The Orchid Hour reeks, but in the best possible way. It reeks with the smell of lasagna in Little Italy, the smell of cheap gin in a 1920s speakeasy, and most importantly and most delicately with the scent of orchids at midnight. It reeks of sleazy dodges, flimsy aliases, and multiple murders.
The Orchid Hour masquerades as a murder mystery, and it’s satisfying at that level, but underneath that layer, there’s another that’s a love story, and when all those layers are peeled away, it’s a coming-of-age story.
But our hero isn’t a child, not even a teen-ager. She's an Italian-American widow and mother who’s nearly thirty, in a time (not so long ago) when a woman was supposed to have no desires of her own, but only the family’s. When a girl had no girlhood, and a woman was defined only by her place in the family.
That’s where we find Zia de Luca at the opening of the novel, working at her day job at the library, her hair done up in a bun, wearing sensible shoes, going home to do the books for her father-in-law’s cheese shop and looking after her eight-year-old son.
But the first murder puts paid to that, and the second murder sets Zia on the path of vengeance, a path to New York’s nascent criminal under-world, and a path to self-discovery and self-transformation. To a time which will only last as long as the vagrant scent of the orchid, but a time which will change her life forever.
Told not only through Zia’s eyes, but that of the NYPD officer who tries his best to help her and a gangster who sees murder as a simple career opportunity, this novel encompasses New York, 1923 in all its glory and grime, from City Hall to Little Italy, from Greenwich Village to the Great White Way. Thanks to Bilyeau’s masterful hand, we step out into the wilds of New York with Zia. Maybe we’ll find love. Maybe we’ll find ourselves, by being taken out of ourselves.
This is Nancy Bilyeau’s eighth book, her best by far, and she’d already set a high bar. What are you waiting for? Pick it up now.

Thank you for this advanced copy which was a great read, I had trouble putting this down! I liked the way it was written and it made for an easy read. I would definitely recommend and look forward to reading another book by this author! A stunner! I guarantee you’ll put everything on hold until you arrive at the shocking final scenes! With a deftly drawn cast of characters, an intriguing plot and an immersive and compelling narrative, this is a one sit compulsive read.

I needed this book as a New Yorker in this post-pandemic world because NYC was, and always will be, heaven on earth. Five out of five stars, as a NYC, murder mystery, and historical fiction lover. From a New Yorker’s perspective, this book is spot on when describing New York City and its famous neighborhoods, love that! The roaring jazz age of the 20’s feels like a fresh timeline when reading historical fiction. I fell in love with the main character Audenzia, right from the start. And I love libraries! So these four things made the book unputdownable for me! It was a slow burn for the first 3 chapters, and by chapter four, the tension was fast-building. My heart was in my throat as the danger got worse, but the book made me smile too, as the Italian accents were perfect. It made the story suspenseful and fun at the same time. I didn’t know what it was like to live in NYC in the 20’s, so I learned a bit as well. The danger and racism at that time was captivating to read about. Watkin’s and Audenzia’s friendship was a joy (and sad) to see develop. The book really pulled together all the many, many details about this murder mystery at the end, it left me very sad when the book was finished, not because of the ending (which was awesome!) but because I wanted the story to go on and on. For me, it was a perfect historical mystery with excellent character development. Thanks to Lume Books and NetGalley for this ARC. I volunteered to read it and give my honest opinions. #TheOrchidHour #NetGalley

This is the kind of book you can take the beach or a weekend getaway and escape into the story. Set in New York during the 20's lovers' of historical fiction will enjoy the rich detail about that time period and place. The first part of the book is a bit slow but don't let that turn you off this is a page-turner. They mystrey elements are well done and kept me guessing. If you like a book where the lead character evolves with the story you will enjoy this book.

This is a story of gangsters set in the jazz age of New York. Zia goes from being a librarian to working at the Orchid Hour, a nightclub, and undergoes a personal transformation that is well described. I cannot reveal any details of the plot because that would spoil the novel, but I really enjoyed the book and would recommend it highly.

A good, interesting and captivating novel. I enjoyed reading about New York in the 1920s, loved the Orchid history, and I liked the main character's personality a lot! I obviously learned a lot about orchids, the Mafia and about life and their social status as an immigrant in America.
I did find the first 20% of the novel a bit slow, but still I could not stop reading! A great read from a great writer! I recommend all her novels!
I received a complimentary ARC of this novel from NetGalley and I am leaving voluntarily an honest.

loved the blend of historical elements and the mystery elements, it had a great concept and I loved the use of the Roaring Twenties. It had a great mystery that I was looking forward to solve, the characters were unique and worked well. Nancy Bilyeau has a great style for this type of book and it worked well.

"Rosalia could no longer contain herself and shouted, nearly as loud as her husband, “They don’t scare me so bad. You’re just saying that! Let Sal sit down. He just walked in the door.” His face beet red, Antonio roared, “I wish he’d just walk out the door.”