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Monday, December 16, 2019

The Wicked Redhead by Beatriz Williams



The Wicked Redhead by Beatriz Williams
Published by William Morrow ISBN 9780062660312
Hardcover, $26.99, 406 pages
When we last left Gin Kelly, she had just had a harrowing encounter with her violent stepfather and his gang of Prohibition-violating criminals that left Billy Marshall, the man who loved her, badly beaten in Beatriz Williams' second Wicked City series novel, The Wicked City.

The third novel of the Wicked City series, The Wicked Redhead, picks up in 1924 in the aftermath of the violent event. Gin and Billy's brother Anson, a Prohibition agent who is Gin's lover, have escaped to Cocoa Beach, Florida with Gin's young sister Pasty. They are staying with Anson's friends Simon and Virginia to recuperate.

Although Anson wants to provide a safe life for Gin and Patsy, he is drawn to helping the feds fight the scourge of pirates who are attacking the illegal rum runners, as well as the unlawful liquor distributors filling the waters off the east coast.

Gin is angry that Anson would undertake such a dangerous mission. When Anson and Billy's indominable mother comes to Cocoa Beach, she wants to bring Gin back to Long Island to help her son Billy's recovery. She offers Gin a quid pro quo- if Gin comes backs to New York to help Billy, she will give Gin some information about her family that could change her life.

The scenes between Gin and Mrs. Marshall are the strongest of the book. These two characters are tough, strong ladies. Mrs. Marshall may not be sympathetic, but she loves her seriously injured son and will do anything to help him. As the mother of sons, I understand that.

In 1998, Ella's story also picks up where we left her in The Wicked City. Ella has left her cheating husband and moved into a small apartment where Gin used to live. Ella finds racy vintage photographs of Gin, and wants to know more about this redheaded woman who also has a connection to her great-aunt Julie.

Once again, there is a violent confrontation involving Anson and Gin at the end of their story. There are also a few explicit sex scenes early on in the book, and Williams knows how to raise the pulse of her readers. Williams' leaves readers with more to tell in Gin and Ella's stories, so I'm sure we will see these ladies again in another book.

I enjoy Williams' style of writing, and I found one particular passage enlightening. Gin thinks-
"That's the trouble, isn't it? You never can see yourself from the perspective of someone else. You never do know how you look."
For those who read the Schuyler Sisters novels by Williams, you'll be happy to know that they play a part in this series as well. And I loved that the law firm of Willig, Williams & White is mentioned, a nod to Williams' writing partners authors Lauren Willig and Karen White, whose latest book, All the Ways We Said Goodbye publishes in January.

Fans of Beatriz Williams will enjoy The Wicked Redhead, but I do suggest that you read The Wicked City first in order to fully appreciate the new novel.
Beatriz Williams' website is here.
My review of The Wicked City is here.


Thanks to TLC Tours for putting me on Beatriz Williams' tour. The rest of her stops are here:

Instagram Features

Tuesday, December 10th: Instagram: @owlslittlelibrary
Tuesday, December 10th: Instagram: @jessicamap
Wednesday, December 11th: Instagram: @book.hang.o.ver
Thursday, December 12th: Instagram: @girlwithnoselfie
Friday, December 13th: Instagram: @downtogetthefictionon
Saturday, December 14th: Instagram: @lavieestbooks
Sunday, December 15th: Instagram: @wherethereadergrows
Monday, December 16th: Instagram: @tarheelreader
Tuesday, December 17th: Instagram: @bookishblissandbeauty
Wednesday, December 18th: Instagram: @thephdivabooks

Review Stops

Tuesday, December 10th: The Pages In-Between
Wednesday, December 11th: Jessicamap Reviews
Thursday, December 12th: Instagram: @lauralovestoread
Friday, December 13th: Reading Reality
Friday, December 13th: View from the Birdhouse
Sunday, December 15th: Girl Who Reads
Monday, December 16th: bookchickdi
Tuesday, December 17th: Broken Teepee
Wednesday, December 18th: The Reading Corner For All
Thursday, December 19th: A Chick Who Reads
Monday, December 23rd: Always With a Book
Monday, December 30th: Instagram: @babygotbooks13
Tuesday, December 31st: Instagram: @libraryinprogress
Thursday, January 2nd: Instagram: @kraysbookclub
Friday, January 3rd: Iwriteinbooks’s blog
Monday, January 6th: Instagram: @shereadswithcats


2 comments:

  1. I always like it when people/things from previous books make an appearance in future books, it's like a visit from an old friend. Thank you for being on this tour! Sara @ TLC Book Tours

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love her writing! Had to laugh at the law firm name.

    ReplyDelete