The Devil's Half Mile Paperback – 5 July 2018

Thought this book would be interesting it found it hard to get into. Will try again soon

Paddy Hirsch tells the story of the first US financial crisis on Wall Street, aka the Devil's Half Mile, the Panic of 1792 and its aftermath which eventually led to the establishment of securities trading rules and the creation of the New York Stock Exchange Board in 1817. New York feels like a small town in 1799, when Justice 'Justy' Flanagan returns from Ireland, earning a law degree there, fighting in the Irish Rebellion, and becoming acquainted with policing in Paris and London. There are tensions and conflict at the Port between the Irish, regarded as the lowest in the social order with few opportunities, and the more recently freed black slaves, seen as willing to work for less and threatening Irish jobs. Young black women are being murdered, marked by cuts on their faces. There is no actual police force in a lawless city, populated by gangs, led by hard, feared, ruthless men such as Ignatius Flanagan, The Bull, Justy's uncle, whose reputation plays an important role in ensuring that anyone thinks twice before harming Justy. Jacob Hays is the Mayor's Marshall investigating the deaths of the black women, the first steps to the later establishment of the New York police.Justy's father was assumed to have committed suicide after supposedly hanging himself, after participating by raising the wind, finding new investors, in a fraud scheme concocted by William Duer, who was imprisoned, albeit in luxury, and is now dead. Justy discovered his father's body and after acquiring knowledge on policing in Europe, he is now sure that his father was murdered. He is not going to rest until he gets to the bottom of what happened to him. He is looking for the names of the men involved with Duer in the fraud that led to the 1792 Panic on Wall Street. Unfortunately, people who can help throw a light on the affair keep dying on him. With the help of his best friend, Lars Hokkanssen, Justy is forced to fight for his life as he gets closer to the truth of how his father died, revealing a sea of filth, fraud, slavery and prostitution operating in the hallowed Wall Street. Even worse, it appears there are plans in the present that threaten another harrowing threat on the Devil's Half Mile that endangers the economic future of the US.Hirsch writes a blend of fact and fiction with some real life figures in this historical murder mystery in the era of slavery and the amoral attempts to continue to profit from this abominable trade. Justy's quest to find his father's murderer gives us a picture of this period of New York's history with the author's rich descriptions. Wall Street has continued to be a source of numerous financial scandals right up to the present, a reminder that it is usually the ordinary people who pay the price, rarely the perpetrators. This is an informative and entertaining read of a fascinating period of US history that I recommend. I should warn readers that the author uses many Irish words in the narrative. Many thanks to Atlantic Books for an ARC.

Found that the author jumped from one instance to another quickly and this was made it dificult to folllow due his use of Irish American jargon. He uses. too many coincidences to make it flow

Good read

This well-researched historical novel is set in New York in 1799, just before Wall Street began to be regulated for the business of trading in stocks. The town is teeming with many Irish immigrants and sailors happy to find profit wherever they can, many intent on enjoyment and advancement. Memories of the Revolutionary War are fresh, as is the even more recent financial crash. Young Justy Flanagan is newly returned from Europe and is immediately swept into the middle of events in all classes of society.This is not a setting I had any familiarity with and I was grateful for the slang glossary at the back as I learned more rude words than I imagined were possible. There are thefts, fraud, violence, murders, fights and kidnappings galore. Justy is intent on unravelling the events surrounding his father's death some years previously and this proves to be more and more complicated. He is brave but not always shrewd enough and there are many brushes with death for Justy and his friends.The characters are not as fully-fleshed as I like so I had to use my imagination. The action scenes, however, were full of detail. I realy would have liked to have a contemporary map included to make more sense of the travels of Justy and his enemies.

This is one book I am really not sure about. Currently I am sitting on the fence, although if I was to persevere with with reading it I am sure it would certainly be a good story.Set in the very late eighteen hundreds, Justy is in search of the man who murdered his father.This book is very well written, in such a way that the reader is transported into the story, into a world of violence and corruption.The descriptive nature of this book can really engulf you. It is very easy to picture the settings and how New York is portrayed in the 18th century.There are a variety of characters to get to grips with, some of whom may not be to pleasant.I'm not sure that this book is for me, but I certainly wouldn't discourage others from enjoying it

I heard Paddy Hirsch on the radio talking about this book and decided to investigate - I'm delighted I did..It's a great story with interesting characters, some curious nuggets of New York and Irish history, and a good murder mystery at it's heart.I'd happily recommend it and would read another Just Flanagan story if Hirsch produced one..

This book did not disappoint. Paddy Hirsch delivers a tough and gritty story set in late eighteenth-century New York (one of my favorite periods and one I studied academically), and his detail and characters bring the smells, sounds, and sights of the period to life. His writing style is also pithy yet rich, further illustrating the coarse world the characters live in. I didn’t want it to end, which is exactly why this book was so good. I can’t wait to read the sequel.

For a book that started out as pure history, this first Justy Flanagan mystery set at the turn of the 19th century in New York is an interesting take on a rough time in post colonial America. The writing shows promise, though Paddy needs to keep working his metaphors and not be so repetitive. Doesn't hurt the story. He could also have ended this book three different times, satisfactorily setting up the next book in the series, but kept plowing through open threads to close them. It will be interesting to see what happens next.

Not a bother on that now I have to say. Sure what else would ya be reading. Passes the time as well as any man could ask for.

I don't tend to gravitate to historical fiction, but I loved this book! Racism, xenophobia, and financial shenanigans... but for the horse drawn carriages, it could have been written today. Among the strongest selling points of The Devil's Half Mile: page turning mystery, fascinating characters, authentic Irish and period colloquialisms, and a twisty plot. The lead character, Justice Flanagan, is very engaging and has the sort of appeal that screams series. The rapport between Justy and his best friend, Lars, is so easy and delightful and I looked forward to their every interaction. Fingers crossed that Paddy Hirsch is as prolific as he is talented. Highly recommend.

I enjoyed the story, but thought there would be more stock market history.