Welcome to Litsy!

This historical mystery is set in NYC during prohibition when jazz was “hot”.Vivian works at a dress shop by day, & an underground speakeasy by night.Life is finally getting better for Vivian & her sister.Then their uncle is found dead under mysterious circumstances & letters blackmailing the sisters‘ poor neighbors for valuables arrive at their homes,threatening death by poison if they do not comply.The hunt for a killer is on! #serieslove2024

Saturday morning, a latte & a book. #coffeeandbooks
Plans for the day: read, walk, errands, writing cards for #naturalitsywintercardswap

Lower end of pick scale. I like the characters and the setting — Jazz Age New York — but I didn‘t find the mystery particularly interesting. Vivian and Honor are eventually going to have to make up their minds about each other. Outside walk today was lovely. #audiowalk

I think I read these books for the characters rather than the mystery. In this one, Bea‘s uncle dies; everyone but Vivian thinks it‘s a suicide. Florence comes more into her own here. I had to walk inside today because of the rain. #audiowalk

I was so glad to spend time with Vivian Kelly again. It was also good to get to know her sister, Florence better. All the other great characters are here too: Danny, Honor and Bea, whose Uncle has died. Ruled a suicide by the cops, the friends aren‘t convinced and there investigation reveals a terrible conspiracy. Once again Schellman gives us wonderful period detail. Can‘t wait for the next in the series!

When Bea‘s uncle appears to have mulled himself, it‘s up to Vivian to uncover what really happened & find the connections to a new blackmailing gang in town.

I loved this one just as much as the first! A fun, diverse, & complex cast with more Florence & Danny! A beautifully set 1920s speakeasy! A twisty turny mystery that I did not predict the final twist on! A bit slow in the beginning, but a absolute blast to finish. 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑

The mystery was intriguing once things got going, and I also really liked seeing Florence come out of her shell. Between the era, the speakeasy, the characters and the story I found this to be a fun series to return to. I also enjoyed the audiobook. Young gives each character their own personality and voice, making each one unique. I wish the pace had been a little faster, but between the inflection and tone it was still an enjoyable audiobook.

#YuleSwap I am completely overwhelmed with your gift & the obvious love,care,&thought that you put into it. Excited to read the books,drink from the mug,wear the warm socks,use the bookmark, have botanical jars in my reading space,a reminder of spring,& especially your mystery winter solstice bag that‘s full of all witchy things to celebrate with.thank you; you made my day!

#DecemberDreams #wintersolstice

Jazz age mystery with some BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ characters. I like the setting but I found myself reading just to get to the end instead of living in the world. I felt like I could put the characters in modern day NY and it wouldn't change too much. Perhaps the follow up will capture my imagination more.

Soft pick! What worked for me: speakeasy vibes + cozy mystery. Pure brain candy. What didn‘t quite measure up imo: I didn‘t care that much about who actually killed the dead guy, and I wanted a little more complexity in the main characters. I know Schellman can do better because I love her Lily Adler mysteries. This book sets things up for future installments, so I‘m hoping the characters will feel a little more lived in by that point.