Speakeasy: A Novella

by A.M. Dunnewin

The novella is centered on Eddie Durante, owner of a speakeasy who's supported by his mobster uncle—the boss of the Durante family. Eddie is a young widower after his family's rival, the Caprice family, murdered his wife over a territory dispute. After devising a plan that retaliated against four of the rivaling capos, Eddie is left with the daunting task to try and move on. That is, until he's notified that the Caprices have put a hit man in the speakeasy—and Eddie's name is on the list. But things take an unexpected turn when Eddie instead starts to find the dead bodies of his relatives, the ones who had helped in the retaliation. Behind the backdrop of jazz music and glistening flappers, murder after murder begins to unravel as revenge takes center stage, and Eddie soon learns that some secrets can’t be taken to the grave.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Novella, Suspense, Fiction

109 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 1, 2011

About the author

A. M. Dunnewin grew up with a taste for mysteries and thrillers, inherited ever so lovingly from her family. An affiliate member of the Horror Writers Association, A. M.’s own stories cover a wide range of genres that tend to take a dark turn when least expected. With a B.A. in Psychology, she’s a gambler of words, obsessed with chai tea, and addicted to books – everything from classical literature to graphic novels. Other hobbies include art, history, music, equestrianism, and a good classic film. She currently dwells in Northern California.

Reviews

[Tanya Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eddie is a young widower moving up in the world of the mob, is wife was killed by a rival family. After the death of his family, Eddie tries to move on while running his Speakeasy and things are going good until the Caprice family retalitates and he is on the list to be offed. As people start showing up dead, Eddie starts to get a little nervous. Can Eddie face his fears to save those that he cares about or will he run?

. I’m not one to read books about mobsters but this one sounded interesting and it meet if not exceeded what I was expecting. There was some sort of action right from the beginning and little twists here and there with one big ol’ surprise that left you saying “Oh My God!”. I enjoyed reading this and suggest adding it to your to be read list if you are into reading about mobsters.

[Rosie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite the morbid undertones in the book, the humor which has been injected in precisely the right doses and in the right places makes this book a winner. A.M. Dunnewin has easily found a way to take the reader back in time to face a mob war between two formidable families who lose no sleep after taking an innocent life. Speakeasy: A Novella is masterfully written, with each of the main players created with enough back-story and depth to make them realistic and relatable. I very much enjoyed Speakeasy: A Novella and even found myself cheering towards the end of the book which came with a hefty dose of Karma in its most potent form. I recommend this book to all readers over the age of 15 years who enjoy tales of mobsters getting their just desserts for doing the unthinkable.

- Rosie Malezer for Readers' Favorite

[Sarah Zama · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Roaring Twenties New York, Eddy manages an elegant speakeasy and mourns his wife. But there is a dark secret in his past and someone is out to get even with him.

This is a fast paced novella, with twists at every chapter. I kept turning the pages, wanting to know what was going to happen next, surprised by twists and turns and secrets, up to the very, dark end.

The setting is very nice and unusual, a secret speakeasy, fool of jazz music and booze, witty flappers, mysterious gangsters, sensual blues singers. Enjoyable.

[Sharon Gibbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story! A.M.Dunnewin you've done it again. Amidst the backdrop of jazz music, drinking and dancing the story of Eddie Durante unfolds. Widowed when his wife is brutally gunned down he continues to run the Speakeasy club. Broken hearted, he carries on the family business. Four months later he finds bodies littering his club. Retaliation? Revenge? You will have to read this story for yourself to find out what happens next.
An amazing read that brought tears to my eyes in the end. Fantastic.
A thoroughly enjoyable read. Get your copy now

[Laurie Sanford · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this novella. From the offset, the colorful characters and vivid backdrop keep you engaged and wanting to know more. With each new event that unfolds, you are plunged deeper into the mystery. I felt as if wandering through a cold 1920's night in New York, meeting gangsters, flappers, and bootleggers along the way. I couldn't wait to uncover the truth, as chilling as it turned out to be. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good thriller!

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book of suspense and intrigue, Speakeasy is a novella to keep you guessing. Jazz and prohibition – what more could more accurately backdrop a murder mystery so complete? I couldn’t guess the culprit until the final page – and even then, I was shocked! No spoilers, though – you’ll definitely have to read this little nugget for yourself – and I thoroughly encourage you to do so! What a romp!

4.5/5

[Jeremy Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novella is absolutely fantastic. While I'm slightly biased because I know the author, I was genuinely surprised at how quickly I was drawn in. I found myself turning page after page wondering what would happen next. I highly recommend this book. It's a great way to spend an afternoon.

[Mary Schildman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Captivating

Had me immediately hooked. Great story, imaginative characters and a good twist. Not one for short stories, but this was good.

[Stanley McShane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eddie Durante is the epitome of a speakeasy owner. It's a novella and he isn't fully-developed--doesn't have to be. It's the 20s. Flappers, moonshiners, hot jazz music, and girls in dazzling costumes, revealing, sexy, setting the tone for the darkened secreted underground club. Haven't we all seen 20s movies, dark, noir, tommy guns ("Chicago typewriters"), mobsters, cigarette smoke stifling the air mixing with the smell of gin and sweat.

Eddie's speakeasy is run by his uncle, a mobster, boss of the Durante family. And he's trying to get over the death of his wife Kate, killed by the rival Caprice family. He gets the message there is a hit out on him. An eye for an eye just keeps working back and forth, like the legendary Hatfields and McCoys...as long as there is still one in the "family"...and the bodies start popping up. It's payback. If they are after him, why is the rest of his crew being picked off? This one catches him off guard. How unusual.

But who is being set up here? Eddie or the reader? Something isn't adding up. Dialogue and thoughts bring history to light, justification. He loved his wife, how could this not be made right then? The pace does a quick-step, theories and suspense ramps up. Who is the architect of this plot? Did you figure it out? Not I.

I'm the naive one--not until the astonishing twist in the conclusion did the mind-blowing reveal take me by surprise. This is one you'll breeze through right to the sucker-punch ending. Oomph!

See my full review at https://rosepointpublishing.com/2020/...

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eddie Durante is the owner of a speakeasy and a mobster under his Uncle, the boss of the Durante family.  Eddie is still recovering from the death of his wife, Kate who was killed by the rival Caprice family in a territory dispute. Amidst this, Eddie is notified that the Caprice's have a hit out on him within his own speakeasy.  As the bodies start piling up, Eddie realises that this is more than a regular hit.  This is payback, revenge in the purest form imaginable for the decisions he made for his family.

Speakeasy is a fast-paced historical suspense novella set in the 1920's.  I was quickly brought into the glitz and mystery of Eddie's speakeasy as the writing describes the intrigue and glamour of the hidden speakeasy and the people who frequent it. Since this is a novella, there wasn't much about Eddie's background or character other than he cares a lot about his family and business, however this adds to the mystery of why Eddie is being so mercilessly hunted. The action and suspense ramped up quickly as everyone around Eddie began dying.  As Eddie begins to unravel the reasons behind this particularly merciless hit, I could sense who the mastermind behind Eddie's demise was in an amazing, vindictive and twisted ending.  

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review originally published in Looking For a Good Book. Rated 3.5 of 5

I am a sucker for historical fiction set during the jazz age, so when I saw this book available on Amazon (most likely on sale), I snatched it up.

Speakeasy, by A.M. Dunnewin is a quick-read novella. Eddie Durante is the owner of a speakeasy that was supported by mob money (Eddie's uncle). Eddie's wife has recently been killed in a territory dispute among rival mob bosses. Eddie learns that the Caprice Family has put out a contract on him, but before he can make a plan of action, some of his relatives begin turning up dead.

This book is fast-paced and full of action. Set to a backdrop of jazz music and flappers, there's a lot of fun in this quick, easy read. This is the perfect book for someone, like me, who wants something set during this era, but doesn't require a lot of thinking or 'figuring it out.' While it's not something that I'll spend a lot of time thinking about, I had fun here and I would certainly be glad to read the next book in the series, or try one of Dunnewin's other books.

Looking for a good book? Speakeasy by A. M. Dunnewin is a quick, spirited read.

[Athena 💗 · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75⭐️ Not my usual go to read but I’m still glad I picked it up. A.M. Dunnewin’s writing style is pretty entertaining - definitely was not expecting one of the twist towards the end. All of the characters were animated and leapt off the page. There were several moments where the characters interaction with one another had me giggling out loud.

For only 90 pages, it made a fun and easy read, definitely recommend giving it a shot.

[R.K. Emery · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the quick reads that really bring the action and suspense. It's a wonderfully done quick read that you will get a lot out of . A.M. Dunnewin makes sure not to inundate her reader with unimportant stuff and just keep the book exciting and full of drama. This cover is gorgeous and really speaks to the theme well! Superb writing, a great story!

[Valerie]

This book needed a good edit, and it was hard to get past that. Will not be reading any more in the series.

[Nicole Evelina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this! I'ma huge fan of gangster stories and this is the best I've ever read. Twists galore, and all in a novella. Can't wait to read more from this author!

[Krys · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a novella, this story sure turned out to be full of action and surprises. In fact, it was so good that I read it in one sitting - I just couldn't put it down without seeing what came next. The action begins immediately and doesn't let up until the shocking ending. Set in one of my favorite eras (the roaring twenties) - the fact that all of the action takes place in a speakeasy made it all that much more enjoyable.

Although the ending was a bit predictable, I still enjoyed the way the author carried it off. I would read more from this author, and I think those who enjoy a fast paced gangster story will enjoy this one as well.

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

[Andy N · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on NetGalley.

Loved it! A great page-turner, filled with suspense that will you addicted until the last page.

The 1920's with jazz, gangsters and murders is the perfect cocktail for a great reading! At each event you'll dive deeper and deeper into the story and when you think you got everything figured out, you're in for a surprise.

It's the first book I read from A.M. Dunnewin and I absolutely loved it. The way she describes a cold-night in New York was the only thing I needed to get into the story and later on, the intriguing plot that kept destroying my theories.

I highly recommend this book to mystery/thriller/suspense lovers. The 5 starts are definitely well deserved and I can't way to see more of Ms Dunnewin!

[Ben Brody · Rating 3 out of 5]

“It hurts, doesn’t it,” Lillian hissed, her own darkness consuming her. “When someone you love is damaged beyond repair. Like they’ve never existed.” She said the last words as if Eddie had no idea what they actually meant.

Eddie smirked. “Damaged and destroyed are two very different things.”

-

This was a very well-written novella about life in the 1920s, weaving a family-operated speakeasy and rival gangs together in an intriguing and witty way. My only issue is that the characters are prone to quite lengthy monologues.

(I have a lot more to say about the second Speakeasy novella, Rum Runner. Go check it out!

[Kirsten Tattersall · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This was a very pleasant and short read. This story is set in the 20's within a speakeasy, owned by one Eddie Durante. His wife recently was killed and he is finding bodies in the back rooms of the speakeasy. The story is fast-paced, and the humor is great. The characters get just enough of a backstory to be relatable, but not too much as to bog the story down.

[Bob Deragisch · Rating 2 out of 5]

Short and not so sweet

The resolution was obvious. The grammatical errors that were unintentional (not written to be part of the dialog) made it tough to keep reading. But some parts were fairly poetic in the descriptions. So not a one star, but two at most.

[Byron 'Giggsy' Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

classic mafia noir

[Gina Engman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gangsters and prohibition, um yes please! I just adore this novella, and wish I could have seen a real Speakeasy. Lush and glamorous, mysterious! Grab a drink then read this and Rum Runner next!

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well written great book. A well deserved five stars.