Whiskey Cove

by Denise Frisino

Unintentional Stowaway, young Alexandria fell into the heart of Prohibition's underworld--and Jake McKenzie. Alex, the flaming redhead, thrilled to the risks of rum running, speeding over the waters and evading the law between Canada and Washington State. But when she caught the eye of Antonio, the head of the Italian Mafia intent on taking over the Northwest Territory, excitement turned perilous.

Decades later, details of Antonio's murder still haunt her. And Jean, the college student Alex hires to tame her garden, soon wonders whether this older feisty, in-command woman has more sinister plans than simple yard work.

Set in the 1970s, steeped with research of the bootleg era, Whiskey Cove portrays the tumultuous times of changing society ruled by the unquenched demand for booze and the law that worked both sides.

309 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2011

About the author

Denise Frisino, a Seattle native, writes historical fiction set in the Pacific Northwest. Whiskey Cove centers around Prohibition in the San Juan Islands, while Orchids Of War and Storms From A Clear Sky are based on true experiences during WWII. For over 10 years Denise has interviewed over 50 men and women, mostly Veterans, from that era for her novels. Storms just won 1st place in the Hemingway 20th Century Wartime Fiction (Chanticleer-CIBA) plus a finalist in 2 other national competitions, as was Orchids. She is currently working on the final book of her Orchids Trilogy.
Her background includes acting, writing scripts/plays, acting, directing, producing, teaching, and blogging.

Reviews

[Janet · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nancy Drew meets Barbara Cartland over Shirley Temples - this is Prohibition. Self-published novel about rum running in Western Washington. Really, really bad writing. Received a favorable review in the Seattle Times and was selected as this month's book club read. Next.

[Ashley Schuster · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, so good. A mystery set in the San Juan islands during the prohibition era of undercover rum running. A WWU students takes a summer job trying to help an old lady find a lost item that she lost during her rum running days with her husband to try to solve a mystery before her untimely demise from this world. Characters and plot are very well-developed. Worth hauling this book up Mt Adams to read during a rest day.

[Lisa Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Story is set in the Pacific Northwest, mostly in the Bellingham, WA area and around the 1970's. A local college girl Jean, takes a summer job helping do yard work for and aging woman Mrs. McKenzie. Through this relationship, Jean learns that Mrs. McKenzie use to be a rum-runner during prohibition. They're relationship grows as the older woman begins to share her stories about the old days, and her quest to "find something" before she dies. Along side this there seems to be someone else who is looking to find out what Jean knows and is a danger to her. Could it be her new love interest? Or is it one of the "old crew" from Mrs. McKenzie's old days?
There is so much local identification in this story, and as someone who lives in the PNW, I enjoyed that very much. History of the areas prohibition days is evident and even though this could've just been a relationship story, the mystery of what they need to find and the urgency that goes with it keeps you turning the pages.
I did have trouble with the way Jean seemed to never ask enough questions and her seemingly easy acceptance of being told to do things and then just doing them, but overall it was a good read!

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this fictional account of Prohibition days in the San Juan Islands in Washington State because it's part of the history of my local area. The book is spottily written, with some jarring vocabulary glitches, and the plot hinges on something that I find difficult to believe. The protagonist gets angry at the drop of a hat for reasons that are unclear. Nevertheless, it was an amusing read, and I am not sorry I spent the time on it.

[Alexandra Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The main plot of this story is told in a way I’ve never seen before and the mystery of it kept me guessing right until the very end. The story is full of vibrant and intriguing characters and the detailed descriptions of the Pacific Northwest setting reminded me of my childhood growing up near the ocean. This was an exciting read with a satisfying plot that had me thinking about it for weeks after I finished reading.

[Kathy Ross · Rating 4 out of 5]

A mystery focused around a love story during Prohibition. A young woman's relationship with an elder woman who reflects on her old life as a bootlegger and teaches her how to live. I was invested finding out what happened to these well-developed characters and how their lives turned out.

Thank you to Denise Frisino and Good Reads for the opportunity to read this book.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great, fast pace mystery of days gone by. It is set in the 1970's, but the story is about rum running in the San Juan Islands back during prohibition. It was great reading a book without cell phones and computers being in there. Just people and places. I enjoyed it a lot.

[Sandy Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whiskey Cove immerses us in the lore of rum-running in the Northwest during Prohibition. In painting the vivid characters involved, Frisino goes far beyond the intriguing tales of that period to share the life story of a crusty survivor, Alexandria McKenzie.

Two love stories, separated by forty years, run in parallel through the book. Each reflects the life style of its time and piques our interest in its own way. However, the one set during Prohibition gives us a first-hand view of the adventure and romance of rum-running, enough to make us envious of that time. Whiskey Cove is an all-round excellent read.

For the full review, visit http://goo.gl/U9Qm1

[Paddy Eger · Rating 3 out of 5]

Denise creates memorable images as she leads us through a story where the secrets keep coming. Knowing it's based on truth during Prohibition and that these types of events happened in my 'backyard' added to my interest.

Favorite quotes:
Jake always said we were like undercurrents the way we lived out lives under the surface of society (p.66)
It was a powerful grasp (of hands) linking lives, committed to spin time around, to walk backward to ease the future. (p.86)

[Steve Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whiskey Cove is an entertaining read that has the makings of a great screenply. It delves into an intersting subject matter and provides a nice twist at the end that makes the whole book very enjoyable overall. Definitely worth checking out!!!

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book written and self-published by a friend. As with many books written for adults, it could have been edited so it is tighter. It takes place in the Northwest, so it feels familiar.