Cecelia TishyRecensioni

Roderick and Valentine DeVere are spending the summer of 1899 in Newport, Rhode Island, at their 20- or 30-room “cottage,” where an esteemed art gallery is to open for the season, affording Roddy the opportunity to have a “school of Rembrandt” family painting assessed and providing them both with the chance to have Val’s portrait done, an undertaking that Val loathes but that she will endure for Roddy’s sake. However, the art gallery director is soon found stabbed to death, and it is Val and Roddy’s misfortune to be the persons who discover the body; worse, Val impulsively picks up the dagger, bloodying her gloves, just in time for the Season’s worst gossip to come across her. Now, Val is being branded a possible murderer and several paintings are missing; she and Roddy must somehow navigate the perilous gossip to uncover the real culprit…. I much enjoy the “Gilded” series from Ms. Tichi, this being the sixth, but had some difficulty getting into this one. Part of it is, I think, perhaps an over-reliance on foreshadowing - there are many instances of “had I but known” type comments made ahead of events - and partly there are some threads that are not followed through on, such as the family painting which is mentioned frequently but about which nothing ever actually happens. That said, I still very much like Roddy and, especially, Val, the Western silver heiress who must learn to cope with exceedingly formal New York Society ways, but I think a reader new to this series should start with the first book, “A Gilded Death,” rather than jumping in here. Nevertheless, I recommend the series as a whole. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I'm not sure what I was expecting when I picked up this book. To be sure, I wanted something to delve into that described the world of the Gilded Age. But when I picked up this book, I didn't know if it would be a biography of Mrs. Astor or a "how to" kind of a book. It's definitely the latter.

What we have here is a book which describes every possible aspect of high society Gilded Age New York. Details about what clothes you should wear, where you should spend your summer, how you should lay your table, what you should serve, how you should have a funeral, etc. Everything is here in almost mind-numbing detail. I wish the book had gone into greater depth. Sure, describe how you were supposed to plan a party, but then...talk about the party.

This is for only the most hardcore of Gilded Age aficionados.½

A Gilded Death is the first in Cecelia Tichi’s Gilded Age series. The story begins in 1898 Newport RI and revolves around married couple Val and Roddy as they try to figure out whether or not a string of deaths and accidents involving a family of socialites is part of a larger plan.

Although the book started off a little slow for me, I still enjoyed it. Roddy and Val are likeable characters and I was interested in what they would discover about these deaths and accidents.

While I liked Val and Roddy and I enjoyed the storyline overall, I would have liked to have seen a little more character development with these two. I wanted to know more about them and their backgrounds, maybe that happens as the series continues. Aside from that small qualm, it was evident that the author did her research with her vivid descriptions of the time and location. I could envision the sights and sounds of 1890’s Rhode Island society with its dinners and clam bakes and walks by the beach as Roddy and Val try to figure out the mystery. I didn’t know who the culprit was until the author revealed it and it made sense.

The story all wraps up nicely while leaving it open for the next book in the series which takes place in New York. The author’s style of writing made this a cozy read for me as well. I enjoyed this one.

It’s June 1899, and Roderick and Valentine DeVere have been invited to Kiddwood, the country home of family friends Sadie and Alf Kidd. Roddy had grown up with the Kidd’s son Clarence, although they drifted apart as adults, and he has fond memories of the place. His own parents own the neighboring tract of land and for many years, water from that land had been used at Kiddwood, but suddenly the water seems to have dried up and part of the reason for the invitation to the DeVeres was so that they could investigate on behalf of Roddy’s parents. But what they discover on the DeVere’s land only begins with guile and proceeds quickly to murder…. This is the fifth book in the Gilded series by Cecelia Tichi, herself a historian of the period, a fact that I appreciate because I know the historical details will be accurate in her books. I love Roddy and Val, the former a New York City blueblood and the latter the daughter of an Irish immigrant who made a fortune in the Nevada silver mines; she is unconventional and spirited, while he is a steadying influence with a good sense of humor and a knack with newfangled cocktails. A small irritant with this entry into the series is that both characters mention several times that if she had been born on a day other than February 14, Val would have been named Fiona (the name of a murder victim); this is seen as giving Val a reason to identify with the girl, but it really need to have been mentioned only once or twice, not half a dozen times. But that’s a mere editing quibble; the story itself, and its characters, are as realistic and charming (or not, as the case may be) as ever and it’s a joy to read another book in this fascinating series; recommended! I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

1899, amateur-sleuth, charlatan, class-consciousness, country-house, cozy-mystery, family, family-dynamics, historical-figures, historical-novel, historical-places-events, historical-research, historical-setting, investigations, investigative-journalist, law-enforcement, lawyers, mining, mixologist, NYC, pet-dog, read, seeress, situational-humor, supernatural, upstate-New-York, wealthy*****

A very intricate look into the attitudes and misdeeds of some of the very wealthy at the turn of the twentieth century in New York. Some are simply misguided and thoughtless, but others are cruel and heartless toward nearly everyone. Val, Roddy, and his parents do try to do their best but sometimes they do place their trust in the wrong people. Roddy has a true passion to be and exceptional mixologist, and this helps him to balance his efforts as a lawyer. Val was not raised in this rarified atmosphere, but was mostly raised by her father as he worked and prospered in the mines in Colorado. The murder mystery requires an extensive amount of investigation, but I am most impressed with the real history imparted within the story (history geek here). Loved it as a history with fiction as well as a cozy mystery!
I requested and received a free e-book copy from BookSirens and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Independent Book Publishers Association

The Publisher Says: How the Prohibition law of 1920 made alcohol, savored in secret, all the more delectable when the cocktail shaker was forced to go “underground”

“Roaring Twenties” America boasted famous firsts: women’s right to vote, jazz music, talking motion pictures, flapper fashions, and wondrous new devices like the safety razor and the electric vacuum cleaner. The privations of the Great War were over, and Wall Street boomed.

The decade opened, nonetheless, with a shock when Prohibition became the law of the land on Friday, January 16, 1920, when the Eighteenth Amendment banned “intoxicating liquors.” Decades-long campaigns to demonize alcoholic beverages finally became law, and America officially went “dry.”

American ingenuity promptly rose to its newest challenge. The law, riddled with loopholes, let the 1920s write a new chapter in the nation’s saga of spirits. Men and women spoke knowingly of the speakeasy, the bootlegger, rum-running, black ships, blind pigs, gin mills, and gallon stills. Passwords (“Oscar sent me”) gave entrée to night spots and supper clubs where cocktails abounded, and bartenders became alchemists of timely new drinks like the Making Whoopee, the Petting Party, the Dance the Charleston. A new social event—the cocktail party staged in a private home—smashed the gender barrier that had long forbidden “ladies” from entering into the gentlemen-only barrooms and cafés.

From the author of Gilded Age Cocktails, this book takes a delightful new romp through the cocktail creations of the early twentieth century, transporting readers into the glitz and (illicit) glamour of the 1920s. Spirited and richly illustrated, Jazz Age Cocktails dazzles with tales of temptation and temperance, and features charming cocktail recipes from the time to be recreated and enjoyed.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

My Review: A very interesting social history of the life and times in which the cocktail culture arose. I was most impressed with the beautiful book design and illustrations, starting with the frontispiece and title page:

Handsome, easy to read, and very well presented. I'm always happy when I see this level of attention from a publisher. Of course, this is only the very first thing we'll see and thus might not see this level of attention inside. It does happen.

Not in this book. An example of a recipe spread:

and this is a character illustration spread:

Clearly presented text, charming images, and then there's the content. Author Tichi's erudition really shows in her clear prose (not unexpected from a Vanderbilt University lecturer in US History of the Modern Age) and her research is amply documented. What it isn't is cited in the text itself...not a terrible flaw in a popular history aimed at intelligent and curious laypeople. Had her audience been fellow academics, she has the information in her bibliography so she could have made citations with ease.

The extent of Prohibition was a mere thirteen years from enactment and enforcement to repeal. It changed the US forever. So many things we take for granted now...government licensing of food and drink establishments, police with paramilitary powers, a strong political urge to control peoples' personal lives to "improve" their morals...started or accelerated during Prohibition. Author Tichi's own academic interests are defined by these changes and their cultural concomitants in literature, art, and technology. In her afterword, she shares the personal dimension of her interest in the era. It is a well-written work of social history, focusing on social issues that arose or were centered at that time, and still a lovely object suitable for Yule gifting to your brother or father. They'll enjoy the history. They appreciate the cocktails' charmingly presented methods and presentations.

A hardcover book is very much a gift item in this day and time. We've had a few supply-chain issue years what with the COVID plague. The charm of this affordable book is that it's been out for a year-plus now and is in stock...an order placed will be delivered quite quickly. Not a small consideration.

I recommend this as a good gifting idea on a topic of enduring interest. It's solid value for money. And it's readily available.½

"Midcentury Cocktails" is the third in Cecelia Tichi's historial review of cocktails. This is a history book with recipes, not bartender's guide.

The chapters are short and there are no bridges between chapters, so you can pick and choose, perhaps using the recipe index at the end of the book. Cocktails then had some pretty silly names. "Rocket Man" and "Apricot Fission" are two that celebrate the atomic era.

Cecelia Tichi writes in a clean, clear style that is missing from many long-form books about cocktails.

I received a review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.com.½

mixologist, law-enforcement, lawyers, friction, friendship, historical-novel, historical-places-events, historical-research, history-and-culture, amateur-sleuth, pet, dog, situational-humor, recipes, NYC, family-dynamics, family-drama, poisons*****

Meet Val (Valentine from the "Wild West") and her husband Roderick (Roddy) DeVere (of the wealthy DeVeres) in 1899. A former law school mate ropes Roddy into a business deal and an investigation into Chicago police allegations that the man's wife was murdered. The investigation appeared to be hard work while Val had to deal with her totally disapproving mother-in-law, dissention among the servants, trying to overcome her own disdain of society rules, and her dislike of several people who needed investigation. Meanwhile Roddy has his legal work, social obligations, and trying to figure out how to distance himself from some odious patent medicines of the day (and the fun of devising new cocktail recipes). Good research, interesting characters, fine descriptions, and a lively sleuthing. Delightful!
I requested and received a free e-book copy from BookSirens and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

An entertaining romp in gilded age NYC, this cozy novel pulls you in with vivid descriptions and enjoyable characters.

The author creatively weaves the history and fiction into a very readable and intriguing story. Val and Roddy are a charming and spunky couple who make a great sleuthing team. Val is a bit ahead of her time, and her involvement in the hot button movements makes her character all the more genuine.

Medium paced, this plot held my interest as the mystery unraveled and did not disappoint!

This is part of a series, but I read it as a stand alone and didn't feel lost.

*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Roddy DeVere is interested when Martin Coates, an old law school ally now living near Chicago, suggests that they go into business together making bitters, an essential ingredient in the cocktails Roddy is so good at inventing. He and his wife Val are therefore a bit nonplussed when Martin begs for their help: his wife Lydia had fallen down a staircase in their home and died, but the police in Chicago suspect that he might have killed her and Martin is desperate for his name to be cleared. He quickly entangles the DeVeres in his family’s drama, including his brother Owen who has received the bulk of the estate of their multi-millionaire father; his sister Celia, given a measly one million but determined to spend it all as quickly as possible; and the enigmatic, rather sinister, Sara Dow, who was a kind of companion and friend to Lydia who also received a hefty legacy when Lydia died. Martin himself has only been left the original family business of Vitalene, an elixir very popular for all sorts of health conditions, but really a deadly concoction that Martin wants to discontinue. As the DeVeres travel to Chicago to try to unravel the threads of this deadly case, they discover that even their status high up in New York Society won’t protect them from all the Windy City has to offer….This is the fourth book in the Val and Roddy DeVere series, and like the three before it, there’s a lot to chew on here. Ms. Tichi is an expert in the history of the Gilded Age in New York (represented here by the year 1899) and her depictions of life both in the upper and lower echelons of society are very well researched and described; her branching out to Chicago in this book also rings very true, from the thousands of homeless, hopeless and threatening people on the streets of that city to the impulses behind the founding of Hull House, an early example of social work in practice. I also loved the passion with which the scourge of so-called “miracle cures” of the era is addressed; these elixirs were truly dangerous compounds, as likely to poison you as to addict you. I think one should read these books in sequence, as I almost always say of series books, but if the reader were to pick this one up first, on a whim, s/he would not be disappointed; recommended! I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

mixologist, law-enforcement, lawyers, murder, murder-investigation, 1899, opera, friction, family-dynamics, amateur-sleuth, historical-novel, historical-figures, historical-places-events, historical-research, history-and-culture, dog, pet, recipes, situational-humor, NYC****

Meet Val (Valentine from the "Wild West") and her husband Roderick (Roddy) DeVere (of the wealthy DeVeres). While at the Metropolitan Opera House, they were in their own box when a coal magnate was murdered in the next box. What brought them into the business of investigation was an invite by the police commissioner to quietly nose around among the wealthy patrons and also possible enemies of the deceased without disclosing the real cause of death. The investigation appeared to be hard work while Val had to deal with her totally disapproving mother-in-law, dissention among the servants, trying to overcome her own disdain of society rules, and working to improve the plight of women working in retail. Meanwhile, Roddy gets stuck with the legal work (and the fun of devising new cocktail recipes). Good research, interesting characters, fine descriptions, and a lively sleuthing. Delightful!
I requested and received a free e-book copy from BookSirens and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Independent Book Publishers Association

This short story/novella illustrates the poverty and desperation of iron mill workers in the first half of the 19th century. Its author, Rebecca Harding Davis, sets her story at about the time of her birth. However, she lived in Wheeling, Virginia (now West Virginia) during her formative years and was likely familiar enough with its iron mills to describe it accurately. Biblical allusions abound, and Davis seems to expect her readers to be familiar with scripture.

The korl statue sculpted by Hugh Wolfe symbolizes the hunger of the poor iron workers for an escape from the hell-like conditions of an iron mill. (The description of the statue made me think of Donatello’s Mary Magdalene.) The name “Wolfe” also evokes the idea of hunger.

I picked this up in order to learn more about the iron industry, since I recently discovered that a branch of my family owned a large iron mill from roughly the mid-18th to the mid-19th century. (My branch of this family were farmers.) I listened to a LibriVox recording, and while their volunteer readers are often amateurs, this one’s reader has many professional audiobook recordings to her credit.

It’s the summer of 1898, and Val and Roddy DeVere, along with much of the rest of New York City Society, are vacationing at their “cottages” in Newport; cottages, of course, being almost as huge and splendid as their city palaces. They are meant to be having a lovely time taking yacht rides, playing golf and tennis, and otherwise comporting themselves at lavish teas and balls every week, but Val and her friend Cassandra are drawn into a mystery when the only daughter of Cassie’s late aunt dies suddenly in a slum in New York City. In trying to discover the cause of the woman’s death, they find themselves caught up in a web of inheritance, business dealings and, possibly, the suffrage movement, to Roddy’s dismay; and soon they learn that even Newport is not immune from danger…. “A Gilded Death” is the first in a series of Gilded Age novels, set primarily in New York and featuring the amateur sleuths Roddy (Roderick, scion of a very old and respected New York family) and Valentine (daughter of an Irish immigrant who made a huge fortune in the silver mines out west), along with various friends and servants. I had already read and enjoyed later stories in the series, but wanted to go back to this, the beginning. It is quite delightful, although as it happens I was able to figure out the culprit early on, only because I had read later entries and therefore knew something I shouldn’t have known. As a result, while I definitely recommend this series (and would love to try all the cocktails Roddy invents!), the reader should certainly start with this installment before moving to the next; recommended!

Valentine and Roderick DeVere are avid opera-goers, and usually enjoy themselves in their private box at the Metropolitan Opera House, but when a noisy group of people occupy the next box, one that has been rented out to them, Roddy in particular is not pleased. Before the end of the opera, the group leaves, but one man remains - dead in his chair! During their tentative exploration of the box, Val loses an earring, a piece of “material evidence” that could spell very hot water indeed for her, if she and Roddy are unable to solve the murder themselves…. I’m very much enjoying this set of historical mysteries, taking place in this case in January of 1899, when the gap between the very wealthy (like the DeVeres) and everybody else is as large as it ever had been; a subplot in this book involves Val’s increasing involvement in a women’s organization determined to look into the unhealthy and ill-paying working conditions of young women in department stores, with the aim of improving their circumstances. The mystery itself is fairly plotted, although I found myself disappointed in the final reveal simply because I had no reason not to like a certain character and plenty of reasons to dislike several other suspects; by which I mean, of course, that I didn’t figure it out until the end, which I generally consider to be high praise in the mystery genre! I look forward to reading more from this author; recommended. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.½

I received an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. Valentine and Roderick DeVere are in the top echelon of New York City society - well, Roderick is anyway, as his ancestors had been there since before the settlement was called New Amsterdam; Val is from the West, where her father amassed a fortune from silver mining and whose money has rescued the DeVere’s from financial embarrassment. One of the perks of their position is their proximity to the new Central Park, an expansive area ostensibly open to all but in reality primarily the purview of the rich. When several young women are found in the Park strangled to death, and a variety of bombings and incidents of arson also plague the area, Val decides to come to the aid of Detective Finlay, a morose police officer whose job is in jeopardy if he cannot solve the crimes. But without more information, Val risks becoming a crime victim herself…. This is the first novel in a projected series by Cecelia Tichi, and it is clear that she knows her place and period; she has written about the Gilded Age (and about cocktails, which feature throughout this novel) in her role as an academic. I very much enjoyed Val’s feistiness, which is inextricable from her Western roots, and Roddy’s swings between fond husband and upright member of Society are very amusing, although I don’t know enough about the period to know if Val could really have had the degree of freedom that she does in this book. Nevertheless, I look forward to reading more of this couple and their adventures - not to mention those of their dog Velvet! Recommended.½

Jazz Age Cocktails by Cecelia Tichi
History and Recipes from America’s Roaring Twenties

Glamorous flappers, criminal bootleggers, aspiring authors, male and female pilots, entrepreneurs, and cinema idols fill the pages of this book. Many have signature cocktails assigned to them with the recipes included at the end of the chapter they appeared in. It was an informative and interesting way to read about history. I liked thinking about the history of ice, the idea that prohibiting something would improve life rather than send people after “the forbidden fruit” and thinking about so many other intriguing tidbits I had heard about but forgotten over time.

The twenties were a busy time, a time of growth and progress, and a time that required cunning to provide alcohol during prohibition. It was the era my parents were born and my grandparents scrambling to make a living. I have heard that one of my grandfathers, a farmer, had some hard cider in the barn to sip on from time to time. I had not realized till reading this that what he was sipping might not have been legitimate…or might have been as he was not selling it to others…at least as far as I know.

This is a book I would recommend to those who enjoy cocktails and also might enjoy the history behind the cocktails they are drinking. It would be a fun book to have on hand to try out new cocktails or to use for a theme party or two.

I wouldn’t mind finding this book and the author’s previous book on The Gilded Age that also included cocktails of the era as they would be fun, informative, and a delight to revisit from time to time. The book does not have color photos but does have a few illustrations so if you are looking for a coffee table picture book, this is not the book for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and NYU Press for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

I have always wanted to try a good cocktail and this is a great read to do it with. I enjoy the bits of history in the book and plan on trying more recipes in moderation of course.

To say that I love Cecelia Tichi’s "What Would Mrs. Astor Do?" is simply an understatement! What first drew me to this book was its design which is ornate and splendid, something reminiscent of a bygone era like the Gilded Age. The book jacket, represented in the image above, is faded crimson with golden swirls and designs. If one is to peel away the jacket, one is met with a regal cover design with a miniature portrait of the Mrs. Caroline Schermerhorn Astor, the Gilded Age queen regnant of New York society. The design is something that must be acknowledged because it sets the tone for the rest of the book.

Before sharing my thoughts about the book, I will talk briefly about the author. Cecelia Tichi, PhD, is an English professor at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee. She obtained her MA from Johns Hopkins University and her PhD from the University of California, Davis. At Vanderbilt University, she teaches courses that focus on American literature in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. She has published nine scholarly books that cover an array of different topics but has written extensively on the Gilded Age.

When I first picked up "What Would Mrs. Astor Do?", I thought it was going to be a book on Gilded Age etiquette. Little did I realize that this book is so much more than that. In a light and humorous way, she recounts the lifestyles and social mores of Mrs. Caroline Astor’s exclusive milieu, “the Four Hundred.” Dr. Tichi covers everything from etiquette to fashion to social events to scandals that threatened the very bedrock of New York society. Alongside the many anecdotes and stories are gorgeous illustrations from that time period. Additionally, the author included a complete list of Mrs. Astor’s “Four Hundred” at the back of the book which is a nice touch.

For a researcher like myself, this book is a treasure trove of information. Dr. Tichi writes in a delightful and engaging way, bringing the stories of these long-dead figures to life. This is bewitching and a must-have for anyone who is doing research on Mrs. Astor, her “Four Hundred,” and the Gilded Age.

Reviewed by the Queen of Hearts Review!

I am not sure if it was the author or the person reading this as I listened to the audio version of this book. At times it was so incredible slow...some parts I thought it was due to the readers monotone voice and others due to the writing.

If anything, this story shows the tragic consequences of Marxist thinking, although that probably wasn't the author's intention!

A recently divorced woman lived in the house she inherited from her beloved aunt. Her aunt was a psychic who worked with the Boston Police to solve crimes. Regina (Reggie) has inherited her aunt's abilities and is just beginning to build a similar relationship with the police. While walking the dog she inherited with the house, she is struck by a car. Stephen, the nice young man who has rented the upstairs apartment in her building since before her aunt's death, comes to her rescue. He sits talking with her while she recovers from this scare. During their conversation, he mentions that he and Reggie's aunt were working on a deal together.

That night, Stephen is murdered. Reggie's door is marked with Stephen's blood with what appears to be Chinese characters. Reggie picks up messages from Stephen's possessions and trys to tell the detective assigned to the case, but he makes it clear that he not only doesn't believe in Reggie's abilities, he also sees her as a suspect in this crime.

Since her door was marked, Reggie believes she may be a target as well. Reggie begins to follow the clues, seeking the murderer on her own.

Fun, fast read with an interesting cast of characters.