Set at the turn of the 19th century, in New York; this is a mystery, crime thriller read which begins with the gruesome discovery of a young girl’s body. This is the second book in the series, and despite not having read the first, I had a great time reading this; I loved being transported in time, to a growing city full of issues and angst. It’s really well researched and executed. I’ll definitely be getting book one soon. A myriad of contrasting and engaging characters; a deeply immersive setting and a central mystery that hooks you right in. I loved the atmosphere of the streets and the dangers and politics at play. There’s a great lead character in Marshall Justy Flanagan ~ a fascinating protagonist to follow, as well as the young Kerry O’Toole. Both morally focussed on finding out the truth amid a dangerous city rife with criminal and social tension ~ it certainly is a challenging and tough environment to live and work in. The story builds in pace to a great climax. A really happy reader! Recommended for those who like historical crime thrillers.

If you have seen Gangs of New York then you know the period this novel is set. This book is completely immersive, Hirsch has done an incredible amount of research, to the language used, the the style of buildings. I often felt myself drawn into the period, even dreaming about the city in my sleep, his descriptions become so vivid. Hudson's Kill has pretty much got a bit of everything for everyone. It's a thriller, it's a murder mystery, it's a political and corruption rollercoaster, it's full of action, it has heroes , villains and enough in every page to keep you turning. All this and written in a way that is very easy and absorbing. Hirsch is a master and it is very hard to believe this is only his second novel. Hudson's Kill deserves to be celebrated and loved, a rare book that will delight so many and deserves to be read. 4/5

Hudson’s Kill is a historical thriller, set in the early 1800’s. Full of political intrigue, racial tension, conspiracy and violence, the author recreates the dark and gritty underbelly of New York. As the population continues to grow and the city is forced to expand, a deadly battle for land is inevitable. Gangs fight for supremacy whilst the poor fight to survive. Hudson’s Kill was a great read. Although I’m not usually a fan of a lot of historical fiction, this was a definite exception. The book is well written and clearly well researched and the writing is so atmospheric and realistic that you can almost see, smell and hear the city as the story unfolds. The story itself is intriguing and continues to build, keeping you guessing as to who the murderer is. In keeping with the time, the author uses a lot of unfamiliar language and terms, and although there is a glossary included, this did distract from the story in places, as I felt I was constantly having to check the meaning of things. I can completely understand why this was included, and for the most part it was a great addition to the story, but it did leave me frustrated at times. All in all this was a great read, full of interesting characters, wonderful world building and a well constructed plot line. I didn’t realise this was the second book featuring these characters so I’ll definitely be looking out for book one. 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Thank you to Readers First and the publishers (Corvus and Atlantic Books) for my copy. All opinions are my own and provided willingly.

Hudson’s Kill is set in New York (which was only at the beginning of its expansion), in the year of 1803. Kerry O’Toole (a mixed girl who has connections to two of the most fearful local gangs) finds a young girl dead in an alleyway. She then calls on her friend, Justice Flanagan to investigate the death of the girl. The characters are overall well developed (it is as if they come to life) and very likeable. Although I did sometimes question their motives or actions, I was still reading this novel passionately. Paddy Hirsch managed to give us great insight into the life of a New Yorker over 200 years ago. I especially admired the way he made the streets of New York come to life with his fabulous descriptions. I am also very impressed by the amount of research he must have done for this novel. Although some of the phrases used by the characters sometimes confused me, there was a glossary at the back which thankfully helped me. I feel like the ending was dragged on a bit and that a couple of chapters could have been cut off.

3.5 Stars I have not read the first of the Justy Flanagan series, The Devil's Half Mile, but I am happy to report that did not spoil this book for me. There doesn't seem to be much in the way of re-capping that tale either and there is enough information given about the characters that you can get to know them through this book without having read the first. Overall a win-win, if you have read the first you don't have swathes of text to skim through that are covering the first book and if you are new to it then this is almost a stand alone tale. The setting itself is evocative and completely believable. When reading you can almost hear the sounds and, regrettably, smell the air. This is helped by the language used throughout the book, how accurate the "Flash" is we will never know but a glossary is provided at the back of the book to help you out if you don't understand a term or can't figure it out from context. The sources for the language are also cited so any inaccuracies are definitely not the author's. In fact, the research that has gone in to the whole book is incredible and gives it not only a sense of veracity but also a freshness; almost as if the author has transported themself back to the earliest days of New York and is writing from there. Characterisation is very strong and not necessarily sympathetic. Kerry O'Toole and Justy Flanagan are our main protagonists and both are very flawed human beings. I like this in a fictional character, it makes them feel whole and more relatable than a perfect literary protagonist does. Justy in particular has a wonderfully warring personality, where what is right is not necessarily what wins through - more what is right for the situation. Discussions of class structure are also dealt with well and there is a real separation between the "haves" and the rest of the populace. The delineation of the gangs between The Irish, The Negroes (contemporaneous term and not used to denigrate) and The Nativists is clearly described and there is a real sense of menace between the warring factions; all of whom want control of this burgeoning city. I also found the blurring of the lines between The Watchmen/City Marshals as the infancy of a regularised police force and the gangs to be interesting and well handled. My problems came with the plot, I just couldn't really buy in to it. Far too much seemed to rely on coincidence and hot headedness. The initial discovery of the mysterious, murdered girl is handled well and a sense of intrigue builds up well. Somehow it then all got lost in a miasma of plots at the highest level of society, warring gang factions and a charismatic preacher. Such a shame as so much about this book is completely wonderful. It would probably have benefitted from one or two fewer "incidents" and concentrated on honing the whys and wherefores of the main plot. THIS IS AN HONEST REVIEW OF A FREE COPY OF THE BOOK RECEIVED FROM READERS FIRST