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The early part of the twentieth century is replete with immigrant stories about New York, especially Brooklyn. Alice McDermott is a master of Irish legends, creating a story here that kept my nerves on edge, hoping some good will come to some of her Irish American characters. The Ninth Hour begins with a scene in a tenement building where Jim, recently fired from his job on the BMT railroad, kills himself, leaving behind his wife, Annie and an unborn child. Sally, the baby, arrives in the world surrounded by the safe environment of the nuns who comprise the Little Sister of the Sick Poor in a nearby convent. Annie works in the washroom with Sister St. Savior and Sally grows up with her mom and Sister St. Savior guiding her way. The story of the magic the women do with the wash that fills their days and the stories of times gone past in Ireland make this a vibrant chronicle from the very beginning.

Every detail of this strong story of the mother and child and then mom and teenager kept me glued to each new chapter. The skill of Anne McDermott's writing, characterization, and story telling kept me fascinated to the very last word. The story helped remind me what my ancestors and so many others went through to live a better life in a new country. Life was never easy, and today, we know that immigrants from other nations are finding it even harder.

Thank you, NetGalley, Alice McDermott, and Farrar, Straus, and Giroux for the opportunity read this e-arc.