Get ready to step into the grittiness of London and the glam (and gangs) of Soho clubs during the period between the World Wars.
Our cast of characters includes:
- Nellie Coker who is newly released from prison and back to managing her infamous nightclubs.
- Chief Inspector Frobisher who’s cleaning up corruption on the streets and in his own force.
- Gwendolyn Kelling who’s in London from York and looking for two runaway girls who are hoping to make their fame on the stage–and are likely to end up at one of Coker’s clubs as a dance hostess.
- Nellie’s children: Niven (the eldest and most put together), Edith (the brains of the operation), the twins Betty and Shirley, the youngest girl Kitty, and the youngest boy Ramsey (coke addict and aspiring novelist).
It’s an all-star cast. They are each great in their own way and their lives are woven together like a braid. The storytelling is amazing and I cheered for each of them. The basic rivalry is between the Cokers and Frobisher, with Miss Kelling caught in the middle. But actually they all face another nemesis and that’s what lets readers cheer for them all.
The dialogue is wonderful. The quality of word choice is top notch. The quick wits and pacing of the novel is superb. I can’t say enough. I loved this book.
Shrines of Gaiety by Kate Atkinson is available from Penguin Random House.