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Mercy Row #2
Mercy Row Clann
Mercy Row Clann- The second book in the Mercy Row series.
The Byrne family of Philadelphia fights two wars. One for the freedom of the world and the other for the survival of their family.
Mercy Row Clann is book two of the continuing story of a powerful North Philadelphia Irish crime family. As World War 2 rages, the Byrne family must send their sons to fight the German's and Japanese while they battle for survival against old and new enemies at home.
The Byrne children's ability to protect and grow the family, and the K & A Gang, is tested with violence, sorrow, fear and love.
The Byrne family of Philadelphia fights two wars. One for the freedom of the world and the other for the survival of their family.
Mercy Row Clann is book two of the continuing story of a powerful North Philadelphia Irish crime family. As World War 2 rages, the Byrne family must send their sons to fight the German's and Japanese while they battle for survival against old and new enemies at home.
The Byrne children's ability to protect and grow the family, and the K & A Gang, is tested with violence, sorrow, fear and love.
242 pages, Paperback
First published May 21, 2014
About the author
Harry Hallman
12 books4 followersHarry Hallman www.facebook.com/mercyrow
Harry Hallman
Hallman was born in 1944 and raised in the Kensington section of North Philadelphia. That was a year before World War II ended. He was influenced by the stories told by returning servicemen and the proliferation of war movies that were shown on the then new invention of the television. With the influence of movie heroes such as John Wayne, and real heroes like Audie Murphy, he gained a healthy respect for his mother and father's generation and their sacrifices. His uncles on his mother's side both served in WWII, one in the Army and one in the Navy.
Hallman's father was Harry Hallman, Sr., a champion billiards player who also owned a poolroom called Circle Billiards, located at Allegany Avenue and Lee Street. The younger Hallman spent many hours after school at his father's poolroom and watching his father play in other poolrooms in Philadelphia and New Jersey. The people he met, some belonging to the real K&A Gang, influenced his writing of the Mercy Row series.
He served four years in the U.S. Air Force, including two tours in South Vietnam, as a photographer. He is married to Duoc Hallman, whom he met in Vietnam, and has two children, Bill and Nancy, and one grandchild, Ava.
Hallman is a serial entrepreneur who has created several marketing services and digital media companies and continues to work as a marketing consultant.
Harry Hallman
Hallman was born in 1944 and raised in the Kensington section of North Philadelphia. That was a year before World War II ended. He was influenced by the stories told by returning servicemen and the proliferation of war movies that were shown on the then new invention of the television. With the influence of movie heroes such as John Wayne, and real heroes like Audie Murphy, he gained a healthy respect for his mother and father's generation and their sacrifices. His uncles on his mother's side both served in WWII, one in the Army and one in the Navy.
Hallman's father was Harry Hallman, Sr., a champion billiards player who also owned a poolroom called Circle Billiards, located at Allegany Avenue and Lee Street. The younger Hallman spent many hours after school at his father's poolroom and watching his father play in other poolrooms in Philadelphia and New Jersey. The people he met, some belonging to the real K&A Gang, influenced his writing of the Mercy Row series.
He served four years in the U.S. Air Force, including two tours in South Vietnam, as a photographer. He is married to Duoc Hallman, whom he met in Vietnam, and has two children, Bill and Nancy, and one grandchild, Ava.
Hallman is a serial entrepreneur who has created several marketing services and digital media companies and continues to work as a marketing consultant.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
July 10, 2014
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. No other consideration was offered, expected or received.
This was a good story – so much happiness and so much sadness. I read the whole book in one sitting, not able to put it down and not realizing just how long I had been sitting there. I want to know more about this family and their lives and I can't wait until I can read book 3 (book 1's review will be coming soon). I really got into the characters and their lives – crossed my fingers, hoping this situation would turn out good, that they would succeed, that he (or she) would make it out alive, that they would survive this attack and that attack – I cried at the sad moments, laughed at the funny, felt happiness when good things happened to them, and cheered when they did come out on top.
Parts of it felt like I was reading a novel and parts of it felt like I was reading a true crime story, like the script to one of those true crime news shows that are so popular on TV. BUT at some spots I felt like the ball had been dropped, like it could have been written a little better, and some of that I blame on the editor. There were quite a few editing issues in the book (i.e. missing words and at 65%, Sally calls Jimmy Charlie, which may not be a big thing, but it should have been caught); the switching back and forth between full name and nickname, especially in the same paragraph, can get a little confusing (i.e. Jake and Jakey, Franklin and Frank); the story was a bit all over the place and at times felt like there was no organization, sometimes it was like the next day and sometimes it felt like a vast amount of time had happened between two events, and some things were hard to connect.
My main two problems with the book were: 1) The story with one of their enemies just stopped after they “took care of the problem,” which was weird because I would have expected some form of retaliation from that group. Instead it went on to dealing just with the inside problems. (I’m hoping that this may get picked up again in the third book.) 2) There were two parts that I felt were just NOT necessary: the fooling around in the hospital (32%) and the whore house (66%). They took away from the story, in my opinion, and felt awkward, like they were forced in. I disagree with the whole thing about people loving sex in their stories – I feel like TV shows and books (when they are not romance or erotica) slip sex scenes in thinking it will help their story when, in reality, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it – sex is a cop-out and when you have a really good book already, it doesn’t make it a really good book.
My favorite character: This is always a hard one for me, but I add it to my reviews when there is ONE or TWO characters that REALLY stand out to me. This book has a lot of good characters, but Willy, well, he’s not the brightest crayon in the book and he cracks me up.
My favorite parts: The naming of the baby, when they saved the dogs, ordering the hoagie at the Jewish Delicatessen in New York, and the very end.
This was a good story – so much happiness and so much sadness. I read the whole book in one sitting, not able to put it down and not realizing just how long I had been sitting there. I want to know more about this family and their lives and I can't wait until I can read book 3 (book 1's review will be coming soon). I really got into the characters and their lives – crossed my fingers, hoping this situation would turn out good, that they would succeed, that he (or she) would make it out alive, that they would survive this attack and that attack – I cried at the sad moments, laughed at the funny, felt happiness when good things happened to them, and cheered when they did come out on top.
Parts of it felt like I was reading a novel and parts of it felt like I was reading a true crime story, like the script to one of those true crime news shows that are so popular on TV. BUT at some spots I felt like the ball had been dropped, like it could have been written a little better, and some of that I blame on the editor. There were quite a few editing issues in the book (i.e. missing words and at 65%, Sally calls Jimmy Charlie, which may not be a big thing, but it should have been caught); the switching back and forth between full name and nickname, especially in the same paragraph, can get a little confusing (i.e. Jake and Jakey, Franklin and Frank); the story was a bit all over the place and at times felt like there was no organization, sometimes it was like the next day and sometimes it felt like a vast amount of time had happened between two events, and some things were hard to connect.
My main two problems with the book were: 1) The story with one of their enemies just stopped after they “took care of the problem,” which was weird because I would have expected some form of retaliation from that group. Instead it went on to dealing just with the inside problems. (I’m hoping that this may get picked up again in the third book.) 2) There were two parts that I felt were just NOT necessary: the fooling around in the hospital (32%) and the whore house (66%). They took away from the story, in my opinion, and felt awkward, like they were forced in. I disagree with the whole thing about people loving sex in their stories – I feel like TV shows and books (when they are not romance or erotica) slip sex scenes in thinking it will help their story when, in reality, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it – sex is a cop-out and when you have a really good book already, it doesn’t make it a really good book.
My favorite character: This is always a hard one for me, but I add it to my reviews when there is ONE or TWO characters that REALLY stand out to me. This book has a lot of good characters, but Willy, well, he’s not the brightest crayon in the book and he cracks me up.
My favorite parts: The naming of the baby, when they saved the dogs, ordering the hoagie at the Jewish Delicatessen in New York, and the very end.
July 3, 2014
Mercy Row Clann .. by Harry Hallman ..Thanks Goodreads for sending me this interesting FREE book. While men were fighting for our freedom in WWII an Irish family with some Italians were fighting a different war, Mobs in the N.E. U.S. They believed in an eye for an eye, so there was always revenge and retribution. They were family men and wanted to keep their wives and children safe. They also loved their animals too. Good book.
July 15, 2014
Whereas Mercy Row (review to come) brings us through the rise of the Mercy Row clann and it's clawing to power, this book has us see a different light. Here we see internal strife as well as vengeance while a two powerful families deal with loved ones overseas.
The Byrne family has Jimmy and later Charlie overseas and the Amato family had Tony. The Amato's see tragedy and the families pull together to become stronger and more resilient. Mercy we see come into her own in the family as does Jake.
Mr. Hallman pulls you into this electrifying world that keeps you on your toes wondering what is next and how will these two families pull together and come out stronger. From the war which has the two families worry and see sorrow, to the revenge against the Byrnes where we see a unlikely enemy but also see some good come from this for Frank finally falls in love, to the internal strife within the two families and all the protection they must do, to the war against the Amato's in which the Byrnes support and help them as well.
What we see is family and love throughout. No matter what the violence or danger, the families pull together and support one another unconditionally. They celebrate joys together and cry over tragedies together. No matter what we see such unconditional love and support for one another. They work together to get rid of threats and keep each other safe.
A wonderful look at crime families their rise to power and staying there but most of all the look at the togetherness and love these families have is seen throughout the book. I wonder what is up next for the Amato and Byrne families.
The Byrne family has Jimmy and later Charlie overseas and the Amato family had Tony. The Amato's see tragedy and the families pull together to become stronger and more resilient. Mercy we see come into her own in the family as does Jake.
Mr. Hallman pulls you into this electrifying world that keeps you on your toes wondering what is next and how will these two families pull together and come out stronger. From the war which has the two families worry and see sorrow, to the revenge against the Byrnes where we see a unlikely enemy but also see some good come from this for Frank finally falls in love, to the internal strife within the two families and all the protection they must do, to the war against the Amato's in which the Byrnes support and help them as well.
What we see is family and love throughout. No matter what the violence or danger, the families pull together and support one another unconditionally. They celebrate joys together and cry over tragedies together. No matter what we see such unconditional love and support for one another. They work together to get rid of threats and keep each other safe.
A wonderful look at crime families their rise to power and staying there but most of all the look at the togetherness and love these families have is seen throughout the book. I wonder what is up next for the Amato and Byrne families.
February 23, 2024
Moving along to the 1940’s. There is a sameness to the stories. Gun fights with other gangs or mobsters abound. Would like to have learned about the operations the K&A Gang ran, how they worked and maybe the effect it had on the neighborhoods in and around Kensington. The real K&A Gang was deeply involved in prostitution, loan sharking, betting, numbers racketeering, burglary, drugs and other illegal activities.
July 7, 2014
I was worried when I was asked to read Mercy Row Clann that I wasn’t going to be able to adequately follow the story line, as I hadn’t yet had a chance to read the book’s prequel Mercy Row. But as soon as I started to read I knew that this enthralling story was an absolute stand alone! The book centers around the multi-fronted perils of two Philadelphia crime families during World War II. The story line weaves through the deep cultural roots of the Italian-American & Irish-American’s legacies as they fight to stay together in a competitive and cutthroat joint illicit business. All of Mr. Hallman’s individual characters are impressively complex; even the periphery characters. There is one thrilling scene where Mr. Hallman is writing from the point of view of a German bomber pilot as he’s strafing an American ship! The plot ties itself up neatly and left me super stoked to go back and read Mercy Row and I anxiously await the next installment. This book kept me intrigued from start to end, and I highly recommend it as not only an exciting read, but also a cool peek into the lives and history of native Philadelphians from a native Philadelphian who actually is writing from his own experiences!
July 7, 2014
Mercy Row Clann is book two in the Mercy Row Series, but I feel as though it could be classified as a stand-alone novel, too. While I recommend reading Mercy Row, I think readers could jump into book two and keep up with the Byrne family just fine.
Harry Hallman doesn’t waste any time tossing his characters into high action scenes. This book is set in the 1940s in Philadelphia and few of the family members are overseas in battle. For the remainder of the family in Philly, they may not be in the midst of world war but they are fighting for their lives from the enemies in their own state.
I really love the strong role that female protagonist Mercy plays in the drama. Hallman doesn’t hesitate to kill off anyone in this book and I appreciate that! He depicts the real life of these times during the war and gang life in Philly. There is violence and strong adult language but they are both fitting for the story line and do not feel excessive.
Mercy Row Clann touches on war, crime, loyalty, and of course – family.
Harry Hallman doesn’t waste any time tossing his characters into high action scenes. This book is set in the 1940s in Philadelphia and few of the family members are overseas in battle. For the remainder of the family in Philly, they may not be in the midst of world war but they are fighting for their lives from the enemies in their own state.
I really love the strong role that female protagonist Mercy plays in the drama. Hallman doesn’t hesitate to kill off anyone in this book and I appreciate that! He depicts the real life of these times during the war and gang life in Philly. There is violence and strong adult language but they are both fitting for the story line and do not feel excessive.
Mercy Row Clann touches on war, crime, loyalty, and of course – family.
June 24, 2014
I'm really starting to like the Byrne family... Lots of great stuff going on in the new chapter of the Mercy Row story. Harry Hallman tells a great story, and it's great to watch him progress book to book. What's next???
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May 28, 2014I will never review for my own writing. I rely on readers reviews to make me a better writer.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews