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O'Neill Series #4
Manhattan Ember: An Immigration Story of Friendship, Rivalry & Betrayal
"The Bestselling Award-Winning Author has produced the greatest novel on the Irish-American story," The Post
"A masterly constructed epic novel," Independent.
In 1866, onboard an immigrant ship bound for New York, events play out which have an everlasting effect on their lives, and the lives of their offspring.
Marguerite Kelley, the daughter of an esteemed Irish immigrant grew up in a home that was dominated by the disappearance of her uncle. On a windy morning in November 1905, she is the first to hear about the discovery of a skeleton tucked under the eaves of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Manhattan. Suspecting the remains are that of her uncle who worked on the construction of the Cathedral, she wants to be the first person to break the news to Roisin, his widow, and to her Irish-born father Patrick Kilbane. She hopes the discovery will solve a mystery that has over-shadowed her family for a quarter of a century.
Roisin Gallagher had many names and nicknames during her fifty-one years. As a child, she joined the thousands who departed Ireland’s shore for a better life. In New York, she was known as The Orphan Gallagher. She was married twice and took each of her husband’s names and when her second husband disappeared, she was known as the Widow Kilbane. Although a wealthy woman who witnessed great changes in the New World with a unique story of her own, it was the disappearance of her husband that preoccupied her most. Ger Kilbane was akin to a myth, a man who reportedly ‘fell off the face of the earth.’
Patrick Kilbane came to New York with aspirations as great as the ship on which he sailed. He and his brothers were fleeing more than poverty and oppression in Ireland. Patrick was happy to leave his family’s sordid history behind and begin anew in America. In New York, Patrick and his brothers worked on the building of St Patrick’s Cathedral and over the following twenty-five years he found great success as a businessman and Alderman in Five Points. When his daughter greets him with the news of the discovery of a skeleton in St. Patrick’s Cathedral, he realizes that it is as impossible to flee from his family’s past as it is for a man to disappear.
"A masterly constructed epic novel," Independent.
In 1866, onboard an immigrant ship bound for New York, events play out which have an everlasting effect on their lives, and the lives of their offspring.
Marguerite Kelley, the daughter of an esteemed Irish immigrant grew up in a home that was dominated by the disappearance of her uncle. On a windy morning in November 1905, she is the first to hear about the discovery of a skeleton tucked under the eaves of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Manhattan. Suspecting the remains are that of her uncle who worked on the construction of the Cathedral, she wants to be the first person to break the news to Roisin, his widow, and to her Irish-born father Patrick Kilbane. She hopes the discovery will solve a mystery that has over-shadowed her family for a quarter of a century.
Roisin Gallagher had many names and nicknames during her fifty-one years. As a child, she joined the thousands who departed Ireland’s shore for a better life. In New York, she was known as The Orphan Gallagher. She was married twice and took each of her husband’s names and when her second husband disappeared, she was known as the Widow Kilbane. Although a wealthy woman who witnessed great changes in the New World with a unique story of her own, it was the disappearance of her husband that preoccupied her most. Ger Kilbane was akin to a myth, a man who reportedly ‘fell off the face of the earth.’
Patrick Kilbane came to New York with aspirations as great as the ship on which he sailed. He and his brothers were fleeing more than poverty and oppression in Ireland. Patrick was happy to leave his family’s sordid history behind and begin anew in America. In New York, Patrick and his brothers worked on the building of St Patrick’s Cathedral and over the following twenty-five years he found great success as a businessman and Alderman in Five Points. When his daughter greets him with the news of the discovery of a skeleton in St. Patrick’s Cathedral, he realizes that it is as impossible to flee from his family’s past as it is for a man to disappear.
330 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 28, 2023
143 people are currently reading
302 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
November 7, 2024
Can we ever leave our problems behind by moving to a new place? All of the characters in this novel try to do so, but not all of them succeed. The character stories in this book were quite interesting, but it was clumsily written in places. 3.5 stars
March 10, 2023
Great read.
Once again Olive Collins has done a masterful job developing characters and places. Great read, I didn't want the book to end.
Once again Olive Collins has done a masterful job developing characters and places. Great read, I didn't want the book to end.
February 28, 2023
As good as her other novels
I loved this book as much as each of her other novels. The premise of this was slightly different yet I was hooked from the beginning. The Orphan Gallagher and the Kilbanes will stay with me for a long time. Wonderful read
I loved this book as much as each of her other novels. The premise of this was slightly different yet I was hooked from the beginning. The Orphan Gallagher and the Kilbanes will stay with me for a long time. Wonderful read
October 2, 2024
*****************SPOILERS AHEAD**********
I read this in tiny bits & pieces, and was still able to keep up with the characters, and the story development.
The lives, dangers, & threats they left behind in Ireland, multiplied , here in NYC.
1880's NYC. Irish immigrants trying to make a living. Learning a new trade, learning about politics.
The Kilbane boys and all the other folks they met on the ship over, are still together. Eight weeks on a ship, in steerage, not on a cruise, was deadly to some.
Roisin lost her sister Una. Typhoid and other illnesses ran rampant, with no health care.
Now in the land of opportunity, they are learning it is not all paved with gold, and you don't make millions a month. Hard work pays off for some, but others resort to sex trades.
Patrick Kilbane becomes Alderman when Tiernan is gone. ( Died due to head injuries after the riots).
Raymond Kilbane marries Fiona to help her raise her daughter( & Patrick's!) then goes on to have two more children and moved all the way to Cali, to get as far as possible from Patrick. As he suspected that Patrick killed Tiernan. Worse yet, their brother Ger has been missing for 25+ years. Raymond suspects Patrick had something to do with his disappearance.
The madam, Maisy, is Patrick's alibi. When she tells the cops that he wasn't with her, Mikey ( Patrick's SIL) comes forth and says what he thinks happened to Ger. As he was only 14 when Ger disappeared, but he felt Patrick had something to do with it, as well.
Patrick runs several businesses. Plastering, construction, mostly. But he pays off officials and then panics and burns all his ledgers, resulting in burning down his own house, and dying in the fire .
His daughter, Marguerite is married to Mikey, and worries she cannot trust him.
She worries that she will go insane, like her mother ,and aunts, etc ..
I read this in tiny bits & pieces, and was still able to keep up with the characters, and the story development.
The lives, dangers, & threats they left behind in Ireland, multiplied , here in NYC.
1880's NYC. Irish immigrants trying to make a living. Learning a new trade, learning about politics.
The Kilbane boys and all the other folks they met on the ship over, are still together. Eight weeks on a ship, in steerage, not on a cruise, was deadly to some.
Roisin lost her sister Una. Typhoid and other illnesses ran rampant, with no health care.
Now in the land of opportunity, they are learning it is not all paved with gold, and you don't make millions a month. Hard work pays off for some, but others resort to sex trades.
Patrick Kilbane becomes Alderman when Tiernan is gone. ( Died due to head injuries after the riots).
Raymond Kilbane marries Fiona to help her raise her daughter( & Patrick's!) then goes on to have two more children and moved all the way to Cali, to get as far as possible from Patrick. As he suspected that Patrick killed Tiernan. Worse yet, their brother Ger has been missing for 25+ years. Raymond suspects Patrick had something to do with his disappearance.
The madam, Maisy, is Patrick's alibi. When she tells the cops that he wasn't with her, Mikey ( Patrick's SIL) comes forth and says what he thinks happened to Ger. As he was only 14 when Ger disappeared, but he felt Patrick had something to do with it, as well.
Patrick runs several businesses. Plastering, construction, mostly. But he pays off officials and then panics and burns all his ledgers, resulting in burning down his own house, and dying in the fire .
His daughter, Marguerite is married to Mikey, and worries she cannot trust him.
She worries that she will go insane, like her mother ,and aunts, etc ..
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 23, 2023
What an incredibly gripping read this was and my first time reading a novel by Olive Collins. This is a deeply powerful story of Friendship, Rivalry and Betrayal centred around the Irish migration to America where the streets were purported to be paved with gold.
The story follows the close links between Roisin Gallagher ( The Orphan Gallagher), Patrick Kilbane and his two brothers and Marguerite Kelly, Patrick's daughter. Manhattan Ember is told over fifty years from when they left Ireland in 1867 to November 1905 when a skeleton was discovered under the eaves of St Patrick's Cathedral, Manhattan.
The twists and turns within the story are very clever and even when you are sure that you know who is responsible for the killing of Ger Kilbane, the man who reportedly " fell off the face of the earth", you are taken down different avenues with more cleverly constructed connections.
Olive weaves a story showing the complex relationships between the Irish in Five Points and the mystery and intrigue that surrounds them along with some shocking moments when you ask yourself " Why didn't I realise this ?"
If you have never read any on Olive's books this will definitely leave you wanting to read more of her novels. A definite 5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 read and one I would whole heartedly recommend.
The story follows the close links between Roisin Gallagher ( The Orphan Gallagher), Patrick Kilbane and his two brothers and Marguerite Kelly, Patrick's daughter. Manhattan Ember is told over fifty years from when they left Ireland in 1867 to November 1905 when a skeleton was discovered under the eaves of St Patrick's Cathedral, Manhattan.
The twists and turns within the story are very clever and even when you are sure that you know who is responsible for the killing of Ger Kilbane, the man who reportedly " fell off the face of the earth", you are taken down different avenues with more cleverly constructed connections.
Olive weaves a story showing the complex relationships between the Irish in Five Points and the mystery and intrigue that surrounds them along with some shocking moments when you ask yourself " Why didn't I realise this ?"
If you have never read any on Olive's books this will definitely leave you wanting to read more of her novels. A definite 5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 read and one I would whole heartedly recommend.
March 12, 2023
A wonderful story that stays with you. Once again, Olive has written a gripping tale filled with atmosphere, spot on research and details that take you back in time. My next trip to New York will be to the cathedral. The characters are so real, they will stay with me. The only problem is that the book always ends too soon and gets you craving for the next one. No rest for the gifted!
August 29, 2023
engrossing story
A good story and well-written, but unfortunately marred by poor copy editing-typos, words left out, extra words left in, incorrect verb tenses, etc. Just more errors than you normally find in a book. Such a good author deserves better copy editing.
A good story and well-written, but unfortunately marred by poor copy editing-typos, words left out, extra words left in, incorrect verb tenses, etc. Just more errors than you normally find in a book. Such a good author deserves better copy editing.
May 9, 2024
This is a great read
I love a food historical fiction. This novel gave me so much to look forward to every time picked it up. From the time the characters left Ireland, to their lives on the island of Manhattan. You will not be disappointed.
I love a food historical fiction. This novel gave me so much to look forward to every time picked it up. From the time the characters left Ireland, to their lives on the island of Manhattan. You will not be disappointed.
April 4, 2023
A great book
It took reading a few chapters to get into the story. But well worth it. The book keep me staying up reading it. .
It took reading a few chapters to get into the story. But well worth it. The book keep me staying up reading it. .
June 17, 2023
Great Story!
Another great story from Olive Collins. Manhattan Embers is about Irish immigrants in late 1800's, early 1900's living in New York City.
Another great story from Olive Collins. Manhattan Embers is about Irish immigrants in late 1800's, early 1900's living in New York City.
August 3, 2023
this one lagged
I love Olive Collins’ other books but found this one lagged. Too much telling. Not enough showing. Not her best one.
I love Olive Collins’ other books but found this one lagged. Too much telling. Not enough showing. Not her best one.
October 31, 2023
I love this book. Well written and I have learned a lot of history of the Irish Times that lived in New York. I've read almost all of her books.
My new favorite author.
My new favorite author.
January 16, 2024
Fantastic book! It's been a while since I've read a book as good as this one. Lots of historical information on the Irish immigrants and their journeys to NYC. Surprising facts on the building of St. Patrick's cathedral that I never knew. All the characters kept you engaged, and the storyline flowed so well. The mystery was so well written into and around the historical facts that you thought it was a true crime! Nothing boring, and nothing redundant. A wonderful read!
September 23, 2024
An excellent read. Fast paced, sensitive with great characters.
January 2, 2024
ok
Very predictable story line, good for a light read. I preferred the other Olive Collins stories that had a bit of history with them.
Very predictable story line, good for a light read. I preferred the other Olive Collins stories that had a bit of history with them.
June 22, 2024
This was a very interesting read. I’ve read two other Olive Collins books , The Tide Between Us and The Weaver’s Legacy. The best of the three was The Tide Between Us but all were great reads .
I’m surprised more readers haven’t discovered Collins books.
I’m surprised more readers haven’t discovered Collins books.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews