Penelope “Nelly” Sawyer is in Chicago for her brother’s funeral. She is set to inherit her family’s wealth if she stays and has a coming out. She has no interest and instead, wants to be an investigative journalist. Under a pen name, she’s been writing about the life as a Black person during the Jim Crow era. Her next article is to uncover the Mayor of Maxwell Street, the supposed leader of an underground crime syndicate.

Jay manages a speakeasy and wants in on the wealthy world that Nelly now inhabits. She wants the dirt from the underworld and gets enthralled by Jay. In the meantime, Nelly is also starting to get involved with Tomas, a wealthy man. This is billed as a love triangle and while it might’ve started out as that, it didn’t end that way.

I wish the book was shorter. It also got confusing to follow the myriad of characters but I loved the world building. I’m a born and bred Chicagoan and I loved reading all the details of a Chicago set at the start of the 1920s. I loved reading about the facets of Black Chicago during that time as we don’t get enough of that history.

Thanks to NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue for this novel. The Mayor of Maxwell Street is out now.

Fast paced, funny and a rollicking read, this was a great story - epic and heartfelt, but also sprightly and compulsively readable. I’d highly recommend it. I also loved the setting that was pure escapism.

3.5 stars
1920s Chicago, life in high-society for a black Nelly, the prohibition and the underground. Nelly could be just a rich girl but she has something to prove, her journalistic skills are put to use on the sly. Because, who the heck is The Mayor of Maxwell Street?
She is naive in her choices of safety and travels in circles that she is not familiar with. But, she is 20 so we forgive her. Jay shows up, his background is a bit of a mystery and their connection is palpable. But who is he? The mystery continues.
Tomas is the opposite of Jay but perhaps what my mother would have called 'smooth'.
With all the choices that Nelly has before her, romance is not on the front burner. I would not call this an 'epic love story'. It filled in some pieces but Nelly, oh what becomes of your ambition?
Lukewarm, entertaining, and way too long.

Thank you #NetGalley for intro to this new author.

Step into the bustling streets of 1920s Chicago with "The Mayor of Maxwell Street"! This historical fiction novel is packed with mystery, romance, and a touch of glamour that will transport you back in time. Join Nelly and Jay as they navigate the corrupt city in search of truth, all while their blossoming romance adds an extra layer of excitement. While the pacing may falter at times and the book is a hefty 500 pages long, the vivid writing style will keep you hooked until the very end. Immerse yourself in a world of vice, virtue, and intrigue with this captivating read!

The Mayor of Maxwell Street by Avery Cunningham is about a young black debutant named Penelope (Nelly) Sawyer who secretly writes under a pen name stories about the lives of Black Americans under Jim Crow. She aspires to become a well-known journalist while her parents want her to marry well and secure her future. While in Chicago to bury her brother, she meets up with the editor of the Chicago Defender. He promises her the desired by-line if she is able unearth the identity of “The Mayor of Maxwell Street.” This quest will take her into the dangerous trenches of Chicago where her choices not only risk her own life but that of others.

The world building was my favorite part of the book. This was done well. I have no doubt that much research went into building up Nelly’s universe. My hesitation falls to the plot. It felt too long in the sense that it dragged, and too short because it lacked a clear direction, so information felt missing. Nelly’s motives and actions throughout the novel contradict themselves from time to time. One minute she has a heart, and the next she is cut-throat to save her skin. Jay was just full of sketch. Couldn’t tell the truth if it saved his life. Nelly was always getting hurt in his presence.

It is billed as a love story but a love story it is not. I believe this would have worked great without the love triangle. A tale of a rich girl, despite not having the greatest reasons to risk her breath, hides her quest to be a journalist from her parents set in prohibition era Chicago. Or even just an investigative story trying to discover if her brother’s death was an accident or suspicious.

I’m still not sure what exactly happened at the end. The plot does a skip and loses me in the epilogue. I would not even be speaking to Jay if he did what he did to my family. I kept asking myself… why is she sharing airspace with this man? Everything about you and him can only be described as toxic. Even Tomas, her polo playing suitor, her I’ve only known you a short time ride or die, was giving me toxic vibes with the whole “I’ll keep asking you to marry me shtick.” I could be overthinking that relationship but Jay… throw the whole man away behind bars and walk away. Also, what happened to the journalism career? Did she make it? Did she give it up to be a wife as her remarks of forsaking her family name suggest?

I am undecided if I would glowingly recommend but may if someone asks for historical fiction mystery set in 1920s Chicago. Due to this being the authors debut novel I would not hesitate to try her next book as I did enjoy the writing. The story just needed to be more cohesive and less rushed at the end.

Thank you Netgalley for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. I look forward to seeing what other books this author releases in the future!

Nelly Sawyer is so much more than she seems. She is the very marriageable daughter of a wealthy Black horse-raising (and racing) family, thrust into the social spotlight after her brother's death. She is also secretly writing and publishing articles about the reality of Black life in the age of Jim Crow. She unexpectedly finds herself in the shades of grey world of Jay Shorey, a light-skinned Black man who seems to have his finger in a great many pots in the underside of Chicago society. The two of them share ambition and a strong connection that may mean disaster for both of them, as Nelly tries to uncover the mysterious character known as the Mayor of Maxwell Street.

Avery Cunningham has crafted a dense, thrilling book. It captures the excitement of being a socialite in the 20's in Chicago, without ever letting the reader forget that Nelly's glittering world is a construct that could collapse at any time because she is Black. For me, as a reader, realizing that there was an entire debutante structure and astounding wealth in the Black community in Chicago was eye-opening, and helped me realize the bias I was carrying around the time period.

The characters are gorgeously drawn. The reader understands why Nelly is drawn to Jay while knowing that he is, without question, not a wise choice. She also has to do a fair amount of growing up through the book, and that is well-captured. The group of people who surround both the main characters are also extremely well-rendered, with their own complexities and identities.

In a lot of way, first and foremost, this is a book about identity, and intersectionality. It's about figuring out what is truly important to you and what you might be willing to give up for that. It would be an interesting book to use with senior high school students, particularly in contrast with something like The Great Gatsby.

It was an okay story. I was not an engaged with this story as I thought I would’ve been. It was still entertaining.

Let me start by saying that I love a good Chicago-based read. As long as it is local, present day, futuristic, or historical vibes are my jam.
That being said, I wanted to love this, but didn’t. Historical fiction always puts me in a weird space because I must shift my thinking back to a time that isn’t my own. Everything from my present-day social skills, confidence, and even levels are naivete require major adjustment. There are books, where I can easily make the adjustments and find alignment; this isn’t one of those books.
This book felt like it had modern day bravado in a historical narrative, which just didn’t gel for me.
I thought the character development was fairly good. Nelly made me want to root for her, even when she did things I didn’t agree with her doing. Jay seemed super smooth, and Sequoia was a real one at every turn. In a book this long, I wanted to know even more and was disappointed that the end felt rushed.
I had some good moments during my time on the historical Maxwell Street, but I’m sad to say I didn’t truly enjoy being there.

This gorgeous book cover perfectly captures the era this novel is set in.

Chicago 1921

Penelope “Nelly” Sawyer, the daughter of Ambrose Sawyer, whose horse breeding empire in Kentucky catapulted his family into Black High Society, is in town to attend her older brother’s funeral. Now that she’s the sole heir to her family’s wealth, she is forced to remain in Chicago and do a proper coming out. But Nelly isn’t interested in cotillons. She dreams of becoming an investigative journalist for the Chicago Defender, and her next assignment is to expose the notorious Mayor of Maxwell Street, the suspected leader of an underground crime syndicate.

Jay Shorey is the son of murdered bi-racial parents. He fled rural Alabama to escape an angry mob and reinvented himself in Chicago. He manages a speakeasy and has connections to the underworld Nelly wants to infiltrate; she is a member of the society Jay desperately wants to be a part of. The chemistry in undeniable whenever their paths cross, but he is an enigma. The way he sheds his old life, adopts a new identity, and is involved in organized crime is giving Jay Gatsby. Nelly has no idea for whom she is falling.

In this story, the glitz and glamor of the roaring 20’s is mingled with the underbelly of Prohibition-era Chi-town. Speakeasy passwords, illegal champagne, gangstas, mafiosos, shady politicians, and the mystery surrounding this Mayor of Maxwell Street, who people paint as a boogeyman, make for an entertaining read. Side note: he didnt seem like such a bad guy to me. No worse than the other hoodlums. He just wanted them to stop fighting over turf and focus on getting bread together.

I liked Cunningham’s biting commentary on how Black wealth and being respectable Negroes is never enough for racists; how poor Blacks who migrated from the south had their aspirations dashed when they realized the arms of Jim Crow stretched north; and how Jay “passing” for white gives him access to different societies despite no one really knowing his background.

Thanks, Netgalley and congratulations to Avery Cunningham on a string debut. The writing is smart and a breath of fresh air. Over 500 pages, and she had my attention to the end. I furiously swiped the pages, because I couldn’t wait to find out who this Mayor is.

I went into The Mayor of Maxwell Street with high expectations and I will say it was a quite interesting read. Nelly and Jay were individually two very interesting characters independent of each other. I was intrigued by their scenes and their chemistry however there were some writing and plot choices that lost me. While reading I kept hoping that the mystery and action would connect with my intrigue about the character but for me it never came. I would give this author another chance seeing as this was a debut. Still included the book in my haul and on other socials!

What an extraordinary introduction this proved to be! Set amidst the vibrant backdrop of 1921 Chicago, the narrative centers around the life of Penelope (Nelly) Sawyer, a Black heiress. Born into the affluent Sawyer family, led by her father Ambrose Sawyer, Nelly finds herself at the pinnacle of Black society alongside other prosperous families, converging in Chicago for a Grand Cotillion.

Yet, this tale transcends mere romance, delving into Nelly's aspirations of pursuing a career in journalism. Despite her prior anonymous contributions, aided by her brother, circumstances force Nelly to confront the editor herself, who, taken aback by her youth and race, challenges her with a daunting task: uncover the elusive identity of the Mayor of Maxwell Street, a figure shrouded in mystery yet wielding considerable influence over Chicago's underworld.

Avery Cunningham's "The Mayor of Maxwell Street" is hailed as an "epic love story," weaving together intrigue, racial tensions, and class conflicts against the contrasting landscapes of glamour and grit synonymous with early 20th-century Chicago. Cunningham adeptly captures the essence of the Prohibition era with razor-sharp wit and an engrossing narrative, providing readers with a fast-paced and enthralling glimpse into the Roaring Twenties from a fresh perspective.

One reviewer aptly likened it to a Gatsby-esque tale set in the Prohibition era, a comparison that resonated deeply with me. I am thoroughly impressed by Cunningham's storytelling prowess and eagerly anticipate her future works. Heartfelt gratitude to Hyperion Avenue and NetGalley for providing this Advance Reader Copy.

3.5 stars
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley. Review based on final copy. All opinions are my own.
I was intrigued by The Mayor of Maxwell Street, both due to its intriguing premise, but also due to the fact that I believe it’s the first fully original story from Disney’s adult Hyperion Avenue imprint, with their prior releases having been retellings of their popular fairytale films. So, with that in mind, I didn’t entirely know what to expect, beyond it being a historical fiction, and while I had some minor issues with it, it’s promising overall.
I haven’t read many books set in the 1920s, and even less with a Black protagonist, but I really like how this allowed the book to stand out, while it also evoked a similar feel to some other books on the market. I liked how there were some of the high-society pressures, crossing over with the grittier underbelly of the mafia.
Nelly is a sympathetic protagonist, and I loved the dichotomy between her being compelled to navigate high-society, due to her family’s status and connections, and her secret work as an investigative journalist. She’s definitely a bit naive and shielded from the worst of the realities of the world due to her status, but she’s ultimately well-intentioned, and becomes more self-aware throughout the book as a result of her experiences, and truly comes into her own.
And while it’s not primarily a romance, there is a romantic plotline with Jay, a biracial speakeasy manager. I find some of the dynamics of the relationship a little iffy, with it occasionally going into troubling territory. But I also felt it worked in the context of the environment Nelly was in, even if I wasn’t super won over by Jay himself.
There is a lot of intrigue with the mystery element, which is what kept me invested in the book throughout. However, the uneven pacing meant the story lagged in places, and I’m not sure the book merited being as long as it was as a result.
Overall, this is a solid debut in spite of its flaws. I’d recommend it if you’re interested in a well-researched immersive historical fiction about Black people in the Jazz Age/Prohibition era.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The characters were multifaceted and the message was never just about racism, gangsters, coming of age or finding love, but someone an organic amalgamation of all of the above. The plot was gory, fabulous, depressing and beautiful, and I found myself easily drawn in. Would recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc of this in exchange for a review.

In review, I will admit that it took me several attempts to pick this up and read it. As a debut author I tried to keep my mind open to possibilities. However, at 20% through, I was very bored. There was a lot of detail to the rich, snob style life and I really didn't care.

Nelly comes from a wealthy Black family. The book starts with the death of her brother and a move from Kentucky to Chicago. Nelly's parents are trying to get Nelly to find a well off man to help her in her future and help them as well. That just didn't sit well with me, but I know it happens. Nelly has her own dreams and aspirations. She wants to be a journalist writing about the mistreatment of Black people. This is a book that touches on some very important social issues both in 1921 and even now. I had high hopes for it being a great historical fiction read, but it didn't feel like there was much historical to it. There is a "love" story with Nelly and Jay but it didn't really seem like a good fit either. Jay is a white passing Black man.

I got bored with it and just didn't really care about it by the end.

This story has an intriguing time period and includes a cast of characters with interesting back stories. There's a lot happening, though it maybe takes a while to get to each bit of action. It wasn't a favorite for me, but I think a lot of library patrons who enjoy mysteries and crime novels will enjoy it, and I will recommend it.

A very solid historical fiction novel. Also, a good mystery that keeps you guessing and wanting to know who the Mayor is. I did figure it out fairly easily, but it was still a good, entertaining read.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC.

Set in 1920s Chicago we meet Nelly, the daughter of a rich black family who have made their money through selling race horses to the elite society. Nelly is entering her debutante season but feels she has much more to give than being someone's wife and mother and dreams of being a journalist. The book follows Nelly's hunt for the big story and her romantic entanglements with a promising Royal jockey and an underground bad boy.

The scene setting was undeniably brilliant, I felt transported and could practically smell it. I found the beginning of the book a bit slow at times but then it picked up and I was absolutely hooked and couldn't put it down. There were unexpected twists that I LOVED and really made the book stand out for me.

I would absolutely love to see this made into a film or series, the costumes alone would be epic. If you love a historical fiction with a side of love story this is absolutely one for you.

Thank you netgalley for the arc.
This book was great and the ending was perfect.

This book started out slow. It was well written and engaging, but I didn't even know where it was going with the "mayor of Maxwell st" until 30% into the book.
The second half of the book hooked me though and I could not put it down.

I really enjoyed this debut novel set in Prohibition-era Chicago. Penelope “Nelly” Sawyer, the daughter of a wealthy horse breeder from Kentucky, is making her debut in Black society in the summer of 1921. An aspiring journalist, Nelly learns about the elusive Mayor of Maxwell Street, a powerful man who controls Chicago’s underground crime scene. Aided by Jay Shorey, a biracial man passing as white, Nelly becomes entangled in a maelstrom of criminal activity that threatens her life and the lives of her family and friends.

Against a backdrop of speakeasies, lavish parties, and a dizzying, multi-cultural night bazaar, the novel explores the effects of Jim Crow laws in post-Civil War America, class differences between Chicago’s wealthy and poor Black and white populations, and women’s positions in early 20th century society. Cunningham peppers her story with Arc Deco details, historic Chicago buildings, Roaring Twenties fashion, and expensive cars - I could almost hear music playing in the background as I read.

While some of the plot points are unrealistic - Nelly narrowly escapes death at the hands of the mob a few too many times - the overall story was intriguing, and I was invested in the outcome. After viewing the behind-the-scene stories in the highlights on Avery Cunningham’s Instagram account, @averywritesbigbooks, I have an even greater appreciation for the historical details included in the book. A few content warnings for graphic violence, depictions of racism, racial slurs, and drug and alcohol use.

I read a complimentary digital (e-book) ARC thanks to @netgalley and @hyperionavebooks;
the cover of this book so stunning, I might have to buy a physical copy!

Note: the formatting of the digital book was so wonky, it was a challenge to read it. There were also some grammar and vocabulary errors that took away from the story.

The fact that this is Avery's debut novel is awe-inspiring. At no point could I determine where each plot line would take me and I was never not entertained. This is one of the most unique historical fiction pieces I've ever read. I quite literally, was on the edge of my seat in the last 50 pages.