasn’t a five star book for me, it was entertaining and a wonderful love story that offered the perfect escape for me. If you haven’t discovered Beatriz Williams yet, you are missing out. This is just another book that cements my initial reaction to her writing……her books are wonderful and will not disappoint!
See my full review here
I wasn’t sure that I would like her books and wasn’t excited to read the first one, but I did and when I began, I was completely sucked in and impressed with her ability to tell a story.
So from that point on, she earned a place in my heart as one of my favorite writers.
When this latest book came across my desk for review, I was thrilled because I knew the caliber of writing and story telling would be second to none and I wasn’t disappointed in this one!The ‘jazz age’ or ‘prohibition era’ isn’t really my favorite era in American history. It’s not even in the top 5, but it’s a popular time period in historical fiction right now, so I’ve tried to embrace it over the last year or so. Even though I wasn’t ‘excited’ about a book set in this time period, I love Williams and had confidence that she would be able to create a lovable story for her readers.
While I personally wasn’t a fan of the period, even in this book, it was the love story that made me love this novel. The mismatched love story between Gin and Oliver was charming believable, and memorable. The chemistry between them was electric and made me want to keep reading to see things heat up. I loved their story and I think it’s one that will hold readers interests.
Williams tends to have two storylines in her novels…..the modern day story and the historical fiction story. While I think it worked in Along the Infinite Sea, I am not entirely convinced that this story needed the modern day parallel story.
For me the relationship and story that shined was the Gin/Oliver story and Ella’s story seemed less drawn out and more of a filler. I personally was much more invested in the other plot and could have done without Ella’s plot.
William’s hallmark style is a descriptive, whimsical, and elegant style with memorable characters and to that, this book doesn’t disappoint. Though a tad slow in the beginning, the overall pace of the novel picks up and readers will easily fall into the story after a couple of quick chapters.
While this wasn’t a five star book for me, it was entertaining and a wonderful love story that offered the perfect escape for me. If you haven’t discovered Beatriz Williams yet, you are missing out. This is just another book that cements my initial reaction to her writing……her books are wonderful and will not disappoint!
See my full review here
February 8, 2017
4.5 stars...
I'm a huge Beatriz Williams fan, and thrilled to see this in the library. I, of course, snagged it and quickly started it. I admit it took me a few chapters to get really "into" the story of Gin, but once I did, I couldn't stop reading! Gin's storyline is the historical one, think 1920's and speakeasies, and she has quite a backstory that we learn about as the book progresses. Complicated, scandalous, and resilient are words I'd use to describe her life. The more modern storyline has Ella as it's main focus. Her story is compelling and I was totally engrossed in it as well. This particular book reminded me a bit of Lauren Willig's books, another author I adore. A must read for fans of BW and similar authors!
I'm a huge Beatriz Williams fan, and thrilled to see this in the library. I, of course, snagged it and quickly started it. I admit it took me a few chapters to get really "into" the story of Gin, but once I did, I couldn't stop reading! Gin's storyline is the historical one, think 1920's and speakeasies, and she has quite a backstory that we learn about as the book progresses. Complicated, scandalous, and resilient are words I'd use to describe her life. The more modern storyline has Ella as it's main focus. Her story is compelling and I was totally engrossed in it as well. This particular book reminded me a bit of Lauren Willig's books, another author I adore. A must read for fans of BW and similar authors!
March 3, 2020
I love Beatriz Williams book's, but this book just didn't keep my interest. I would find myself thinking of other things while reading. And that never happens to me. I think it was a great storyline about prohibition and the jazz scene of the 1920's. Then to the future in the same area 1998 with a women named Ella. It goes back and forth between the 1920's and 1998 but I felt it stayed in the prohibition time so much I would forget what was going on with Ella in 1998 and even why she was important.
March 5, 2017
I should preface this with I really do love Beatriz Williams (which is why i gave this 2 stars over one) BUT this is the second book (the first being Along the Infinite Sea) that had the 2 storylines, but NO real connection between the two. Neither of the storylines had a real ending and had way too many loose ends. What was up with the buttons? Why do we care about Ella's cheating husband? I was also a bit annoyed that one storyline was written in first person and the other in 3rd. Also, I don't understand why there was a focus on the speakeasy only to never explain what happened to it or what's happening in it now. This book just left me sad and disappointed that I looked forward to this book only to not get anything from it. I hope the upcoming Cocoa Beach is a complete story.
May 4, 2017
1.99 on 03/12/17
Beatriz Williams is a favorite author, I love her writing. Another great read!
Beatriz Williams is a favorite author, I love her writing. Another great read!
December 19, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed this 1st book in Beatriz Williams "The Wicked City" series that is a spicy adventure that mixes the past and present centering on a Jazz Age love triangle in NYC.
February 6, 2017
Favorite Quotes:
A first marriage, made for the wrong reasons, or because you didn’t have enough experience to judge the merchandise. Like a starter home or a starter car. You trade up.
She’s the kind of woman who carries an air of beauty around her, carefully cultivated, like a waft of rare oil. Delicate and chiseled. Skin as marble in the moonlight.
I realize we old folks aren’t supposed to talk about sex… but believe me, we had it. Lots of it. How do you think this country got so damned crowded?
My Review:
The Wicked City was an intriguing and enthralling conundrum. Written from a dual POV in two distinct timelines spaced 74 years apart and involved the same building in New York City. I was deeply embroiled in the story and the mystery continued to grow and thicken, I was never sure if, how, or when the two stories were going to sync or mesh together, or even how the characters were going to be related. Both female characters in the different storylines were experiencing a period of great upheaval and were fraught with distress. Both storylines featured mounting tension, impending peril, risks, disappointments, betrayals, and treachery. While reading, I experienced a sense of inner conflict similar to arriving at an accident scene and at once feeling fearful to look yet also pulled by a powerful magnet and unable to look away. I was quickly hooked by the elaborately detailed and quirky writing style as well as the premise and was instantly sucked down the rabbit hole and remained there, as despite my increasing befuddlement - I could not put my kindle down. Ms. Williams maintained two tightly written and suspense-filled tales within one book that kept me on edge, curious, totally invested and completely engaged.
A first marriage, made for the wrong reasons, or because you didn’t have enough experience to judge the merchandise. Like a starter home or a starter car. You trade up.
She’s the kind of woman who carries an air of beauty around her, carefully cultivated, like a waft of rare oil. Delicate and chiseled. Skin as marble in the moonlight.
I realize we old folks aren’t supposed to talk about sex… but believe me, we had it. Lots of it. How do you think this country got so damned crowded?
My Review:
The Wicked City was an intriguing and enthralling conundrum. Written from a dual POV in two distinct timelines spaced 74 years apart and involved the same building in New York City. I was deeply embroiled in the story and the mystery continued to grow and thicken, I was never sure if, how, or when the two stories were going to sync or mesh together, or even how the characters were going to be related. Both female characters in the different storylines were experiencing a period of great upheaval and were fraught with distress. Both storylines featured mounting tension, impending peril, risks, disappointments, betrayals, and treachery. While reading, I experienced a sense of inner conflict similar to arriving at an accident scene and at once feeling fearful to look yet also pulled by a powerful magnet and unable to look away. I was quickly hooked by the elaborately detailed and quirky writing style as well as the premise and was instantly sucked down the rabbit hole and remained there, as despite my increasing befuddlement - I could not put my kindle down. Ms. Williams maintained two tightly written and suspense-filled tales within one book that kept me on edge, curious, totally invested and completely engaged.
January 16, 2017
Once again Beatriz Williams sweeps us away into another time and place with a storyline full of deception, lies, adultery, jealousy, love, loss, passion and murder.
The story is told from two different perspectives. Gin, a young, strong-minded woman who enjoys her independence and the love of more than one man in New York City in the Roaring Twenties when prohibition, jazz, and speakeasies are the norm. And Ella, an intelligent, inquisitive woman who is determined to move forward after discovering her husband's infidelity in the Big Apple metropolis of the late 1990s.
The prose is exquisite and vividly described. The characters are flawed, multi-faceted, and intriguing. And the plot is a fast-paced, complex, fascinating tale with lots of twists, turns, action and suspense that will keep you engaged until the very end.
What more can I say, I really enjoyed this novel and I can't help but highly recommend it.
Thank you to Edelweiss, especially William Morrow, for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
All my reviews can be found on my blog at http://whatsbetterthanbooks.com
The story is told from two different perspectives. Gin, a young, strong-minded woman who enjoys her independence and the love of more than one man in New York City in the Roaring Twenties when prohibition, jazz, and speakeasies are the norm. And Ella, an intelligent, inquisitive woman who is determined to move forward after discovering her husband's infidelity in the Big Apple metropolis of the late 1990s.
The prose is exquisite and vividly described. The characters are flawed, multi-faceted, and intriguing. And the plot is a fast-paced, complex, fascinating tale with lots of twists, turns, action and suspense that will keep you engaged until the very end.
What more can I say, I really enjoyed this novel and I can't help but highly recommend it.
Thank you to Edelweiss, especially William Morrow, for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
All my reviews can be found on my blog at http://whatsbetterthanbooks.com
January 28, 2023
I needed something light- Beatriz Williams generally spins a good tale, fairly “light historical fiction” (kind of a stretch) which entertain with strong plots, interesting characters and connections to her Schuyler clan. The Wicked City has dual timelines, one during Prohibition and one in 1998 New York. I read this primarily because I understand that where this book leaves off is brought to life in the following two of the series. Not the author’s strongest book.
June 18, 2017
I have read all of Beatriz Williams' books and this is one of my favorites. This novel switches between modern NYC where Ella Gilbert has moved to a new apartment after finding her husband cheating on her and 1924 NYC where Gin Kelly becomes involved in prohibition enforcement that targets her stepfather, a famous Appalachian bootlegger. I love historical fiction novels that switch between time periods. Williams throws in a few characters from her previous novels that makes it fun for her fans, although in no way requires any prior knowledge of her books.
May 1, 2017
Wicked City is set mainly in the 1920's with a smaller section of it set in1998. In 1998 we meet Ella - a scion of the Schyler family, recently separated from her husband Patrick after finding him in a very compromising position. She finds herself pulled into some mysterious goings on in the basement laundry - the sound of jazz from a speakeasy at night.
Back in the 1920's we meet Gin - Geneva Kelly, a young woman with a kind of double life, who frequents that speakeasy in New York. It is the time of prohibition and Gin finds herself caught up in the whole booze trafficking business. She is innocent, but her greasy slime ball stepfather is not, growing a big business in her old home place in the Appalachian mountains.
Gin is friends with a young gentleman Billy, but soon she finds herself interacting with Oliver Anson, a person who is tracking down all those who work in the drink trafficking business and especially Duke Kelly.
I liked the story, Gin grew on me as the story progressed, she is a brave determined woman, looking for answers. She is very loyal to those she loves. And it turns out she has some great skills, although she has experienced hard times.
There is plenty of action, the plot moves along well and the link between the two eras is fairly well done, but I did expect to see something more in that link. I do have a few reservations about the book because I felt there were objects and happenings that got no final explanation or resolution except well... "let's let it go and move on". I want more than that! I also flipped the page and found the end. And I said aloud "What?" It left me wanting more and disappointed. However this is the beginning of a series. Perhaps there will be more about these characters. I can hope!
In spite of those reservations I did enjoy the story, getting a peek at those Prohibition days and what it led to. Strange times. It kept me turning the pages and I enjoyed it. Will I read the next one? Of course.
Back in the 1920's we meet Gin - Geneva Kelly, a young woman with a kind of double life, who frequents that speakeasy in New York. It is the time of prohibition and Gin finds herself caught up in the whole booze trafficking business. She is innocent, but her greasy slime ball stepfather is not, growing a big business in her old home place in the Appalachian mountains.
Gin is friends with a young gentleman Billy, but soon she finds herself interacting with Oliver Anson, a person who is tracking down all those who work in the drink trafficking business and especially Duke Kelly.
I liked the story, Gin grew on me as the story progressed, she is a brave determined woman, looking for answers. She is very loyal to those she loves. And it turns out she has some great skills, although she has experienced hard times.
There is plenty of action, the plot moves along well and the link between the two eras is fairly well done, but I did expect to see something more in that link. I do have a few reservations about the book because I felt there were objects and happenings that got no final explanation or resolution except well... "let's let it go and move on". I want more than that! I also flipped the page and found the end. And I said aloud "What?" It left me wanting more and disappointed. However this is the beginning of a series. Perhaps there will be more about these characters. I can hope!
In spite of those reservations I did enjoy the story, getting a peek at those Prohibition days and what it led to. Strange times. It kept me turning the pages and I enjoyed it. Will I read the next one? Of course.
August 1, 2018
Once again, Beatriz Williams has taken me to 1920's NYC. I absolutely love this novel about "Gin" Kelly, a modern girl living and working in the wicked city of NYC. Christopher's, a speakeasy where the gin and jazz flow all night, is the hangout for working girls like Gin as well as the rich and fabulous socialites like the Marshall's and Schuylers. Wicked city is an exciting fast paced novel set in a the fascinating world and characters created by Prohibition.
February 28, 2017
This book reads like an old TCM movie. I could hear the twang of the times, envision the makeup of the flappers, and picture the smoky atmosphere of a speakeasy gin joint. A delightful way to pass a Sunday afternoon... though you may be tempted to make a libation towards the end.
February 6, 2017
Another remarkable book from Beatriz Williams!
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