A mystery set in New York City just after the Civil War, this book features a young Irish protagonist trying to solve his father's murder. The historical setting and vivid characters make this a memorable book. ( )

The Devil’s Half Mile by Paddy Hirsch is historical criminal fiction taking place in the early days of New York City. Stupendously researched. Any book that mentions Alexander Hamilton and the Panic of 1792 can’t go wrong. Throw in an interracial love story and you have the makings of a treasured literary experience. ( )

The Devil's Half Mile is a historical novel about Wall Street and New York City in the late 18th Century. Justice Flanagan has just returned to New York from Dublin where he was sent to get an education. He believes that his father who was found hanged in his house after the Panic of 1792 was murdered and did not kill himself. Other characters include Bull Flanagan, Justy's cousin Kerry who is half Irish and half Black and a few real historical figures including Alexander Hamilton also appear. This story was touched on interesting times and events but it dragged at times. This is the author's first novel, I will wait and see if there is another. ( )

Seven years after a financial crisis nearly toppled America, traders chafe at government regulations, racial tensions are rising, gangs roam the streets and corrupt financiers make back-door deals with politicians... 1799 was a hell of a year.
Thanks to Alexander Hamilton, America has recovered from the panic on the Devil's Half Mile (aka Wall Street), but the young country is still finding its way. When young lawyer Justy Flanagan returns to solve his father's murder, he exposes a massive fraud that has already claimed lives, and one the perpetrators are determined to keep secret at any cost. The body count is rising, and the looming crisis could topple the nation.

Enjoyed it

'The devils half mile' was a good book, it was well wrote and immersive, I could picture New York in the 1790's and all the characters there, following 'Justy' as he first steps of the boat and back to his home. There was plenty happening in the book to keep me turning the pages and I could lose myself in the writing. Though once I put the book down I did not necessarily feel compelled to pick it back up again, because I felt you could open it at any point in the book and feel you hadn't missed much. It was a good book though with a good plot, that I would recommend it to a friend. The detail of the writing was what really made this book for me, from the description of the streets of New York to how the characters spoke to eachother, the writer really takes you to the place of the plot.