The Jazz Club Spy

by Roberta Rich

A riveting historical thriller about a Jewish cigarette girl in 1930s New York who finds the soldier who burned down her Russian village years earlier only to be swept up in a political conspiracy on the eve of World War II—from the #1 bestselling author of The Midwife of Venice.

New York, 1939

Giddy Brodsky knows she’s lucky to have a job as a cigarette girl at a Manhattan jazz club, but she dreams of opening her own beauty shop and lifting her family out of poverty. The Brodskys have lived cheek to jowl in the Lower East Side tenements since they came to America nineteen years ago, fleeing a deadly pogrom in their Russian village. But they continue to face prejudice, especially with the rise of the fascist organization the American Bund.

Yet Giddy is focused on the future—until she recognizes one of the Cossacks who irrevocably changed her life and the past comes flooding back. Determined to get justice, she enlists the help of Carter van der Zalm, a regular at the jazz club who also happens to be the director with the Department of Immigration at Ellis Island. When Carter discloses that the Cossack is an “undesirable” and may be of interest to the government, Giddy agrees to moonlight as a spy for him.

Not everyone is who they appear to be, and after a shocking betrayal, Giddy finds herself embroiled in a political conspiracy that could bring America into the war in Europe.

From the gritty tenements to the glittering jazz clubs of 1930s New York, The Jazz Club Spy is a thrilling historical novel about a brash young woman who must use all her wits to save the ones she loves.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Fiction, Historical, Audiobook, World War II, Jewish

298 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 18, 2023

About the author

I was born on January 9th. Not the best time to be born if your birthplace happens to be the buckle on the snow belt, Buffalo, New York. Buffalo remained my home until I struck out on my own and managed to get 73 miles down the New York State Freeway to Rochester. My life took a turn for the better- better climate, better opportunities.
Writers of a certain vintage always seem to boast of the variety of interesting jobs they held before settling down to write. Jobs like fire breather on the Reforma in Mexico City, or turkey plucker. I have not done anything so exotic. Moving from present to past, I have been: a divorce lawyer, student, waitress, nurses’ aide, hospital admitting clerk, factory assembly line worker and child.

I live in Vancouver, B.C. and in Colima, Mexico. I have one husband, one daughter, three step-children, a German Shepherd, tropical fish and many over sexed parakeets. When in Mexico, I nurture my husband, and my vanilla vines. When in Vancouver I try to keep dry.

Reviews

[Dea]

WII historical fiction is my favorite; however, there is so much of it out there that it's difficult to find a fresh premise, so I was intrigued by this book as the setting (New York) and protagonist's background (Russian) are unique for the genre. The historical research and accuracy is sound, and the world of 1930s New York is brought to life with vivid imagery and lush descriptions - I was moving from sparkling jazz clubs to gritty backstreets with Giddy. The author carefully balances the need for the looming cloud of WWII to darken everything, but uses this to heighten the atmosphere and the reader's investment rather than simply creating an oppressive, dreary mood. There is a thriller element to this and the stakes are high - not only are we on the brink of war, but our protagonist is out for revenge, driven by personal heartbreak and justice for her family, which makes it easy for the reader to empathize with her, understand her choices, and root for her.

[Maren’s Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fast, bingeable read that at times seemed way over the top, but entertaining nonetheless. I loved that although this book is set in the World War Two era, it focuses more on life for Russian Jewish immigrants trying to rebuild a their lives in a NYC tenement. This would make a really engaging movie given the spy element.

Thank you {partners} Gallery Books, Bookclub Favorites and Simon Audio for my gifted copies.

[Zoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Compelling, vivid, and absorbing!

The Jazz Club Spy is a rich, engaging tale set in NYC during 1939 that takes you into the life of Giddy Brodsky, a young woman who, after immigrating to America with her family after surviving a pogrom in her Russian village, finds herself dreaming of opening a cosmetics store, working as a cigarette girl at a jazz club, and suddenly moonlighting as a spy when she accidentally bumps into the cossack who brutalized her family, and she gets mixed up with the Commissioner of Immigration at Ellis Island whom she goes to for help.

The prose is evocative and expressive. The characters are independent, spirited, and brave. And the plot is a mysterious tale of life, loss, love, self-discovery, war, politics, secrets, friendship, determination, poverty, family, betrayal, and espionage.

Overall, I found The Jazz Club Spy to be an intriguing, absorbing, atmospheric tale by Rich that did a lovely job of blending historical events, intense emotion, and thought-provoking suspense.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for gifting me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a suspenseful historical fiction thriller featuring a Russian American Jewish woman seeking vengeance against the man who raped her mother. Set in late 1930s New York, this book was full of intrigue, romance and tons of heart. I was pleasantly surprised by the how much I fell in love with the MC, Giddy Brodsky.

Determined to make it in America but unable to forget the horrors of her past, Giddy jumps at the chance to help track down the man responsible for her mother's pain. Along the way she gets entangled with a married man and has to face some tough decisions.

Great on audio and perfect for fans of Pam Jenoff and Heather Marshall. Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Canada for an early digital and physical ARC copy in exchange for my honest review!

CW: rape, abortion

[Davina · Rating 3 out of 5]

A really strong start but fell into predictability half way through for this historical ficiton read.

The story started with a brutal scene and I was instantly hooked. It was ugly and raw which gave us the back story to our main character Giddy.

I love Giddy as a character and I think she was well written. She is smart as an individual and has heen forced to grow up too fast at a young age, having witnessed the devastating crime of her village being destroyed, along with the lost of loved ones. However, she still has this innocent in her that made her too trusting to a handsome face that is a constant visitor at the Jazz Club she worked at as a cigarette girl and it leads to a lot of trouble she did not need.

The Jazz Club scenes were excellent and I wanted more. The atmosphere created was wonderful and again, part of the strong start. I felt like all of that disappeared after 25% into the book. Then the story became quite predictable and I wasn’t surprised by any of the following events that took place and a little disappointed by how blinded Giddy was over a handsome stranger's face.

Giddy is a strong, and brave individual who survived through so much to make it to America with her parents that I found it a bit hard that she would fall for someone so quickly. That part didn’t really fit with her character personality to me.

I did enjoy the parts of Giddy being a spy and I love the relationship she has with her ma and little brother. There were many emotional parts with their past history that was excellent to get through.

This being called The Jazz Club spy, I was expecting more spying in the Jazz Club but was disappointed that it wasn’t. The story felt a bit disconnected without real need of the Jazz Club. Giddy could have worked in a restaurant or a clothing store and the story wouldn't have been effected.

The pacing was well done but I felt the writing could have been better. Of course this being an ARC, the writing can change and I am hoping the last few chapters will be revised a little in writing style. The use of common sayings appeared much more frequently and it lowered the quality of writing to me.

Overall, it was an enjoyable read but I felt like there were parts of the story and action that didn’t match with the strong character Giddy is. The writing started out strong as well but again, it tapered off nearing the end. Having read many books over the years, it was a predictable read too so there was nothing surprising to me. However, I will still recommend giving this book a read because it was still interesting and emotional.

Thank you Simon & Schuster for this ARC.

[Janine · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.95 The dominant story line is not about Giddy being a spy. It’s more about life in New York for Russian Jewish immigrants and her pursuit of a Cossack that caused the deaths and destruction of her early life. Lots of Jewish terms and financial challenges. Evenly paced and worth the time.

[Rebecca Houle · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.7 ⭐️

[Lyne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Narrated by Helen Laser
3.5 Stars

WWII historical fiction is my favourite genre. I found this novel has a different twist, as it takes us to New York City, 1939, where we are at height of the Great Depression. A time when President Roosevelt is trying to keep the United States out of World War II. Giddy Brodsky and her family are Russian Jews who emigrated from Russia after a group of Cossacks burned down their village. Giddy works as a cigarette girl, at a Manhattan jazz club. She dreams of owning a cosmetics business and leaving the poverty-stricken tenements where she and her family live.

I found this perspective to be quite different and intriguing. The setting also was new to me as it was set in New York City and the protagonist was not German but Russian. Mmmm! Quite different and refreshing.

Helen Laser does a super job at narrating the book as she made it exciting and the characters come to life. I thoroughly enjoyed the Giddy character, that girl has “Chutzpah”.

I enjoyed listening to the book and highly recommend it. Hope you do too.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The title of the book is deceiving. It presents itself as being set in the Manhattan Jazz scene but, in reality, that is a tiny part of it. I did like the descriptions of life in 1939 in New York’s Lower East Side. The thought the author did an excellent job of putting the reader in that world. I loved the Yiddish sayings. Where the book lacked was in the actual story. There just wasn’t enough to really engage me. I felt like the first third was good but it never delivered on the original promise.

[Reagan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book that is both serious and fun plus an easy weekend read, however you will definitely need to be able to suspend disbelief in a few spots. I found Giddy's speech patterns and use of language to not always ring true and some of the knowledge she supposedly had didn't quite fit. I wouldn't call it a tightly written book but if you want an easy read with some history in hand then you should enjoy this book.

[Bethany · Rating 1 out of 5]

Writing was sophomoric. I think it was supposed to read like noir but was just silly. Was the author trying to teach us Yiddish? And what was the obsession with men's circumcision status?

This was the first available audiobook read by a narrator I wanted to hear more of. I think she did her best with the material.

[Lesley Swanson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved her writing she captured nuances of conversation that was so authentic. Exciting yet suspenseful and humorous

[Sarah (sarahs_shelves_sc) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Jazz Club Spy is an entertaining historical fiction suspense starring a delightful heroine in our Russian American lead, Giddy.

Giddy works as a cigarette girl in a jazz club in gritty NYC in the late 1930s. She becomes embroiled in an espionage scheme when she recognizes a man in the city from a traumatic incident that occurred during her childhood.

I found the concept to be intriguing yet also a bit far-fetched, that Giddy would be asked to spy for the government simply because she recognized this man and asked the right person about him. Giddy as a character is brave and headstrong, and I was rooting for her just as much as I was yelling at her for making terrible decisions and putting herself in danger.

The story begins with a horrific opening showing the massacre of multiple Jewish people in Giddy's small village, and parts of the story were difficult to read just due to the brutality people faced. I feel like my eyes have been opened yet again to another terrible piece of history.

While the back portion of the book felt slightly predictable, my enjoyment of Giddy as a character kept me engaged in the read and I would rate it 3.5 rounded up to 4.

[C.A. Simonsen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one is a relaxing, short-chapters story about a young woman named Giddy Brodsky, who runs into a man from her past - her traumatic past in Ukraine that needs to be revisited.

While The Jazz Club Spy contains dark, violent scenes, their depictions are put down in a PG manner of writing. The style and the steady doses of suspense make the book a good recommendation for young readers. Giddy Brodsky, cigarette girl turned spy, is one determined young lady. She will make a life for herself in America. She will do what's needed to assist her family. She will step up when her government needs her.

The author employs a lot of similes and old adages. The story's sex scene is a bit cringy, but the characters and story are interesting. All is not what you think in The Jazz Club Spy, and all may not wrap up in tidy fashion.

3.5 stars

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. If you think you’ve read too many WWII books - you need this one because it is different! I love finding a unique voice and perspective (compared to what I’ve personally read so far).

Giddy is smart, sassy and hilarious, and quick to do anything to help her family. The story the trauma she’d been through in Russia combined with the unexpected spy story of her present were incredibly poignant and engaging. Reading the prejudices in NY against Giddy for being both a woman and Jewish, especially the little things was just infuriating and even though this book was written in the past I know many of these attitudes still remain and it is heartbreaking. I love how smart Giddy is and how she is tenacious even in the face of danger. And throughout it all she still is able to crack jokes and make the reader smile.

🎧 notes
The audiobook was so immersive that honestly it flew by and I was shocked by the time I reading the end (because of the quickness but also WOW the ending was dramatic!)

I would love to read another story about Giddy (😉😉🙏🏻).

Thanks simon audio for the free audiobook!

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

I do love historical fiction and this one was pretty good! Set during ww2 we have our FMC Giddy who’s family had come to America from Russia. One day on the way home from work she spots the Cossuk that ruined her life and now she’s out to find him and get answers.

I really enjoyed Giddy as a character. I loved her development and her strength over the story. I can only imagine that Giddy’d story is the same for a lot of people back then. The story and plot itself was enticing and at times I couldn’t put the book down! Overall all historical fiction books tend to sound the same so this felt like a breath of fresh air even if it isn’t the top of my list I rly enjoyed it

[Kathleen Freeman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a quick engaging read that I enjoyed. I liked the range of characters and the setting of NYC on the cusp of WWII, combining in the challenges of an immigrant family there was lots to hold my interest.

[Kayla Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I listened to the audiobook version and the narrator was great!! This book is full of history, love, danger, and suspense. I really think this book would make a great movie! I am going to read for of this authors books for sure.

[AngH · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars - This was a quick read on audio that was easy enough to follow as I went about other tasks.

[Netty loves to read · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this read. Not fast-paced but I enjoyed it enough to keep reading.

[Amber Nikzad · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Russian-American cigarette girl recruited to be an American spy when her nemesis aligns with a high value target for American special service.... or did it?

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/3.5*

[Morag Riddell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the character’s voice in the book, however the story fell a bit flat.

[Alexis (hookedtobooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read if you like: Russian history, spy stories
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Giddy and her family move to NYC after surviving a pogrom in Russia. While in NYC, she comes across one of the Cossacks who attacked her village. She becomes a spy in order to deport him from the USA.
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This book was really interesting and I liked how tough Giddy was and how much she loved and supported her family.
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One thing that I was wondering though was the use of "The Ukraine" instead of Ukraine. My understanding is that there is no "the" in front of Ukraine but I could be wrong!
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Thank you, Simon and Schuster Canada for the copy of this book.

[Aoife Cahill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed the time period. A strong female main character who demonstrated strength and perseverance throughout especially for her family. I enjoyed the pieces coming together.

[Ali · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

It’s been a while since I’ve picked up a historical fiction book, but the premise of The Jazz Club Spy intrigued me. Set during WWII, this story is primarily located in the United States and brings to alive tenement life in NYC. There are elements of suspense that held my attention, and Giddy is a very likeable FMC. Even a reluctant WWII/HF reader would likely find this to be a solid read.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I preordered this book months before it’s launch based on the title and the blurb, which checked all my usual reading themes, and then forgot about it until the author talk on zoom from my library recently . I am glad of the reminder (and interesting talk) because I enjoyed this book more than any other in quite a while. It has all the elements of an engaging detective story, with a setting not often found in novels these days - 1930s lower east side NYC, a feisty Jewish protagonist, a horrifying backstory, a frightening objective and populated by a myriad of mysterious characters. I whizzed through it and you will too. It was a great respite from more serious reading and especially real life these days. Enjoy!
PS Ms Rich - an adjustment perhaps- ‘washroom’ is a Canadianism.

[Dianne Landry · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book starts with a brutal pogrom in Ukraine and follows the victims to NYC. Gibby Brodsky works as a cigarette girl in a jazz club. On the way home one morning she sees one of the Cossacks who destroyed her village and vows to track him down. Fortunately, one of her regular clients has a high ranking position at Ellis Island. Working together with the Department of Immigration they work to track him down. A throw away sentence by a minor character had me figuring the plot twist out but that was okay.

I would highly recommend this book.

[Marion Listgarten · Rating 1 out of 5]

Read 60 pages . Quit. Too contrived

[Jean St.Amand · Rating 2 out of 5]

Found this boring and quit reading very early on.