The Hanging Women by John Mead
Published by The Book Guild
Publication Date: 25 February 2018
Genre: Historical Fiction
235 pages
My thanks to the author and Rachel Gilbey, tour organiser for the opportunity to read something a little out of my comfort zone for a change as part of this blog tour. Historicalfiction isn't my go to genre, so this was a bit of a challenge for me.
Book Description:
A historical crime thriller set in 1886 Chicago; the power
house of America, a sink of corruption and vice which is haunted by riots and
gangland killings. A story of weak men
and strong women.
Jack Stevens discovers the bodies of two women, Philomena Blackstaff and Mary Walsh, tied together and hung by their ankles in a position resembling the symbol for treachery as depicted on tarot cards. Though retired and now wealthy, Stevens is an ex-sheriff and involves himself in the subsequent investigation.
As a result of Jack ‘stealing’ Philomena’s diary and his association with the Pinkerton detective agency, it is discovered that Mary Walsh worked undercover for the Pinkertons, investigating the Knights of Labour (the fastest growing workers’ rights movements in America of the late 1800’s). The women had been working together, tracing the man who was selling guns and dynamite to the more extremist factions of the workers movement. This led them to Ruby’s, a secret ‘nightclub for deviants’, where Stevens and Inspector O’Leary believe the pair fell foul of the man they were looking for, gang leader Joseph Mannheim.
With the May 4th Haymarket riots and bombings looming, Stevens must uncover the truth about The Hanging Women before it’s too late.
As a result of Jack ‘stealing’ Philomena’s diary and his association with the Pinkerton detective agency, it is discovered that Mary Walsh worked undercover for the Pinkertons, investigating the Knights of Labour (the fastest growing workers’ rights movements in America of the late 1800’s). The women had been working together, tracing the man who was selling guns and dynamite to the more extremist factions of the workers movement. This led them to Ruby’s, a secret ‘nightclub for deviants’, where Stevens and Inspector O’Leary believe the pair fell foul of the man they were looking for, gang leader Joseph Mannheim.
With the May 4th Haymarket riots and bombings looming, Stevens must uncover the truth about The Hanging Women before it’s too late.
My Review:
Having recently read a historical crime novel set in England I was interested to be invited to read a similar style novel, this time set in Chicago USA.
We are introduced to Jack Stevens and his wife Martha who both have colourful back stories; Jack had been assumed dead after disappearing for a number of years and wife Martha began rebuilding a life for herself as a widow. Then with the shocking reappearance of Jack the couple are forced to try to pick up the pieces of their relationship and settle back into some semblance of normality. Things were never going to be straightforward, especially with Jack regularly seeking solace at the bottom of a whiskey bottle and in the arms of a young woman named Kitty.
Due to his heavy drinking Jack finds himself in a tricky position when the bodies of 2 women are found hanging in a derelict warehouse. With no recollection of where he was at the time of their deaths - or in whose company - Jack is desperate to help solve the mystery of the identity of the women, who would want them dead and why. He joins forces with Inspector O'Leary of the local police force, and using their connections with members of local gangs they gradually put the pieces together to solve the case.
The author has clearly researched the city of Chicago and its social history in great detail; that knowledge comes across well throughout this story in which issues of deep set religious beliefs, unions and workers' rights feature strongly. We are constantly aware of the simmering rivalries of the criminal underworld of gangs vying for territories throughout the book, and there are some nice feisty women characters mixed in amongst the predominantly male 19th century business world - which begs the question who was really in charge, the men or the women, the gang leaders or the law enforcers?
My only criticism of this book is the poor spelling, grammar and punctuation (and occasionally completely wrong words) which made me question whether it had been proofread at all before being sent out, to the point where it did spoil my enjoyment of what should have been an edge of the seat historical novel with an action packed finale. Nothing that couldn't be corrected with a bit of editing though, so I don't want to be too harsh with my review as the plot and research for this book are very strong.
Having recently read a historical crime novel set in England I was interested to be invited to read a similar style novel, this time set in Chicago USA.
We are introduced to Jack Stevens and his wife Martha who both have colourful back stories; Jack had been assumed dead after disappearing for a number of years and wife Martha began rebuilding a life for herself as a widow. Then with the shocking reappearance of Jack the couple are forced to try to pick up the pieces of their relationship and settle back into some semblance of normality. Things were never going to be straightforward, especially with Jack regularly seeking solace at the bottom of a whiskey bottle and in the arms of a young woman named Kitty.
Due to his heavy drinking Jack finds himself in a tricky position when the bodies of 2 women are found hanging in a derelict warehouse. With no recollection of where he was at the time of their deaths - or in whose company - Jack is desperate to help solve the mystery of the identity of the women, who would want them dead and why. He joins forces with Inspector O'Leary of the local police force, and using their connections with members of local gangs they gradually put the pieces together to solve the case.
The author has clearly researched the city of Chicago and its social history in great detail; that knowledge comes across well throughout this story in which issues of deep set religious beliefs, unions and workers' rights feature strongly. We are constantly aware of the simmering rivalries of the criminal underworld of gangs vying for territories throughout the book, and there are some nice feisty women characters mixed in amongst the predominantly male 19th century business world - which begs the question who was really in charge, the men or the women, the gang leaders or the law enforcers?
My only criticism of this book is the poor spelling, grammar and punctuation (and occasionally completely wrong words) which made me question whether it had been proofread at all before being sent out, to the point where it did spoil my enjoyment of what should have been an edge of the seat historical novel with an action packed finale. Nothing that couldn't be corrected with a bit of editing though, so I don't want to be too harsh with my review as the plot and research for this book are very strong.
About The Author:
John was born in the mid-fifties in
Dagenham, London, on part of the largest council estate ever built, and was the
first pupil from his local secondary modern school to attend university. He has
now taken early retirement to write, having spent the first part of his life
working in education and the public sector. He was the director of a college, a
senior school inspector for a local authority, and was head of a unit for young
people with physical and mental health needs. When he is not travelling, going
to the theatre or the pub, he writes.
His inspiration for his debut novel came whilst attending a lecture in Denver about the history of the American midwest, describing a time and place that was very different from that espoused by popular culture, which started him thinking this would make a excellent period in which to set a crime story.
His book describes how Chicago was a prototype of much that we consider both good and bad in the current age, it had a vibrancy and decadence that allowed a few enterprising individuals to prosper whilst violence and intolerance held back many others. The situation for some African Americans and women was improving but it was still a time when to be anything other than white and male made you a second class citizen. The city was the manufacturing and transport hub of America, the vast influx of immigrants swelling its already booming population brought great wealth but also corruption and criminality. The midwest and Chicago typified a way of life, the ‘gun culture’ which is a euphemism for individualism, from which much of modern American social values have grown.
His inspiration for his debut novel came whilst attending a lecture in Denver about the history of the American midwest, describing a time and place that was very different from that espoused by popular culture, which started him thinking this would make a excellent period in which to set a crime story.
His book describes how Chicago was a prototype of much that we consider both good and bad in the current age, it had a vibrancy and decadence that allowed a few enterprising individuals to prosper whilst violence and intolerance held back many others. The situation for some African Americans and women was improving but it was still a time when to be anything other than white and male made you a second class citizen. The city was the manufacturing and transport hub of America, the vast influx of immigrants swelling its already booming population brought great wealth but also corruption and criminality. The midwest and Chicago typified a way of life, the ‘gun culture’ which is a euphemism for individualism, from which much of modern American social values have grown.
John is currently working on a trilogy
of novels set in modern day London. These police procedurals examine the darker
side of modern life in the East End of the city: a Whitechapel noir.
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