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    Seven for a Secret
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    Seven for a Secret
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    Seven for a Secret
    Audiobook14 hours

    Seven for a Secret

    Written by Lyndsay Faye

    Narrated by Steven Boyer

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    From Edgar-nominated author Lyndsay Faye comes what Gillian Flynn calls "a brilliant new mystery."

    Six months after the formation of the NYPD, its most reluctant and talented officer, Timothy Wilde, thinks himself well-versed in his city's dark practices--until he learns of the gruesome underworld of lies and corruption ruled by the "blackbirders," who snatch free Northerners of color from their homes, masquerade them as slaves, and sell them south to toil as plantation property.

    The abolitionist Timothy is horrified by these traders in human flesh. But in 1846, slave catching isn't just legal--it's law enforcement.

    When the beautiful and terrified Lucy Adams staggers into Timothy's office to report a robbery and is asked what was stolen, her reply is, "My family." Their search for her mixed-race sister and son will plunge Timothy and his feral brother, Valentine, into a world where police are complicit and politics savage, and corpses appear in the most shocking of places. Timothy finds himself caught between power and principles, desperate to protect his only brother and to unravel the puzzle before all he cares for is lost.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateSep 17, 2013
    ISBN9781101630730
    Unavailable
    Seven for a Secret
    Author

    Lyndsay Faye

    Lyndsay Faye is the author of six critically acclaimed novels, including Jane Steele, which was nominated for an Edgar for Best Novel; The Gods of Gotham, also Edgar-nominated; and Dust and Shadow, a Sherlock Holmes pastiche. Born in Northern California, she formerly worked as an actress in the Bay Area and now lives in Queens, NY. Follow Lyndsay on @LyndsayFaye and www.lyndsayfaye.com

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    Reviews for Seven for a Secret

    4/5

    175 ratings40 reviews

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    • 5/5
      I really enjoyed this story, and look forward to reading the first in the series also. The main character, Timothy, was very believable and engaging. What I really liked was the author's very creative use of words to convey not only action but feeling as well.
    • 4/5
      This is the second in Faye's "copper star" series featuring Timothy Wilde and his wilder older brother Val, two of the first officers of the NYPD (when it was not yet called that) in the early 19th century. The historical aspects of these stories are gripping, grim and enlightening if not uplifting. Tim feels himself overmatched and under-appreciated by his brother, a brilliant complicated man with powerful connections and unsavory habits. In a very different milieu, Tim occasionally plays Watson to Val's Sherlock, but more often plays Sherlock to Val's Mycroft, though it's the elder brother who dabbles excessively in laudanum and "hemp weed". I find Tim a bit tiresome after a couple hundred pages; he needs to gain a bit of self-confidence, but he also needs to stop opposing his brother's advice just because of its source. This story involved the practice of kidnapping free people of color and selling them South into slavery; it's a heart-breaker, but it needed tightening up. It just took much too long and too many words to get to the conclusion.
    • 4/5
      This is a great series and I enjoyed this second installment. I found the flash easier to read this time around.
    • 4/5
      Set in 1845 New York, when the potato famine in Ireland was flooding the city (and a few others in the US) with poverty stricken Irish and at the same time the US hadn't dealt with slavery, yet. It was perfectly fine to kidnap a person of colour and claim that they were an escaped slave, I have seen mention of it before in Barbara Hambly's Benjamin January Series but didn't realise that this happened in New York. Of course Timothy gets involved and of course things get complicated by politics and enemies.Entertaining series.
    • 5/5
      And here I thought Faye could not improve on her fabulous first book in her Timothy Wilde series. I was so, so wrong. Loved this one! These stories are so much more than just an excellent historical fiction/crime/mystery read. Faye brings to life the teaming underbelly of mid-19th century New York City, with its freshly minted police force (the "Copper Stars") comprised of an interesting (and challenging) mix of moralist/capitalistic/vigilantism that makes it clear why even law-abiding citizens were leery of Copper Stars when they showed up on the scene. For me, it is the complicated relationship Timothy has with his older brother Valentine and the moral/ethical challenges Timothy faces that makes this such riveting reading. Valentine is such an enigma/antihero for Timothy, and Timothy is such a naive younger brother for Valentine, it is no surprise that their interactions are charged with volatile energy. Yes, Timothy's "leap before think" approach - seriously, how does he not learn after a solid bashing or two that this might not be the best course of action? - just fuels already tinder-ready situations with some very explosive results. On top of all this exciting action, Faye provides one of the best plot shift/reveals that had me applauding, even as I felt the sucker punch Timothy faced. My favorite read so far in 2017.
    • 5/5
      The second Timothy Wilde mystery is the middle book in a trilogy and an examination of the threats to free blacks living in New York City, and by extension, anywhere north of the Mason-Dixon line. When a free black woman rushes into police headquarters at the Tombs in 1846, claiming her son and her sister were kidnapped by slave hunters from the south, Copper Star Timothy Wilde takes the case, and becomes embroiled in a complex, heartbreaking case that earns him the wrong kind of attention from the Democratic party bosses.Faye, as she did in the first book of the trilogy, The Gods of Gotham, brings New York City in the 1840s to life, showing the fruits of her research. Between the details of life at the time, the political climate, the bigotry that echoes modern times and shows how little has changed in too many ways, and the intricate machinations at the heart of the case Tim investigates, I was once again drawn into the past. The mystery might be fiction, but the time and place were all too real. I highly recommend this for lovers of historical fiction and mysteries.
    • 5/5
      Could she top The Gods of Gotham? She did! Her characters, still true to themselves, reveal more of themselves in nuance and action. Now 1846, Timothy Wilde, Copper Star number 107, is confronted with the barbaric practices of slave catchers, and the plight of some of the black population of New York City. I enjoyed the audiobook read by Steven Boyer, and give the author - Lindsey Faye, her story and the reader all five stars.
    • 3/5
      Second in the series. I really like these books, and the early days of the copper stars in NYC, but also find myself flipping to and fro to the small glossary of flash, sometimes finding what I need, sometimes not. The books are like a hearty beef stew is to bone broth, and sometimes, particularly at bedtime, I need a thinner brew-- my sleepy brain gets lost in the tangles of a finely woven story, and I end up rereading large swaths of story to find out what I missed or added in my dreams.
    • 4/5
      Excellent narration and a good entry in this story of the beginnings of the NYC police force, known as the Copper Stars. Slave catchers are a danger to all persons of color, including ones that have their free status appropriately documented. A kidnapping turns into murder and the significant involvement of Timothy and brother Val in thwarting these egregious assaults on personal freedoms which are rampant in the class, ethnic and racial stratta of this pre Civil War Era.
    • 3/5
      Right, so I think this is a spectacular historical New York mystery. Well written, well paced, hard to put down. I wish I had started with the first in the series, but I made a mistake.

      The down sides here are that as a new copper star in New York, Timothy Wilde is seeing the worst the world can offer, from child prostitution to slave catching, and all the machinations of the political machines. Which is frankly really tough reading. I don't doubt a word of it is based on true stories, and it just hits too hard. It leaves me with too powerful a sorrow to want to read further. So well done for being a writer who can get your poignant history across. I'm sorry I don't have the stomach for it.
    • 5/5
      Enthralling and compelling are the first two of many words that come to mind when I consider my feelings on this book. I was captivated from the opening sentence to the last. Lyndsay Faye captures the characters and the time period in a way that fully immerses us in their world. I don't think I've ever read a book - fiction or nonfiction - that so vividly and accurately portrays the U.S. in the period just prior to the civil war. I not only saw the desperation, I felt it. There is so much I'd love to say, but I don't want to offer even the hint of a spoiler. The summation of my thoughts is this: The writing here is flawless, the research impeccable, and the characters memorable. * I didn't know this title was the second in a series and haven't read The Gods of Gotham, which is the first book. That in no way detracted from my enjoyment. Seven for a Secret works well as a stand-alone, though I fully intend to go back and read the first book now. *
    • 5/5
      More than a worthy follow-up to Gods of Gotham -- I'd say this book is even better, as Timothy Wilde settles into his role as a copper star, as New York's new policemen are known. And thanks to his investigative skills he's not just any copper star but a kind of proto-detective, set to work on cases that need special attention. Though the case that occupies most of this book -- African-Americans who are kidnapped from New York on the pretext that they are fugitive slaves -- he takes on by himself. The relationship between Timothy and his older brother, Valentine, also deepens while we see more of Val's demons and his brilliance in action. Here's hoping this is going to continue into a good, long series and we'll hear a lot more from Timothy Wilde.
    • 5/5
      Faye's second book about the newly established NYPD in 1847 is a real winner. A murder mystery set in an authentic setting, from the snowy February streets to the whore houses, flower shops and ballrooms, rings true on every page. Even the street talk fits in so smoothly that I could understand the flash terminology without looking at the glossary. If there were anachronisms, and there must have been in a 445 page novel, I did not notice them. I especially appreciated the description of the clothing because Faye does not belabor what people are wearing, as so many historical novelists do. She assumes that her characters wear ordinary clothing and only goes into detail when the plot calls for it, pointing out, for example, that dresses and even winter coats are made of cotton. Cotton from the South which fuels the slave economy.For this New York novel is a novel about slavery. When the beautiful Lucy Adams bursts into Timothy's office exclaiming that she wished to report a robbery and he asks what was stolen, she responds, "My family." And so the detective and the reader are thrown into the ugly world of the slave bounty hunters, of men who kidnap free Negroes and take them south to be auctioned off in the slave markets. Even if the victim manages to escape, he has no recourse in the courts. A black man cannot testify in court. The law favors the word of the slave catcher and only if the victim has a white man to testify on his behalf can there be a hope of justice.Timothy soon discovers that there is much more to this particular kidnapping. There is evidence that some coppers actually are helping the slave catchers and the investigation could implicate politicians in the all-powerful Democratic Party. As Timothy looks for answers a shocking murder occurs and his own brother could become a prime suspect. With only days to solve the murder and save Lucy's family, he turns to the free Negroes who have formed their own vigilance committee in order to safeguard their community.If a historical novel is meant to make the reader feel a witness to the times, this succeeds on all levels. It is also a compelling mystery with riveting characters, heroes, villains, and ordinary folks.
    • 5/5
      Timothy Wilde is still learning about the realities of life for a copper in the relatively new police force of New York City. He is a young man with many scars both physical and emotional. The scar on his face is a permanent reminder of the fire that consumed his home as well as a goodly portion of the tightly packed surrounding neighborhood. Wilde becomes involved in trying to save some free Black residents of New York from "blackbirders", men who abduct Black people from Northern states and ship them off to slavery in the South. Tim's eagerness to save a woman and child from a horrible fate causes him to step on many toes in the politically controlled wards of the city, including his own brother's 6th Ward. Can Wilde's naive fervor overcome the deep-seated corruption, bigotry, and politics of New York? This is a fast paced, richly detailed look at New York City and it's fledgling police force. It was a time when the value of human life was judged by the color of your skin or the country of your birth.
    • 5/5
      New York City in the 1840's could be a hard place to live. Teeming with political corruption, prejudice, poverty, and unemployment, the city has a newly installed police force to try to control the mayhem. Policeman Timothy Wilde, previously introduced in Faye's Gods of Gotham, is tasked with investigating the abduction of some freed slaves by "blackbirders" - slave catchers notorious for snatching blacks off the streets and taking them south as runaways for profit. Narrator Mr. Wilde tells of his investigation in the first person, and brings to life the sights, sounds, and smells of the time. He is a likeable hero and his back-story and personal relationships help build the story.I received an early copy of this novel for review, and being a stickler for reading series in order, bought Gods of Gotham to read first. The background of the first installment certainly enhanced my reading experience, but Seven for a Secret would still be quite pleasurable as a stand alone novel. I enjoyed it even more than the first. Because less time was devoted to building characters, the pace was faster. Equal parts thriller, mystery, and historical novel, this novel passed my "Wikipedia test"- it made me want to learn more about what I was reading. Faye has obviously done meticulous research on the setting and begins each chapter with an interesting historical snippet. Highly recommended!
    • 4/5
      Seven for a Secret is the second book in the Timothy Wilde series. You will be able to enjoy this story and follow the plot just fine even if you don't read the other one first but some of the personal background bits might be lost on you. Faye once again does a great job of giving the reader a feel for the world that these characters live in. You can imagine what it would be like to live in New York at the time. She also gets you involved with the characters and takes you along for the journey with them. You can feel the worry, fear and gut dropping anticipation as Timothy realizes something is about to happen and doesn't know if he will be able to stop it. You worry for these people. Which I think is a testament to how well they are written. You wouldn't care about people who don't feel real. Timothy does spend a lot of time being introspective and talking about his feelings. Which can tend to slow the plot down a bit at times. And the whole interaction between him and his lost love does nothing for me and leaves me wishing it wasn't even there. But the relationship between Timothy and his brother, Timothy's own self-doubt and insecurity, the personable secondary character, the interesting plot and setting all combine to make a very enjoyable and engaging story. If you read and liked the first book I'm sure you will like this one too. And if you have not read Gods of Gotham, the first book, I suggest you do.
    • 4/5
      This second book in the Timothy Wilde series follows The Gods of Gotham in relating the early days of the NYPD. The first book was an Edgar finalist, and the goodness continues with this one.Wilde is an imperfect character and makes mistakes that can make the reader cringe. But this is what makes Faye such a good author. That and plots that are complicated enough but not so much that you get frustrated trying to follow along. I can't wait to see more of this author and Mr. Wilde.
    • 5/5
      I liked this book, the second in a series about our hero and the New York City police force. This time he's hunting slave traders, who are kidnapping free black citizens to sell south to the plantations. He is also dealing with family complications in the form of politics and Irish immigration. Setting up an honest police force as a social good is not the easiest thing.
    • 5/5
      This summer I have read a lot of great books, which have commanded my admiration for a variety of reasons. But I've certainly not picked anything up this year that stimulated my interest more than Lyndsay Faye's Seven for a Secret.

      Faye brings together two of my favorite genres, crime fiction and historical fiction, and brings the best of both to her work. It was definitely a pageturner. The plot has all sorts of twists and turns. Our policeman protagonist definitely brought an interesting, sometimes very funny, but always relatable perspective to the story.

      I also respect that Faye took on a historical phenomenon of tremendous gravity and tragic consequence that is not as well-known as it should be. Her chapters were framed with relevant historical quotations, which were cleverly chosen to shed light on both the historical context and the literary development of the novel at the point of their usage.

      Finally, the book distinguished itself as true literary fiction throughout. The introductory dictionary of relevant terms grounded the reader in the setting and the importance of language, which was sustained throughout the actual novel.

      This was my first time reading Lyndsay Haye, but it certainly won't be my last.

      I received my copy of the uncorrected proof of this work through the GoodReads giveaway program.
    • 4/5
      This is a worthy follow-up to Gods of Gotham. Faye's plot concerns bounty hunters kidnapping free blacks in New York City, with the connivance of various shady characters, including some we know from the first book in the series. As usual, Faye's immense research shows through in the details of the story. But despite the strong plotting, she is still more focused on her characters, and the story has its fair share of sidetracks that blunt the momentum of the kidnapping plot. The relationship between detective Timothy Wilde and his brother Valentine, a fireman and political operative, grows even more interesting. And Timothy's love life takes an interesting twist.So there is a lot to love here. On the downside, Faye's habit of over-describing just about everything becomes a bit annoying. Many paragraphs of description would benefit from losing a sentence or two. She apparently hates to waste any of her research. This takes away from the book's intensity and momentum.Despite this criticism, this is still a very compelling story, and there is no end in sight to what she can do with these characters in such a colorful period of our history. I'll definitely be along for the ride again next time.
    • 4/5
      Lyndsay Faye won me over with her novel The Gods of Gotham. A mystery crime thriller set in early New York prior to the Civil War. Seven for a Secret is the second novel in what I hope will be a long series of tales. The NYPD is only six months old and Copper Star Timothy Wilde is still recovering emotionally from his dealings with the serial child murderer in The Gods of Gotham. He is on shift at the station when a disheveled and distraught beautiful young woman staggers in crying out that she has been robbed....Most would say it was luck's, or Fate's. Or even God's. But I can't help but think of her voice that way now. The way it tugged a man, could wrench a steamer off course into cruel shoals. "You can certainly trust us to try," I said gently. "Just tell it to me like a story, and I'll fix this." Her eyes met mine. They'd gone pale as slate. "There's been a robbery." "What's been stolen?" I asked. "My family," she answered me.With that Timothy is plunged into the hidden world of slave catching. Not only was kidnapping free black men, women and children in the North under the guise of re-capturing slaves legal, it was considered part of law enforcement. The accused slave would then have to prove themselves to be freemen or be taken back South to be sold. Lucy Adams is a beautiful young woman whose father was white and mother black. She passes mostly as a white Northern woman but under closer scrutiny she cannot hide her heritage. Coming home she finds her home raided and her sister and son taken. She doesn't know where to turn and asks the newly formed NYPD to help. They cannot because no law has been broken. But young officer Timothy Wilde feels a moral obligation to help Lucy and throws himself headlong into a cesspool of lies and human trafficking. His fellow officers will turn on him as well as the political climate of the time. Still he forges on to find the stolen family only to find a much larger and crueler scheme unfold. Surrounded by the players from Gods of Gotham, Tim battles for the moral sense of what is right and wrong. And finds himself on the wrong side of the law he is sworn to uphold.An extremely well written second novel featuring the young Copper Star Timothy Wilde.
    • 4/5
      A great sequel! The first book, The Gods of Gotham, introduced us to Timothy Wilde and the brand new NYPD. Wilde is a great character and his adventures continue in this novel. The first book dealt with child prostitution and this one also doesn't shy from a sordid topic; it deals with the slave trade in Pre-Civil War NYC. Free blacks are being kidnapped and sold into slavery. The novel was tense and moody. The mystery is good and twisty. The setting is amazing; it seems really well researched. i can definitely recommend it!
    • 4/5
      Fans of the first book in this series, The Gods of Gotham, should enjoy this sequel, which has the same tone and continues several character arcs. But for me, this outing crackled a little less; the plot needs more speed, and Timothy Wilde seems too emotional--and hurt and stunned and angered and mystified--at events as they unfold and at characters who reveal themselves to be...just what they've always been. He somehow has grown less savvy from his experiences. However, the subject matter ("blackbirders" who steal free Northern people of color from the streets and from their homes, selling them into Southern slavery) is inherently rich with human interest, some of the situations genuinely gripping, and fans of historical mysteries will enjoy the period details and revel in a satisfying ending. In that sense, the novel does its job: you turn the last page looking forward to the next book in the series.
    • 4/5
      I received an Advanced Reading Copy of this book via LibraryThing Early Reviewers.Gods of Gotham was certainly a book strong enough to stand alone. I had high expectations for this sequel, and they were fulfilled. is dark, brutal, and sometimes a difficult read because of the unflinching portrayal of racism and exploitation in 1846 New York City. Whereas the first book focused on the ugliness of child prostitution and the plight of the starving Irish, this book shifts the focus to slavery and how New York law has enabled free blacks to be kidnapped and dragged south to be sold away. I admire Faye for her ability to make the time period raw and real. It's a mystery novel, but foremost it's a work of brilliant historical fiction, and one that really strives (and succeeds) at showing people in context.That's been one of the great strengths of both books--Faye writes people. Not simply characters. Every single person is nuanced. Sure, the bad guys are truly bad, but they are extremely layered. Things do seem a tad too dramatic at times, in a TV drama kind of way, but it didn't detract from the read for me. I had hoped for more of Bird in this book but, maybe book 3 will show more of her.I will continue to follow this series. No question.
    • 4/5
      The newly-minted New York City police force and its most reluctant recruit are back in Lynsday Faye's Seven for a Secret, second in a planned trilogy featuring the admirable if somewhat cynical Timothy Wilde. The novel picks up six months after the concluding events of its prequel, Gods of Gotham, which left Timothy scarred by fire, broken-hearted, and generally discontent with the sordid state of affairs witnessed in New York's underbelly. It takes little time to realize little has changed in Timothy's world--he is still scarred, still broken-hearted, and still generally disgusted by the cruelty he witnesses as a copper star--but the lack of preamble required to introduce his back story give Faye an opportunity to let his personality shine. The result is a narrator who is alternatively sardonic, sarcastic, cynical, witty, idiotic, and humble--and always kind, even if that kindness means letting his anger out on the bad guys at hand.Where Gods of Gotham pitted Timothy against child prostitution, Seven for a Secret sets him against the prejudices and racism of 1840s America. A missing persons case leads him to the den of two slavecatchers of the worst variety, catching not only runaway slaves but free blacks for sale into slavery in the South. Timothy's sense of justice is, not surprisingly, more than a little put out at the discovery of this blatantly illegal practice, but as he blunders about in an attempt to right wrongs, he finds himself at odds with the political machinery of Tammany Hall New York--and no one wants to be at odds with Tammany Hall.As with the previous installment of Wilde's story, Seven for a Secret is structured as Timothy's written account of his experiences; he notes that where writing police reports brings him little relief, writing a full tale allows him to unburden himself of the injustices he continually encounters in the city. The first-person narration is handily done, and Timothy is as full-fledged a character as one could hope for; even when he acts the fool, it's hard not to want him to win in the long run. And win he does. Sort of. Sometimes. Because Seven for a Secret never takes the easy way out, and Faye never bows to the pressure some mystery writers seem to feel for a happy ending tied up neatly with a bow. Timothy's story is wild and messy and therefore believable, despite the occasional coincidence here and there, and Faye's incorporation of historical details (right down to which streets on the NYC grid were paved versus dirt in the 1840s) only makes it all the stronger. All 484 pages of Seven for a Secret fly by at an incredible pace, but it's well worth it to take your time with this one to savor not only the story, but the history packed within it.The Bottom Line: Those who have already read Gods of Gotham will not be disappointed by the second volume of Timothy Wilde's adventures. Anyone new to the stories of this copper star will find enough detail in Seven for a Secret not to be confused, but as the conclusion of Gods of Gotham is more than one alluded to in Seven for a Secret, it really does make sense to start at the beginning. Spoilers and all that.
    • 5/5
      This is an excellent second entry in the series. The setup was done in the first book, so this one develops the characters more thoroughly. The story itself is intriguing. I'm already waiting for the third book!
    • 4/5
      I loved Lyndsay Faye's first novel in this series, and as was extremely excited to dive back into the work she created. I thought I loved Timothy Wilde prior to reading this, but through the second I love this character even more. This is one of those books where as you continue the story and series you become attached to the characters.
    • 1/5
      Coppers: good. Slavery: bad. Too much "got him, lost him, got him back"
    • 5/5
      1846. Reluctant but talented officer in the six-month-old NYPD, Timothy Wilde thinks himself well acquainted with his city’s darkness – until he learns of the vile underworld of lies, brutality and corruption ruled by the “blackbirders,” who capture free black Northerners from their homes, masquerade them as slaves, and sell them South where they become plantation property. An abolitionist, Wilde is beyond horrified by these traders in human flesh. But in 1846, slave catching is legal – and what’s more, it’s law enforcement.The beautiful Lucy Adams staggers into Timothy’s office to report a robbery, and when she is asked what has been stolen, she replies, “My family.” Wilde’s search for her mixed-race sister and son plunges him into a world where police and politicians are complicit, and corpses appear in the most shocking of places. Caught in a mighty struggle between power and principles, he fights to unravel the puzzle.Seven for a Secret immediately reminded me of Twelve Years a Slave, and, in fact, Faye quotes Northup, the author of that that novel, numerous times throughout this one. Another solid, engaging read set in a fascinating era – Faye continues to develop the superb characters introduced in The Gods of Gotham. Highly recommended.
    • 5/5
      Seven For A Secret takes place soon after the formation of the New York Police Department in the mid-1850s. It's the sequel to Gods of Gotham which introduced us to Timothy Wilde, a talented “copper star” who has seen his fair share of crime and corruption. Five-foot-four, age 28, a former bartender with a scarred face, Wilde has a gift for sketching in charcoal and likes to write lengthy accounts of his investigations.

      When Lucy Adams tells him that her family has been stolen, he discovers the dark world of "blackbirders." Blackbirders are men who kidnap free black Northerners and sell them to southern slave owners. Timothy sets out to find Lucy's sister and son, but he soon realizes that the lines between slave catching and law enforcement are not at all clear. When he asks for help from his brother Valentine, a policeman who walks both sides of the laws, Timothy encounters even more trouble, including a dead body.

      I really like Timothy Wilde. He's an incredibly complex character and I enjoy seeing him balance his work life with his professional one. His relationship with his brother Valentine is complicated and Timothy's integrity makes it difficult for him to stomach some of the things Valentine becomes involved in. Another aspect of this series that I find fascinating is the Victorian New York setting. The books take place when the police department is trying to find its niche. There is a great deal of corruption and this period in New York history is rampant with crime and poverty. This is a very interesting series and I'm planning to read the third book, The Fatal Flame, later this month.