The first mystery in Susanna Calkins’ captivating new series takes readers into the dark, dangerous, and glittering underworld of a 1920s Chicago speakeasy.Gina Ricci takes on a job as a cigarette girl to earn money for her ailing father—and to prove to herself that she can hold her own at Chicago’s most notorious speakeasy, the Third Door. She’s enchanted by the harsh, glamorous world she … glamorous world she discovers: the sleek socialites sipping bootlegged cocktails, the rowdy ex-servicemen playing poker in a curtained back room, the flirtatious jazz pianist and the brooding photographer—all overseen by the club’s imposing owner, Signora Castallazzo. But the staff buzzes with whispers about Gina’s predecessor, who died under mysterious circumstances, and the photographer, Marty, warns her to be careful.
When Marty is brutally murdered, with Gina as the only witness, she’s determined to track down his killer. What secrets did Marty capture on his camera—and who would do anything to destroy it? As Gina searches for answers, she’s pulled deeper into the shadowy truths hiding behind the Third Door.
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I think what I loved most about this book was how easily I was drawn into the world of 1920s Chicago. I’ve never even been to Chicago, yet it all felt familiar because of how vividly the author portrays the sleuth’s surroundings. Combine that with colorful characters, a witty use of the period slang, lots of twists and turns, and you’ve got the perfect cocktail for a really fun read – shaken, not stirred!
I loved this 1920’s Chicago mystery. There is something compelling about the characters and the world Calkins creates that made me wish I could keep reading even after The End. I can’t WAIT for another one to devour. I loved the characters and found myself enjoying them like friends. I stayed up WAY too late a few nights because I just lost track of time, I was enjoying myself so much.
There’s nothing like a slick and sassy speakeasy for atmosphere, and MURDER KNOCKS TWICE delivers. The secrets are as heady as bathtub gin in this smart 1920s mystery that will keep you guessing.
This is the first in a new series that promises to be a great one! The setting–1920s Chicago–is a real winner with speakeasies, gangsters and cigarette girls. You’ll feel like you’re right there with the characters as they try to figure out what’s really going on and who the real bad guys are.
I enjoyed this book and the quirky characters. The author surprised me more than once. And the world of 1920s speakeasies was fascinating. Definitely worth reading.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Read in one day. I enjoy the 20s and this fits to a T! It took my mind off the world for a few hrs. Highly recommend!
This book was not my cup of tea – the premise is excellent and it was drew me to the book in the first place – murder in a speakeasy in Prohibition Chicago? WHAT’S not to like right? A lot let me tell you.
My biggest complaint is the writing – it is tepid, extremely slow moving and really didn’t hold my attention at all. It was pretty difficult for me to finish this. I liked the MC and was hoping for a better character with more depth and the other character I really enjoyed ends up murdered, so there were few characters that I enjoyed as well. I was hoping for so much with this and was greatly disappointed.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin Press/Minotaur Books for providing this ARC in return for an honest review.
I enjoyed reading this first book in a new historical cozy series. Gina has taken a new job as a cigarette girl in a Chicago Speakeasy. While working there she discovers some family connections and a witnesses a murder. She sets out to solve the crime. The author does a very good job with the speakeasy background. One of my favorite parts was all the fun drinks. The characters are a lot fun and she also introduces many historical figures. I did feel that the mystery was slow and rather weak. It takes a long time for the murder to occur and there are not many clues or suspects. The crime gets solved rather quickly at the end. The writing is good and the book is easy read. I do look for word to visiting The Third Door again and reading the next book in the series. Enjoy
MURDER KNOCKS TWICE by Susanna Calkins
The First Speakeasy Mystery
Times are tough in 1929 Chicago. With her father unable to work, Gina Ricci takes a job as a cigarette girl at a speakeasy called The Third Door. Gina needs the money and is determined to prove she’s no rube and that she’s tough enough to handle anything thrown at her. While taking a break she hears a noise, only to discover the speakeasy’s photographer has been attacked. With his dying breath he gives her his camera telling her to hide it. Scared, Gina keeps quiet, but resolves to find out what Marty wanted her to hide and why. As she slowly starts to uncover the many secrets hidden by The Third Door Gina discovers that life is about to get a lot more dangerous.
MURDER KNOCKS TWICE starts slowly with the author throwing in lots of slag from the era making the dialogue sound a bit trite. The story, however, is compelling and the characters interesting. I found the narrative more and more compelling as I read on and by the end I was completely enamoured by it.
Gina Ricci is a likeable gum chewing protagonist who can take care of herself. When she finds herself out of her depths, she takes steps to rectify the situation. In this first Speakeasy Mystery she learns about her past, her family, and makes steps to ensure her own future.
MURDER KNOCKS TWICE is a keen historical mystery that brings the prohibition era to life. I enjoyed my immersion into the glamour, desperation, and mob influence of the times and I look forward to going back. I believe Billy Bottles has a Mary Pickford with my name on it!
FTC Disclosure – The publisher sent me a copy of this book in the hopes I would review it.
I loved the historical aspect of this murder mystery (Chicago in the 1920s). Page-turning without too much gore. Great for bed-time reading. Best of all, a tiny romantic thread to keep me guessing will they/won’t they get together. Started a little choppy, but finished strong.
Gina Ricci is thrilled when she lands a job at The Third Door, one of many speakeasies in 1929 Chicago. Her friend, Lulu, already works there, and she has promised the tips are good. Since Gina needs to support herself and her sick father, the promised money is very welcome, and the glitch, glamour, and possibility of meeting some celebrities captivates Gina. As Gina settles into her new job, she starts to hear that her predecessor was murdered, but no one seems willing to talk about it. Besides, it happened away from The Third Door, so surely the murder was unrelated to the job Gina has now, right? Gina has just convinced herself of that when she witnesses a murder. Is she safe in her new job? Can she figure out what is really happening?
Since I love history, especially US history, I’m always looking for promising sounding new historical mysteries to add to my to be read list. This one does a great job of bringing the era and location to life as we get plenty of discussions about life during the time, including celebrities of the day. However, this detail took away from the mystery. The murder I teased takes place a third of the way into the book, and that does make the plot move forward a little faster, but still, we could have used some more clues and red herrings. The climax does explain everything, but it feels very rushed. The characters are a little thin as well, although I did feel we got to know Gina and a couple others well. In you are interested in the time or location, I definitely recommend you pick up the book. Hopefully, with some things now established, the next in the series will be stronger.
Murder Knocks Twice is a new series by Susanna Calkin that takes place in 1929 Chicago during prohibition. We see Gina Ricci, the main character, start a new job as a cigarette girl in a speakeasy, replacing a girl who was murdered.
We meet a myriad of characters that work at the speakeasy, The Third Door owned by Signora Castallazzo, the customers, ie socialites finding some fun, ex-servicemen playing poker in a back room. Prohibition cocktails and mentions of gangsters such as Al Capone and there is also a mention of the St.Valentine’s Day Massacre and the rise of organized crime.
I have not read much about 1929 Chicago other than the stock market crash. What does a cigarette girl do, she wears this box around her neck and goes around the speakeasy selling cigarettes and cigars, she also waits tables as needed. That is what Gina started doing but she also wants to be a photographer. The piano player, Marty is murdered and Gina comes upon the scene just as Marty is dying. Gina had learned that she and Marty were cousins on her mother’s side so this murder was personal.
Gina finds herself right smack dab in the middle of trying to figure out who and why Marty was murdered. With a camera and a roll of film, that she learns how to develop, may give her answers. Will she find out what she is looking for? She does learn more about her mother’s family and I see this as a big part of the series. Who her mother’s family are and why were they estranged?
I enjoyed reading this book, not fast-paced but easy enough to read. I see this as a fun series that I would continue reading. If you love a good historical mystery that takes place during Prohibition, then this is the series for you.
Murder Knocks Twice is the first book in the A Speakeasy Murder series.
It’s January 1929 and Gina Ricci has been looking for a job and jobs are mighty scarce in Chicago. Gina’s father has repaired electrical appliances and radios, but with his failing health and not be able to work, Gina needs to find a job to pay the rent and put food on the table for them. One day, Gina is shopping at the grocery store, she runs into Lulu, a friend who she hasn’t seen in years. Lulu who works at The Third Door, a speakeasy tells Gina that the speakeasy is looking for a cigarette girl and that she should go and apply for the job. Gina meets with the owner, Signora Castallazzo and quickly finds herself the newest cigarette girl at The Third Door.
For the most part, she enjoys the job and is quite impressed with clientele that frequent the speakeasy, the ex-servicemen who play poker in the backroom. But she wishes that the club’s jazz pianist Ned, ease up on being so friendly towards her and also wishes the club’s photographer, Marty Doyle, would be a little more of a conversationalist. She is also impressed how easily the speakeasy can be converted into a reputable business very quickly and it’s patrons to safety in case they would be raided. A lot of the talk among her fellow workers is the way the previous girl met her demise.
Then one evening Gina is in the alley behind the speakeasy when she hears a disturbance. As she follows the moaning she comes across the brutally beaten body of Marty Doyle. As she bends down to talk to him, he reaches inside his coat and hands her his camera and his dying words were: keep this safe and trust no one.
She believes there must be something incriminating on the roll of film that is in the camera. But how will she get the film developed and can she get it done before someone finds out that she had Marty’s camera.
I really enjoyed this new historical series. It is a well-plotted and told story that moves at a fairly quick pace. There is a well-developed cast of believable characters and I’m really interested in where the series will be going.
Roaring Twenties Cozy Mystery
Life was much different during the Prohibition era of the 1920’s. However, murder remains the same! This is a grand peek inside life during the 1920s, especially inside the life of a twenty-something young girl. This is a great and twisted murder mystery with Chicago gangs, speak-easy joints, crooked cops, Women’s Temperance groups and all that the1920s had to offer – good and bad! I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.
historical-fiction, historical-places-events, historical-research, mystery, Chicago
Prohibition, Al Capone, Babe Ruth, Hull House, the very rich and the walking dead returned from The Great War, it’s the 1920s in Chicago. A young woman gets a job as a cigarette girl to support herself and her father but understands little when she starts, only to learn far more than she ever wanted before long.
Well researched and crafted to make you feel like you are there, and the characters are engaging and interesting. I really enjoyed reading it!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from St Martin’s Press via NetGalley. Thank you!
Calkins deftly captures the language and atmosphere of Prohibition-era Chicago in all its glory and terror in the first book in her new series. She takes readers on a riotous ride through swinging speakeasies and dark, dank alleys, as her vibrant heroine stumbles onto a murder and a whole lot of trouble. Peppered with memorable characters and rich historical details, Murder Knocks Twice is sure to have readers asking for another round.