61e162VjmmL._SL500_Synopsis: “There is a certain hour, in the dead of night, when the orchid’s scent can put you under a spell… Nancy Bilyeau, author of The Blue, returns with a tantalizing novel about one woman caught up in a secret nightclub that one can only reach through a certain florist on a cobblestone street. New York City, 1923. Zia De Luca’s life is about to be shattered. Having lost her husband to The Great War, she lives with her son and in-laws in Little Italy and works at the public library. But when a quiet poetry lover is murdered outside the library, the police investigation focuses on Zia. After a second tragedy strikes even closer to home, Zia learns that both crimes are connected to a new speakeasy in Greenwich Village called The Orchid Hour. When the police investigation stalls, Zia decides to find her own answers. A cousin with whom she has a special bond serves as a guide to the shadow realm of The Orchid Hour, a world filled with enticements Zia has shunned up to now. She must contend with a group of players determined to find wealth and power in New York on their own terms. In this heady atmosphere, Zia begins to wonder if she too could rewrite her life’s rules. As she’s pulled in deeper and deeper, will Zia be able to bring the killers to justice before they learn her secret?”

My Review

I loved everything about this audiobook, the setting, the characters, the plot the narration and of course that gorgeous cover!

The story was told from three different characters points of view, Zia the main character, plus Frank and Lewis two side characters. I loved Zia and empathised with her as she struggled to find out why the man was murdered outside the public library where she worked. I held my breath as she made important decisions that could endanger herself and those close to her, but also rooted for her and as she got closer to the truth.

This story instantly transported me to New York in the 1920s, it had me Googling areas of the city,  nightclubs and infamous characters from the age, wanting to find out more.

Quinn Kitmitto a new-to-me narrator was superb. Her voice talents amazed me, as she moved flawlessly between the different accents, genders and age groups. I will definitely be looking out for more audiobooks narrated by her in the future.

Highly recommended on audio if you enjoy historial mysteries set in the 1920s.