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cozymysterychuck's review against another edition
5.0
Just incredible to see how much the characters have evolved since the last novel. Both this, and the first in the series had me emotionally invested in the main characters and I found myself almost moved to tears at certain points in this novel. The blossoming romance that Ida found was believable and honest, and didn’t at all feel shoehorned in.
This beautiful connection they had caused me quite the upset during a certain later scene, and I had to stop and take a few deep breaths!
I cannot rate this book highly enough, a must read.
This beautiful connection they had caused me quite the upset during a certain later scene, and I had to stop and take a few deep breaths!
I cannot rate this book highly enough, a must read.
kirstenfindlay's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
infinitysbookshelf's review against another edition
4.0
I have finally caught up with this series! The 3rd book was one of the first books that I ever reviewed on my blog after I accidentally requested an ARC of it. I am so glad that I now have read the entire story so far and am really anticipating the fourth and final book in the series.
I really enjoyed the historical aspect of this book, as it takes place in Chicago under Capone, and it was interesting the amount of research he did into the topic. There was a scene at a golf course that I was curious about and I found a real interview with one of the people there. I can really understand how each book takes 3 years to research, but I wish I didn’t have to wait that long for the final book. The writing really allowed for complete immersion into the story, which really helped to increase my enjoyment of the book.
The characters were pretty good and I really enjoyed the gang members perspective in this one. His story was so tragic but he was trying to make the best of it. It was particularly interesting to see the detective characters’ stories knowing what happens to them in the third book.
The actual mystery portion was not done to my satisfaction. It felt really confusing and it was pretty much solved by the detectives going “I know what happened”. The actual reveal felt so convoluted and I still don’t know how the clues actually led to the result. This made the book very hard to get through until the very end. Once the actual mystery was solved and even before that there were also quite a few action sequences that were pretty good and were definitely a highlight of the book.
Finally I liked the way that this book took some really dark topics: murder, suicide and racial tension, and made a really interesting comparison between those themes with music and the mob. Musicians like Louis Armstrong are slowly being accepted by the mainstream music producers and the mob is really helping them through it. This historical comparison is really what is keeping me interested in this series and why I really need to read this next book.
I definitely liked this one better than the first book in the series, which I gave 3 stars and it feels on par with the 3rd book, which I gave 4 stars. It was altogether an interesting historical fiction novel with a really confusing mystery and interesting characters. What did everyone else think of this book? Leave a comment down below and Happy Reading!
4 stars
I really enjoyed the historical aspect of this book, as it takes place in Chicago under Capone, and it was interesting the amount of research he did into the topic. There was a scene at a golf course that I was curious about and I found a real interview with one of the people there. I can really understand how each book takes 3 years to research, but I wish I didn’t have to wait that long for the final book. The writing really allowed for complete immersion into the story, which really helped to increase my enjoyment of the book.
The characters were pretty good and I really enjoyed the gang members perspective in this one. His story was so tragic but he was trying to make the best of it. It was particularly interesting to see the detective characters’ stories knowing what happens to them in the third book.
The actual mystery portion was not done to my satisfaction. It felt really confusing and it was pretty much solved by the detectives going “I know what happened”. The actual reveal felt so convoluted and I still don’t know how the clues actually led to the result. This made the book very hard to get through until the very end. Once the actual mystery was solved and even before that there were also quite a few action sequences that were pretty good and were definitely a highlight of the book.
Finally I liked the way that this book took some really dark topics: murder, suicide and racial tension, and made a really interesting comparison between those themes with music and the mob. Musicians like Louis Armstrong are slowly being accepted by the mainstream music producers and the mob is really helping them through it. This historical comparison is really what is keeping me interested in this series and why I really need to read this next book.
I definitely liked this one better than the first book in the series, which I gave 3 stars and it feels on par with the 3rd book, which I gave 4 stars. It was altogether an interesting historical fiction novel with a really confusing mystery and interesting characters. What did everyone else think of this book? Leave a comment down below and Happy Reading!
4 stars
mollie_00's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-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? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Drug use, Racial slurs, Racism, Blood, Police brutality, Death of parent, and Alcohol
mistychristie's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
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? It's complicated
3.5
nosywitch's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.25
One of my absolute favourite books. Ray Celestin did a wonderful job. The characters were interesting and the plot intriguing. Each character has a different backstory and motivation. The author introduces you to a whole new world, late 1920s Chicago. Gangs, crimes, mystery, corrupted politicians, prohibition. All those element along side with Celestin's great writing illustrates intoxicating world. The book was kind of slow, but it picked up towards the end. I didn't predict the ending and was really shocked by the death of Jacob and his realation with Dante . To sup up, it was a great book, go read it :)
martinatrevelin's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
anchgu7's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-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? It's complicated
4.0
jennjuniper's review against another edition
4.0
One of my favourite crime novels of recent years was The Axeman's Jazz, Celestin's vivid portrait of 1919 New Orleans, splashed in gore, murder, racism, jazz, romance, noise and colour. You don't have to have read it to read this follow-up, but I urge you to - firstly because it's a brilliant read, and secondly because you'll be able to appreciate Dead Man's Blues as more than just a brilliant mystery, but as the second volume in a series of books charting the rise and fall of crime in the early twentieth century.
Onto the slightly smaller picture, then: 1928 Chicago, firmly in the grip of Al Capone and his fellow gangsters, and in the grip of a sweltering summer. A set of disparate crimes are being investigated - by the police, by the Pinkertons, and by Capone's men. At first, they all seem like separate tragedies in the large, unforgiving city, but then the threads start coming together, and there's much, much more going on.
Celestin is a great writer, letting the story unfold at its own pace, but keeping you turning the pages to find out more. He masterfully juggles the different characters and different storylines without letting the tension slacken or everyone's personalities seem too similar, and what emerges is a dark, unsettling, brutal snapshot of a city strangled by its own crimelords. Celestin is fantastic at evoking atmosphere and setting, at creating realistic characters with all their shades of grey, and his writing is wonderful: luscious, detailed and rich.
If you have read The Axeman's Jazz, then you'll be as glad as I was to meet several of our protagonists again, ten years older and living very different lives in Chicago. One of these, of course, is Louis Armstrong - an addition to both books that could seem gimmicky, but in situ actually fits in perfectly. Music is something woven seamlessly throughout the plot, forming a rich tapestry of life and death in 1920s America.
Dead Man's Blues is a sharp, dark, intelligent historical crime novel, peopled with vivid, believable characters and finally culminating in a breathless finale. Read it on its own for an enjoyable, smart thriller, or join me in waiting for the next part of what is shaping up to be one of the best crime - and historical - fiction series in recent years. I can't wait!
Onto the slightly smaller picture, then: 1928 Chicago, firmly in the grip of Al Capone and his fellow gangsters, and in the grip of a sweltering summer. A set of disparate crimes are being investigated - by the police, by the Pinkertons, and by Capone's men. At first, they all seem like separate tragedies in the large, unforgiving city, but then the threads start coming together, and there's much, much more going on.
Celestin is a great writer, letting the story unfold at its own pace, but keeping you turning the pages to find out more. He masterfully juggles the different characters and different storylines without letting the tension slacken or everyone's personalities seem too similar, and what emerges is a dark, unsettling, brutal snapshot of a city strangled by its own crimelords. Celestin is fantastic at evoking atmosphere and setting, at creating realistic characters with all their shades of grey, and his writing is wonderful: luscious, detailed and rich.
If you have read The Axeman's Jazz, then you'll be as glad as I was to meet several of our protagonists again, ten years older and living very different lives in Chicago. One of these, of course, is Louis Armstrong - an addition to both books that could seem gimmicky, but in situ actually fits in perfectly. Music is something woven seamlessly throughout the plot, forming a rich tapestry of life and death in 1920s America.
Dead Man's Blues is a sharp, dark, intelligent historical crime novel, peopled with vivid, believable characters and finally culminating in a breathless finale. Read it on its own for an enjoyable, smart thriller, or join me in waiting for the next part of what is shaping up to be one of the best crime - and historical - fiction series in recent years. I can't wait!