Joined in 2023 
82 
63 About this deal
William is a somewhat surprising character. I didn’t expect him to be as engrossing as he turned out to be. Initially I wasn’t entirely sure as to whether I liked him but I found myself warming to him, with his unorthodox manner and dogged determination. He turned out to be an interesting character filled with history.
Needless Alley: The critically acclaimed noir crime debut Needless Alley: The critically acclaimed noir crime debut
This quite far from the classic historical mystery set in UK as it's the love child of Cornel Woolrich and Dashiel Hammett even if it's set in Birmingham in 1933 The writing and scene setting in this book was absolutely brilliant. I could see the scenes so clearly I could have been watching on a screen . The setting of 1930s industrial Birmingham will evidently draw Peaky Blinders comparisons but it is not a city I see in books often so I enjoyed the fresh perspective.Our dubious central protagonist William Garrett drives the plot as he sets up honey traps for rich men with his flamboyant and complex friend best friend providing the lure. Garrett has enough depth and battered emotions to hold your attention and focus; this balances the damage he does.
New Blood with Val McDermid | 22 July 2023 - Harrogate
Needless Alley is a fabulous, fast paced story with unexpected twists and fully formed believable characters - a compelling read. I look forward to more from this author. I loved this book. I loved William. I loved Phyll, his unlikely ally in the spiral of blood and deception he enters and his guide in some of the hidden places he needs to walk. I loved spotting familiar locations transformed. I loved its engagement with the toxic mess that is British class. Most of all I loved its exploration of a vibrant, jostling city - and of the darkness just beneath the surface. A glorious read. Needless Alley , “a highly atmospheric piece of literary noir” set in 1930s Birmingham, is the first in a series following private detective William Garrett as he moves between the shadowy world of the working canals where he grew up, to the hidden speakeasys that provide a safe haven for Birmingham’s queer women. This is a gritty murder mystery set in 1930’s Birmingham. Our main protagonist is William, a private investigator who earns a living by providing evidence for divorce cases for a shady solicitor. One case that he takes on introduces him to Clara, the wife of a rich industrialist and his growing relationship with her makes him begin to look at his life differently. When the murder happens, he begins to act as a proper investigator and starts to see how little he actually knows about people.
The book has obviously been meticulously researched and it includes cameo appearances from real historical figures such as Oswald Mosely as William finds himself negotiating the seedy side of politics and the rise of fascism. There are many other interesting characters in the novel; Queenie, Ronnie and Clara to name a few. They all feed into each other nicely, creating a full circle and I found them all to be interesting for different reasons. The affairs of William Garrett are exactly that. The first part focuses, primarily, on his relationships, namely those with Clara and Ronnie, and the part ends on an interesting footing for them all. Yet, the subsequent parts utilise a considerably different tone- one I didn't connect with in the same way.
Financial Times Best summer books of 2023: Thrillers - Financial Times
Change the plan you will roll onto at any time during your trial by visiting the “Settings & Account” section. What happens at the end of my trial? If you do nothing, you will be auto-enrolled in our premium digital monthly subscription plan and retain complete access for 65 € per month. Save An Evening with Guillem Balagué at Waterstones Birmingham to your collection. Share An Evening with Guillem Balagué at Waterstones Birmingham with your friends. The best way to explain my feelings on this story is to compare it to others; not great practice, but I feel it works for this. Some stories have multiple perspectives (this doesn't but bear with me here), within which there may be one that you dislike reading. As such, you slog through the difficult chapter because the proverbial carrot is dangling over yonder and you'd like to reach it. This is irritating but fine- just view the big picture.
Featured Reviews
Needless Alley is a beautifully written novel, a very material book. Natalie Marlow dwells on the physicality of her city - the heat of the Summer, the stink of the canals, the Birmingham brass of a bullet casing, the new steel handcuffs chosen for that modelling session. And always the cigarette smoke, the drink, the noise, a cacophony that lets up only briefly when William finds... well, that would be a spoiler.
Needless Alley by Natalie Marlow | Goodreads Needless Alley by Natalie Marlow | Goodreads
He is approached by a wealthy, Fascist businessman to find out if his wife is unfaithful, and a series of events comes into play that will change everything for them all. The story involves love - of a man, a woman, a child - and revenge. William’s life changes when he meets the beautiful Clara Morton and falls in love. Little does he know she is the wife of a client – a leading fascist with a dangerous obsession. Soon, what should have been another straightforward job turns into something far more deadly. William's life all changes, when he accidentally meets the beautiful Clara Morton and falls in love. Little does he know she is the wife of a client - a leading fascist with a dangerous obsession. And what should have been another straightforward job turns into something far more deadly. For cost savings, you can change your plan at any time online in the “Settings & Account” section. If you’d like to retain your premium access and save 20%, you can opt to pay annually at the end of the trial. William finds himself a refuge from all this for a while, an unexpected refuge, but in doing so he brings more trouble on himself than he could have imagined. When reputations are threatened, his hard-won status will count for little except to identify him as someone who doBirmingham is brought expertly to life in this atmospheric crime noir where corruption and seedy entanglements lurk down every darkly lit street. Compelling and clever, Needless Alley makes for a gripping read that any Peaky Blinder fan is sure to love." - Susan Stokes-Chapman Private enquiry agent William Garrett facilitates divorces for the city’s male elite. With the help of his best friend – charming, out-of-work actor Ronnie Edgerton – William sets up honey traps. But photographing unsuspecting women in flagrante plagues his conscience and William heaves up his guts with remorse after every job. The characters were really well written and I had no difficulty in envisaging them and feeling for them. William was a really good and believable main character.
Great Deal 
New Comment