2.5-3 out of 5
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC
Like others, I read book #2 without having read book #1 - touted as perfect for fans of Deanna Raybourn, who I really like, but this book let me down.
I didn't like the protagonist - I realize she's trying to shed years of being a spoiled rich girl, but it just didn't convince me. The friends to lovers + second chance tropes were really transparent, and while I understand that most women expected to marry in the 20s, I thought that the romance part was really forced.
While all the loose ends got tied up at the end, I thought that it was a bit deus ex machina, and felt that the narrative would have benefited from some streamlining. I think, as well, that the author is using a dump of 'popular ideas' of what the 20s were really like to the extent that a lot of the set pieces seem like they were just imported from diCaprio's Gatsby..
Fine for anyone who just wants to read another period piece, but I won't go out looking for the next instalment. YMMV.

Another delightful mystery set in 1920s Philadelphia! Philadelphia tends to be ignored as a setting, so it's fun reading about places I have been to regularly. This is an enjoyable mystery, while Edie and Gilbert's relationship continues to be surprisingly smoking hot. Can't wait for the next one!

Philadelphia, 1921. Edie Shippen has officially started her new career as a private investigator…even though she has yet to book a client. When she runs into an old friend, the film actress Ava Sylvester, Edie is delighted at the chance to rekindle their relationship. But when Ava’s co-star and new husband, Duncan, dies suddenly, all signs point to Ava. Edie’s first official case begins in earnest, desperately trying to clear her friend’s name.

Gilbert Lawless has carved out a peaceful existence as a coroner’s assistant. The last thing he wants is to jeopardize his position by involving himself with Edie Shippen. But when the body count racks up, Gilbert finds himself drawn into Edie’s investigation on the set of Philadelphia’s most famous film studio, where everyone seems to have something to hide.

As the cameras roll, Edie and Gilbert race to catch a poisoner before one of them ends up being the next body in the morgue.

With a glittering Roaring Twenties backdrop, Jenny Adams sets the stage for the second charming book in the series for fans of Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries and Dead Dead Girls.
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Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

Jenny Adams’ A Poisonous Silence is a fizzy cocktail of Jazz Age glamour and slow-burning dread, shaken with a twist of poison and served in a coupe glass rimmed with secrets.

Set in 1921 Philadelphia, the novel follows Edie Shippen, a whip-smart private investigator with a socialite’s pedigree and a reformer’s heart. When her old friend Ava Sylvester—now a rising film star—becomes the prime suspect in her husband’s on-set poisoning, Edie’s first official case turns personal. What begins as a favor to a friend quickly spirals into a labyrinth of studio politics, gangland grudges, and buried betrayals.

Adams excels at atmosphere. The film studio is a character in itself—equal parts dream factory and snake pit—where every spotlight casts a shadow and every actor wears more than one mask. The prose is crisp and evocative, with just enough period detail to transport without overwhelming. Think Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries meets The Thin Man, but with a sharper feminist edge.

What truly elevates the novel is the dynamic between Edie and Gilbert Lawless, a coroner’s assistant with a haunted past and a reluctant hero’s heart. Their chemistry crackles, not just romantically but intellectually, as they navigate a case that’s as much about identity and reinvention as it is about murder.

A Poisonous Silence is the second in the Deadly Twenties series, but it stands confidently on its own. It’s a mystery that respects its readers’ intelligence, a historical novel that doesn’t romanticize the past, and a character study that lingers long after the final page.

If you’re drawn to mysteries where the stakes are personal, the setting is sumptuous, and the silence is anything but empty—this one’s worth the listen, the read, or both.

Adams is such a smart voice in mystery! I love Edie so much, and appreciate her growth and development in this book!

Jenny Adams returns to 1921 Philadelphia in A Poisonous Silence. Edie Shippen starts her career as a private detective without clients and her former associate in danger Dr. Gilbert has just finished diagnosing a cyanide poisoning death. Edie gets her first case to defend her friend the star Ava from being arrested for the murder of her husband and fellow fellow film star. Then the cyanide poisonings fall across a Philadelphia mobster's associates. The two worlds collide in the person of Dr. Gilbert who is from the world where the mobsters rule in Philadelphia. Great story with underpinnings of poison and witchcraft.

1921 Philadelphia and Edie Shippen is trying to establish herself as a private investigator. She hasn’t got a single client but when an actress is poisoned, Edie along with Lizzie is on the case. When her friend Ava appeals to her, to help her as she is thought of as a murder suspect, Edie puts caution to the side. Along with her friend and a romantic interest, Gilbert Lawless from the coroners office, Edie and Gilbert have to tread carefully. Apart from the body count increasing, Gilbert finds that he is bringing the wrath of the mob on his family and they will stop at nothing to protect their own.

The setting of the theatre with its own double standards where women were concerned, what was considered proper for society women like Edie and the chasm that separates Edie and Gilbert who was just a ordinary middle class guy. Characterization was spot on, there were plenty of blind ends to follow, Prohibition added to the story.

Adams' writing and plotting has really bloomed and I may have enjoyed this more than the first, which I liked a lot. It was fun to be back in Edie and Gil's world.

A solid second installment in The Deadly Twenties series! Book 2 finds Edie setting up shop as a private investigator. The enterprise is on wobby legs until she finds herself pulled into a murder investigation that takes her onto a film set shooting outside Philly and reunites her with an old friend from California.

The theme for this second is MORE. More twists, more players, and more romance (yes, please!) I loved that Adams continues to incorporate LGBTQ+ rep and details that communicate BIPOC communities exist in 1920s Philly. While I usually don't like the mystery device of the explainer near the end that connects all the dots, in this one, it was incredibly helpful.

Can't wait for Edie and Gil's next adventure.

Gangsters, movie stars and murder collide in Jenny Adams’ A Poisonous Silence, set in the Roaring ’20s.

In Prohibition-era Philadelphia, private detective Edie Shippen lands her first client when a concerned neighbor hires her to investigate the death of a low-level gangster. While Edie tries to figure out who would poison the man, she runs into an old friend, actress Ava Sylvester. Ava invites Edie to the set of her new movie, where the women witness Ava’s co-star and new husband, Duncan Carroll, die of an apparent poisoning. Police suspect Ava of murdering Duncan, leading Edie to take on that case, too.

Meanwhile, coroner’s assistant Gilbert Lawless is busy: A third man has died after ingesting cyanide, and his team is working to figure out if the cases are related and who’s to blame. Gilbert’s and Edie’s paths cross, and the pair (who met in the series’ first installment, A Deadly Endeavor) agree to help each other investigate. They must navigate feuding gangs, behind-the-scenes movie drama and complex feelings for each other—before the poisoner strikes again.

A Poisonous Silence transports readers to the ’20s, when booze was banned and gangsters controlled neighborhoods through violence and loyalty. Both Edie and Gill recognize their strong attraction, but their romance is anything but assured. Together, they are the heart of the novel—their slow-burn romantic relationship will keep readers engaged throughout the story, and their individual journeys mirror each other. While Edie endures debilitating migraines, Gil battles shell shock, now known as post-traumatic stress disorder, from his service during World War I. And while Edie faces discrimination as a working woman, Gil endures prejudice because of his Irish heritage. A Poisonous Silence can be read as a standalone novel; however, readers will appreciate Gil and Edie’s growth more for having read the first installment in the Deadly Twenties series. (Also, A Poisonous Silence contains spoilers for the mystery of A Deadly Endeavor.)

Adams has created a vivid and exciting world in A Poisonous Silence, a compelling mystery where secrets, romance and poison are commonplace.

I think the mark of a good writer is often seen in book two of a series. In book one, the author has put in everything – every twinkly, sparkly element they’ve had in mind forever. When it works, it’s magical. Jenny Adams’ debut, A Deadly Endeavor, was just such a beginning. Excellent, rich, main characters, interesting setting, and good storyline. In this book, the second in her series, she proves her chops, with a more focused plot line and continuing the development of her main characters, who are estranged as the book opens.

The story follows Philadelphia socialite Edie Shippen, and a war veteran/doctor suffering from what we would now recognize as PTSD, Dr. Gilbert Lawless. Gil has recently given up a dependence on morphine and taken up boxing to still the demons he wrestles with. It’s 1921, and he served in WWI. Gil is also the widowed father of a young daughter, who lives with his parents.

The hook: Edie has set up shop – after her shenanigans in the first book – as a private detective, thinking she will be handling lost dogs or missing jewellery. Instead, a woman appears at her door looking for justice regarding the poisoning death of her neighbor. She’s sure the wife is guilty of the crime. Coincidentally, this is the same death Gil was called in on to investigate in his job as coroner. While Edie isn’t quite sure she’s up to a murder, she sets out to solve it anyway. When another death occurs, and the two men appear to be linked through the mob bosses they worked for, the murders begin to draw unwelcome attention from the bosses.

It’s the third death that’s a puzzle. Edie had been at a party with Gil when her long time friend Ava, an actress, announces her marriage to her leading man. She invites Edie to watch the filming of her movie – Romeo and Juliet – when the leading man is struck down during filming, an apparent poisoning.

These are the crimes that kick off the story, and the threads that draw Gil and Edie back together. Gil is holding himself somewhat aloof from Edie, thinking to himself he can romance a “fine” girl at his work, but the attraction between Edie and Gil is a powerful one, and this novel certainly has elements of romance throughout. With her lively story telling style and romantic elements, Adams reminds me very much of Ashley Weaver, whose Amory Ames series wrapped up in 2020. If you’re a fan of that series, check out these books.

As Gil and Edie get closer to a solution the threads of their lives converge. Edie’s history with Ava, and her employment of Gil’s sister as her assistant, come to the fore, as does Gil’s history with the neighborhood “boss,” Tommy, who makes no bones about wanting to know how his man was struck down. I thought the solution was pretty ingenious. What stays with me about this series, though, are the main characters of Edie and Gil, who are human and relatable with all their flaws and virtues. Adams also has a knack for pacing, which is not as common as you might think.

This series looks to be settling in for a long run, and I very much look forward to seeing what Edie and Gil get up to in the next book.

Prohibition is a bit of a different setting for a murder mystery series.. The era allows the opportunity to includes things like gangsters and clubs with illegal activities. I also liked that Edie's partner in solving the mysteries wasn't a detective for a change. This is book 2 and I didn't realise this and hadn't read Book 1 but didn't feel this hindered my enjoyment of this one. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I was not aware this was the second book in a series but I enjoyed it very well as a stand alone.

It is set in 1921 in Philadelphia in the prohibition era. The main character, Edie Shippen, is a financially independent young lady who works as a P.I.,- not to make money as she has plenty, but to help people in trouble. Gilbert Lawless is a coroner's assistant with rather too many personal issues who ends up helping Edie in her work.

In this story a film star is murdered on set and Edie's friend, Ava Sylvester, is the chief suspect. Edie and Gil work together to find out who is really responsible. There is a lot of attraction between the two but Gil is one of those heroes who thinks too much about right and wrong and keeps causing difficulties in their relationship.

Prohibition is a great setting for murders and mystery, with gangsters, clubs with illegal activities and an inefficient police force. I thought the use of a coroner's assistant rather than a detective as Edie's partner was original and it worked well. The characters were good, the mystery interesting and there were plenty of red herrings to keep this reader occupied. Four stars.

A complicated mystery in which Edie Shippen tries to solve a series of poisonings. Gangsters and the brand-new movie industry also make appearances. Edie works closely with Gil, a coroner from an Irish immigrant family well below Edie's social status. The details of life in 1920s Philadelphia are fascinating, and the author does a good job developing the characters (Edie is more mature in her actions) and their relationships. "A Poisonous Silence" is the second in a series, and it may be difficult for a new reader to understand all of the relationships and characters' back stories. Somewhere between 3 and 4 stars so rounding up. Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the eARC.

It's 1921 and someone in Philadelphia is using cyanide to kill. Edie, our intrepid PI without a client is determined to find out who and why and she does it with an initially reluctant Gil. This second in the series should be fine as a standalone but even those who read the first book might appreciate a bit of a recap as this does build on it. Edie's old pal Ava is in town to make a movie but that movie is dangerous. And then the villain threatens Gil and Edie. I'm a fan of Gil, a WWI vet with PTSD and a small daughter to raise. These two make a good team and they give good banter. No spoilers from me on the mystery. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. Looking forward to the next one.

I loved Jenny Adams's debut and had high expectations for her sophomore novel, and it did not disappoint! Adams is so deft at weaving historical detail and romantic tension together without sacrificing pacing to create a completely engaging story. Edie and Gil have my whole heart and I hope we get so many more stories with them!

Private investigator Edie takes on her first case when a film actress’s husband is murdered, all signs pointing to her friend. As the body count rises, she and a reluctant coroner’s assistant must solve the mystery before they become the next victims.

This is a fun and entertaining cozy mystery with a romantic subplot. While it can be read as a standalone, it would be better to read the series in order. The humor and character relationships add dimension to the mystery plot.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

This sophomore effort in an historical mystery series was every bit as good as its predecessor...probably a little better as we already had the background set up, and I felt more invested in the characters and plotline.

This one centers around the 1920s film industry and features poison as the weapon of choice. Both the mains, Edie and Gil, are seen to be striving to overcome some issues in their lives, and I must say it's a bit refreshing to watch characters who have roadblocks in their lives reaching to heal/care for themselves.

We continue to see Edie in her quest to become a "modern" woman as she begins her private investigator endeavor, and Gil is a revelation as a man beset by past demons who is striving to become both a better caregiver/assistant coroner. Both are compelling in their own ways, but together they are a solid, intelligent team.

There's some humor and obviously some suspense, and even though I had figured out the villain from the cast of suspects, I didn't feel let down or have a "I told you so" moment. Rather I just enjoyed the ride to its conclusion.

I'm excited to see where this series leads and look forward to future Edie and Gil adventures.

My sincere thanks to the author, NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing the free early arc of A Poisonous Silence for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

2.5 Stars rounded up.

This book was like someone poured me a giant shake of things I'm not going to like. You know - take some of this, add some of that, throw in some of this, shake it up, and pour. Too many bits and pieces that have nothing to do with the mystery are added to this book. Yes, it did have a twist at the end; I liked that part, but this is common with these sorts of mysteries.

It could have been great as a mystery minus all the side stories, although they did finally blend somewhat. I mean, we deal with PTSD, Drugs, Mafia, migraines, mild lesbianism, love, a whole slew of main characters and secondary/tertiary characters, and many other things besides several people being killed by poisoning. Cyanide specifically.

Perhaps it would have helped me like this book more had I read the first in this series, but if this book is anything to go by, I think not. I found it to be a tedious read, with nothing in it to make me like the characters or to even lose myself in the time period.

Others have liked this book, so I would suggest you take my opinion for what it's worth and go by your instincts.

*ARC provided by the publisher, Crooked Lane Books, the author, and NetGalley.

A mystery that keeps you on your toes. Just when you think you figured out the culprit, another twist happens to throw you off kilter. It was such fun to read, even when things got a little grisly. Definitely a winner!!

Thanks to NetGalley for this arc, which I voluntarily reviewed.