Reviews

Murder Knocks Twice by Susanna Calkins

aelunny's review

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

3.5

kimberly28's review

2.25

Easy to read, completely mediocre. The main character does little, and the culprits just kind of confess at the end for no reason. Passed the time.

kayleeshaine's review

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Part of the mystery involves questions about Gina’s family, which added a layer that I really enjoyed! 

carter13's review

adventurous funny mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

sugarbear's review

4.0

I was hesitant to read this because historic themes aren't normally in my wheelhouse; however, this story was an absolute delight!

abookishaffair's review

4.0

3.5 stars. "Murder Knocks Twice" is a story that takes place in Prohibition Era Chicago. Our heroine Gina gets a job at a speakeasy in order to bring a little money in for her and her father. Her employers Big Mike and Signora happen to be friends of her father and they begin to shed light on the many things that Gina never knew about her father. She also discovers that Marty, the photographer at the club, is a cousin of her mother's, who Gina never really knew. This is a solid kickoff to a new mystery series by Susanna Calkins.

The characters in the book are great. We have a great heroine in Gina, who doesn't realize how dark things will get. Gina just wants to make some money but she didn't realize just how working in a speakeasy will upend her life. She is a little naive at first but as she starts uncovering what is really going on, her independent streak begins to shine through.

Mafia, speakeasies, flappers - there are few settings that have the sort of ambiance and excitement than the Prohibition Era. Having the book set in Chicago added a bit more excitement. I loved the detail that the author infused to really give the book a sense of place. I loved the cameos by the likes of Jane Addams and Amelia Earhart (one of my personal favorites). The setting definitely added to the book!

I liked the writing! It did take a bit to see where the story was going as there was a lot of explanation of Gina's employment and the murder mystery really doesn't hit for awhile. The book eventually hits a very nice pace and I was excited to see that Goodreads hints at this being the beginning of a new series - count me excited!

melissadeemcdaniel's review

4.0

Calkins evokes the sights, sounds and smells of the Chicago days of speakeasies, Al Capone and Clarence Darrow. Her gum-cracking heroine, Gina Ricci, is hired to work at a gin joint as a cigarette girl, and before she knows it, she has discovered a long lost relative, and a pile of secrets to be unraveled. We don’t get many bread-crumbs leading up the uncovering of the bad guys in this novel, and the ending feels a bit rushed and unmotivated, but overall this is a fast-moving, entertaining historical read.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

julieputty's review

3.0

I struggled at times to keep the secondary characters straight. Gina seems to be smart and cautious, but then she does a lot of things that are incredibly dumb and likely to make herself a target. If it were just once, it would feel realistic, but as it is, it feels like she behaves in whatever way the plot requires.