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ameserole's review against another edition
3.0
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
One Night, New York seemed like it was going to be a great mystery thriller book. Unfortunately, that was not the case for me. The title, synopsis, and even genre seemed to confuse me. At one point, I'm thinking the entire book is all going to happen in one night. Nope. Dead wrong.
It all leads up to one night. I'm pretty sure the entire book happens within a month. In the beginning, we know things are about to go down and a murder is being plotted. We just don't know much about it or why it's happening. Along the way, we know that two people are planning this due to being hurt by the same person. It also doesn't help that this guy has hurt a lot more people either.
So, yes, we know this mysterious guy is bad and probably deserves being thrown off a building. I was all for the revenge and plotting. Yet, I got know mystery or thriller vibes throughout the entire thing. The twists and turns were okay but a smidge predictable (to me). I'll admit that the book was very easy to listen to and follow along with, but I just wanted those thriller vibes.
In the end, it was an okay book. I'm honestly a bit disappointed, but happy that I got the chance to jump into Lara's book. It had potential to be a great mystery thriller in my eyes but ended up being a historical fiction. Which I still enjoy so that's a plus.
One Night, New York seemed like it was going to be a great mystery thriller book. Unfortunately, that was not the case for me. The title, synopsis, and even genre seemed to confuse me. At one point, I'm thinking the entire book is all going to happen in one night. Nope. Dead wrong.
It all leads up to one night. I'm pretty sure the entire book happens within a month. In the beginning, we know things are about to go down and a murder is being plotted. We just don't know much about it or why it's happening. Along the way, we know that two people are planning this due to being hurt by the same person. It also doesn't help that this guy has hurt a lot more people either.
So, yes, we know this mysterious guy is bad and probably deserves being thrown off a building. I was all for the revenge and plotting. Yet, I got know mystery or thriller vibes throughout the entire thing. The twists and turns were okay but a smidge predictable (to me). I'll admit that the book was very easy to listen to and follow along with, but I just wanted those thriller vibes.
In the end, it was an okay book. I'm honestly a bit disappointed, but happy that I got the chance to jump into Lara's book. It had potential to be a great mystery thriller in my eyes but ended up being a historical fiction. Which I still enjoy so that's a plus.
lbonko's review against another edition
I abandoned this book 44% in. Even reading that much was a chore. It's boring, with a plot that goes nowhere. A girl moves from Kansas to NYC and wants to know what her brother does for work but he won't tell her. That's the 44%.
As other reviewers pointed out, the blurb is incorrect. This book does not take place over a single night.
As other reviewers pointed out, the blurb is incorrect. This book does not take place over a single night.
lemurph42's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
2.0
This felt like a short story that was drawn out with tons of uninteresting/predictable filler.
kath_erine__k's review against another edition
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.5
pharmdad2007's review against another edition
3.0
Vivid imagery of old New York, a real tribute to a bygone era. Interesting characters and plot. Would definitely recommend.
annarella's review against another edition
3.0
I liked the historical background and the descriptions of New York more than the mystery part.
I reminded me of similar books written during the last half of XX century and the characters were a bit underdeveloped.
There's a lot of potential and I enjoyed it even if it's far from a perfect book.
Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for this ARC, all opinions are mine
I reminded me of similar books written during the last half of XX century and the characters were a bit underdeveloped.
There's a lot of potential and I enjoyed it even if it's far from a perfect book.
Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for this ARC, all opinions are mine
leelah's review against another edition
3.0
3,5*
Every year during Harrogate's Theakston Old Peculiar Crime Writing Festival, the Scottish Queen of mystery, Val McDermid presents noteworthy novels from debut authors on her New Blood panel. I can honestly say this is the one I religiously follow because she knows hers stuff (many of her picks went to win Edgars and Daggers) and I discovered many great authors this way.
One of this year's picks was Lara Thompson's One Night, New York and I was incredibly happy to get a copy through Edelweiss as it was the one I wanted to read right away.
Set in Depression-era New York, the novel follows Francine, a young girl who ran away from Kansas to join her brother in the city. In the opening scene Francine and another woman are waiting for someone at the top of the skyscraper and we are aware they have some nefarious plans with this man. The novel then throws us narratively few months back as we discover the events that led to the pivotal meet up at the top of the building.
This being a historical crime novel, I'd say it's the historical part where it excels. The mystery part of the novel is rather simple, but keeps you intrigued and turning pages to see what went down, but still, firmly set in the background. Of course there is murder and horrible things happening to people like Francine, but there is this pervasive feeling that these things are everyday occurrence and like they are intimate problems, and they can't really do anything about it unless they take the matters in their own hands. This is not a bleak outlook, just the way things worked in Depression-era New York. Thompson lost me a bit in the way she was building this part of story because Francine stumbled on people who turn out to be important almost by accident creating this feeling that it's a really small world.
Setting being its main selling point,this novel exudes the atmosphere. Thompson accomplished this in several ways as it wasn't done only through descriptions of smells, people and buildings that fill up the picture in your head. There is this micro view of single girl's experience in new city and through her unfiltered point of view you fill in the rest without the need of history lesson. The thing about Francine is that she is a perfect conduit to depict how the life in 1932. New York looked like. She is young, but curious enough to ask questions and try new things. She doesn't know how to read or write, so she understands things by actually experiencing them. Francine won't explain you what led to poverty, racial divides, gender-roles and breadlines- she lives in the smallest room with smallest kitchen with thinnest walls and this is living in New York for her. Faithful meeting with Dicky and Jacks during her train ride who live in Greenwich Village is her insight into the life of richer and swankier and she sees the other side of New York as well. It's the perfect dichotomy of lifestyles ans she treads in both world carefully not feeling she belongs really, but somehow belonging in New York just the same.
But to bring another layer to this fictional portrait of New York to life, Thompson introduces Frances to another woman, Agnes, who works as Dicky's assistant and is a great photographer in her own right. Per writer's words Agnes and her pictures of skyscrapers that forever immortalized the ever-changing city was inspired by great Berenice Abbott and her Changing New York project. The inspiration goes beyond the superficial and into the core of what was Abbott trying to do with her iconic collections of photographs.
All in all, a great historical crime debut with emphasis on the historical part.
I want to give my thanks to Edelweiss+, Lara Thompson and Pegasus Books for providing me with a review copy of this novel, I enjoyed it a great deal. All opinions are my own.
Every year during Harrogate's Theakston Old Peculiar Crime Writing Festival, the Scottish Queen of mystery, Val McDermid presents noteworthy novels from debut authors on her New Blood panel. I can honestly say this is the one I religiously follow because she knows hers stuff (many of her picks went to win Edgars and Daggers) and I discovered many great authors this way.
One of this year's picks was Lara Thompson's One Night, New York and I was incredibly happy to get a copy through Edelweiss as it was the one I wanted to read right away.
Set in Depression-era New York, the novel follows Francine, a young girl who ran away from Kansas to join her brother in the city. In the opening scene Francine and another woman are waiting for someone at the top of the skyscraper and we are aware they have some nefarious plans with this man. The novel then throws us narratively few months back as we discover the events that led to the pivotal meet up at the top of the building.
This being a historical crime novel, I'd say it's the historical part where it excels. The mystery part of the novel is rather simple, but keeps you intrigued and turning pages to see what went down, but still, firmly set in the background. Of course there is murder and horrible things happening to people like Francine, but there is this pervasive feeling that these things are everyday occurrence and like they are intimate problems, and they can't really do anything about it unless they take the matters in their own hands. This is not a bleak outlook, just the way things worked in Depression-era New York. Thompson lost me a bit in the way she was building this part of story because Francine stumbled on people who turn out to be important almost by accident creating this feeling that it's a really small world.
Setting being its main selling point,this novel exudes the atmosphere. Thompson accomplished this in several ways as it wasn't done only through descriptions of smells, people and buildings that fill up the picture in your head. There is this micro view of single girl's experience in new city and through her unfiltered point of view you fill in the rest without the need of history lesson. The thing about Francine is that she is a perfect conduit to depict how the life in 1932. New York looked like. She is young, but curious enough to ask questions and try new things. She doesn't know how to read or write, so she understands things by actually experiencing them. Francine won't explain you what led to poverty, racial divides, gender-roles and breadlines- she lives in the smallest room with smallest kitchen with thinnest walls and this is living in New York for her. Faithful meeting with Dicky and Jacks during her train ride who live in Greenwich Village is her insight into the life of richer and swankier and she sees the other side of New York as well. It's the perfect dichotomy of lifestyles ans she treads in both world carefully not feeling she belongs really, but somehow belonging in New York just the same.
But to bring another layer to this fictional portrait of New York to life, Thompson introduces Frances to another woman, Agnes, who works as Dicky's assistant and is a great photographer in her own right. Per writer's words Agnes and her pictures of skyscrapers that forever immortalized the ever-changing city was inspired by great Berenice Abbott and her Changing New York project. The inspiration goes beyond the superficial and into the core of what was Abbott trying to do with her iconic collections of photographs.
All in all, a great historical crime debut with emphasis on the historical part.
I want to give my thanks to Edelweiss+, Lara Thompson and Pegasus Books for providing me with a review copy of this novel, I enjoyed it a great deal. All opinions are my own.
thekentuckyfriedbibliophile's review against another edition
3.0
Rounding to 3.5 Stars.
One Night, New York is a great audiobook! The story itself is well developed and I really connected with Frances. She is a small town country girl moving to the big city where her big brother lives. He tries to protect her by telling her who to stay away from and what parts of town to avoid. Only for this to spark curiosity in Frances and she learns more about her brother than she ever did, in which she discovers his death. Frances and her friend sets off to find his murderer and avenge his death!
This audiobook is a quick listen that will keep you listening to figure out who in New York is behind all the madness.
Thank you to @netgalley and @dreamscape_media for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.
One Night, New York is a great audiobook! The story itself is well developed and I really connected with Frances. She is a small town country girl moving to the big city where her big brother lives. He tries to protect her by telling her who to stay away from and what parts of town to avoid. Only for this to spark curiosity in Frances and she learns more about her brother than she ever did, in which she discovers his death. Frances and her friend sets off to find his murderer and avenge his death!
This audiobook is a quick listen that will keep you listening to figure out who in New York is behind all the madness.
Thank you to @netgalley and @dreamscape_media for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.
ruthied's review against another edition
2.0
I'm struggling to rate this between 1 and two stars so I put two but it's really 1.5.
This was a VERY slow burn and such a promising story but ended in a huge let down. The time jump was so close together that I felt disoriented between chapters which took me out of the story. The LGBTQ parts felt one dimensional. If you are going to go there then go there but it felt so glossed over that I kept forgetting we were in the 1930s and not 2022. It's like the author was scared to really get into the nitty gritty of being LGBTQ in that time era. Either go for it or don't do it at all. Even the hesitation with Ben in regards to his skin color was pretty superficial. And then the reveal of a baby (that I think her father might have harmed/killed? I couldn't tell it was so badly put together) was completely out of pIace, random, with no relevancy what so ever to anything. I found myself not caring about the characters and nearly stopped at 90% but powered through. I thought this was going to be an interesting historical fiction/thriller/whodunnit type but it was boring, superficial, and a bit of a mess.
This was a VERY slow burn and such a promising story but ended in a huge let down. The time jump was so close together that I felt disoriented between chapters which took me out of the story. The LGBTQ parts felt one dimensional. If you are going to go there then go there but it felt so glossed over that I kept forgetting we were in the 1930s and not 2022. It's like the author was scared to really get into the nitty gritty of being LGBTQ in that time era. Either go for it or don't do it at all. Even the hesitation with Ben in regards to his skin color was pretty superficial. And then the reveal of a baby (that I think her father might have harmed/killed? I couldn't tell it was so badly put together) was completely out of pIace, random, with no relevancy what so ever to anything. I found myself not caring about the characters and nearly stopped at 90% but powered through. I thought this was going to be an interesting historical fiction/thriller/whodunnit type but it was boring, superficial, and a bit of a mess.