This was an interesting historical mystery, which has the potential to keep me turning the pages. The city of Birmingham plays an important role in the story, and the book brings the city as it was in the 1930s alive before the reader's. Recommended for those who enjoy reading historical mysteries.

An excellent gritty detective story. I enjoyed this much more than I had expected (not my usual genre). I know Birmingham well and could imagine those places as I read this very atmospheric historical story.

What an engaging journey back in time! The characters are interesting and complex which makes Needless Alley unputdownable.

I love how we get to see many facets of the characters such as with main character,William. He comes across as a detective with a heart who is willing to do what it takes to get an answer and justice.

Mystery, love, betrayal and bygone Birmingham's seedy underbelly. What more could you ask for?

Superb!

I was drawn to Needless Alley predominately because of its setting in Birmingham where I worked for many years. This novel combined two of my favourite things, historic reminiscence of Birmingham and detective fiction. The setting for the story was atmospheric and took you vividly to the city during the 1930s, describing many buildings that are still there today and wandering down many streets that you can still roam now.

Towards the middle of the novel, I thought that I could see where the story was going and what the ending might be, however, there was a great and imaginative plot twist which kept me turning pages right to the end.

From GoodReads:
A gritty, seedy chunk of historical crime.
A really interesting flawed PI surrounded and supported by a solid cast of quirky characters. We get a real feel of time and place - from seedy back street bars to crumbling country houses - we are able to submerse ourselves in the surroundings and mystery at hand
An excellent read.

Natalie Marlow writes a stunning, gritty historical noir debut set in the richly detailed grime of 1930s Birmingham, providing astute insights into British culture, class, politics, poverty and the social norms when it comes to the position of women. Flawed 36 year old private enquiry agent William Garrett has his office and home in Needless Alley, he is a damaged man from the war and his chaotic childhood spent growing up around the canals. Motivated by the need for money, he works for the amoral solicitor Shifty Shirley, facilitating divorces for his wealthy male clients by setting up honey traps for their wives with the help of his close friend, out of work, handsome actor Ronnie Edgerton, with William taking photographs as evidence. He is not proud of what he does, feeling physically sick after every assignment, weighed down by guilt, all too aware of just how hard women have it in comparison to men.

However, William feels the possibility of redemption arise when he comes across the beautiful amateur artist, Clara, and falls for her, unaware she happens to be the wife of a client, the rich and ambitious fascist, Edward Morton, with his political aspirations. As his life falls apart, William embarks on a dangerous inquiry that make him some powerful enemies. He finds himself hospitalised, beaten senseless, encountering the seedy underworld of rich men's desires and obsessions, the drugs, murder, sex and pornography, going to a run down rural manor, meeting corrupt and fascist police officers, and attending the carnage of the Bull Ring black shirt rally where Oswald Mosley is a speaker. William finds himself aided by his past love, friend and Ronnie's sister, Queenie Maggs, residing on a narrowboat and the young, bright and determined Phyllis Hall.

Marlow atmospherically evokes 1930s industrial Birmingham, the canals, the inequalities, the still present trauma and mental scars of war, with its hardmen and its echoes of Peaky Blinders, along with its thriving lively bohemian elements in society. William is a complicated central protagonist, well read, with a strong moral core in his pursuit of some form of justice, surrounded by strong women in the form of Queenie and Phyll. This is a great, vibrant and twisty read, with its social and political commentary of the historical period, a treacherous story of vengeance, fear, bad blood, grudges, sorrow, grief, love and hate. Highly recommended. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

This was such a plesant surprise of a book - a film noir set during the prestigious Art Deco/Prohibition/Jazz Age of 1930s Birmingham. I know there was no prohibition in the UK, but that era is signposted by those significant movements in history. Nearly 100 years ago - the impact of Peaky Blinders lingers over this work also, a case that does a clever thing in turning a sharp left so abruptly it took this reader a while to get back in the lane.
All in all, a treat and while you do get the sense of the writer finding there feet with the characters and the plot, I cannot wait for more from this series in future stories.
Seek it out and savour it

A nice book to read. The pace was nice and you have a really fab plot. Thank you for letting me read it.

What a fabulous story! While at heart a detective novel, it is also in many ways a story of love in its myriad forms.

William Garrett is a refreshing protagonist. Shaped by a chaotic upbringing and his experiences of war he is a man who knows himself - a flawed but ultimately moral. A man before his time, his opinion of women and sexual identities and practices are much more accepting than would have been the norm. He is partnered by his close friend Ronnie who brings some spice and humour to the story.

Some great female voices in the story too were made even more interesting by the historic 1930’s setting. After all it was a time where women were very much the property of their husbands and subject to their rules and whims.

The book has obviously been meticulously researched and it includes cameo appearances from real historical figures such as Oswald Mosely as William finds himself negotiating the seedy side of politics and the rise of fascism.

The writing and scene setting in this book was absolutely brilliant. I could see the scenes so clearly I could have been watching on a screen . The setting of 1930s industrial Birmingham will evidently draw Peaky Blinders comparisons but it is not a city I see in books often so I enjoyed the fresh perspective.

Needless Alley is a fabulous, fast paced story with unexpected twists and fully formed believable characters - a compelling read. I look forward to more from this author.

Huge thanks to Netgalley and John Murray for the chance to read an advance copy

Loved this, it’s first class historical crime that I felt totally immersed in. Find it hard to believe this is a first novel. 1930s Birmingham is a hard and merciless place to live and people have to do what they have to do to earn a crust but sometimes that isn’t enough. This is dark and violent, twisty and shocking and the characters are vividly painted. I really hope that William and Phyll do make a team and we get more books to follow this.

Thoroughly enjoyed 'Needless Alley' from start to finish. With an engaging flawed protagonist driving this murky, period drama/thriller read, you can't help but be pulled into their dark world of crime set in 193os Birmingham - and yes there are Peaky Blinder vibes, which I loved.
Our dubious central protagonist William Garrett drives the plot as he sets up honey traps for rich men with his flamboyant and complex friend best friend providing the lure. Garrett has enough depth and battered emotions to hold your attention and focus; this balances the damage he does.
I loved the historical backdrop and more complex themes including the impact of war, the seediness lurking under the surface of society and the politics underpinning interactions.
I'd highly recommend 'Needless Alley' by Natalie Marlow and can't wait to add a hardback to my book collection in 2023.
Blunt, dissolute and dark - a character driven, inventive historical thriller read with heart.

Creepy and compelling!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me read this book in exchange for my review.

My thoughts about Natalie Marlow’s Needless Alley. When it comes to historical crime fiction and murder mysteries, the key element is suspense and Natalie Marlow’s Needless Alley not only masters it but also hooks you to each character. Towards the middle of the book, you will find yourself observing the characters with such precision that you may think of yourselves as detectives. Writer Natalie Marlow forms a strong base for a crime-mystery franchise. Characters are strong and the suspense build-up is bang on. With a stunning build-up, Natalie Marlow keeps you guessing till the very end. Natalie Marlow’s Needless Alley is a book that reads streets of Birmingham in the 1930s spectacularly. If you haven’t been to Birmingham before, this beauty of a book ensures you do. Natalie Marlow’s Needless Alley is a breathtaking mystery thriller that gives you information here and there and it’s up to the readers to figure out how things fit together before the main character does. I really enjoyed it and the fact that it was a period piece of a time that I am really invested in really helped me gloss over some plot points. The story of Natalie Marlow’s Needless Alley begins in Birmingham, 1933. Private enquiry agent William Garrett, a man damaged by a dark childhood spent on Birmingham’s canals, specialises in facilitating divorces for the city’s male elite. With the help of his best friend -charming, out-of-work actor Ronnie Edgerton – William sets up honey traps. But photographing unsuspecting women in flagrante plagues his conscience and William heaves up his guts with remorse after every job. However, William’s life changes when he accidentally meets the beautiful Clara Morton and falls in love. Little does he know she is the wife of a client – a leading fascist with a dangerous obsession. And what should have been another straightforward job turns into something far more deadly. All credit goes to writer Natalie Marlow, who has created a gripping book that is sure to resonate with the readers. Natalie Marlow’s Needless Alley is an intriguing crime thriller that holds up the suspense right till the end, adorned with an intelligent execution and perfect detailing. An interesting storyline keeps you glued to your chair throughout the book. The book representation of the historical era is breathtakingly life-like. I would like to say a big thank you to author Natalie Marlow, publishers John Murray Press and NetGalley for kindly letting me read and review this brilliant book which I’ve enjoyed reading it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥💥💥💥💥💥

Needless Alley gives us a rich and earthy insight into underbelly of mid-war Birmingham. I know the city well and I do love an early 20th century setting, so this was a good choice for me.
There were some very challenging themes, including the tragic impact of WW1 on the young men who had fought and those left behind and bereaved, the sex and drugs industry, the rise of the British fascism movement and the effects of poverty running through it all. I was impressed with the authors knowledge and research that was obvious to the reader.
The characters were really well written and I had no difficulty in envisaging them and feeling for them. William was a really good and believable main character.
The book is basically a historical thriller. The plot has reveals and twists that kept me turning the pages into the night. It was very well done.
It is hard to avoid some of the parallels with Peaky Blinders, but that didn't put me off, as I was a big fan.
The book is the author's debut and I will certainly be looking out for her in the future.
Five stars from me and definitely one I will be recommending.

There were lots of twists and turns in this novel and I wasn’t really sure who to trust – everyone seemed to be keeping secrets and lying about what they were up to. There were several red herrings and some misdirection that had me suspecting all kinds of things!

Set in 1930s Birmingham, this is an enthralling tale. Post-war neuroticism and hardship are reflected in the characterisation. As the story unfurls, we learn of the debauchery of the characters. There are murders and a twist at the end. It's a bit Peaky Blinder-esque, recommended.

I enjoyed the setting and thought it captured 30’s Birmingham really well. I didn’t really care about the characters though and it fell a bit flat to me for that reason.

Heaving With Detail…
An atmospheric 1933 period Birmingham setting and private enquiry agent William Garrett, a specialist in facilitating divorces for the area’s elite clientele - specifically male clientele. These set up honey traps he excels in do not give him peace, rather remorse. When William meets with the beautiful Clara all of that is about to change. Unbeknown to William, something menacing lies in wait. Heaving with perod detail, well described backdrops and a cast of beautifully drawn characters lies a fluidly penned tale of greed and corruption.

I enjoyed this book, lots of twists and turns you just do NOT see coming and keeps you gripped all the way through. I enjoyed getting to know William, he has his flaws but that made him ever more interesting And the parts Clara is in wer really enjoyable too. Not the usual genre I go for but i thoroughly enjoyed this and would definitely look for books by this author again. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this early copy.

This atmospheric private detective novel soon takes a turn for the dark side of life in 1930s Birmingham. It is beautifully scripted, and filled with complex characters. It gives a real feel for the seedier side of this period. The plot becomes more intriguing as the book progresses. An enjoyable, if sometimes gruesome, read.