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Lena Stillman #1
Speakeasy
A WALTER SCOTT PRIZE ACADEMY RECOMMENDED BOOK OF 2018!
In this literate and action-packed historical thriller, set during World War II, a plucky code-breaker fights to keep a deadly secret as her Bonnie-and-Clyde past threatens to catch up with her.
Thirty-year-old Lena Stillman is living a perfectly respectable life when a shocking newspaper headline calls up her past: It concerns her former lover, charismatic bank robber Bill Bagley. a romantic and charming figure whom Lena had tried to forget by resuming her linguistic studies ... which led to her recruitment as a Navy code-breaker and subsequent work intercepting Japanese messages during World War II.
But can Lena keep her own secrets? Threatening notes and the appearance of an old diary that recalls her gangster days are poised to upset her new life. Whom can she really trust? Is there a spy among the code-breakers? And who is it that wants her dead?
“Alisa Smith’s novel Speakeasy, set in the thirties and forties, is written with great authority. A wonderful read, and very convincing.” —Richard Bausch, author of Something Is Out There and Peace
In this literate and action-packed historical thriller, set during World War II, a plucky code-breaker fights to keep a deadly secret as her Bonnie-and-Clyde past threatens to catch up with her.
Thirty-year-old Lena Stillman is living a perfectly respectable life when a shocking newspaper headline calls up her past: It concerns her former lover, charismatic bank robber Bill Bagley. a romantic and charming figure whom Lena had tried to forget by resuming her linguistic studies ... which led to her recruitment as a Navy code-breaker and subsequent work intercepting Japanese messages during World War II.
But can Lena keep her own secrets? Threatening notes and the appearance of an old diary that recalls her gangster days are poised to upset her new life. Whom can she really trust? Is there a spy among the code-breakers? And who is it that wants her dead?
“Alisa Smith’s novel Speakeasy, set in the thirties and forties, is written with great authority. A wonderful read, and very convincing.” —Richard Bausch, author of Something Is Out There and Peace
240 pages, Hardcover
First published March 25, 2017
11 people are currently reading
1377 people want to read
About the author
Alisa Smith
13 books46 followersThe book Plenty has different subtitles in hardcover and paperback and the Canadian edition was called The 100-Mile Diet.
Alisa Smith, a Vancouver-based freelance writer who has been nominated for a National Magazine Award, has been published in Outside, Explore, Canadian Geographic, Reader’s Digest, Utne, and many other periodicals. The books Way Out There and Liberalized feature her work.
Alisa Smith, a Vancouver-based freelance writer who has been nominated for a National Magazine Award, has been published in Outside, Explore, Canadian Geographic, Reader’s Digest, Utne, and many other periodicals. The books Way Out There and Liberalized feature her work.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
April 11, 2018
3.5 code-breaker stars to Speakeasy! ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️.5
I thought Speakeasy was a creative title for the book, and I’ve read there’s a possible sequel with an equally creative name!
Lena Stillman has moved on with her life, working for the Navy as a code-breaker, intercepting Japanese messages, during World War II. When a newspaper headline brings up her lurid past as a bank robber in the Clockwork Gang, she’s sent into a tailspin.
She begins receiving threatening notes and worries about her own safety. Does another code-breaker know the truth?
Told in two narratives, Lena’s and Byron’s, an accountant the gang leader hired to doctor the books, there is a slower-building tension between the war chapters and the gang chapters, especially in wondering what would happen to Lena.
Speakeasy has many strengths, including the original premise, WWII backdrop (my favorite time period!), the Victoria setting, dual narratives, Lena as a character (loved her!), and the code-breaking work is fascinating; however, I wish there was more character development for some of the characters to add more depth.
Overall, Speakeasy was a thoroughly enjoyable debut, and I am definitely interested in reading the sequel to see what happens next!
Thank you to Alisa Smith, St. Martin’s Press, and Netgalley for the ARC. Speakeasy is available now!
I thought Speakeasy was a creative title for the book, and I’ve read there’s a possible sequel with an equally creative name!
Lena Stillman has moved on with her life, working for the Navy as a code-breaker, intercepting Japanese messages, during World War II. When a newspaper headline brings up her lurid past as a bank robber in the Clockwork Gang, she’s sent into a tailspin.
She begins receiving threatening notes and worries about her own safety. Does another code-breaker know the truth?
Told in two narratives, Lena’s and Byron’s, an accountant the gang leader hired to doctor the books, there is a slower-building tension between the war chapters and the gang chapters, especially in wondering what would happen to Lena.
Speakeasy has many strengths, including the original premise, WWII backdrop (my favorite time period!), the Victoria setting, dual narratives, Lena as a character (loved her!), and the code-breaking work is fascinating; however, I wish there was more character development for some of the characters to add more depth.
Overall, Speakeasy was a thoroughly enjoyable debut, and I am definitely interested in reading the sequel to see what happens next!
Thank you to Alisa Smith, St. Martin’s Press, and Netgalley for the ARC. Speakeasy is available now!
April 4, 2018
Lena Stillman is a codebreaker during World War II. But she hasn't always been a hero.
During the depression, she robbed banks with Bill Bagley and the Clockwork Gang.
What is she going to do now that the past seems to have caught up with her?
Speakeasy had some interesting elements, but the story suffered from a back and forth narrative and flat characters.
"I spread my papers out in front of me, and at first they all looked the same: a random mix of roman letters divided always into five characters with a space between each set, so no word lengths were revealed. I was searching for any repetitions." loc 15, ebook.
The story is told from Lena's perspective and diary entries of one of the members of her old gang.
"Bill Bagley was being punished because he had failed at something for which he possessed genius." loc 80, ebook.
The back-and-forth storytelling was jarring. I liked the stories separately, but together, it didn't really work.
They interrupted the flow of each other. I think it might have fit together more smoothly in a Part I/Part II presentation rather than interspersed.
I think Bill Bagley, one of the central characters, didn't have the depth required to pull off this story.
He's supposed to be this charismatic, brilliant criminal who inspires the men to risk their lives again and again, and also captures Lena's heart.
Bagley has some failings, but, initially, there must have been something to him to draw the gang together.
Instead, from the start, he comes off as a volatile jerk.
We meet Bagley as he's denying the parentage of a child who looks just like him: "This un ain't mine and don't tell me again that it is," he said, thrusting the baby back to a lady with burning red cheeks." loc 80, ebook.
He doesn't improve from there.
"I returned from a visit with Bill, received a threatening note from him, and now this. He must have a copy of it and wanted to hold it over my head." loc 741, ebook.
I guess I just never understood what Lena saw in him.
Also, for a genius code breaker, she doesn't seem to be able to puzzle out the people around her very well.
"My morals were just not like other people's, because unlike the somnolent majority I saw society's problems. In my youth I had been misguided, and picked the wrong way of lashing out against an unfair system. But I had left the gang behind, and found a greater ease in my soul." loc 1781, ebook.
There's a twist that occurs during Lena's code breaking era that I saw coming from miles away. And I'm not particularly good at calling plot twists.
My favorite part of this book were the gang-era years. My heart was in my throat during most of those chapters.
Unfortunately, it couldn't carry the rest of this novel.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free digital copy of this book.
During the depression, she robbed banks with Bill Bagley and the Clockwork Gang.
What is she going to do now that the past seems to have caught up with her?
Speakeasy had some interesting elements, but the story suffered from a back and forth narrative and flat characters.
"I spread my papers out in front of me, and at first they all looked the same: a random mix of roman letters divided always into five characters with a space between each set, so no word lengths were revealed. I was searching for any repetitions." loc 15, ebook.
The story is told from Lena's perspective and diary entries of one of the members of her old gang.
"Bill Bagley was being punished because he had failed at something for which he possessed genius." loc 80, ebook.
The back-and-forth storytelling was jarring. I liked the stories separately, but together, it didn't really work.
They interrupted the flow of each other. I think it might have fit together more smoothly in a Part I/Part II presentation rather than interspersed.
I think Bill Bagley, one of the central characters, didn't have the depth required to pull off this story.
He's supposed to be this charismatic, brilliant criminal who inspires the men to risk their lives again and again, and also captures Lena's heart.
Bagley has some failings, but, initially, there must have been something to him to draw the gang together.
Instead, from the start, he comes off as a volatile jerk.
We meet Bagley as he's denying the parentage of a child who looks just like him: "This un ain't mine and don't tell me again that it is," he said, thrusting the baby back to a lady with burning red cheeks." loc 80, ebook.
He doesn't improve from there.
"I returned from a visit with Bill, received a threatening note from him, and now this. He must have a copy of it and wanted to hold it over my head." loc 741, ebook.
I guess I just never understood what Lena saw in him.
Also, for a genius code breaker, she doesn't seem to be able to puzzle out the people around her very well.
"My morals were just not like other people's, because unlike the somnolent majority I saw society's problems. In my youth I had been misguided, and picked the wrong way of lashing out against an unfair system. But I had left the gang behind, and found a greater ease in my soul." loc 1781, ebook.
There's a twist that occurs during Lena's code breaking era that I saw coming from miles away. And I'm not particularly good at calling plot twists.
My favorite part of this book were the gang-era years. My heart was in my throat during most of those chapters.
Unfortunately, it couldn't carry the rest of this novel.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free digital copy of this book.
April 21, 2018
Genre: Historical FictionSpeakeasy
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Pub. Date: April, 10, 2018
So why did I like this book so much? Maybe I am just a sucker for a bygone era. I still love the old black and white 1930s and 1940s gangster movies. I am filled with nostalgia for the Prohibition Era, with its handsome celebrities playing the main roles. Think “Key Largo” with Humphrey Bogart, Edward G. Robinson and the great beauty, Lauren Bacall. Or, “The Glass Key” with the handsome actor, Alan Ladd, and his gorgeous costar, known for her peek-a-boo hairstyle, Veronica Lake.
Do not expect a “We had it all just like Bogey and Bacall” type of read. There are many smart twists in this novel. Don’t be fooled by the title; this not a story about bootlegging. This reviewer is impressed with the author’s choice for the book’s title, very clever. I will not spoil it for you with an explanation. The entire story is not what it appears. I suspect some will be disappointed in “Speakeasy.” Between the book’s title and blurb, it is fair to expect a novel that leans heavily into women’s fiction. However, that is simply not this book. You will soon discover that it’s written more literary than contemporary in how it begs the question: Which life would you choose? Would you prefer stable but boring or dangerous but exhilarating?
Here is what is hard to buy about this book. It is two novels in one. The female protagonist is an outlaw in a gang during the depression robbing banks with her boyfriend, the gang leader. Ten years later, she is a naval code breaker during World War II, intercepting Japanese messages. Both subject matters would be enjoyable to me. But together it becomes a hard sell. It took me a while to accept the disjointedness of these two stories, but the author pulls it off. She manages to successfully merge a gangster noir with a spy thriller.
There are two first-person narrators that alternate between paragraphs —tricky to follow, but worth the effort. Our gal’s voice and a male voice from the past, who is another gang member though, not her man. These two characters have something in common. He is a law-abiding citizen until the likable bandit comes and shakes up his dull and friendless life. She is a beautiful law-abiding bank teller, who happens to be bored out of her young mind. When the bank is robbed, she can see that the unmasked leader is Clark Gable handsome, with the sort of killer smile women melt over. During the robbery, she asks the charming but violent man to take her with them. This is the beginning of her Bonnie and Clyde years.
There are certainly flaws in the story. In order to become a high ranking naval code breaker, our heroine must be a very bright woman. Yet, she has no way of assessing the character of the people in her life. Plus, she repeats past errors, which is incongruent with a sharp mind. At age twenty, she has to get beat up by her boyfriend to realize her honey is a creep. In typical noir style, he slaps some sense into her. That incident prompts her to run away from him and return to a lawful life. At age thirty, she fears that her past is catching up with her, but has no clue who in the naval unit is digging into her youth. And, even though she is now a grown woman, she once again falls for a guy who does not have her best interest at heart. I wanted to jump into the pages and yell, “Enough already with the bad boys.”
In ways, Alisa Smith reminds me of the wonderful Joyce Carol Oates. In Oates’ novel, “The Gravedigger’s Daughter,” she writes an historical fiction about a woman who falls for a charismatic, abusive, hard-drinking man sounding similar to our bank robbing code breaker. Like in all of Oates’ work, this book too is a well written powerful drug—one page and you are addicted. Such talent cannot be found in a cheesy plot-driven tale about domestic violence. I highly recommend “Speakeasy,” that reads partly as an historical espionage, and partly as an intellectual version of Mickey Spillane.
I received this Advance Review Copy (ARC) novel from the publisher at no cost in exchange for an honest review.
Find all my book reviews at:
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/list
Leave Me Alone I am Reading & Reviewing: https://books6259.wordpress.com/
Twitter: Martie’s Book Reviews: https://twitter.com/NeesRecord
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Pub. Date: April, 10, 2018
So why did I like this book so much? Maybe I am just a sucker for a bygone era. I still love the old black and white 1930s and 1940s gangster movies. I am filled with nostalgia for the Prohibition Era, with its handsome celebrities playing the main roles. Think “Key Largo” with Humphrey Bogart, Edward G. Robinson and the great beauty, Lauren Bacall. Or, “The Glass Key” with the handsome actor, Alan Ladd, and his gorgeous costar, known for her peek-a-boo hairstyle, Veronica Lake.
Do not expect a “We had it all just like Bogey and Bacall” type of read. There are many smart twists in this novel. Don’t be fooled by the title; this not a story about bootlegging. This reviewer is impressed with the author’s choice for the book’s title, very clever. I will not spoil it for you with an explanation. The entire story is not what it appears. I suspect some will be disappointed in “Speakeasy.” Between the book’s title and blurb, it is fair to expect a novel that leans heavily into women’s fiction. However, that is simply not this book. You will soon discover that it’s written more literary than contemporary in how it begs the question: Which life would you choose? Would you prefer stable but boring or dangerous but exhilarating?
Here is what is hard to buy about this book. It is two novels in one. The female protagonist is an outlaw in a gang during the depression robbing banks with her boyfriend, the gang leader. Ten years later, she is a naval code breaker during World War II, intercepting Japanese messages. Both subject matters would be enjoyable to me. But together it becomes a hard sell. It took me a while to accept the disjointedness of these two stories, but the author pulls it off. She manages to successfully merge a gangster noir with a spy thriller.
There are two first-person narrators that alternate between paragraphs —tricky to follow, but worth the effort. Our gal’s voice and a male voice from the past, who is another gang member though, not her man. These two characters have something in common. He is a law-abiding citizen until the likable bandit comes and shakes up his dull and friendless life. She is a beautiful law-abiding bank teller, who happens to be bored out of her young mind. When the bank is robbed, she can see that the unmasked leader is Clark Gable handsome, with the sort of killer smile women melt over. During the robbery, she asks the charming but violent man to take her with them. This is the beginning of her Bonnie and Clyde years.
There are certainly flaws in the story. In order to become a high ranking naval code breaker, our heroine must be a very bright woman. Yet, she has no way of assessing the character of the people in her life. Plus, she repeats past errors, which is incongruent with a sharp mind. At age twenty, she has to get beat up by her boyfriend to realize her honey is a creep. In typical noir style, he slaps some sense into her. That incident prompts her to run away from him and return to a lawful life. At age thirty, she fears that her past is catching up with her, but has no clue who in the naval unit is digging into her youth. And, even though she is now a grown woman, she once again falls for a guy who does not have her best interest at heart. I wanted to jump into the pages and yell, “Enough already with the bad boys.”
In ways, Alisa Smith reminds me of the wonderful Joyce Carol Oates. In Oates’ novel, “The Gravedigger’s Daughter,” she writes an historical fiction about a woman who falls for a charismatic, abusive, hard-drinking man sounding similar to our bank robbing code breaker. Like in all of Oates’ work, this book too is a well written powerful drug—one page and you are addicted. Such talent cannot be found in a cheesy plot-driven tale about domestic violence. I highly recommend “Speakeasy,” that reads partly as an historical espionage, and partly as an intellectual version of Mickey Spillane.
I received this Advance Review Copy (ARC) novel from the publisher at no cost in exchange for an honest review.
Find all my book reviews at:
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/list
Leave Me Alone I am Reading & Reviewing: https://books6259.wordpress.com/
Twitter: Martie’s Book Reviews: https://twitter.com/NeesRecord
April 18, 2018
The time period that Speakeasy is set in is one that I always enjoy reading! Based on the title, I had preconceived notions about what this book was about, and it certainly ended up taking me by surprise. There is a lot going on here, with a past and present storyline, revealed a little at a time. Lena is in a unique situation as a woman in both of her time periods...she's involved in multiple things that women aren't often a part of. She also has a "secret past" that she desperately hopes doesn't catch up with her. It's a very readable book, and I was interested in what was happening and going to happen. It does end on a bit of a cliffhanger, but word on the street is that the author is working on a sequel. I definitely look forward to reading it.
**Many thanks to NetGalley & St. Martins Press-Thomas Dunne Books for a copy to read and honestly review!**
**Many thanks to NetGalley & St. Martins Press-Thomas Dunne Books for a copy to read and honestly review!**
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March 18, 2018Unfortunately, I DNFed this book at page 57.
Historical fiction is harder to write that people realize...especially when you're writing two different historic time periods. This authors does one of the biggest no-no's I have for historical fictions: she TELLS me about the historic time period rather than showing me. You have to suck me into this new world, not go yourself and then tell me about it second hand (if that makes sense). I also find it incredibly infuriating when there's different POVs and timelines in books that change each chapter yet each chapter doesn't specify the POV and time. It gets confusing and frustrates me immensely.
I'm a massive fan of heists, cryptography, and WWII historical fiction.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the eARC!
Historical fiction is harder to write that people realize...especially when you're writing two different historic time periods. This authors does one of the biggest no-no's I have for historical fictions: she TELLS me about the historic time period rather than showing me. You have to suck me into this new world, not go yourself and then tell me about it second hand (if that makes sense). I also find it incredibly infuriating when there's different POVs and timelines in books that change each chapter yet each chapter doesn't specify the POV and time. It gets confusing and frustrates me immensely.
I'm a massive fan of heists, cryptography, and WWII historical fiction.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the eARC!
August 24, 2017
As a native Victorian and has worked at the base, this was a fun read with a number of details of 1920s-30s Victoria; I quite enjoyed that aspect. While it seemed the author had done plenty of research of the City's past to drum of these tidbits, there were some striking inaccuracies in these details.
Two that really stood was the referring to the Johnson Street Bridge as the 'Blue Bridge', as it commonly known; the bridge was completed in 1924, but was actually black in colour until around 1980, when it was painted blue - much to the dismay of many Victorians.
The other great inaccuracy is the geography referenced around Esquimalt and Esquimalt Harbour. The author gave the impression that Lena could gaze Westward across the ocean, searching for Japanese ships on the horizon. That is not possible from any direction - to the West, just across the harbour, there is land including Fort Rodd Hill that is so close you can actually hear people laugh from the other side. Look to the South and you see the Olympic Peninsula of Washington and Port Angeles, which is so close you can see it lit up at night and even catch some of their 4th of July fireworks if the weather is right.
I will say I did enjoy story mentioning a cult that was here on the island back in the 20s, particularly because I had just been reading up and watching documentaries on Brother XII the previous week.
Like I said, a fun read if you are from the area mentioned but I don't think I'd recommend it beyond that.
Two that really stood was the referring to the Johnson Street Bridge as the 'Blue Bridge', as it commonly known; the bridge was completed in 1924, but was actually black in colour until around 1980, when it was painted blue - much to the dismay of many Victorians.
The other great inaccuracy is the geography referenced around Esquimalt and Esquimalt Harbour. The author gave the impression that Lena could gaze Westward across the ocean, searching for Japanese ships on the horizon. That is not possible from any direction - to the West, just across the harbour, there is land including Fort Rodd Hill that is so close you can actually hear people laugh from the other side. Look to the South and you see the Olympic Peninsula of Washington and Port Angeles, which is so close you can see it lit up at night and even catch some of their 4th of July fireworks if the weather is right.
I will say I did enjoy story mentioning a cult that was here on the island back in the 20s, particularly because I had just been reading up and watching documentaries on Brother XII the previous week.
Like I said, a fun read if you are from the area mentioned but I don't think I'd recommend it beyond that.
May 11, 2018
Thanks St. Martin's Press and netgalley for this ARC.
Past/present life jumps back and forth which can be a little confusing but overall I liked the setting of the of west coast/Canada and learning about code breaking in United States.
Past/present life jumps back and forth which can be a little confusing but overall I liked the setting of the of west coast/Canada and learning about code breaking in United States.
May 31, 2018
I picked up this book based on the WWII blurb and how intriguing it sounded to read something about a criminal turned good soldier, particularly a woman.
It took me a few chapters to get into the book. The chapters switch between Lena's point of view in the present and Byron's point of view in the past. Lena was once a member of the Clockwork Gang, bank robbers who escaped being caught throughout the early to mid-30s. Lena's past comes back to haunt her when Bill Bagley - the leader of the Clockwork Gang - reaches out for her to use her connections to get him an appeal. Bill was finally caught, and he wants Lena's help to free him.
I enjoyed reading about Byron's experiences in Bill's gang and how Lena ended up in the Navy. Her tales of present time give insight into her job as a linguist, and it's through this narrative that the events of WWII are relayed. Lena also gets pulled into trying to find a leak in her department, a responsibility that can have positive results for her career but might cause her some personal anguish.
I was torn between 3 stars or 4 on this one because I enjoyed it, but I didn't love it. It took me a while to get into it, and I was often overwhelmed by just the sheer sadness of Lena's life. While nothing is openly tragic, the overall arc of her life made me feel sorry for her. There is no happy ending to this one, only a not sad ending. I think it's worth reading if WWII interests you, but it's not one of my favorite historical novels.
It took me a few chapters to get into the book. The chapters switch between Lena's point of view in the present and Byron's point of view in the past. Lena was once a member of the Clockwork Gang, bank robbers who escaped being caught throughout the early to mid-30s. Lena's past comes back to haunt her when Bill Bagley - the leader of the Clockwork Gang - reaches out for her to use her connections to get him an appeal. Bill was finally caught, and he wants Lena's help to free him.
I enjoyed reading about Byron's experiences in Bill's gang and how Lena ended up in the Navy. Her tales of present time give insight into her job as a linguist, and it's through this narrative that the events of WWII are relayed. Lena also gets pulled into trying to find a leak in her department, a responsibility that can have positive results for her career but might cause her some personal anguish.
I was torn between 3 stars or 4 on this one because I enjoyed it, but I didn't love it. It took me a while to get into it, and I was often overwhelmed by just the sheer sadness of Lena's life. While nothing is openly tragic, the overall arc of her life made me feel sorry for her. There is no happy ending to this one, only a not sad ending. I think it's worth reading if WWII interests you, but it's not one of my favorite historical novels.
April 15, 2019
I was approved on Netgalley to read Doublespeak, the second book in this series so thought I should purchase and read this book first.
Lena it could be said isn’t the most likeable character but I really liked her. She made some questionable choices for a while there but it meant her life was anything but boring.
When the book opens Lena is a code breaker during WW2. My favourite time in history to read is the 1920’s and 1930’s and much of this book is a look back on Lena’s life at this time.
Lena has carved out a new life for herself and thinks that she has managed to outrun her past but as it often does it catches up with her.
Lena’s life is thrilling, scandalous and also a little bittersweet. I like standalone books best all but I am really looking forward to reading about the next stage of Lena’s life. I can imagine it’s just as unpredictable but I hope she also gets to settle down and not be quite so on edge.
The alternative chapters from Lena and Byron’s perspective were excellent in providing an all consuming story. It took a few instances to realise who’s chapter was who’s but once I realised it was alternative the story flowed very easily. I can’t wait to get started on Doublespeak.
Lena it could be said isn’t the most likeable character but I really liked her. She made some questionable choices for a while there but it meant her life was anything but boring.
When the book opens Lena is a code breaker during WW2. My favourite time in history to read is the 1920’s and 1930’s and much of this book is a look back on Lena’s life at this time.
Lena has carved out a new life for herself and thinks that she has managed to outrun her past but as it often does it catches up with her.
Lena’s life is thrilling, scandalous and also a little bittersweet. I like standalone books best all but I am really looking forward to reading about the next stage of Lena’s life. I can imagine it’s just as unpredictable but I hope she also gets to settle down and not be quite so on edge.
The alternative chapters from Lena and Byron’s perspective were excellent in providing an all consuming story. It took a few instances to realise who’s chapter was who’s but once I realised it was alternative the story flowed very easily. I can’t wait to get started on Doublespeak.
March 30, 2019
*** I received an advanced e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest review
This story is told in the alternating voices of Lena and Byron. Lena, once a member of the Clockwork Gang and in love with the leader Bill Bagley, is now a codebreaker for the Navy during World War II. Byron was an accountant that Bill had asked to doctor his books before an audit and then compelled him to join the Clockwork Gang.
I really enjoyed this book. The back and forth between the tensions of the war and the escapades of the notorious gang made the book all the more enjoyable. This is definitely a must-read if you are a fan of historical fiction!
This story is told in the alternating voices of Lena and Byron. Lena, once a member of the Clockwork Gang and in love with the leader Bill Bagley, is now a codebreaker for the Navy during World War II. Byron was an accountant that Bill had asked to doctor his books before an audit and then compelled him to join the Clockwork Gang.
I really enjoyed this book. The back and forth between the tensions of the war and the escapades of the notorious gang made the book all the more enjoyable. This is definitely a must-read if you are a fan of historical fiction!
April 4, 2018
I am a bit of a World War II nut. Any book that takes place during that time period is probably going to end up on my TBR list (unless it's about the Holocaust which I am taking a break from because I don't need to cry every time I read a book). So when I saw this book and that the main character, Lena, is a code breaker and that she is a gangster past, I immediately requested it. Let's get to the review!
Synopsis (from Goodreads):
Thirty-year-old Lena Stillman is living a perfectly respectable life when a shocking newspaper headline calls up her past: it concerns her former lover, charismatic bank robber Bill Bagley. A romantic and charming figure, Lena had tried to forget him by resuming her linguistic studies, which led to her recruitment as a Navy code-breaker intercepting Japanese messages during World War II.
But can Lena keep her own secrets? Threatening notes and the appearance of an old diary that recalls her gangster days are poised to upset her new life.
Whom can she really trust? Is there a spy among the code-breakers? And who is it that wants her dead?
Speakeasy is split up between Lena and Byron's point of view. In Lena's point of view, she is working as a code breaker in Canada. Near the start of the story, she reads in the newspaper that Bill Bagley, her former lover and partner in crime, has not only been caught but is also going to be executed soon. She didn't exactly leave Bill on good terms and when she gets a message that he wants to see her, she is less than thrilled. As Lena's point of view of the story goes on, we see how she interacts with her fellow code breakers, even entering a sort-of relationship with one of them, and how she deals with her past that she never wanted to see again. We also get to see her spy on her co-workers in order to save her own neck. She is definitely an interesting character.
Byron's point of view is in the past when Lena first met Bill Bagley and joined his gang of criminals. Byron is one of the gang but much gentler than the others. He falls in love with Lena but never has a chance to act on his feelings because of his fear of Bill and because once they finally figure out just how terrible Bill is, Lena leaves immediately. Through Byron's point of view, we get to see who Lena was before she was a code breaker. She was much more free-spirited and wild compared to how closed off she is now. We also eventually get to see Lena's response to Byron's point of view because someone leaves Byron's journal (where he wrote about all their criminal escapades) on her doorstep. It is intriguing to see how Lena reacts to someone writing about her. It is also interesting to see Byron's reaction to all the gang's criminal activity because he is so not what you would expect a criminal to be or at least doesn't have the mindset of the other people around him.
Okay, all that being said, I did not really enjoy this story. There was a lot of information that felt unnecessary and much more telling rather than showing. And nothing really happened. Sure, we see the gang commit a bunch of robberies and even a few murders but it never led us anywhere. It was constantly building up to a climax that didn't happen. Yes, the Japanese bomb one of the bunkers Lena worked in but with the way it was written, I didn't care. I wasn't invested in the characters enough to feel the heartache Lena felts when she found out the one person she was close to was dead. The same goes for Byron's storyline. It felt like it was building up to the gang being caught, but we, the reader, never get to see that part. We just hear about it after the fact. What could have been the ultimate suspenseful scene is not included and it felt like a real let down. The ending is sadly underwhelming as well. :(
As you can probably tell, I did not give this story a high rating. I am giving Speakeasy by Alisa Smith 2 out of 5 stars. This book had so much potential but it just didn't follow through.
Speakeasy comes out April 10th, 2018.
Thank you, NetGalley and Thomas Dunne Books/St.Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Synopsis (from Goodreads):
Thirty-year-old Lena Stillman is living a perfectly respectable life when a shocking newspaper headline calls up her past: it concerns her former lover, charismatic bank robber Bill Bagley. A romantic and charming figure, Lena had tried to forget him by resuming her linguistic studies, which led to her recruitment as a Navy code-breaker intercepting Japanese messages during World War II.
But can Lena keep her own secrets? Threatening notes and the appearance of an old diary that recalls her gangster days are poised to upset her new life.
Whom can she really trust? Is there a spy among the code-breakers? And who is it that wants her dead?
Speakeasy is split up between Lena and Byron's point of view. In Lena's point of view, she is working as a code breaker in Canada. Near the start of the story, she reads in the newspaper that Bill Bagley, her former lover and partner in crime, has not only been caught but is also going to be executed soon. She didn't exactly leave Bill on good terms and when she gets a message that he wants to see her, she is less than thrilled. As Lena's point of view of the story goes on, we see how she interacts with her fellow code breakers, even entering a sort-of relationship with one of them, and how she deals with her past that she never wanted to see again. We also get to see her spy on her co-workers in order to save her own neck. She is definitely an interesting character.
Byron's point of view is in the past when Lena first met Bill Bagley and joined his gang of criminals. Byron is one of the gang but much gentler than the others. He falls in love with Lena but never has a chance to act on his feelings because of his fear of Bill and because once they finally figure out just how terrible Bill is, Lena leaves immediately. Through Byron's point of view, we get to see who Lena was before she was a code breaker. She was much more free-spirited and wild compared to how closed off she is now. We also eventually get to see Lena's response to Byron's point of view because someone leaves Byron's journal (where he wrote about all their criminal escapades) on her doorstep. It is intriguing to see how Lena reacts to someone writing about her. It is also interesting to see Byron's reaction to all the gang's criminal activity because he is so not what you would expect a criminal to be or at least doesn't have the mindset of the other people around him.
Okay, all that being said, I did not really enjoy this story. There was a lot of information that felt unnecessary and much more telling rather than showing. And nothing really happened. Sure, we see the gang commit a bunch of robberies and even a few murders but it never led us anywhere. It was constantly building up to a climax that didn't happen. Yes, the Japanese bomb one of the bunkers Lena worked in but with the way it was written, I didn't care. I wasn't invested in the characters enough to feel the heartache Lena felts when she found out the one person she was close to was dead. The same goes for Byron's storyline. It felt like it was building up to the gang being caught, but we, the reader, never get to see that part. We just hear about it after the fact. What could have been the ultimate suspenseful scene is not included and it felt like a real let down. The ending is sadly underwhelming as well. :(
As you can probably tell, I did not give this story a high rating. I am giving Speakeasy by Alisa Smith 2 out of 5 stars. This book had so much potential but it just didn't follow through.
Speakeasy comes out April 10th, 2018.
Thank you, NetGalley and Thomas Dunne Books/St.Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
July 22, 2018
It's difficult to tell two rather different past and present stories in alternating chapters without one of the narratives overtaking the other. The bank robber story is so much more compelling than the one set in the war decryption unit, probably because the latter included too much technical detail.
May 16, 2017
I like historical fiction, and this first novel is a very good example of the genre. It weaves together what I would call the "Bonnie & Clyde" bank robbery era of the 1930s and the interception of coded messages in World War II (1940-1941). It's set on the West Coast - the border between Washington State and British Columbia - so there are all those inlets to hide in, and the police of two countries to content with in the 1930s, and the ... "take over" is perhaps a strong word for the American secret service throwing its influence around a Canadian Navy secret installation on Vancouver Island almost the moment the Japanese bombed Hawaii; but the United States has a habit of crossing our border as if it was between two counties instead of two nations, and acting as if it had been leading the way in the war all along, instead of jumping in late, and only when it got stung by the Axis. [That's not said outright, but it's the way I felt while reading the book.]
It's plausible. It's colourful. It's set not in the usual places Depression gangland and World War II homefront espionage stories are set - ie. the east coast and Great Lakes border - but on the West Coast. I hope a few reviewers from B.C. and Washington state will give their opinions.
It's plausible. It's colourful. It's set not in the usual places Depression gangland and World War II homefront espionage stories are set - ie. the east coast and Great Lakes border - but on the West Coast. I hope a few reviewers from B.C. and Washington state will give their opinions.
March 22, 2018
A well told story about how secrets have a habit of coming home to roost and how desperately we strive to keep them hidden. Youthful indiscretions and outright law breaking threaten to destroy the life Lena has built for herself.
October 9, 2018
From prairiefire.ca. Review by Caitlin Voth.
Alisa Smith’s Speakeasy tells the story of Lena Stillman’s past as a member of Bill Bagley’s Clockwork Gang of bank robbers, and her present occupation of elite codebreaker at the Esquimalt base during World War II. We are introduced to a thorough narrative of Stillman’s past through Byron Godfrey—or By God as Bagley calls him—another member of the Clockwork Gang who was in love with Stillman. He sends Stillman his journal cataloguing all their heists, and it is this journal that makes up at least half the novel. Though Stillman is the main character, Bill Bagley is the main focal point of the story.
We are first introduced to the notorious Bill Bagley through Byron Godfrey and the first impression of him is quite dislikable. Godfrey observes an interaction with him and another woman who apparently is telling Bagley that he has a child, which he blatantly denies but which Godfrey suspects is the truth. She leaves crying, and Bill Bagley says: “That woman is a whore and a liar,” and then “Didn’t you see her painted bitch face?” (14, 15). Still, the soft-spoken and mild-mannered Godfrey is charmed by Bagley immediately, even though the altercation is his first introduction to him. The reader’s very first impression of Bagley is thus one of disgust, and yet we are supposed to understand how Godfrey is drawn to him. What’s worse, Lena Stillman, an apparently strong and independent woman, falls for him as well and somehow remains in love with him even after she leaves him. Her own seduction is never fully elaborated on, and so the reader is even more confused as to Bagley’s appeal. Further, Stillman later remarks that the memory of Bagley had kept her going through all her “loveless years” (46), which reduces her own strength of character and determination.
Most of the action in the novel has already played out in the past, as told through Godfrey’s journal, and so there is no suspense, as we know the gang always gets away with the money, despite the chases and shoot-outs. We also know almost at the beginning of the novel that Bill Bagley ends up in jail and damaged from drug-use, and so the narrative loses its tension and excitement. It is only Stillman’s present situation as code-breaker for the allied forces that has an unknown future, and yet this plot is second to Stillman’s past.
The writing itself, however, fluctuates between unnecessary tangents and a few beautiful phrases. For example, when Godfrey agrees to join Bagley on a robbery that takes them to Canada, a forced backstory pushes itself in after this decision:
“Sure. I’ve never been to Canada,” I said. I had in fact never left Seattle. Its geography of strangling peninsulas and awkward lakes restricted travel. Perhaps that was why my father left my mother and me here when he moved to New York when I was boy. My mother had been a nervous and unhappy woman since that time, though she had pretended otherwise. Even as a boy I could detect her unease. She would wake in the middle of the night and scrub the house from top to bottom. A state of messiness became my comfort because it meant she had slept through the night. (17)
Here, the action of planning for the caper is disrupted by a backstory that is not elaborated on significantly more in the rest of the novel. Godfrey’s parents are not an important part of the novel, and yet they are present at a crucial part in the story, when the Clockwork Gang heads to Canada, and ultimately to Lena Stillman. Immediately after this paragraph the narrative returns to the exact plan for the heist, and so it feels especially unnatural and cumbersome. However, we do see Smith’s experience as a journalist for Canadian Geographic and Explore manifest itself in the poetic description of “strangling peninsulas and awkward lakes.” We see her passion for the West Coast landscape reappear throughout the novel, as in the line: “Cruickshank pulled the throttle back and we took off, weaving through the islands, Bill muttering them off like a rosary: Wise Island, Hall Island, Secretary Island” (51). It is Smith’s descriptions of West Coast landscapes that make the story feel whole and vital. She reinforces this sense of place with a plethora of small and accurate details, such as mentioning Brother XII’s cult location in Nanaimo, or even the history of the Esquimalt base.
Smith’s book is an interesting read for its well-researched background and interesting bits of Canadian trivia. Though the plot doesn’t feel as exciting as it could, and though it ends in a somewhat lack-luster manner—it leaves many of the narrative threads open for its sequel Doublespeak—it is still entertaining to see a bank robber operating in Canada, where we don’t normally see them in popular culture. Further, Smith’s sense of place and her detail for the coastal islands and wildernesses really pulls the reader into the novel, even if the characters and plot don’t always manage this.
Alisa Smith’s Speakeasy tells the story of Lena Stillman’s past as a member of Bill Bagley’s Clockwork Gang of bank robbers, and her present occupation of elite codebreaker at the Esquimalt base during World War II. We are introduced to a thorough narrative of Stillman’s past through Byron Godfrey—or By God as Bagley calls him—another member of the Clockwork Gang who was in love with Stillman. He sends Stillman his journal cataloguing all their heists, and it is this journal that makes up at least half the novel. Though Stillman is the main character, Bill Bagley is the main focal point of the story.
We are first introduced to the notorious Bill Bagley through Byron Godfrey and the first impression of him is quite dislikable. Godfrey observes an interaction with him and another woman who apparently is telling Bagley that he has a child, which he blatantly denies but which Godfrey suspects is the truth. She leaves crying, and Bill Bagley says: “That woman is a whore and a liar,” and then “Didn’t you see her painted bitch face?” (14, 15). Still, the soft-spoken and mild-mannered Godfrey is charmed by Bagley immediately, even though the altercation is his first introduction to him. The reader’s very first impression of Bagley is thus one of disgust, and yet we are supposed to understand how Godfrey is drawn to him. What’s worse, Lena Stillman, an apparently strong and independent woman, falls for him as well and somehow remains in love with him even after she leaves him. Her own seduction is never fully elaborated on, and so the reader is even more confused as to Bagley’s appeal. Further, Stillman later remarks that the memory of Bagley had kept her going through all her “loveless years” (46), which reduces her own strength of character and determination.
Most of the action in the novel has already played out in the past, as told through Godfrey’s journal, and so there is no suspense, as we know the gang always gets away with the money, despite the chases and shoot-outs. We also know almost at the beginning of the novel that Bill Bagley ends up in jail and damaged from drug-use, and so the narrative loses its tension and excitement. It is only Stillman’s present situation as code-breaker for the allied forces that has an unknown future, and yet this plot is second to Stillman’s past.
The writing itself, however, fluctuates between unnecessary tangents and a few beautiful phrases. For example, when Godfrey agrees to join Bagley on a robbery that takes them to Canada, a forced backstory pushes itself in after this decision:
“Sure. I’ve never been to Canada,” I said. I had in fact never left Seattle. Its geography of strangling peninsulas and awkward lakes restricted travel. Perhaps that was why my father left my mother and me here when he moved to New York when I was boy. My mother had been a nervous and unhappy woman since that time, though she had pretended otherwise. Even as a boy I could detect her unease. She would wake in the middle of the night and scrub the house from top to bottom. A state of messiness became my comfort because it meant she had slept through the night. (17)
Here, the action of planning for the caper is disrupted by a backstory that is not elaborated on significantly more in the rest of the novel. Godfrey’s parents are not an important part of the novel, and yet they are present at a crucial part in the story, when the Clockwork Gang heads to Canada, and ultimately to Lena Stillman. Immediately after this paragraph the narrative returns to the exact plan for the heist, and so it feels especially unnatural and cumbersome. However, we do see Smith’s experience as a journalist for Canadian Geographic and Explore manifest itself in the poetic description of “strangling peninsulas and awkward lakes.” We see her passion for the West Coast landscape reappear throughout the novel, as in the line: “Cruickshank pulled the throttle back and we took off, weaving through the islands, Bill muttering them off like a rosary: Wise Island, Hall Island, Secretary Island” (51). It is Smith’s descriptions of West Coast landscapes that make the story feel whole and vital. She reinforces this sense of place with a plethora of small and accurate details, such as mentioning Brother XII’s cult location in Nanaimo, or even the history of the Esquimalt base.
Smith’s book is an interesting read for its well-researched background and interesting bits of Canadian trivia. Though the plot doesn’t feel as exciting as it could, and though it ends in a somewhat lack-luster manner—it leaves many of the narrative threads open for its sequel Doublespeak—it is still entertaining to see a bank robber operating in Canada, where we don’t normally see them in popular culture. Further, Smith’s sense of place and her detail for the coastal islands and wildernesses really pulls the reader into the novel, even if the characters and plot don’t always manage this.
September 12, 2017
Alisa Smith is also a co-author of The 100-Mile Diet https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_100... I can't seem to recall how I heard of Speakeasy - likely a review in the newspaper - but I put a hold on it at the library. It is historical fiction taking place mainly in Victoria and neighbouring Esquimalt BC. Lena is a codebreaker in the Canadian government Examination Unit during WWII vs the Japanese in the Pacific - but earlier she had been involved with a bank robber gang - the story, told by Lena in 1942 and in a journal kept by another of the gang in 1932-33, alternates. This is a review https://www.straight.com/arts/903896/... Things I learned : the Japanese PURPLE machine (like the German Enigma machine, and apparently based on it) http://ciphermachines.com/purple and http://www.wondersandmarvels.com/2013... and the use of the IBM tabulating machine to determine the Japanese attack on Midway Island in 1942 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tabulat... and this https://books.google.ca/books?id=wXID... (this is another interesting story on this http://www.itbusiness.ca/news/ibms-da... and JN-25 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanes... and OP-20-G https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OP-20-G
The author's day job is an auditor and fraud examiner in Vancouver. Her aunt was a wartime cryptographer in the 1940s.
Speakeasy ends with the possibility of a continuing story. Good news. - there is a sequel (to come): Doublespeak.
The author's day job is an auditor and fraud examiner in Vancouver. Her aunt was a wartime cryptographer in the 1940s.
Speakeasy ends with the possibility of a continuing story. Good news. - there is a sequel (to come): Doublespeak.
February 2, 2019
Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
Speakeasy is the first book in a new series by Alisa Smith. Released 10th April 2018 by Macmillan on their Thomas Dunne imprint, it's 240 pages and available in hardcover and ebook formats.
I really love noir. The premise ticked all the boxes for me. I love the location and time period, and I liked the idea of a strong intelligent female lead who's a codebreaker during WWII. The story itself I found engaging and interesting.
The problems for me were technical in nature. Much of the dialogue was awkward and stilted. The alternating pov and timelines were jarring for me and I found myself having to go back and re-read passages to be sure who was talking. Bill Bagley (the male 'lead' and Lena's former lover) was an abrasive jerk. The author did a lot more 'telling' than 'showing' (a fair bit of the plot elements were provided by characters talking to one another and saying things for the benefit of the reader). Some of the dialogue also seemed anachronistic. If I had 'blind read' the book, I wouldn't have thought that it was a period novel. That might be a plus for readers who don't like period-authentic dialogue and writing, but to me it sometimes felt as though the setting and time period were tacked on stage scenery.
Some of my favorite series have taken a few books to develop and for the authors to really find their voices. I'll give this series another book or two before I make a final assessment.
Three stars, an interesting debut.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Speakeasy is the first book in a new series by Alisa Smith. Released 10th April 2018 by Macmillan on their Thomas Dunne imprint, it's 240 pages and available in hardcover and ebook formats.
I really love noir. The premise ticked all the boxes for me. I love the location and time period, and I liked the idea of a strong intelligent female lead who's a codebreaker during WWII. The story itself I found engaging and interesting.
The problems for me were technical in nature. Much of the dialogue was awkward and stilted. The alternating pov and timelines were jarring for me and I found myself having to go back and re-read passages to be sure who was talking. Bill Bagley (the male 'lead' and Lena's former lover) was an abrasive jerk. The author did a lot more 'telling' than 'showing' (a fair bit of the plot elements were provided by characters talking to one another and saying things for the benefit of the reader). Some of the dialogue also seemed anachronistic. If I had 'blind read' the book, I wouldn't have thought that it was a period novel. That might be a plus for readers who don't like period-authentic dialogue and writing, but to me it sometimes felt as though the setting and time period were tacked on stage scenery.
Some of my favorite series have taken a few books to develop and for the authors to really find their voices. I'll give this series another book or two before I make a final assessment.
Three stars, an interesting debut.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
July 15, 2018
SPEAKEASY, with its clever title, tells the story of Lena and how past choices and secrets can come back to haunt you.
Told from two perspectives in two time periods, I found it really hard to get into. The alternating narrators can be jarring, the entries coming sometimes in short bursts, and this greatly affects the continuity of the story and continually took me out of the narrative. There are essentially two novels in one here, a Depression-era gangster romp and a World War II tale. Either alone would have made a great novel, but together they are disjointed and suffer for each other’s shortcomings.
I was particularly drawn to the WWII part of the story. The somewhat unusual setting of Canada right before the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the female protagonist were appealing. Lena first appears as a confident and competent code breaker for the Navy, but as the story moves along, she crumbles somewhat and loses everything that is alluring. I can understand, to a degree, her twenty-year-old self wanting some adventure by running away with Bill’s bank robbing gang, but I just do not see Bill’s draw. He is supposed to be magnetic enough for others to follow him blindly, but I just see a big old jerk (Perhaps this is my middle-agedness showing). Lena’s thirty-year-old self is frustrating because she never seems to learn from her mistakes and experiences.
SPEAKEASY is not everything I expected or hoped for it to be. Perhaps it is much more, an ambitious telling of the past, but I do not get it. I liked SPEAKEASY, but I did not love it.
I received and ARC of this title from the publisher and voluntarily shared my thoughts here.
Told from two perspectives in two time periods, I found it really hard to get into. The alternating narrators can be jarring, the entries coming sometimes in short bursts, and this greatly affects the continuity of the story and continually took me out of the narrative. There are essentially two novels in one here, a Depression-era gangster romp and a World War II tale. Either alone would have made a great novel, but together they are disjointed and suffer for each other’s shortcomings.
I was particularly drawn to the WWII part of the story. The somewhat unusual setting of Canada right before the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the female protagonist were appealing. Lena first appears as a confident and competent code breaker for the Navy, but as the story moves along, she crumbles somewhat and loses everything that is alluring. I can understand, to a degree, her twenty-year-old self wanting some adventure by running away with Bill’s bank robbing gang, but I just do not see Bill’s draw. He is supposed to be magnetic enough for others to follow him blindly, but I just see a big old jerk (Perhaps this is my middle-agedness showing). Lena’s thirty-year-old self is frustrating because she never seems to learn from her mistakes and experiences.
SPEAKEASY is not everything I expected or hoped for it to be. Perhaps it is much more, an ambitious telling of the past, but I do not get it. I liked SPEAKEASY, but I did not love it.
I received and ARC of this title from the publisher and voluntarily shared my thoughts here.
July 19, 2021
I got this book on one of my many trips to the Dollar Tree. I bought it based 100% on the cover. It’s so pretty! Once I started it, I realized this was a good book to judge by its cover. It’s right up my alley.
I want to start with my major complaint. It’s written in multiple POV but it’s not clearly labeled that way. I was struggling to keep it straight and if it was one male and one female I wouldn’t have been able to keep it straight at all.
Besides that, it’s a really interesting story. The story follows Lena, a Canadian code breaker in WWII. When the war starts to really ramp up (after Pearl Harbor), we follow her journey during this time. We also find out about her past - her past spent in a gang of bank robbers. The chapters written by the male are actually journal entries of the time with the gang of bank robbers, while the chapters narrated through Lena are “present” day (for her anyway - WWII is far from the present) and we get a sense of her thoughts and feelings.
I will say it was a bit sporadic. The leader of the gang was just sentenced to death for his crimes - which is what took Lena on her trip down memory lane. She was afraid that he would turn her in before his execution, which naturally would land her in jail as well. There was a decent amount spent on that, but at the same time there was a lot of focus on the war and the code breaking aspect of it.
I liked it, but I didn’t love it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
I want to start with my major complaint. It’s written in multiple POV but it’s not clearly labeled that way. I was struggling to keep it straight and if it was one male and one female I wouldn’t have been able to keep it straight at all.
Besides that, it’s a really interesting story. The story follows Lena, a Canadian code breaker in WWII. When the war starts to really ramp up (after Pearl Harbor), we follow her journey during this time. We also find out about her past - her past spent in a gang of bank robbers. The chapters written by the male are actually journal entries of the time with the gang of bank robbers, while the chapters narrated through Lena are “present” day (for her anyway - WWII is far from the present) and we get a sense of her thoughts and feelings.
I will say it was a bit sporadic. The leader of the gang was just sentenced to death for his crimes - which is what took Lena on her trip down memory lane. She was afraid that he would turn her in before his execution, which naturally would land her in jail as well. There was a decent amount spent on that, but at the same time there was a lot of focus on the war and the code breaking aspect of it.
I liked it, but I didn’t love it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
April 18, 2018
I received a free advance e-copy of this book and have chosen to write an honest and unbiased review. I have no personal affiliation with the author. This is an extremely well written piece of historical fiction about a fascinating time in our history with a great plot and excellent character development. Alisa Smith is a great storyteller. This is a story of Prohibition gangsters, the ‘Clockwork Gang,’ who are notorious bank robbers and also a story of WW II code breakers. It is told from two different points of view; that of the gangster’s girlfriend, Lena, who escapes the gang and becomes a proficient code breaker and also from the point of view of the accountant, a member of the gang, who is in love with Lena from a safe distance. ‘Speakeasy’ is action packed with twists and turns, full of thrills and suspense. I couldn’t put it down. It drew me in right from the start. Lena is constantly looking over her shoulder afraid that someone will discover her past and report her to the authorities and she will be sent to prison. She is proficient at language and breaking codes and has become one of the top ranking women in a Canadian unit of code breakers during WW II. I can’t wait to read the sequel as I’m left with several unanswered questions. This is a great story and well worth the read and I look forward to reading more from Alisa Smith in the future.
July 30, 2017
This book was difficult to get into as within the first few chapters the narrating voice changed with no warning. One minute it was a male voice the next a female. This was rather off putting and required me to flip back to the beginning to see if I had gotten the POV wrong. There did not appear to be much of a story line - just a series of heists on the west coast by the Clockwork Gang in the 1930's interspersed with flash forwards in one of the two narrating voices. Sometimes the voice would be the male in the 1930's. Sometimes the voice would be the female set in war time (1944-45) on the Esquimalt naval base. This made it very difficult to figure out what was going on. The interaction between the gang members did not seem very realistic - very simplistic if anything. The story was sort of OK but I will not be reading the sequel (Doublespeak) that the author is currently working on. I really forced myself to finish this as I seldom will not finish a book once I start it. The only good thing about it was research done concerning the areas of backwoods BC with which the gang boss, Bill Bagley was very familiarity. It also provided a look at gangster life on the west coast and the job done by the naval intelligence codebreakers working on the Esquimalt base.
April 12, 2018
Lena is a code breaker. She broke the code which helped win the battle of Midway. But….she has a past. She was once involved with a famous bank robber, Bill Bagley.
Lena is a unique woman for this time period. She is a code breaker, she lives alone, plus she drove a getaway car. She is also hoping her world does not fall down around her ears. She is the type of woman character I love. However, I felt a little distance from her. I wanted to “feel more” for her and her situation. See, Bill is her past with a bite. He is on death row but he is still taunting her from behind bars. I should have felt a better connection with her, it just wasn’t there.
This was just a so-so read for me. I had trouble in the beginning figuring out who the narrator was. Then I realized it was changing narrators in the middle of the chapters. Now, keep in mind, I was reading an ARC and this may not be corrected yet, or it may be exactly how it’s supposed to be. This was just confusing to me until I was used to it.
The story did keep me reading and the ending was the best part of the book. It ended with a cliff hanger and I can’t wait to see what happens next. And yes, the author is working on a sequel.
Lena is a unique woman for this time period. She is a code breaker, she lives alone, plus she drove a getaway car. She is also hoping her world does not fall down around her ears. She is the type of woman character I love. However, I felt a little distance from her. I wanted to “feel more” for her and her situation. See, Bill is her past with a bite. He is on death row but he is still taunting her from behind bars. I should have felt a better connection with her, it just wasn’t there.
This was just a so-so read for me. I had trouble in the beginning figuring out who the narrator was. Then I realized it was changing narrators in the middle of the chapters. Now, keep in mind, I was reading an ARC and this may not be corrected yet, or it may be exactly how it’s supposed to be. This was just confusing to me until I was used to it.
The story did keep me reading and the ending was the best part of the book. It ended with a cliff hanger and I can’t wait to see what happens next. And yes, the author is working on a sequel.
March 28, 2019
I really enjoyed the setting and the plot, but it left me kind of wondering what the book was trying to say. The narrative takes place in two time periods, but with no clear correlation between the two stories. Whatever happened in 1933 doesn't inform what's happening in 1942, so the back and forth seemed kind of pointless. Like, I enjoyed each story but they didn't connect well.
Also, idk who writes the book flap description but they said there would be "a double cross worthy of John le Carre's novels", and I gotta say.. there was not. Technically, there were two double crosses, but one was obvious while the other was inevitable. Like, Lena was dumb for not realizing and making excuses. For all her talk about being untrusting and learning from her experience w Bill, she sure did trust someone way too quickly, despite the warning signs. She's just thirsty.
Also, the book finished peculiarly open-ended. One would assume the two protagonists (Lena and Byron) would continue to be the main characters in a sequel, but their endings take them to wildly different places. Maybe the next novel will be in a completely different format?
Still a good read. I look forward to a sequel.
Also, idk who writes the book flap description but they said there would be "a double cross worthy of John le Carre's novels", and I gotta say.. there was not. Technically, there were two double crosses, but one was obvious while the other was inevitable. Like, Lena was dumb for not realizing and making excuses. For all her talk about being untrusting and learning from her experience w Bill, she sure did trust someone way too quickly, despite the warning signs. She's just thirsty.
Also, the book finished peculiarly open-ended. One would assume the two protagonists (Lena and Byron) would continue to be the main characters in a sequel, but their endings take them to wildly different places. Maybe the next novel will be in a completely different format?
Still a good read. I look forward to a sequel.
April 5, 2018
Speakeasy is a story about Lena, a World War II codebreaker with a past that it's quite riveting of the era. The story is told from two narratives that may be challenging to keep up with: Lena and diary excerpts of a journal kept by another gang. The author does a great job at transporting the reader back to an era of Bonnie & Clyde, which I found quite enjoyable. The various scenes, while great on their own, didn't have the connected story flow that I would expect. For this reason, the climax of the story left me wanting more and a need for closure. It's clear the author did extensive research in writing this story and has all the components of a great writer. If you're able to overcome some of its challenges, I think you'll find this an enjoyable read.
Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing an ARC of Speakeasy. Thank you, Alisa, for sharing this captivating story with the world.
Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing an ARC of Speakeasy. Thank you, Alisa, for sharing this captivating story with the world.
March 15, 2019
I was excited for the premise of this book - Lena Stillman, a code breaker during WWII, finds out that her ex-boyfriend is still alive and making headlines. She worries that he could be back to ruin her reputation, or even worse, kill her. Unfortunately I did not know that this book would eventually be part of a series (the author is working on book number two). I kept hoping that certain events would come to a conclusion, but they never did. A lot of this book was set up without much action or plot progression. They talked about the past a lot. Not sure if I am invested enough to read the second book, since I finished the first one a bit disappointed and underwhelmed. I was, however, delighted to read about all of the locations the author mentioned in the Pacific Northwest, as I am familiar with many of them!
July 5, 2017
It's a good story set in British Columbia and Washington during the 1930s and then into WW2. The story is intriguing and the author is from BC, which was one of the reasons I bought the book. It reads like two parallel stories with the bank robbing gang raging around BC and Washington and the code breaker working in Victoria. The book moves back and forth between those two settings. I'd like to have seen more about Victoria and the navy base during the war years. I also wondered why the code breaker had the rank of second officer when she was in the navy and would have had a naval officer's rank, such as sub-lieutenant or lieutenant. Perhaps that's the way is was in those days. It's a good story and it's nice to see a BC author getting her book out there.
January 30, 2025
Not sure what to really say about this one. I finished it, struggled at times. I felt the story line went a little all over the place from time to time. However, I wanted to keep reading to find out the different locations the settings were in. I am from the PNW, and have driving the Alaska Highway through B.C. and the Yukon, so there were lots of familiar places that were fun to revisit. Now I want to take that adventure on again!
Two people, with what appears to be two different kinds of life intertwine in the story. One of a man that robs banks, and one of a woman that has a stable working job, hoping no one makes her past connection to that man. I'll be honest, I got lost a little along the way between the two view points. Even when I had absolute focus.
Two people, with what appears to be two different kinds of life intertwine in the story. One of a man that robs banks, and one of a woman that has a stable working job, hoping no one makes her past connection to that man. I'll be honest, I got lost a little along the way between the two view points. Even when I had absolute focus.
April 16, 2018
Speakeasy was a bit of a struggle for me. This book had all of the elements to be a great story: an intelligent, plucky heroine; a gang of toughs pulling off one heist after another; prohibition; WWII code-breakers spying on the enemy and each other. None of these seemed to work well together, though. The two different points of view, while interesting in and of themselves, made for a very disjointed story. There was just no easy flow between the two narratives. Having said all that, there were parts of the book that were enjoyable and the subject and setting were definitely of interest to me.
May 2, 2018
I was given a copy of this book for my honest review. While the story had some very interesting aspects to it, I too, like other reviewers, found it difficult to ascertain who was speaking at the beginning of this book. I had to flip back pages to figure out who was now the narrator. There were some historical facts that were new to me, which I always appreciate finding in a book. I'm not sure whether I would seek to read the next book in this series, but there were loose ends and I will most likely find myself looking for that next book!
July 14, 2018
I really enjoyed this book!! Had no idea what it was really about but it was totally in my wheelhouse. Historical fiction and drama. I was a little confused at first about the alternating narrators since it wasn't labeled but once I got the hang of it, the book flew by. I liked learning about the history of code breakers, especially women in WWII. The story had a premise and plot unlike others I have read before. I am looking forward to the sequel!
Thanks to netgalley.com for the ARC.
Thanks to netgalley.com for the ARC.
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