NO ANGELS ON ARCHER AVENUE: A MEMOIR

By P.A. Farrell

Publication Date: February 11, 2025, Amazon

Formats: paperback, epub

In this gripping memoir set in post-World War II Queens, New York, author P.A. Farrell recounts her childhood experiences witnessing a heinous crime and its aftermath while growing up amid a cast of colorful neighborhood characters, including homeless veterans known as "The Bottle Babies."

Through a child's eyes, Farrell masterfully weaves together the story of a neighborhood in transition, where mob-connected bookies operate out of a converted barn, homeless WWI veterans struggle with alcoholism and PTSD, and a horrific crime shatters the community's sense of security. As a key witness in a murder trial at age twelve, Farrell provides a uniquely intimate perspective on both the crime itself and the justice system of 1940s New York.

With unflinching honesty and vivid detail, No Angels on Archer Avenue paints a rich portrait of working-class life in post-war Queens while exploring universal themes of innocence, trauma, and resilience. Farrell's careful observations and sharp memory bring to life an era of American history rarely captured in such intimate detail.

This compelling narrative illuminates how the author's childhood experiences of violence and loss shaped her worldview while celebrating the human connections that helped her survive and thrive despite adversity. Both a gripping true crime story and a poignant coming-of-age tale, No Angels on Archer Avenue is an unforgettable memoir that will resonate with readers long after the final page.

ISBN: 979-8-9886544-7-6 (paperback), price: $10.50.

ISBN: 979-8-9886544-5-2 (epub)