Leopold Borstinski's Blog

I wanted to share an opportunity with you to get access to a fabulous set of audiobooks, including the Bowery Slugger. The collection is called Murder, Mayhem and Crime Audiobooks and is available throughout this month.

But as you know, I believe in getting there early and often. There are many great books to listen to, so don’t hang about. Click over and…

Fill your boots!

Leo

We are heading towards the end of the year and, in time-honored fashion, I thought I’d take stock of the past 12 months.

The first thing that should be said is that outside the giddy world of writing, we have been living through pretty nasty times. Wars and violence perpetuate across our planet, not least in the Ukraine and Middle East. But allow me to focus on more parochial matters.

This last year I have continued to receive fabulous – and much appreciated – support from so many readers across the planet. Thank you.

My writing output drew to a near standstill from June onwards, with a combination of general ill-health combined with eyesight issues from September until a couple of weeks ago. I am pleased to say that I can now see fully again, which will give me a chance to complete the second Jake Adlins novel, Habeas Corpus.

In response to my poor writing opportunities over the summer, I launched my first audiobook of The Bowery Slugger, which is available directly from my website or on Kobo. I also have kicked off a subscription service on Ream for those of you who would like to show more support and receive early access to my writing.

I often send out a feedback survey to my newsletter folk this time of year, but I am not sure that it makes sense this time. Why? Because I haven’t been able to take action on last year’s responses, and I don’t want to waste your energy. My intention is to return to Jewish gangsters after I complete the Jake Adkins trilogy, but this is unlikely to get started until the tale end of the year. More info will follow – you can be sure of that.

So let me end by wishing you health, happiness and a pinch of wealth over the coming year.

Leo

Another day, another opportunity to read some novels at no extra cost if you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited.

Here is a fine collection of box sets to settle down and read as the nights draw in on the northern hemisphere. I can’t lie: the Alex Cohen box sets are in the list and this is a gentle reminder that you can get to read almost the whole series using them.

There are plenty of other thrillers to get your hands on too.

Fill your boots.

Leo

Hi

I feel as though I spend a fair amount of time apologising for not posting as often as I would like. Then I provide explanations relating to ill health and personal/family matters.

Well, today is no different. Only this time I shall bypass the reasons why and just say sorry.

In the meantime, let me tell you about a new service I am introducing – you are the first to hear about this.

I have started a new subscription service at Ream. This gives exclusive access to chapters of my latest book before it is published, and a whole lot more. There is also a place where you can chat about my novels, and other goodies you’ll need to head over to Ream in order to find out the details.

As you can imagine, I am quite excited about this new venture and I hope you’ll be able to join me on this new escapade. And this newsletter will continue as normal.

Fill your boots

Leo

PS Head over to Ream right now and follow me, and you’ll get to read the first chapter of Habeas Corpeus.

Today, I want to let you know that The Bowery Slugger has now got an audiobook version. It is available now and costs only $4.99 ( or an equivalent amount in your local currency).

The audiobook is the first in the series of seven following the life of Jewish gangster, Alex Cohen from the 1910s to 1970s. Here is a sample:

The narrator is Larry, a synthesized male voice and the book is available from my website and Kobo.

Here is the blurb for the book so you know what to expect…

Can you join the Kosher Nostra and still keep the love of your life?

A turn-of-the-century Jewish boy works his way up through the gangs of New York.

1915: Alex Cohen arrives in America and grabs the land of opportunity by the throat. But success breeds distrust and Alex must choose between controlling his gang and keeping his friend alive. What would you do if the person you trusted most is setting you up to die at your enemies’ hands?

The first book in the Alex Cohen series is a violent historical novel, which rips through the early years of the Jewish New York mob. Leopold Borstinski’s gripping crime noir beats at the chest of every reader with a bloody fist.

I am pleased to announce that I have launched my first audiobook of The Bowery Belle.

It is a novella prequel to the Alex Cohen series in audio form, which is also available as an ebook. Feel free to grab a copy. As a reminder, Alex Cohen is a Jewish gangster and we follow his story from the start of the twentieth century though to the 1970s.

If you aren’t sure about audiobooks, then please listen to this sample from The Bowery Belle:

One thing I should mention is that the narrator is Larry, a male synthesized voice, and that has been the only way for me to create this audiobook at a price I could afford. Talking of which, the Bowery Belle audiobook is free, just like the ebook version.

If you listen to the audiobook, please do let me know what you think. It will be the first feedback I receive from a project that has taken me the whole of the summer to complete.

This is a quick note to say thank you to anyone and everyone who has supported me with my writing.

I am pleased as punch to report that I have just sold my 5000th book. Count the zeros. Five thousand copies of my work have been purchased by kind souls around the world.

Nice.

Leo

I thought I’d offer you a quick update on what I’m up to.

First, and foremost, I am on my first vacation away from home since the start of the first Covid lockdown. I am writing this by Lake Garda in northern Italy. I mention this just to explain why I am so chilled out as I type.

The next item on my agenda was to let you know I am working hard to complete the second Jake Adkins novel, Habeas Corpus, which will be out before the end of the year. Things are going well for me, even if it is not a speedy journey, but this time round, Jake is accused of murdering a woman the cops find in his bathroom. And he has no idea how she got there.

My third news item is that I hope to launch my first audiobook in September. It will be the audio version of The Bowery Slugger and I will give you more details nearer the launch date. If you’re interested in getting a copy, do let me know and I’ll make sure to keep you firmly in the loop.

The final item is to let you know that I intend to launch a subscription service where there will be free and paid-for facilities, such as an area to talk all things crime, reading etc, as well as early opportunities to access book content before novels get officially published. Again, a lot more info when I’m in a position to lay out my stall. The provision will be available before the end of the year.

I hope you are all well and that the many problems of the world aren’t weighing too heavily on your shoulders.

Leo

Well, I now have a launch date for the ebook of I Confess–call it the Amazon version–which is July 3, so grab a pre-order so the novel can drop onto your Kindle as soon as it can. The paperback version should be out later this month instead but I’m not going to give a date out just yet until I can be definitive.

The book is the first in a new series featuring private eye, Jake Adkins, who first appeared in The Case four years ago. He is hired to find his client guilty of murder, which is not what he was expecting when he woke up that morning. There are twists and turns, and plenty of bodies pile up before a Mexican stand-off.

Enjoy

Leo

Just a quick note that East Side Hustler hit number three in the Amazon Kindle Free chart earlier this week and reached number one in Noir, Jewish Fiction and Organised Crime for free books. And yes, there was a promotion running at the time…

And I’m not going to lie, it felt good.

Thank you to everyone who took advantage of the promo and pushed the book into the stratosphere.

Nice.

Leo