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    The Gods of Gotham
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    The Gods of Gotham
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    The Gods of Gotham
    Audiobook12 hours

    The Gods of Gotham

    Written by Lyndsay Faye

    Narrated by Steven Boyer

    4.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    1845. New York City forms its first police force. The great potato famine hits Ireland. These two seemingly disparate events will change New York City. Forever.

    Timothy Wilde tends bar near the Exchange, fantasizing about the day he has enough money to win the girl of his dreams. But when his dreams literally incinerate in a fire devastating downtown Manhattan, he finds himself disfigured, unemployed, and homeless. His older brother obtains Timothy a job in the newly minted NYPD, but he is highly skeptical of this new "police force." And he is less than thrilled that his new beat is the notoriously down-and-out Sixth Ward -- at the border of Five Points, the world's most notorious slum.

    One night while making his rounds, Wilde literally runs into a little slip of a girl -- a girl not more than ten years old -- dashing through the dark in her nightshift . . . covered head to toe in blood.

    Timothy knows he should take the girl to the House of Refuge, yet he can't bring himself to abandon her. Instead, he takes her home, where she spins wild stories, claiming that dozens of bodies are buried in the forest north of 23rd Street. Timothy isn't sure whether to believe her or not, but, as the truth unfolds, the reluctant copper star finds himself engaged in a battle for justice that nearly costs him his brother, his romantic obsession, and his own life.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateMar 15, 2012
    ISBN9781101546055
    Unavailable
    The Gods of Gotham
    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 The Gods of Gotham

    4.5/5

    74 ratings83 reviews

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    • 4/5
      This is quite a book. The setting, New York in the mid 1800s, is presented brilliantly. The story is very gritty and raw. Even though it made reading more work, I really liked the way the author made the characters vand dialog very authentic.
    • 5/5
      LOVED this two book series! Can't wait to see what Lindsay Faye comes up with next.
    • 5/5
      Orphaned when his parents died in a fire, Timothy Wilde watches his own life savings melt away when a devastating fire destroys the area where he worked as a bartender and lived. His brother Val, a New York City fireman, secures both of them posts on the newly formed New York Police Department. Val is a captain, but Timothy is simply a roundsman. He had hoped to ask Mercy Underhill, a minister's daughter, for her hand in marriage. He moves to his ward, finding lodging above Mrs. Boehme's bakery. When a young blood-covered girl turns up at his doorsteps, the corpse of a boy named Liam is found soon afterwards, leading him to Silkie Marsh's establishment which exploits young Irish children. While the job of the police is primarily prevention of crime, Timothy finds himself investigating this one with the support of the city's first police commissioner. Mercy Underhill continues her mother's efforts at charitable work, in spite of her father's protests. He is intolerant of Catholics, and the poor Irish with whom she works are Catholic. The plot is very well-developed with several woven threads that make for a captivating read or listen. Boyer did a good job narrating the audiobook. I look forward to future installments in this series. My biggest regret is waiting so long to listen to it because I was afraid I might not like it.
    • 3/5
      More like a 3.5 stars. I absolutely loved the setting and the characters. The book started off really strong but then towards the middle started to drag for me. I actually put it aside for a bit and then came back to it. It was strong enough for a first book that I will read the next one.
    • 4/5
      A painfully accurate novel about NYC, Manhattan Island, in the mid 1800s. Times were difficult, most inhabitants were poor and their living conditions were bad, indeed. A police force, the copper stars, is being established and threatened by someone stirring up the always lurking conflict between the Bowery Boys and the Papists. Lots of interesting characters with a compelling story line make this a good start to a promising series.
    • 4/5
      The year the height of the Potato Famine in Ireland sends many Irish people to New York the city gets it's first police force and one of these men is Timothy Wilde. Scarred by an accident his curiosity forces him to look deeper into things and basically to become the first detective. He's both helped and hindered by his politically savvy brother, Valentine who has also joined the police force.Unrequited love and a lot of messy politics made this an interesting read. You see a lot of the underbelly of New York and a lot of the racism that was prevalent at the time. I'm looking forward to more of this series.
    • 5/5
      When I bought this book, I had no idea it was the first in a series, but I'm happy to discover there are at least two more available for met to read. Set in 1845 New York, this mystery uses to good advantage three historical happenings: a devastating fire that destroyed much of lower Manhattan, the potato famine in Ireland that brought large amounts of Irish immigrants to New York that led to a Protestant-Catholic conflict, and the formation of the New York Police Department. Upon reading the Historical Afterward, I learned a smaller incident, that of the discovery of the body of a murdered infant that sets the tone for the book is also based on reality. The protagonist is Timothy Wilde, a bartender-turned-copper star of the newly minted NYPD after he's burned in the aforementioned fire and lost his home and savings. Thrust into a case of missing and dead children who were working as prostitutes in one of the bawdy houses, he comes to realize he has real skill at getting to the truth of things. Throw in a complicated relationship with his older, politically connected brother and some social commentary, and the reader is treated with the presence of a wonderful character I sure want to spend more time with. The first half of the 19th Century in New York City is a period with which I'm not very familiar, as it was mostly skipped over back when I was in school, but thanks to this book, I feel I've gotten a bit of education. A good work of historical fiction inspires me to read up on the events covered in the book, and The Gods of Gotham is no exception.
    • 5/5
      I absolutely loved this one! Faye captures the very heart and soul of 1845 New York City - or more particularly lower Manhattan - and gave this reader the perfect antihero in Timothy Wilde. Wilde never planned on joining the newly minted NYC police force - known as the Copper Stars for the shape and metallic origins of their hastily crafted "badges" - and his relationship with his older brother Valentine is just one of many side stories captured in this enthralling, sweeping story of crime, religion, politics and friendship. Reading Faye's story, I found my senses of taste, sight, touch and smell responding to her wonderful descriptive writing. The descriptions of certain body mutilations are not for the faint of heart but the complex plot with its twists and detailed forensic analysis, and the well-rounded characters, kept me from shying away from this one. Bird, the homeless girl Tim encounters late one night, is a delight, as are the fast-talking pack of newspaper boys Tim befriends. At its core, this is a police procedural / crime story, but it is so much more than that. It is an exploration of Irish immigration, anti-Catholic sentiment and the essentially lawless state of a younger America and a rich historical fiction worthy of any historical fiction lover's attention. .... so, am I happy to learn that Faye has written two more books focused on Timothy Wilde? You bet I am!
    • 4/5
      I received an Early Reviewer copy of uncorrected proofs of this book from the publisher through the Library Thing Early Reviewer program, and my review is based on this copy.In this historical mystery, set in 1845, Timothy Wilde gets a job on the newly-minted New York Police Department (courtesy of his politically-connected brother). Patrolling the 6th Ward, at the edge of the notorious Five-Points slum, he encounters a blood-soaked young girl.This tale is filled with grim realities. Author Lindsay Faye vividly portrays the wretched poverty of the immigrants, and the tremendous religious bigotry that the Irish, in particular, faced as they fled Ireland's Potato Famine. (It never ceases to amaze me, the ungodly things that some people do allegedly in the name of God.) Each chapter begins with a genuine quotation from that era which demonstrates how much the Catholics were hated by the great majority of native New Yorkers. Particularly chilling is the exploitation of children, which appears to be accepted as a routine fact of life. But what Timothy Wilde uncovers about the fate of some children is shocking even for that place and time.This book is very well written. Faye has clearly done her homework; this novel is filled with historical detail which brings 1845 New York City alive. The characters are complex and well-drawn, defying stereotypes. The biggest difficulty I had reading the book was that it was almost too well done. The story and setting is a grim one, indeed.I also must note that for uncorrected proofs, this was amazingly clean copy -- thus I would wager that the finished edition will be free of the spelling/grammar errors too often found in books nowadays.
    • 5/5
      The Gods of Gotham is a fantastic, richly drawn story that works well on all of its levels. This is a story about murder, a story about politics, a story about immigrants, a story about faith and the lack there of, and, finally, it is a story about family, about brothers. Timothy Wilde is young man with plans. He has a savings and girl in mind to marry. He also has an older brother, whom he hates, who is volunteer firefighter and player in the Democratic party in New York city. The year is 1845.It is not long before Timothy's dreams are crushed when a major fire tears through his part of the city destroying his savings, his job, and scarring his face. With bitter reluctance, he takes a job as beat cop in the newly formed NYC Police Department. A job secured by his brother Valentine's political connections. His life is changed, once again when he runs headlong into a young girl whose night dress is covered in blood. What I enjoyed most about this book is the character of Timothy Wilde himself. He is a man lost and hurting who is thrust into a position of authority to which he rises to that responsibility with courage and dogged determination. I was initially unsure of the narrator as his voice and the text seemed to be more modern that 19th century setting. I soon forgot this as the story hit its stride and took me a long for the ride.So many themes in this book mirror our modern dilemmas; political corruption, immigration and integration, and the police. It is entertaining on the surface, as a mystery, and on a deeper level as commentary on the fact that as much as society evolves over time, it stays just as much the same. I recommend this one highly.
    • 5/5
      Very detailed and good research about history of New York city
    • 1/5
      Aborted. Couldn´t get past the 30% point.
    • 4/5
      It's really a three star book, but I enjoyed listening to it more than I was irritated by the cliches. Plus she writes good dialogue, and who wouldn't want to be on the ground floor with the first New York police detective.
    • 5/5
      Trying to read those nominated for Edgars-- really liked this one. Themes of yesterday still relevant today, although changed up a bit.
    • 4/5
      I thoroughly enjoyed this mystery novel set in 1840s New York City. The author does an excellent job of bringing the streets of NYC to life during this period and the novel is rich with detail and characters. The mystery, involving prostitution, murdered children, and Irish immigration, unfolds dramatically in this well-paced plot. I look forward to more novels from this author!
    • 4/5
      There's been a lot of buzz about this book, but I didn't buy it until I was chosen to receive a LibraryThing Early Reviewer copy of the sequel. I love the BBCA show Copper, which takes place in 1865 in Five Points with an Irish policeman, and it was easy for me to roll back the clock 20 years and imagine that same setting for the book.Gods of Gotham. Wow. This--this is a good book. It's one of those historical fiction mysteries that balances plot, character, and historical education, all at once. New York City of 1845 lives, breathes, and reeks of racism and rotting fish and unwashed bodies. Timothy feels true to his time period, even as he follows modern sensibilities, such as an intense dislike of slavery and a sense of fairness toward everyone regardless of race or religion. The rest of the cast is just as vivid.That matter of religion is of vital importance here. The potato famine has sent torrents of starving Irish to America's shores. Each chapter begins with an excerpt of actual historical material on the dangers of Catholicism and the pope--and in many cases, if you switched out place names, it could be mistaken for modern writing on immigrants. I partially predicted who the murderer was, but the ending consists of so many layers and motivations and complexities, I was left surprised at every turn. This is a vicious, dark book. It's not for everyone. However, I must be a vicious and dark person, because I loved the heck out of it and I can't wait to start on the sequel.
    • 5/5
      I enjoyed this book a lot more than I thought I would. The story was told in the first person point of view, but the narrator was recounting an event that happened. So you were able to experience the sights, sounds, and emotions of the story without being bogged down with unnecessary details you can sometimes get in a first-person point of view. Timothy Wilde's character was developed during the events without the author explaining all of his character traits through his own eyes.

      The story was well-researched so the time-period was captured perfectly. I knew that there were many prejudices against the Irish during the era of the potato famine, but I don't think I realized how bad it was. Faye captured those prejudices in the narrative, but also in the primary source clippings added throughout.

      The plot was a fascinating roller coaster ride from the start. Things would happen to Timothy constantly, but everything made sense as it was happening. It was not a case of what else can I do to my main character". When the ending finally came, it was not what I expected at all, but I loved how it was resolved."
    • 4/5
      A great first book! This book is an accurate (I think) depiction of life in New York in the 1800's. It's not glamorized so if you are expecting Guilded Age glamor skip this. But, if you like a well written mystery you must read this!
    • 4/5
      Timothy Wilde becomes one of the first members of the NYPD after a fire destroys his home and all of his savings from his bartending job. His brother, Valentine, is already a copper, so named for the copper stars they wear. As he is patrolling his designated area he has a collision with a young girl, dressed only in a nightgown and covered with blood. This chance encounter leads him to the investigation which turns into apparently a mass murderer of children.Set in the middle of the 19th century in New York City, the reader gets a feeling for the anger and fear growing from the influx of Catholic Irish escaping the potato famine in their own country. As the discovered children are found with a cross shaped cut in their torso, the suspicion falls on the Catholics and the summer heat erupts into riots in the streets.Timothy is a low key hero, scarred from fire, worshipping a woman from afar, unfamiliar even though gentle with damaged children, he is a knight charging into a new field. This promises to be an exciting and interesting series and I'm glad to be in it on the ground floor.
    • 5/5
      Gods of Gotham is a rare gem. I enjoyed all of it. The characters, their development, and being ushered through a world long gone, but for a few hours quite alive. Thank you Lindsay Faye for a great book. I'm sure I'll devour more Timothy Wilde stories in the future.
    • 4/5
      I'm not sure who reviewed this and inspired me to pick it up, but whoever you are, thanks! I really loved it. I loved the characters in their wacky imperfections. I loved some of the characterization of the "copper stars" but how it wasn't over the top or obnoxious. The politics thrown in were perfectly infuriating and hilarious. Author was pithy enough to keep in entertaining without ruining the tone of a good mystery. I did figure it out very early on. But what strikes me as important about this fact is that, even though I was right, the storytelling was so good that it didn't matter. My enjoyment was not hindered by knowing. Just a good, old fashioned, who done it. I will definitely continue with this series.
    • 4/5
      The Gods of Gotham is a mystery set in New York City in 1845. The potato famine in Ireland has led to an influx of Irish immigrants, and nativism is prevalent. New York City has just formed its first police force. The bodies of children have been discovered and it is up to the newly formed police force to investigate.

      This book has a lot of things going for it. The writing is excellent. The author does a splendid job setting the story in the time period. It feels authentic and bursting with life and it made me eager to learn more about the political and social life of mid-1800s New York City. Sometimes it is a bit challenging to read, as there is a lot of 1840s slang in the book, and the glossary in front isn't always helpful. The narrator of the story, a bartender turned police officer, is just plain likable. A decent human being with a good heart, he's the kind of guy you'd love to have either serving you a drink or protecting you from the bad guys. The story itself is captivating, not exactly in a "can't put it down" kind of way, but it kept me reading.
    • 5/5
      Wonderful historical thriller with all of it-- a complex plot, great characters, history well done, unrequited love and an unexpectedly poignant story of brothers. I want to see more of Timothy Wilde aye and for true.
    • 4/5
      I had to think long and hard about this before I wrote the review. The book was very good, don't get me wrong, but I just wasn't sure where to go with the review. To put it simply, I think I read it too quickly and missed a lot. The ending makes so much... sense, but I didn't see it coming and I totally should have.

      I really like the depiction of the relationship between the brothers (Tim and Val). It's something I think a lot of people can relate to, even if they don't have siblings. I was disappointed with most of the other character relationships though. You could argue that Tim and Bird's was well developed, but it just felt like something was missing there. You could also argue that the other interactions are strictly professional because that's how Tim approaches them, since everything is work related for him. I guess I just wanted more out of them.

      Overall, I really enjoyed this. I plan on reading it again at a later date to see if things fall into place better for me. I'm still debating if I'll read the next book or not. I don't typically stick with series that have the potential to not end, but this is a very different sort of time period compared to the others. It takes place back in the mid- 1800's, so Tim doesn't have the benefit of technology, just the observation skills he picked up as an excellent bartender. The best part is, he actually DOES it, and it doesn't seem far-fetched at all!
    • 4/5
      After losing everything he has, including a portion of his face, to a fire, Timothy Wilde joins the nascent New York City Police Department as a Copper Star and is immediately confronted with a gruesome child-murder case.For me, the richest part of this novel was the historical detail. Faye does a good job of bringing 1850s New York City to life, with its Irish immigrants, slums, newsies, street gangs and mabs. I liked the language of flash used liberally throughout the book (often unnecessarily translated by the author--we can easily pick up the meaning from the context). I do feel like I learned something about that time from reading this, which is something I want from historical fiction; for instance, it finally clicked why policemen are called "coppers!" However, I think the mystery is a bit weak here. None of the characters were deeply drawn enough for me to feel like I really knew them or understood why they did the things they did. Wilde himself seemed just a bit too good to be true, and I wished his brother--who reminded me somewhat of Daniel Day-Lewis's character in Gangs of New York--had gotten more page time. In short, this book had a lot of promise, it was very readable and entertaining, and the historical details were terrific, but it lacked the depth of character and story I look for.Read for the 2014 MysteryCAT challenge.
    • 4/5
      This is the story of Timothy Wilde, a former bartender who comes to serve on the brand-new NYPD, and his efforts to solve the apparent murders of several child prostitutes. Along the way, Faye weaves in public health issues of the day (set in 1845), prejudice against Irish immigrants to NYC, commentary on religious strife, and class tensions. I enjoyed it very much.

      Soapbox time: I'm half Irish Catholic and half English, and I'm old enough to remember when Catholics were commonly called "Papists" (as a slur). My WASP grandfather refused to attend the wedding of his son to my Irish Catholic mother, is what I'm saying--this prejudice isn't as long-gone as you might think. I even find it comes up from time to time here in the present-day South (where I live now). So it was refreshing to read about it, given that many people think, "Oh, it wasn't that bad for them." Yes, it was. /soapbox

      Anyway. This book rang true to me in all historical aspects, so brava to Faye. I especially liked the way she wove in the patois of the underclass ("flash"), from which we get some of our present-day slang (e.g., pal, cop). Very interesting. I also cared about the characters, and didn't guess "who dunnit" because of a couple of nice twists toward the end. A solid read.

      EDIT: I just found out she's got another Timothy Wilde book out now, Seven for a Secret. Whoo!
    • 3/5
      Enjoyable enough historical mystery (excellent choice of time period), but it suffers a bit for having a main character who is unrelentingly Good and unrealistically open-minded (wants justice for all, even the Irish! has a black friend! respects women's autonomy!). Not that such traits were impossible at the time, but he felt like a modern insert. I would have much rather read a book starring his scoundrel brother (crimes include: "Narcotics, alcohol, bribery, violence, whoring, gambling, theft, cheating, extortion, sodomy" [p317]).
    • 4/5
      An interesting and thoughtful book which gives a real flavour of New York in the 1860s. The centre piece of the hook is wrapped up in the issues of the time - immigration, religion and politics. A good read
    • 5/5
      What a phenomenal book!!! The audio version was amazing and Steven Boyer did a superb job of depicting each of the characters. I do believe our book club really has found our first fictional good guy. Loved the mystery that ran throughout. The characters were so well written. I will be thinking about this book for a long time to come.
    • 3/5
      Atmospheric historical mystery set in New York in the 1840s as the city forms its first police force and the Irish immigrants flood the city. Our guide to all this is Timothy Wilde, a new "copper star" on the new police force. Wilde owes his position to the influence of his older brother Valentine, a Democratic pol and fixer.First time author Lindsay Faye plays fair with the mystery while regaling the reader with New York lore. I look forward to reading her next book.