Westside Saints: A Novel

by W. M. Akers Narrated by Bailey Carr

Overview

Return to a twisted version of Jazz Age New York in this follow up to the critically acclaimed fantasy Westside, as relentless sleuth Gilda Carr's pursuit of tiny mysteries drags her into a case that will rewrite everything she knows about her past.

Six months ago, the ruined Westside of Manhattan erupted into civil war, and private detective Gilda Carr nearly died to save her city. In 1922, winter has hit hard, and the desolate Lower West is frozen solid. Like the other lost souls who wander these overgrown streets, Gilda is weary, cold, and desperate for hope. She finds a mystery instead.

Hired by a family of eccentric street preachers to recover a lost saint's finger, Gilda is tempted by their promise of “electric resurrection,” when the Westside's countless dead will return to life. To a detective this cynical, faith is a weakness, and she is fighting the urge to believe in miracles when her long dead mother, Mary Fall, walks through the parlor door.

Stricken with amnesia, Mary remembers nothing of her daughter or her death, but that doesn't stop her from being as infuriatingly pushy as Gilda herself. As her mother threatens to drive her insane, Gilda keeps their relationship a secret so that they can work together to investigate what brought Mary back to life. The search will force Gilda to reckon with the nature of death, family, and the uncomfortable fact that her mother was not just a saint, but a human being.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

04/20/2020

A missing finger sparks a sprawling investigation in Akers’s dark, gritty second supernatural mystery set in an alternate 1920s (after Westside). Manhattan is cut in half by a wall, separating the hellish Westside from the idyllic East. Westside private investigator Gilda Carr only solves “tiny mysteries,” such as locating small objects that have gone missing. The eclectic Byrd family—the leaders of the Electric Church who believe that the door between death and life will open and their patriarch, Bully Byrd, will be resurrected—hire Gilda to locate a holy relic, the finger of Róisin of Lismore, after it disappears. But when the church’s prophecy comes true, Bully’s not the only dead to return; so does Gilda’s late mother, Mary. She claims amnesia and hires Gilda to help her find a lost ring, hoping for a clue to her identity. As Gilda’s dual investigations lead her to delve deeper into the Byrd family, she untangles a web of secrets, lies, and time travel. The harsh realities of Westside Manhattan is richly imagined and the diverse cast is expertly shaded. New readers won’t want to start with this one, but series fans will be gratified by this excellent outing. Agent: Sharon Pelletier, Dystel, Goderich & Bourret. (May)

From the Publisher

Richly imagined.” — Publishers Weekly on Westside Saints

"A masterpiece." — Library Journal

“Superb . . . his research is excellent . . . his prose sharply crystalline.” — New York Times Book Review on Westside

“The Alienist meets The City & The City in this brilliant debut that mixes fantasy and mystery. Gilda Carr’s ‘tiny mysteries’ pack a giant punch.” —  David Morrell, New York Times bestselling author of Murder as a Fine Art, on Westside

“A fascinating, delightfully twisty mystery. Westside crosses prohibition-era New York with the dark strangeness of Neverwhere. Fierce young detective Gilda Carr makes you believe that small mysteries hold the answers to everything.” — Erika Swyler, bestselling author of The Book of Speculation and Light from Other Stars, on Westside

“Full of action and colorful characters, this genre mash-up is expertly done and will be enjoyed by fans of mysteries and fantasy alike.” — Booklist (starred review) on Westside

Booklist (starred review) on Westside

Full of action and colorful characters, this genre mash-up is expertly done and will be enjoyed by fans of mysteries and fantasy alike.

David Morrell

The Alienist meets The City & The City in this brilliant debut that mixes fantasy and mystery. Gilda Carr’s ‘tiny mysteries’ pack a giant punch.

Erika Swyler

A fascinating, delightfully twisty mystery. Westside crosses prohibition-era New York with the dark strangeness of Neverwhere. Fierce young detective Gilda Carr makes you believe that small mysteries hold the answers to everything.

New York Times Book Review on Westside

Superb . . . his research is excellent . . . his prose sharply crystalline.

null Booklist (starred review) on Westside

Full of action and colorful characters, this genre mash-up is expertly done and will be enjoyed by fans of mysteries and fantasy alike.

null New York Times Book Review on Westside

Superb . . . his research is excellent . . . his prose sharply crystalline.

 David Morrell

The Alienist meets The City & The City in this brilliant debut that mixes fantasy and mystery. Gilda Carr’s ‘tiny mysteries’ pack a giant punch.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940172629310
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	05/05/2020
Series:	Gilda Carr Tiny Mystery Series , #2
Edition description:	Unabridged

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