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North River

Pete Hamill

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Oct 31, 2021 Tony rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, novels, crime, setting-nyc

Set in 1934 Manhattan -- specifically Greenwich Village around Horatio and Hudson streets -- this is historical fiction of the highly romantic variety. On Horatio street lives Dr. Thomas Delany, a middle-aged World War I vet and son of a Tammany Hall fixer. He's all alone following the recent disappearance of his apparently depressive wife. He lives above his office in an unheated building, treating the neighborhood's unfortunates (lots of domestic abuse cases and malarial fellow vets) and going Set in 1934 Manhattan -- specifically Greenwich Village around Horatio and Hudson streets -- this is historical fiction of the highly romantic variety. On Horatio street lives Dr. Thomas Delany, a middle-aged World War I vet and son of a Tammany Hall fixer. He's all alone following the recent disappearance of his apparently depressive wife. He lives above his office in an unheated building, treating the neighborhood's unfortunates (lots of domestic abuse cases and malarial fellow vets) and going out on housecalls in the afternoon. This drab routine is upended by two events -- first, he's dragged from his bed one night to treat a bullet-riddled local mob boss, and soon thereafter, Delany's estranged daughter leaves his toddler grandson at his doorstep.

The rest of the book has him trying to navigate the murky waters of an ongoing gang war and threats to his household, along with hiring a young Sicilian widow to care for his grandson (shocker -- she's beautiful). The real point of the book, however, seems to be to bring Depression-era Manhattan alive, with its brand-new mayor LaGuardia, teeming masses of immigrants, remnants of Tammany Hall, nice Jewish beat cops, homey restaurants, destitute veterans begging on the streets, etc. It's even got baseball, as Delany attends the funeral mass for the legendary Giants manager, John McGraw. Chock-a-block with sepia-toned types rather than complex characters, even the Chinese-American brothel keeper has a heart of gold.

To be sure, it's all quite readable, and there's a certain charm to its old-fashioned melodrama. But despite people's dark pasts, and deep regrets, it never really throws up any challenges for Delaney that aren't quickly and easily resolved. There's always an old friend of his father's to come along with the right connection, or a grateful mobster with an envelope of cash, etc. The central issue of his wife's mental health and role in her disappearance is mostly brushed aside. So while the sights and smells of old Manhattan are capably brought to life, they feel awfully rose-tinted despite the nods to poverty and prejudice. Readers who love fiction about New York or historical domestic melodrama should give it a shot. ...more

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