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maya_vee's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I love Florence in this book! And the development of the sister relationship. We get to see more of Danny and Bea, and their families. We also see more of the tenement communities. Honor, unfortunately, continues to be a sexy enigma, with a few tantalizing drops of dimensionality here and there. Vivian’s development is okay. Leo was there - I honestly forget most of what he was up to. The mystery was also okay. I guessed the murderer pretty early on, but for the wrong reasons. The worldbuilding and side characters were doing the heavy lifting in this book, but I still enjoyed it.
heathernicole92's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
nikki_annette's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
The series found its footing a bit more in this book. The pacing was better and the characters more developed.
While Vivian (FMC) is still running headlong into situations she can’t truly navigate, there is at least some self-awareness developing. Leo and Florence became favorite characters in this book. There’s a hint that the mystery of their family background may become more central to the series, so I’m looking forward to that.
While Vivian (FMC) is still running headlong into situations she can’t truly navigate, there is at least some self-awareness developing. Leo and Florence became favorite characters in this book. There’s a hint that the mystery of their family background may become more central to the series, so I’m looking forward to that.
words_and_magic's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
crmckenna14's review against another edition
4.0
I liked this one better than the first one. It had some more action and intrigue.
absireads's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this second foray into the world of The Nightingale with Vivian Kelly and friends! Like the first book, this one is filled with details that bring to life the world of 1920s New York City, in all its glorious diversity. Schellman has really done her research when it comes to the social history of the time period. The relationships in this book are expanded upon and deepened, and I'm especially loving how Vivian and Florence's sisterly relationship is developing. Best of all, of course, Nightingale is still full of booze, music, and dancing -- along with a side of murder. No spoilers, but the mystery in this one threw some major twists that I did not see coming! I highly recommend giving this book a whirl!
spaceonthebookcase's review against another edition
3.0
The Last Drop of Hemlock by Katharine Schellman is a multi-layered murder mystery that kept me guessing. I enjoyed the characters and how they were interwoven into each others lives both personally and professionally. The use of poison was a unique touch.
The pacing of the book was a little jumbled. At times it moved fast and at others it went to a crawl. I think it had to do with the repetition of the letter system and then it being described over and over again to different characters.
This is the first book I've read in the series and I felt it worked well as a standalone.
I thought the narrator did a good job at the various voices and I was able to speed up the audio without losing the words. However, I did find the tone to be a little flat early on in the novel.
Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for access to an ARC & ALC.
The pacing of the book was a little jumbled. At times it moved fast and at others it went to a crawl. I think it had to do with the repetition of the letter system and then it being described over and over again to different characters.
This is the first book I've read in the series and I felt it worked well as a standalone.
I thought the narrator did a good job at the various voices and I was able to speed up the audio without losing the words. However, I did find the tone to be a little flat early on in the novel.
Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for access to an ARC & ALC.
chelsmarieantoinette's review against another edition
5.0
Gosh, I REALLY loved this second installment in the Nightingale Mysteries series. The Last Drop of Hemlock is so atmospheric. I love loved all the NYC references and all the lovely nights at the club. I love the tension between Viv and her *two* love interests and I really loved the developments with Florence this book. This one as a real mystery- I was definitely hooked and truly enjoyed the audio narration. There are so many excellent historical references. I think this one’s even better than the first and I look forward to the next in the series.
bearyintobooks's review against another edition
3.0
This is the second book in this series. I enjoyed the first one so I had high expectations but this one just fell a little flat for me. The characters were interesting and added their own flare to the story. I always love the setting and how easy it is to get into. My main issue was with the pacing. It was all over the place for me. Some parts were too slow and others felt too rushed. Overall, it was an okay/good book.