Customer Reviews

Gilded Needles

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4 star:		(1)
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In early 1880's New York City, a prominent citizen is found murdered in the infamous Black Triangle section. The incident set off a public outrage that was fanned by the aristocratic Stallworth family. At the center of the Black Triangle's activities is the Shanks family, known for fencing stolen goods from their "pawn shop" and abortions. During the first half of the novel, Judge James Stallworth plays an important role in the deaths of three of the Shankses. Shanks matriarch Lena orders her family to flee after an incident in which her daughter is killed. But before leaving, Lena vows to slay three Stallworths for the three Shankses slain. For several months, nothing happens and the Stallworths are lulled into a false sense of security. Then all of a sudden, each Stallworth receives an invitation card to his or her own funeral. Now the fun begins.

While this book might not have the fastest pace, it does a splendid job placing the reader in 1880's New York City. And even with the story being a little bit predictable, the characters are constructed with enough substance to appreciate the events that they either cause or feel the effects of. For instance, we have great characters like corrupt lawyer Duncan Phair, strict James Stallworth, his compassionate granddaughter Helen, and Lena Shanks who may not think twice about commiting a crime yet she has a strong sense of family.

Before I submit my review, I have to point out a few things. This may be a very difficult item to find. It was written by Michael McDowell, a horror writer. But GILDED NEEDLES is more of a historical revenge novel than it is a horror novel. When this book was first released in 1980 (I believe, don't quote me), it was marketed as a horror novel with the blood dripping from the golden finger needles and a positive blurb from Stephen King.

Also check out TOPLIN by Michael McDowell. This book is competely different from, but equally as good (and equally as hard to find) as GILDED NEEDLES.

This was an excellent book. One of my favorites by Michael McDowell. I read a lot of his books back in the 80's. Over the last couple of years I have been looking for them again and only found them used. Better used than never.

I recommend all the McDowell books (the ones I have read at least): The Amulet, Blackwater series, Cold Moon Over Babylon, The Elementals

I have just re-read Gilded Needles for the first time in almost 15 years and could not put it down. I also just re-read The Elementals for the first time in over 15 years. I finished both in the space of a weekend.

I wish the publishers would re-print all of his books. I know they are in great demand.

Michael McDowell wrote Southern Gothic at its best!

A wonderful McDowell book, as usual. Set in 1880s New York, it's the story of evil Lena Shanks, head of a family of thieves and thugs... but is she evil? We have in the other hand, good, righteous judge Stallworth, a man who always has the law no matter what... but is he good?

This is the story of the clash of two families and how one slowly and strategically destroys the other. Shocking, to say the least, and a marvel of plotting. An unforgettable book.

The Year Of Grace 1882 has just begun. By year's end, two families will be destroyed. Black Lena Shanks lives on West Houston Street, near the Black Triangle comprised of MacDougal Street, Canal Street, and Bleecker Street, near the Bowery. Lena, a receiver of stolen goods, lives with her pretty daughter Daisy, an abortionist, her course and mute daughter Louisa, adept at forgery, and Daisy's two children Rob and Ella, young sprites already adept at thievery. It's just the crime-steeped sort of family that Judge James Stallworth intends to make an example of.

Judge James Stallworth lives alone near Washington Square with his dog Pompey. In nearby, elegant Gramercy Park lives his daughter Marian Phair with her lawyer Duncan and two beautiful children Edwin and Edith. Marian's brother is a widely respected clergyman who lives with his two children Helen, a religious recluse, and Benjamin, a bumbling, gambling-addicted buffoon.

Years ago, Judge Stallworth sent Lena's husband Cornelius to his death, and Lena herself spent seven years incarcerated on Blackwell island. Now their lives will cross again, and Lena's memory is long - and her desire for revenge is vicious.

Stallworth's attack on the Black Triangle, a scheme to help promote Republicans, including himself, in a Democratically controlled political system, begins with the arrest of Maggie Kaizer, friend to Lena and the unfortunate mistress of Duncan Phair. The war between families begins.

'Gilded Needles' is an interesting study of corruption on both parts, of the upper class vs. the lowest of criminals, and a story of family values. McDowell uses such descriptive and elegant prose as he describes the richness of the Stallworth's lives compared to the seediness of the Black Triangle. From opium dens, saloons that serve flat penny beer, houses of ill-repute, pawnshops, gambling dens, and ugly poverty to the gracious households of the power hungry Stallworths and Phairs.

Grisly deaths are painted with stylish narrative, deaths by popping a man's throat with a cane, dropping paving stones on a head, attacks with fingernail needles, throat cuttings, stabbings with opium yen hocks, and the inevitable kidnapping or two. In the end, neither family escapes unscathed.

This is one of the best books I've ever read. It's a 10 star book, I can't recommend it highly enough. The horror in it is quiet and creeping, until it suddenly jumps off the page when you least expect it and snaps at you with deadly sharp teeth. I highly recommend looking up all of Michael McDowell's works, especially his 'Blackwater' series of six slim, continuous volumes. If you hunger for more of his genteel 1880's tales, pick up 'Katie', the story of a female serial killer.

In answer to reviewer 'Tycho Magnetic Anomaly', yes, my copy of the book has the two females wearing golden needles on their fingers that are dripping blood, and an introductory blurb from Stephen King. It's the first printing edition from November 1980.

Find this book used and buy it, its money well spent. Once you taste McDowell, you'll be hungry for more. Enjoy!

I loved this book. It is an extreme version of good vs. evil. The "good" people are a mess & you learn to appreciate the "evil" ones more & more as the book progresses. I read it in just one sitting. It is my favorite book by Michael McDowell & I have finally found & read all of them.

I just finished "Gilded Needles". Based on the cover it appears the novel would be of horror.It is not. This novel takes place in NYC circa 1881. It revolves around two families in Manhattan, one an aristocratic family well respected by the "well-to-do" socialites, the other a family involved with organizaed crime. They know of each other well, and there are old wounds that are soon to reopen. This is a novel of revenge, but it is how it plays out that had me nailed to the story. Michael Mcdowell, is very efficent with his words and desciptions of the local color of the area. I especially enjoyed his telling of how wealthy families would celebrate New Years Eve, by allowing every family to visit each others homes and provide wine and food. But basically to show off who had the nicer home and food spreads. The fist 3/4ths of the novel is building up: the story, character backgrounds, and past events, once that has been established, the final 1/4 moves at a sadistic fast pace.
This is my forth novel by Mcdowell, and I can honestly say he really was a dark individual inside his mind. Many of the ways he has his victims suffer in all his books are very clever, sadistic and raw. "Gilded Needles" albeit a thiller has some interesting descriptions of deaths and sadistic events. I can't tell you what they are; that would spoil it, but I was especially nervous for a bit when children where involved. Overall the novel gives great history and desriptions of a 19th century NYC. The cover is a bit silly, but don't let that fool you. I really think Mcdowell is one of the most underated writers out there, too bad he never wrote that many novels, because he can hold his own against the best of them. This novel, should be republished and re-packaged, since it is told in 1881 so it remains timeless with today's crowd. This would make a great movie, I feel Christpher Plummer would be perfect for the part of the Patriarch of the Stallworth family.

Michael McDowell takes the reader deep into the misery and death of New York's slums of 1890 in GUILDED NEELES.
The misery that people will endure to survive in a wilderness of depravity is the scope of this murder/mystery of revenge and the power of hatred to fuel the soul.
German Black Lena is queen of The Black Triangle and she plots her revenge for the deaths of her husband, daughter and friend against the powerful Stallworth family who have little regard for the teaming slums just a few streets away from their mansions.
Lena leads a group of female criminals who are skilled in the art of cruelty, even her grandchildren are trained in her practices, though they are taught the manners and deportment of the upper classes and not allow to roam the dark streets. The children can wash, strip, shorn, and deliver a corpse to medical students through the night darken allies or scrubbed they are able to serve a proper tea.
Michael McDowell doesn't spare a word to convey the depths of the world of Lena and her family or the extremes to which she will go to execute her vengeance.
Not a comfortable read, but a very good read.
Nash Black, author of Indie finalists WRITING AS A SMALL BUSINESS and HAINTS.