Decadence paired with debauchery makes for a delicious glimpse into 1920s London nightlife in acclaimed writer Kate Atkinson’s Shrines of Gaiety. Known the world over for her singular storytelling style, Atkinson dazzles in her newest novel chronicling the last stand of Nellie “Old Ma” Coker as she defends her reign as Soho’s Queen of Clubs.
A deft businesswoman, Nellie has ruled her kingdom with an iron fist for decades, earning fear and respect from most — but she’s not without enemies. Mysterious tip-offs increase police raids, girls turn up dead in her clubs and friends are not what (or who) they seem. After a betrayal lands Nellie in jail, she begins to plan a clever game of cat and mouse to draw out those who would destroy her dynasty.
Inspired by the life and times of infamous nightclub owner Kate Meyrick, Shrines of Gaiety — a not-so-subtle euphemism for “dens of iniquity,” no doubt — uncovers the grime beneath the glamour of the Bright Young Things era.
The shrines in question are a group of nightclubs — the crown jewel being the Amethyst, named after a stolen necklace Nellie sells to finance her empire. The clubs are managed by Nellie’s (rather troublesome) six children and overseen by the queen herself. Catering to royalty, aristocracy and lawmakers as well as gangsters, thieves and murderers — criminals all, innocent none — crowds come from far and wide for the club’s impressive decor, flowing drinks and dope, dancing girls and manic music.
Deals are cut, alliances are made and at the end of each night, the patrons slink back to their regular lives. But not all make it home — many of the Bright Young Things are vanishing from Coker clubs at an alarming rate, many washing up dead in the Thames.
This troubling influx of missing and murdered girls draws the attention of Chief Inspector Frobisher, a pure-hearted policeman dedicated to putting a stop to the deluge of death. Along with librarian-turned-heiress Gwendolen Kelling — on a quest herself to find two missing girls — Frobisher attempts to infiltrate Nellie’s empire to quell the Coker poison consuming the city.
As Frobisher and Gwendolen race against time to locate the missing girls and Nellie moves to save her empire from vengeful drug barons and crooked cops, the casualties of the turf war begin to add up. Soon, the only hope is for Nellie Coker to outfox her double-crossers and come out triumphant. One of this year’s favourite anti-heroes, you can’t help but cheer for Nellie Coker — long live the queen.
Atkinson writes with tongue-in-cheek humour, paying homage to the stories of the era with wit and lyrical prose. While it’s easy to get caught up in the mania of the “joy dust” sprinkled throughout the storyline (mainly unreliable narrators and bizarre time jumps), there is an undeniable charm to Atkinson’s latest romp.
Shrines of Gaiety
Katrina Sklepowich is a lover of all things literary, and creator of the Literally, Katrina podcast and blog at LiterallyKatrina.com.
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