I’m not one for historical fiction however the setting of this in New York in the early nineteenth century is quite fascinating as it really makes you think about how this incredible city came to be. The variety of nationalities and the turf wars really set the scene well for a murder mystery as the complex splits and integrations between the groups provide a realistic challenge of collecting evidence, witnesses and knowing just who to trust. This is really well written and places the reader in the centre of the action, the characters are beautifully flawed and the language is easy enough to follow although my one gripe is that the glossary would have been better placed at the front of the book as it was little use to me once I’d read it through and discovered it at the back! Overall though this makes an unusual story and I’d recommend giving it a go.