Seven for a Secret

I really love this trilogy! Author Lyndsay Faye has a wonderful writing style, develops great depth of character, and writes a very detailed, vivid narration that gives readers a true feeling for what it must have been like to live in mid-1800s New York City. You will feel like youre actually there, living the life that the characters are a part of. Fast paced and at times very witty dialogue keep the stories moving along.

I vaguely knew about the history of NYCs first police officers, the Copper Stars, from where we get the police nickname Cop. The trilogy explores their history in depth, giving readers an understanding of the politically and culturally turbulent time period that made it almost impossible to even start an organized police force. But you dont have to be a fan of police stories to be swept along by the great storytelling in this book.

The protagonist, Timothy Wilde, is a wonderful character whom the reader quickly embraces, and can easily empathize with his feelings of loneliness, frustration with the turn his life has taken, and often times the feelings of isolation as a man seemingly fighting against all odds in order to maintain some semblance of justice and compassion in the world around him. Timothy is above all a man of honor and integrity, despite his doubts and some regrets about his choices in life.

Read and enjoy!!

This book was a great follow up to “Gods of Gotham”, one of the best books I’ve read in awhile. This is the second in a hopefully long series that will take us through Timothy Wilde’s life and times as a copper star in NYC. Very well researched and presented so vividly it makes me want to learn more about these times of the city. The characters are rich and well flushed; especially the Wilde brothers. The first book concentrated on a series of child murders and this is centered on the illegal slave capture and resell made famous in “12 Years a Slave”. All classes of NY society are represented from the high to the low dwelling street bandits. Timothy also discovers early ways to investigate from interviewing witnesses and drawing the crimes out on paper. I do recommend you read “Gods of Gotham” first to get a true picture of the Wilde’s past and the first formation of the copper stars. I’m waiting for book number three, Ms. Faye!

This book, like it’s predecessor, goes way beyond the subject of mystery. After an enjoyable opening vignette, reminiscent somewhat of Canon Doyle’s Holmes,to re-establish Timothy’s character the book goes on to the main plot.

The plot itself is almost superfluous. This is a book in which I was constantly in the moment: feeling as if I was in New York in 1847. The era is itself a mystery to me. Sure, we know the dates and the times of events, but the civil war which follows too soon after is what tends to dominate the curriculum of history. To know what it was actually like to live in New York in that era, how people viewed life and those around them, is the real insight which this book promises. While these views are invariably contaminated by the ethics and perceptions of 2013, throwing oneself into the past puts a new perspective on the present.

Thus I strongly recommend this book. Is it the best mystery plot I’ve ever read? Perhaps not. But that’s not the memorable aspect. The memorable aspect is the people, the places, the sights and the sounds. I downloaded the Kindle version the day it was released, and I will do the same with the next book in the series.

The first book in this series was great, this one is a second hit. Timothy is a reluctant police officer in the pre-civil war NYC police force. It is not a respected profession in the early days of law enforcement. He is the younger brother of the shining “star” of the service. Timothy, unlike the brutal, corrupt officers, is an artist of many talents. He is an observer of human behavior, an artist who draws portraits of them. The unusual thinking leads him on the path of crime solving. More often then not, Tim finds himself in the midst of life threatening situations and being saved by his, drug addicted, sodomite brother. Add to this the historic prospective of NYC in the mid 1830’s rich with quotes from newspapers and non-fiction books of the time and it all comes alive.
The first book provided details of the anti-Catholic prejudice of the time. This book reveals the northern US practice of kidnapping and selling free Blacks as runaway slaves.

I really enjoy the 1st book and this one is just as absorbing and fascinating. The Wilde brothers are outstanding characters and I love their bond. The plot has me glued to my seat, I never guessed how it all panned out in the end. 1840s New York is a fascinating setting and the plot revolving around the inhuman treatment of the Blacks is honestly insightful, at times heart wrenching. Love Tim’s narration, his bond with his brother who is one fascinating character and his friendship with the Blacks and NY police comrades. Great series.

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