However Long the Day

by Justin Reed

However Long the Day is the tale of two strangers—Niall Donovan, a poor immigrant from Ireland, and Frederick Philips, a rich ne'er-do-well from New York's Upper East Side—who discover they look so similar they could be twins. Frederick, desperate to avoid a lecture from his father, bribes Niall to switch places for the evening. Niall finds there's more to the story than Frederick let on, and is dragged through the turbulence created by World War I, the Spanish Flu, and social upheaval, and into the corrupt belly of Manhattan on the cusp of Prohibition.

As Niall and Frederick hurtle through the next twenty-four hours, will either get what they bargained for?

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction

401 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 15, 2022

About the author

Justin Reed lives in Boise, Idaho with his wife and four children. He was a software engineer and executive for fifteen years before he began his writing career. When not working, he enjoys spending time with family and friends, volunteering at his church, fly fishing, and agreeing to his wife’s requests to take selfies in front of libraries.

Reviews

[theliterateleprechaun · Rating 4 out of 5]

Justin Reed brings us a tale of two strangers, one rich and one poor, who, because of their similar appearance, decide to switch places for one night. Sounds familiar? Don’t worry, it’s not the same. One of them gets kidnapped and involved in a crime ring. No Prince and the Pauper here.

Set in the Upper East Side of Manhattan in 1918, it’s the tale of two strangers, Niall Donovan, a sodder from Ireland working as an ice delivery man and Frederick Philips, a rich 19-year-old rogue from New York, who discover they are so alike they could trade places. To avoid a lecture from his father, Frederick pays Niall to switch places with him for the night. Unfortunately, it doesn’t go according to plan and Niall is caught up in Frederick’s schemes.

I love it when authors put thought into the book title! This one is wonderful. It’s from an Irish Gaelic proverb (Dá fhada an lá tagann an tráthnóna) meaning regardless of what happens today, time will pass and your problems will subside. You’ll have to read “However Long The Day” to discover if the good times will be restored for Niall, Frederick or both lads. I must mention the stunning cover. It captures the essence of this book; the ‘fall’ and the mirroring of the New York skyline with the Dublin tenements. Topsy turvy.

What I enjoyed most about this book is that the author writes to allow readers to experience history. His extensive research has enabled him to allow his readers to mentally see, feel, hear, smell and taste the totality of his setting and characters. I felt they were authentic representations of the time. The protagonist and antagonist each had their own voice and it often got them into trouble as they attempted to dupe everyone. The pull created between them as a result of their goals not being achieved propelled the narrative.

Reed exposes the complex dynamics that occur in many families and across different social classes.
Historical fiction lovers will be taken on a wild ride through history; World War 1, the Spanish Flu and towards Prohibition. Crime and thriller lovers will be caught up in a heist that fumbles into a crime ring and will enjoy the tension created by assumed identities. Don't forget to refer to the glossary at the back; it'll add to your reading enjoyment when you understand the Irish slang.

Reed’s next novel promised to be a cross between Animal Farm and The Lion King. I know he’ll bring a unique slant and his research will most likely uncover the utopian/dystopian society.

I was gifted this advance copy by Justin Reed, Bulrush Press, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

[Hobart · Rating 4 out of 5]

This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
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WHAT'S HOWEVER LONG THE DAY ABOUT?
This is a The Prince and the Pauper-esque story set in New York in 1918 with the son of a wealthy politician and an activist mother hiring his doppelganger, a recent Irish immigrant, to stand in for him for one night. Fredrick (the rich guy) got caught (again) doing something reckless and is about to be subject to a lecture/tirade from his father before being sent to his room for the evening (a room, it should be noted, that's bigger than the apartment Niall is sharing with his uncle). Sure, it's ridiculous that someone in his early-to-mid-20s (I'm guessing) is being treated that way. But if he wants to siphon off of his parents, I'm guessing he has to put up with ridiculous things like this.

I'd better move on before I open another parenthesis.

Niall was offered more money than he could make in a year, so he has to sign on. This kicks off 12 hours (or so) of mistaken identities, women kissing the wrong me, kidnappings, abductions, fights, beatings, criminals, police, criminal police, plots being hatched, secrets being exposed, plans going awry, plans coming to fruition, and so much more.

FREDERICK PHILIPS
Frederick is a spoiled and apparently useless man desperate to get out from underneath his father's thumb. He'll do anything to accomplish that, except get a decent job and put in an honest day's work. He needs to live in the manner to which he's become accustomed, and there's no way he can do that easily. I'm pretty sure Archie Goodwin would call him a "fop," and although that word's not really used anymore, it feels rather fitting (and not just because of the setting for the book).

He appears to have tried gambling and some other hare-brained (and likely illegal) schemes that have put him on the wrong side of at least one crime syndicate. One of the things he's trying while Niall pretends to be him is the culmination of a lot of his scheming—he's trying for the big score that'll equip him to set up a new life in Philadelphia.

NIALL DONOVAN
Niall has been in NYC for a month and we meet him as he's struggling to substitute for his Uncle Paddy on his ice delivery route. Paddy's fighting off the Spanish Flu* and needs someone to cover so he can keep his job. Niall's not that good at the fairly thankless job, but it's a way he can contribute.

* The grief given to the police officer wearing a mask—and his defending the practice—feels pretty timely.

Other than in appearance, Niall's everything that Frederick isn't—he's a hard worker, he's honest and honorable—and can acquit himself well in a fight. You'll have a really hard time not being immediately charmed by him and wanting to see him succeed everywhere. He might be so loyal, so devoted, so determined to do the right thing that he puts himself in some stupid and dangerous situations, quite honestly. And more than once you'll shake your head at him making a choice that's sure to lead to problems—but you'll still root for him.

OTHER CHARACTERS
Frederick's ally/accomplice in all this is named Ivy. She lives near him, with parents in a similar social standing—she's equally miserable but doesn't have the means to get away from home. She's a little more level-headed than Frederick and works with him—urging him to take some chances for both of their sakes.

Flora works in domestic service for one of the homes on Paddy's route and Niall is pretty sweet on her (the feeling's mutual). She's hands down my favorite character in the book—she's everything that Niall is (but backwards and in high heels), but generally thinks more clearly (except for the one time she encourages Niall's foolhardiness. Both of them end up regretting that). I wish I could tell you all the reasons I love Flora, but that'd involve spoilers.

Niall's Uncle Paddy is a great guy, too. He's doing all he can (in his very limited way) to help Niall acclimate to New York and to get established.

And I'm going on too long—I can't talk about all the great characters—but Reed's got a knack for creating characters that come to life. There's not one of them that you're not going to have a very solid impression of—and probably a pretty good mental image for (despite minimal description in the text). I could've easily enjoyed more scenes with each and every character—except maybe Frederick—because I just enjoyed watching them in action so much.

THE OBJECT ITSELF
Most of the time I don't talk about things like covers, printing, and whatnot—it's just not something I want to dwell on (and frequently it's stuff outside an author's control). But when it's done this well—particularly by a self-published author, I want to take a moment to talk.

The printing, binding, and so on for this book is top-notch. Indistinguishable from most of the hardcovers on my shelf. The cover design as well as the interiors were done with skill and care. Does this help the reading experience much? Probably only a negligible amount. But it's clear that Reed put some money into the production end of this—money and care. As much effort into that as he put into the words on the page (or close).

I wonder if he regrets that—or if by trimming a few costs, he'd be closer to making a profit. But for me? I appreciate an author putting their money where their mouth is. Again, I don't know if it added much to the experience, but I sure enjoyed that part.

SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT HOWEVER LONG THE DAY?
As far as I can tell—Reed nailed the historical setting. His NYC of 1918 looks and feels like histories of the era that I'm familiar with—and with books from around that era that I've read. I'm no expert by any means, but it felt accurate—and if I raised an eyebrow at any of his historical details, they didn't bother me enough to remember or write in my notes. I'm open to correction on this point, but I'd say he dealt with this part well.

I've talked briefly about the characters already, so let's move on to the plot. It took a while for a clear picture to develop about what was going on, but the ride to that point was so fun, I really didn't care—I just kept wondering what the next scene would bring. Sure, there were some moments early on that I wondered if he was trying to juggle too many storylines and characters, and I will admit to shaking my head a few times when he'd throw in something new or insert a new difficulty or obstacle for Niall or Frederick to overcome. Eventually, I started to see the tapestry he was weaving and was glad to see that patience rewarded—Reed knew where he was going and led us on a straight path that only seemed to be meandering.

Every now and then, I wondered if Reed was hitting either Niall and Paddy's Irishisms* a bit too hard—or if he was laying on the 1910s jargon/slang a bit too thick. But it was less often than I assumed I'd think something like that going in—and it really was rare that I wondered that. There was a time or two that I wondered if the dialogue in general was a bit preachy (whether or not I agreed), or wordy in general.

* Flora using the term "Irishism" also seemed a bit strange, but it worked in the moment so well, that I'm not going to complain. And not just because it was Flora who said it. Although that helps. I'm telling you, I loved her.


But overall, I was really impressed with Reed's writing. Near the 300-page mark I got a little uneasy. There was maybe 30 pages of story left, how was he going to fill up another hundred or so? It turns out that it was super easy, barely an inconvenience. Not only that, it was some of the best story-telling he'd done up to that point. Most of it didn't even depend on the mistaken/interchangeable identity aspect of the book. It's not often that I misjudge an author's pacing anymore, especially not a first-time author (and when I do, it's generally not a good thing)—but Reed taught me a welcome lesson in humility there.

I was pleasantly surprised throughout this book—I didn't expect anything much to strike me as funny when I picked it up, for example. I was optimistic about the premise and anticipated enjoying it. But I expected a fairly earnest, straightforward drama. But Reed gave us some good action, some interesting hijinks, and some solid comedy. (Yes, there's a chance that I found things funny that I shouldn't have...I'll grant you that, and apologize to Reed if that offends him).

One example of the comedy that really stood out to me--there's a recurring discussion about the choice of cake vs. fruit pie. It feels straight out of Tarantino, or maybe Jim Gaffigan. It essentially becomes a personality test--and Frederick fails, incidentally. It becomes this nice bit of humor, it helps solidify Flora as a character, it humanizes some of the gangsters (see Tarantino), and is something that really helps the reader to connect with the characters. The fact that it has almost nothing to do with the plot is a great bonus, it becomes something where the characters can interact as human beings regardless of what's going on. Also, anything that allows Flora to shine and makes Frederick look bad is worth pointing out.

Clearly, I enjoyed this book a lot. If this is what Reed can do for a debut, I can't wait to see what he accomplishes for a follow-up. I strongly recommend you all to go pick this one up.

[Margaret Carmel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here is my column for the Idaho Press reviewing this book in its entirety:

If something seems too good to be true, it probably is.

"However Long the Day" starts off with such a setup, where young Irish immigrant Niall Donovan suddenly finds himself at the receiving end of a job where he can earn more money than he makes in a year as an ice delivery boy in 1919 New York City all for a seemingly simple task. He just has to switch places with his rich doppelganger Frederick Phillips for an evening so the boy can escape a lecture from his wealthy and powerful parents. In a prince and the pauper style switch, they change clothes and hurry off in separate directions.

This get-rich-quick scheme sets off a blistering series of events where the boys get mistaken for each other and drawn deeper into each other's worlds, dragging them together in with an underbelly of New York City-style corruption, greed and crime. I won't even attempt to recap the events of this story, which launches into the action nearly from page one and doesn't let up until the very end. There are cops in the pocket of a corrupt local speakeasy owner, a sack of gemstones, a home riddled with secret passageways and henchmen popping out of crates with guns. Although you'd think it will be a run-of-the-mill historical fiction story that delves into details and world-building, "However Long the Day" reads more like an action-adventure book.

That's not to say Reed hasn't carefully considered his setting. This story takes place during a particularly interesting time in New York, with the influx of immigrants pouring in from across the world, the Spanish Flu raging and the post-war economic boom as the American economy was starting to gin up before the roaring 20s. The hardest part of a historical fiction novel is making a believable world propped up with the correct details and letting it fade into the background, instead of allowing idiosyncracies to stick out like a sore thumb. Reed achieved that nicely here.

While the vast majority of this book is devoted to strictly plot, he takes time to build in interesting tidbits and little set pieces around the action to show you the world in which these characters live. A particularly good example is when Niall and his female companion Flora Wright visit a cafe and the owner complaints about how masks, commonly worn during 1919, would stifle his small business. There are also some brief, but powerful exchanges between the white characters and Thaddeus and his daughter Lucille, two Black house servants who prove crucial to the plot. It shows both a commitment to showing the diversity of the city, while still acknowledging the tensions between groups evident during the period.

If you love historical fiction but aren't so keen on romance-heavy tomes that tend to dominate the genre, you will likely enjoy this book. But, "However Long the Day" is, indeed, quite long. Clocking in at 400 pages, there can be times where I kept wondering how long he could keep up the frantic pace of the hijinks here. There are few, if any, moments to breathe in this story and the lack of any time to slow down and enjoy the ride despite the length makes it feel strangely paced at times. Once I got to the 300-page mark, I couldn't figure out what else he could possibly have to say in the remaining pages.

Reed is a new writer coming out of Boise and despite some of my qualms with his debut, it's clear he has a lot of talent for storytelling and writing in a notoriously difficult genre. If you think this book would pique your interest, it is available for preorder now for its February 2022 release.

[Anjana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Despite having read the blurb before, I expected a time slip book when I picked this up. It might be the cover that gave me the impression. I actually paused a few chapters in to reread the blurb, and only then did I put my misconception to the test.
This is an intriguing narrative, but I would have enjoyed it even more if it was slightly shorter. We have two primary protagonists. Both look alike enough to cause multiple cases of mistaken identity. I have usually seen this deployed in humorous comedies but not in such an adventure. There is a lot of fighting, both verbally and physically, as people actually try to come away with their lives intact.
Fredrick Philips is a rich spoilt brat who seems to be indulging in mischief for the sake of it. When he has been sentenced to his room, he crosses paths with a recent immigrant from Ireland. Master Philips uses this opportunity to lure him with money and set out to do something for himself. He is shown to have some redeemable qualities, but whether he follows through on them is something any reader would keep waiting for.
On the other hand, Niall is fresh off the boat and very responsible. His 'goodness' leads him down many dangerous paths. It is only for a day that they switch places, but chaos ensues involving a lot more things than anyone can expect with the limited information provided in the beginning. That part of the plot is built slowly throughout the book.
The tales run parallel for a while but merge at crucial intersections to split again. The number of times that this happened was a little tiring. The action-packed scenes kept me occupied, but I wanted some sort of resolution to come way before it actually did.
I would actually recommend this to anyone looking for a historical adventure fiction that can be read by young adults as well (although it should be noted that there is a lot of fighting and bloodshed involved).
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

[Louise Foerster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nothing is as simple as it appears to be in Justin Reed's HOWEVER LONG THE DAY. A feckless, rich playboy and a hard-working, poor immigrant manage the swift outcome of their PRINCE AND THE PAUPER identity swap and discover all is nowhere near as quick, easy, and profitably done when their plan goes immediately awry. I so enjoyed the romp through privileged and not-so-privileged New York City in the early 1900s, immediately following the First World War. I was absorbed, breathless, and delighted at the swift way justice was meted out by indifferent karma for both men, with a twisty, marvelous perfection. I received an advance copy of this novel; my opinions are my own and unbiased.

[Doug Yonce · Rating 4 out of 5]

This genre-bending story is a fun take on “The Prince and the Pauper” as lookalikes, but definitely not ‘actalikes’ switch roles. The rich kid and the Irish immigrant get in all sorts of trouble as they take on each other’s life, loves, sins, and more… I received an advanced digital copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher and voluntarily provided an honest review.

[Paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received this arc and e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: However Long the Day

Author: Justin Reed

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 4/5

Recommended For...: historical fiction, prince and the pauper retelling, 1920s era

Publication Date: February 15, 2022

Genre: Historical Fiction

Age Relevance: 16+ (xenophobia, racism, sexism, sickness, war, alcohol consumption, violence, gore)

Explanation of Above: There is xenophobia, racism, and sexism mentioned and shown in the book, especially towards one of the characters. This is set in a post-war world, so war is brought up and mentioned occasionally. Sickness in the form of Spanish Flu (which was COVID like) is mentioned as well as mask wearing and mandates. Alcohol consumption is mentioned, especially since this is set during the prohibition era. There is also some violence and gore in the book.

Publisher: Bulrush Press LLC

Pages: 401

Synopsis: However Long the Day is the tale of two strangers—Niall Donovan, a poor immigrant from Ireland, and Frederick Philips, a rich ne'er-do-well from New York's Upper East Side—who discover they look so similar they could be twins. Frederick, desperate to avoid a lecture from his father, bribes Niall to switch places for the evening. Niall finds there's more to the story than Frederick let on, and is dragged through the turbulence created by World War I, the Spanish Flu, and social upheaval, and into the corrupt belly of Manhattan on the cusp of Prohibition.

As Niall and Frederick hurtle through the next twenty-four hours, will either get what they bargained for?

Review: For the most part this was a fun book. It’s a Prince and the Pauper retelling set during the 1920s. The book has an okay premise, but the story is very well done. The characters are well developed and the world building is spectacular. The writing is also well done and I highly enjoyed this read overall.

The only issue I had with the book is that it’s very fast paced for a 400 page book. There’s a lot that goes on and sometimes it gets confusing, especially in the beginning of the book. I highly enjoyed it, but it took me a bit to get into.

Verdict: It was well done!

[Kevin Pfleger]

Great read

Well written, gripping book with a feel-good ending. Kept me hooked to the end, great character development. Fun to get a glimpse into the life of an Irish immigrant in early 20th century New York

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

A satisfying story although a long one. I enjoyed the good versus evil tale of multiple switches and double crosses- too many to recount.

[Jamie Steinberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

However Long the Day plays tribute to the age-old concept of “duck soup” – a/k/a switching places. Wealthy and petulant Frederick Philips finds a doppelganger in ice delivery man and new Irish arrival Niall Donovan. Not wanting to suffer through another one of his father’s dreaded lectures, Frederick offers Niall a ton of cash in order to swap places for the night. Frederick warns him to take the tirade without speaking (to avoid having to explain the Irish accent) and then simply wait for his mother to secretly drop off dinner before his parents head out for the night. Niall gets to sleep in a comfy bed and Frederick can run the streets for some evening “errands.” Sounds simple, right? Well, a flaw in the plan quickly causes this easy assignment to quickly go awry. However Long the Day intrigues the reader to see if Philips and Donovan can pull one over but hits a snag late in the storyline when too much melee muddles the adventures.

Frederick has convinced Niall that switching places will not be a big deal as they are so close in appearance that no one will notice – as long as Niall keeps his Irish brogue to himself. It would also be financially beneficial as Niall is a new arrival in New York City (it’s prohibition era). We find Niall is living with his Uncle Paddy and just trying to survive, so clearly the cash would come in handy. Frederick benefits from the deal because he gets to snag a night out on the town – yet not confessing what the evening truly has in store for him. Sounds like a win-win situation. The easy exchange gets messy though when Frederick’s bad behavior catches up with him (or Niall in this case) and neighbor/nemesis Mrs. Barneby looks to take revenge for maiming her cat. This sets off a chain of reaction that, astoundingly, only takes place in one night.

That is where author Justin Reed’s intriguing storyline seems to implode. Too many players enter the picture and things get muddled. Readers find it difficult to determine why Frederick’s housekeeper Lucille cares about Barneby’s shady dealings. Niall’s lady friend Ms. Flora Wright finds her way into the mix, as does Frederick’s female companion Ida Livingston. A local gang that Frederick has had some shady dealings with intertwine themselves in the tale, too. Plus, late in the tale a major fight breaks out and it is a quite hard to follow who has the guns and who has the prizes that Niall and Frederick are both looking for.

I must admit, However Long the Day is a very intriguing read. You’ll find Niall to be quite likeable and certainly feel sorry he has found himself in such a predicament. Believe it or not, by the end of the book you will feel sorry for Frederick as well. Sure, there are some muddled up moments, but readers will want to see the story through until the end to find out if Niall and Frederick live to see another day.

[Luminaria · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I really liked the plot, at times it felt too predictable and convenient to push along the narrative. Which made wanting to read it not as interesting. I felt as if I could predict each next event.

Some of the characters were rather cartoonishly evil in a way that did not feel realistic, either. Such as Frederick's note to Paddy. That was rather much to truly believe it.

But, it was nice to see something of the tensions Irish immigrants received, as a descendant of Irish immigrants. My great grandparents immigrated to America as young kids, or their parents did so. Some of the Irish euphemisms and slang was authentic to what I grew up with around them.

But, a lot of the other slang felt... Very modern and out of place. Finna is a big one I can think of. I've never heard of it used by anyone older than 30 here in the South. But it's listed as a Southern slang for a book set in the 1910s.

This also reminds me... Was it common for police to have cars in the 1910s? A whole police unit surrounding a warehouse at this time period sounds a bit unbelievable, but I'm not informed enough to know.

The dialogue felt very reminiscent of thee old western movies I'd watch with my parents growing up, which was kinda nice. But the author's repetitive usage of names made it hard at times. A single paragraph could have as many as 5 or more Paddy's in it!

All in all, it's an interesting story. There is room for growth, but for an author's first story, it's really not bad. It's also a rather refreshing read for those who like books centered in early 20th century America.

[Kevin Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

From the first page to the last, Justin Reed's 'However Long the Day' is constantly moving from one exciting moment to the next. The reader is left little time to rest and grow comfortable with the story and characters before being whisked off to the next dangerous outing.

While I enjoyed the story, I was a bit shocked at the callous nature of some of the characters. I understand that this was necessary in the case of this book, but it still seemed beyond human to some extent. In addition, the mix of cheesy humour and 'gritty' 1910s New York seemed (to me at least) to mesh poorly. I was surprised at the climatic final few chapters as the events that unfolded seemed to be misplaced from the narrative throughout the rest of the book.

Overall, I did enjoy 'However Long the Day' and thought it was an interesting modern take on the 'Prince and the Pauper' genre. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Americana (as it does provide some great references to the eras personalities and culture), crime stories, or adventures.

#IndigoEmployee

[Martha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Niall is an immigrant from Ireland just coming to the United States in hopes of improving his life and not living in poverty. He lands in Manhattan and encounters Frederick who is well off coming from a rich father. These men are drawn together by their appearance - they could be twins. Frederick is always in turmoil with his father. So he asks Niall to switch places with him for a night to avoid his father's wrath. However, he neglects to tell Niall all his past which leads to intrigue. It is an enjoyable read but a bit wordy in places.

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was left in my little free library and can be found there again.

This was a fun story that at first reminded me of du Maurier’s The Scapegoat. However, Reed’s book is more keystone cop - more of a fun jaunt, and The Scapegoat is more literary with du Maurier’s flair for suspense.

I liked that Reed used words and terms from the time period, and his fight scenes are well written. I loved how strong Flora was. The chapters are written to keep the reader turning pages.

I found the ending predictable, but it is seldom a book surprises me. I’ve read too many. 😀

3.5 stars.

[John · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is so repetitious, improbable, silly and poorly paced that flipping through to the predictable end was pretty much a reflex action.