I am a long-time fan of Beatriz Williams' books. She has a unique ability to create feisty and head-strong female protagonists and interweave historical and modern-day story lines. Top this off with witty and flirty banter between the male and female leads and her books (a la old Rock Hudson and Doris Day comedies) and it's usually one fun romp. Unfortunately this new series fell quite a bit short from her previous works.

"The Wicked City" is the first in a proposed new series of books featuring the story lines of 1920's flapper "Gin" Kelly and Prohibition agent Oliver Anson, along with modern-day Ella Hawthorn and her handsome neighbor Hector. The 1920's story takes precedence here, and I found the story line to be convoluted and confusing (this wasn't helped by Williams' attempt to write in the vernacular, which I felt detracted -- not added -- to the story). If I read one more reference to NYC being "the wicked city," I might have needed a sip of some bathtub gin myself.

Williams' books are usually such a delight and she is a writer of great talent. I'm hopeful this book is merely an aberration, and that the next in the series will provide the same level of spunk and smartness we are used to seeing from her.

Thank you to William Morrow and Edelweiss for a galley of this book in exchange for an honest review. ( )

The Wicked City has a dual timeline story, in the 1920s do we meet Gin Kelly a flapper who frequently visits the Christopher Club until the club is raided and she got an "offer" she can't refuse from Prohibition enforcement agent Oliver Anson who is after her step-daddy Duke Kelly, an infamous bootlegger. Several decades later has Ella Hawthorne moved into the house the Christopher Club used to be housed. At night strange noises can be heard from the basement, clinking classes, jazz piano voices, even though the speakeasy was closed down years ago...

I read this book and thought "wait a minute" could that be the guy from that other book by the author? I know now after reading A Certain Age, The Wicked City, and Cocoa Beach that there are no coincidences. I also know if it feels like there are loose ends in any of the books is it probably a reason for that. A reason that only Beatriz Williams knows. The Wicked City has two different storylines, and although both were enjoyable did I enjoy the present one a bit more, could be Hector, the hot neighbor, could be the strangely haunted basement, or it could be the mysterious discover that Ella did or her awesome Great-Aunt Julie who gave Ella some great advice, when she didn't talk about all the men she slept with. Loved that chapter in the book when Ella was visiting her Great-Aunt, the dialog was cracking. ( )

Another hit by Beatriz Williams. Loved the characters in The Wicked City and could not put this one down. ( )

I liked that this novel had the dual time line, Geneva "Gin" Kelly who gets herself wound up with bootleggers, shootings, the FBI, and someone from her past she swore she'd never have dealings with again. Then there is Ella, 1998 in New York City and she has just caught her new husband cheating on her, has moved out on him and doesn't quit know where to go in life. This new place works, but there is mystery to it, and little does she know the past in that building has a connection in her family. Following Gin through her adventure of the NY streets during the crime of bootlegging and illegal liquor making, and Ella trying to get back on her feet while learning about her families past and how to pick herself back up, as things could be worse. Pretty good read, although it took me a bit to get into Gin's character with how the writer writers her character POV. I do look forward to reading the next one. ( )

I love a good historical fiction story which this book has, however, the "modern day" story that is interspersed throughout takes away from the story. I feel like the two aren't fully linked and realized by the end of the book leaving me with more unanswered questions than answered. The dialogue from the 1920's feels authentic while the modern dialogue between the main characters feels forced and unnatural. There were several times I rolled my eyes because the conversation didn't seem genuine at all. Maybe the author offers more closure to the story in part 2. ( )