The Mayor of Maxwell Street Audiobook By Avery Cunningham cover art

The Mayor of Maxwell Street

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The Mayor of Maxwell Street

By: Avery Cunningham
Narrated by: Bahni Turpin
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About this listen

"A debut novel everyone will be talking about", Avery Cunningham's epic love story is "a triumph" and "a tale of intrigue, racial tension, and class warfare, set against the glamorous and gritty backdrop of early 20th century Chicago".

When a rich Black debutante enlists the help of a low-level speakeasy manager to identify the head of an underground crime syndicate, the two are thrust into the dangerous world of Prohibition-era Chicago.

The year is 1921, and America is burning. A fire of vice and virtue rages on every shore, and Chicago is its beating heart.

Nelly Sawyer is the daughter of the “wealthiest Negro in America”, whose affluence catapulted his family to the heights of Black society. After the unexpected death of her only brother, Nelly becomes the premier debutante overnight. But Nelly has aspirations beyond society influence and marriage. For the past year, she has worked undercover as an investigative journalist, sharing the achievements and tribulations of everyday Black people living in the shadow of Jim Crow. Her latest assignment thrusts her into the den of a dangerous vice lord: the so-called Mayor of Maxwell Street.

Born in rural Alabama to a murdered biracial couple, Jay Shorey knows firsthand what it means to be denied a chance at the American dream. When a tragic turn of fate gave Jay a rare path out, he took it without question. He washed up on Chicago’s storied shores and forged his own way to the top of the city’s underworld, running Chicago's swankiest speakeasy, where the rich and famous rub elbows with gangsters and politicians alike.

When Nelly’s and Jay’s paths cross, she recruits him to help expose the Mayor and bring about lasting change in a corrupt city. But Jay also introduces a whole new world to Nelly, one where her horizons can extend beyond the confines of her ivory tower. Trapped between the monolith of Jim Crow, the inflexible world of the Black upper class, and the violence of Prohibition-era Chicago, Jay and Nelly work together and stoke the flames of a love worth fighting for.

Debut author Avery Cunningham’s stunning novel is at once an epic love story, a riveting historical drama, and a brilliant exploration of Black society and perseverance when the ‘20s first began to roar.

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About the Creator

Avery Cunningham is a resident of Memphis, Tennessee, and a 2016 graduate of DePaul University’s Master of Arts Writing & Publishing program. She has over a decade of editorial experience with various literary magazines, small presses, and bestselling authors. Avery grew up surrounded by exceptional African-Americans who strived to uplift their communities while also maintaining a tenuous hold on prosperity in a starkly segregated environment. The sensation of being at once within and without is something she has grappled with since childhood and explores thoroughly in her work of historical fiction. When not writing, Avery is adventuring with her Bernese mountain dog, Grizzly, and wading waist-deep in research for her next novel. She aspires to tell the stories of complex characters fighting for their right to exist at the fringes of history. The Mayor of Maxwell Street is her debut novel.

About the Performer

Bahni Turpin is a Los Angeles-based actress with many television and film credits in addition to being an award winning narrator. She is honored to have been awarded an Audie for Best Female Narrator, 2015, Audible Narrator of the Year, 2016, and American Library Association’s Voice of Choice for 2017. In 2018, Bahni won best female narration again, and was also inducted into the Audible Hall of Fame. She is a two-time Odyssey Award winner, and was also named as one of Audiophile's Golden Voices for 2019.

What listeners say about The Mayor of Maxwell Street

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

I loved the narrator!

So…Nelly, Nelly, Nelly! She is something else! I found myself going back and forth with Nelly both loving her and screaming at her all the same time. Her youth is what made her so recognizable. Nelly’s strength as a young woman is a reminder that we all eventually grow up. Life will do that. Some reviews had me not wanting to listen to this book, but after the prologue and the narrator’s ability to carry every accent, I was taken away. Avery Cunningham is a great storyteller. I’m looking forward to the next book!

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6 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Outstanding Historical Fiction

This is a well written literary work. The story telling is exceptional. The content delivery brings every element vividly to life. This is the best novel I have read in some time.

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4 people found this helpful

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Amazing book!

Amazing book, it kept my attention through to the end. The narrator did an outstanding job voicing the characters and keeping me engaged.

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1 person found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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Better Ending next time!

For a debut novel it was well done & the narrator (Audible) was excellent!

I knew nothing about the book except a small excerpt online so I had no expectations. I enjoyed the history, the insight and the character detail, however the plot fell very short for me.

Nelly is a wonderful character I enjoyed greatly, but her choices & plot line didn't line up for me. The romance she follows wasn't believable & the one in front of her that made the most sense fell flat.

I guessed who the Mayor was immediately & thought it would be fun to see if I could find clues throughout the story. Sadly I don't think any of them lined up once the Mayor is finally revealed. What should have been a major moment in the story left me so confused.
In addition the final chapter added further confusion & the epilogue which could have helped with the ending wasn't believable at all when it's not that it's only one year later.

All this to say, I would grab Avery Cunningham's next book and read it with an open mind. There was plenty of good in this book that I believe could be worked out with a second go around.

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10 people found this helpful

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Great Historical Read

This was a great story about class, wealth, and race and how each affects each other. This was a great story about how Penelope Sawyer persevered in spite of loss due to hidden secrets. In the end she was able to grow her wealth drastically and provide generational wealth for her family.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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Went From Slow Burn Into a Barn Burner!

When I say I didn’t think this book would keep my attention, I was dead wrong. The exposition wasn’t the most compelling, but it indeed played its part in weaving a tapestry of generational wealth, trauma, and demons. I had a suspicion of who the Mayor of Maxwell Street was and the Cunningham didn’t disappoint all whilst getting me to the reveal. Great read, especially for those historical fiction fans.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Plot twist?

The story was quickly paced but not too much that it’s unable to be followed. The ending plot twist was a great teaser. While Bahni Turpin is a fantastic narrator, multiple voices would have given the story more depth.

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Captured, Engaged and wanting more

Bravo! Great first novel. Nelly’s story kept me engaged and wanting more. The narration was masterful. The historical references were inspirational and enlightening, I’ll be waiting on the next masterpiece from this brilliant author.

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What a story!

This story captured me from the very beginning both from a writing and performance perspective.

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this story kept me guessing the whole way through

I loves the story, the suspense and the narrator. Will be looking for more like this! I enjoyed traveling back in time, seeing black people thrive and a happy ending.

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2 people found this helpful