2025 Reading Challenge discussion

This thread is to discuss Last Call at the Nightingale by Katharine Schellman.


Pages: 320 pages


Length: 1 month (August)


Participants: SarahKat, Saha


Everyone reads at their own pace during a Buddy Read. Because participants can be at different parts of the book at different times, it is extremely important to mark spoilers so that the book is not ruined for someone who is not as far along as others!!!


Mark spoilers by placing {spoiler} before the text and {/spoiler} after the text but use the < and > instead of the { and }.

Saha, I've seen you in and out for buddy reads recently. You still in on this one? I'll be starting next week probably.

I will plan on reading this one, SarahKat, but probably not until mid-month. If that helps! :)

Lynn wrote: "I will plan on reading this one, SarahKat, but probably not until mid-month. If that helps! :)"

Nice Lynn! Thanks! The library hold for me just came through so I actually started last night.

My copy should arrive next week. Anxious to read this and compare notes! LOL

I am really liking this book! I only picked it to fulfill a prompt and wasn't that excited to read it but it's been hard to put down!

Through chapter 10: (view spoiler)[I really like this era and I should seek out more books set during the 20's. I love Vivian's character and her friendship with Bea. I especially when Viv stands up to Honor when she asks her a favor after paying her bail. That really showed her character more than anything else so far and made me cheer for her. This book is already discussing issues like sexism and racism back in the day, though much of which is still an issue now.
The mystery of the dead man is intriguing but the characters and setting are what is really drawing me in at this point. I wonder if Leo is going to turn out to be a problem or an ally. (hide spoiler)]

My copy just shipped so hopefully it will arrive yet this week!

This is such an easy book to read and I don't want to put it down! I just realized it shows up as the first in a series and that makes me happy!

Through chapter 15: (view spoiler)[We are really into Viv's sleuthing now. I love how good she is with people. I also just really like how confident she is. How refreshing to have a main character who knows her worth AND her shortcomings. Too often we see main characters (especially females) start the story by saying "oh no I can't possibly do that!" And then they just get thrown into it and it turns out they can actually do that.
With Viv she's like "yeah I can totally do that, I'm just not going to unless you give me a really good reason." Anyway, we found Roy making time with the dead guy's wife, AND we found out the new girl hanging out at the Nightingale's dead dad worked for the dead guy. Coincidence?
I'm hoping Leo isn't involved. I want to like him. (hide spoiler)]

Through chapter 23: (view spoiler)[Very concerned about Leo now that he's been meeting with Mrs. Wilson.

I think what is going on with that family is Willard is pedophile and came on to (if not actually raped) Hattie's sister Myrtle. Still not sure who killed him though.

I want to dislike Florence for being so overprotective and worried all of the time but honestly, this would probably be me. This IS me every time a friend/family member gets into anything even slightly over the line of what is "right" or "legal." (hide spoiler)]

Through 29: (view spoiler)[I was starting to think after Vivian spent the night at Leo's that he might be an undercover cop or something. Glad to see I wasn't too far off the mark there.

It sounds like everyone believes Roy kill Willard because Hattie is carrying his baby. I'm not sure I'm sold on this yet. What does Sadie have to do with anything? She wouldn't be in the story if she wasn't important right? Same with Myrtle.

Anyway, Roy was a horrible human even if he didn't kill Willard and I'm glad Florence killed him, but she's going to have a rough time with the guilt and trauma. (hide spoiler)]

Finished! Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

(view spoiler)[I knew Sadie would have more to do with it. I had the end figured out before Vivian did. Really liked this book! (hide spoiler)]

I just received my copy but it'll be a few days before I start reading...

Lynn wrote: "I just received my copy but it'll be a few days before I start reading..."

Hope you like it!

Lynn wrote: "I just received my copy but it'll be a few days before I start reading..."
I plan to get a serious start on this one tonight!

Yay! Looking forward to your thoughts!

Wow. I am almost halfway through this and loving it! Vivian is (view spoiler)[either brave or stupid and I'm not sure which at this point in time! LOL

I admire her for standing up to her sister and trying to solve this mystery. I just hope she lives to tell about it later!

At this point in time I definitely have Roy as the #1 suspect, especially since he is obviously pursuing Wilson's widow Hattie. (hide spoiler)]
This is better than I expected...at least thus far!

Finished! Loved it!

I loved the diversity among the characters as well as the mystery. I admit that I very much suspected (view spoiler)[Leo of being a cop.

I didn't suspect the actual killer(s). I admit that while I appreciated the fact that Schellman kept reiterating the fact that anyone drinking alcohol during prohibition was breaking the law, these characters were very complex with both "good" and "bad" characteristics! Though I admit I do not like (and definitely would never trust) Honor. She strikes me as being a user who will always only be looking out for her own interests.

I was a little surprised at the widow being such a hardass and taking over her husband's "business" interests. I found it rather satisfying that no one really cared the Wilson was dead. I don't believe anyone really cared that Roy was dead either. They appeared to be really rotten evil souls, IMO.

So, is it okay to murder someone who is evil? When I was younger I don't believe I would have said so, but now that I have "more life experience" (read: am "old") I do believe it can be beneficial for evil souls to be eliminated from the 'gene pool'. Wilson was nothing but a gangster and pedophile.

I felt sorry for Flo! She was obviously trying to live her life according to the rules.

I wasn't sure Vivian should have tossed the gun, although I guess it may be better to get rid of that one. Perhaps they can get a replacement. Though I would love to know how/where Flo got that gun in the first place! LOL

Glad to see the bitchy sewing business owner get her own comeuppance via Viv! :)

Thrilled that Bea will now get to sing and Viv will now get to spend her evenings working where she feels "at home." Though I guess all of them are technically criminals except for Flo and Mrs. Thomas and Mrs. Henry!

The Mags character was kinda an aside. Though she did serve the purposed of telling Viv about Wilson's predilection for raping children... So I guess she served her purpose. (hide spoiler)]

Yay I'm glad you loved it! I'm so excited it looks like this will be a series. I might have to check out her other series as well.

(view spoiler)[I agree I loved the complex characters. Yes, they are breaking the law, but they aren't hurting anyone. Honor was cool as the owner of the club, but you are right, she'd do/say anything to get people to do things for her. I loved that Viv turned things around on her in the end.

My thoughts on the murdering of evil people. *I* could not do it myself, but I don't mourn the loss. Soooo... yes murdering evil people is wrong. But it is not wrong for evil people to be murdered? When this sort of question comes up I always think about Frodo telling Gandalf it's a pity Bilbo didn't kill Gollum when he had the chance and Gandalf says Gollum might still have a roll left to play.

I'm excited to see where these characters are in the next book! Maybe Mags will be a bigger part of the next one. (hide spoiler)]

SarahKat wrote: "Yay I'm glad you loved it! I'm so excited it looks like this will be a series. I might have to check out her other series as well."
And I think we should have a buddy read for the next installment, SarahKat! :)

I do plan to try her other series as well...