Prohibition

by Terrence P. McCauley

The year is 1930 and New York is a city on the edge. The Roaring '20s ended with the Stock Market Crash and the Great Depression is only beginning. Banks are failing. Companies are closing their doors. Breadlines grow longer by the day. The only market making money is the black market: racketeering, rum running, and speakeasies. But when even those vices begin to weaken, the most powerful gangster on the Eastern Sea-board, Archie Doyle, sees the writing on the wall. He launches a bold scheme that, if successful, will secure his empire’s future beyond Prohibition. Beyond even the Great Depression. But when a mysterious rival attempts to kill Doyle’s right hand man, a dangerous turf war begins to brew. With his empire under attack, Doyle turns to his best gun, former boxer Terry Quinn, for answers. Quinn must use his brains as well as his brawn to uncover who is behind the violence and why before Doyle’s empire comes crashing down. Terrence McCauley whips up a fast paced pulp thriller ripe with Tommy-gun blasting hoods, corrupt cops and deadly dames in this original novel reminiscent of the classic gangster movies of old. Brilliantly illustrated by Rob Moran with designs by Rob Davis, PROHIBITION is a tough-guy blow to the literary gut readers will not soon forget.

181 pages, Paperback

First published December 15, 2012

About the author

Author also writes under Terrence McCauley

Terrence McCauley is an award-winning writer of Thrillers, Crime Fiction and Westerns.
His first two Aaron Mackey westerns (WHERE THE BULLETS FLY and DARK TERRITORY), published by Pinnacle, were finalists for the Western Writers of America’s Silver Spur Award. WHERE THE BULLETS FLY won the Western Fictioneers Award for Best Novel in 2018. The third and fourth books in the series, GET OUT OF TOWN and THE DARK SUNRISE, were published in 2020.

Terrence has also written three stand-alone novels for the successful Ralph Compton Series at Berkeley. THE KELLY TRAIL and RIDE THE HAMMER DOWN were published in 2020, with STAGECOACH TO HELL released in 2021.

Terrence is also the author of the acclaimed University Series, which includes: THE FAIRFAX INCIDENT, A CONSPIRACY OF RAVENS, A MURDER OF CROWS and SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL. He has also written two award-winning crime fiction novels set in 1930 New York City – PROHIBITION and SLOW BURN. His World War I novella – THE DEVIL DOGS OF BELLEAU WOOD – won the Silver Medal for Historical Fiction from the Military Writers Society of America. Proceeds from sales go directly to benefit the Semper Fi Fund.

In 2016, Terrence’s short story ‘EL CAMBALACHE’ was nominated for Best Short Story in the ITW’s annual Thriller Awards. His short stories have been featured in Thuglit, Shotgun Honey, Down and Out Magazine and many other publications. He is a member of the New York City chapter of the Mystery Writers of America, International Thriller Writers, the International Crime Writers Association, the Military Writers Society of America and the Western Writers of America.

Terrence is an avid reader, loves classic movies and enjoys traveling. A proud native of The Bronx, NY, he currently lives in Dutchess County, NY where he is writing his next work of fiction.

Reviews

[Les Edgerton · Rating 5 out of 5]

PROHIBITION by Terrence McCauley

At one time, it was assumed pulp fiction died in the fifties, but the genre is making a solid comeback these days. One of the publishers responsible for its rebirth is Airship 27. What is noteworthy is that original pulp fiction novels were famous both for their stories and for their cover art. In fact, individual artists would develop a reputation by being able to convey what the story was about with just a glance at the cover. Airship 27 has recognized this by giving readers outstanding work in both areas, as evidenced by their latest release, Terrence McCauley’s PROHIBITION, featuring ex-boxer and now mob enforcer Terry Quinn as the tough-as-barbed wire protagonist and illustrated by Rob Moran with Shannon Hall providing the coloring of Moran’s images. The result is a veritable return of the glory days of pulp. Each on their own—either McCauley’s story or Moran’s art—are worth the price of admission. Together, they’re worth much, much more.

Rarely have I encountered a novel that made me turn the pages at such a breathless pace. Mob enforcer Terry Quinn is destined to have his own wax figure unveiled if ever they create a pulp fiction hall of fame. PROHIBITION has it all—mob guys, gorgeous broads, speakeasies, Tommy guns, crooked politicians, smarmy reporters, Molotov cocktails, blood and bodies galore—everything pulp fiction fans want in their reading pleasure is here. My first thought after I read “The end” was that I wanted to read more Quinn. What a wonderful character! He’s realistic, original, and yet so true to the original pulp fiction milieu that it was like picking up one of those wonderful classics of yesteryear that I thought had disappeared forever. It’s back and with a vengeance!

McCauley immerses us not only into a physical world that’s totally believable and based on real historical figures, but the novel is also centered around a mystery that is revealed in the same way a clever and top-notch fighter reveals his skills in the ring to a respected opponent, little by little, round by round. Left hooks and right crosses come out at moments when you least expect them and they have the same effect as a real-life punch would. They smack you in the solar plexus and take your breath away. The pacing is superb. It just builds and builds and builds and the last third feels like you’re hurtling along in one of those high-speed Japanese trains. You sense immediately you’re in the hands of a writing master.

When you read this—and you should—take a moment to savor the cover and the art that graces each chapter heading. The drawings will flat-out take your breath away. Taken together—the art and the writing—signal a return to the glory that was once pulp fiction and is again.

Warning: Literary snobs may not enjoy it as much for it contains the one thing that many of those folks detest—entertainment value. This isn’t about some middle-aged English prof contemplating his navel and wondering why his wife left him. Terry Quinn and other such characters are why she left him—they got tired of hearing the guy conjugate verbs and wanted to hook up with someone who actually had a life, did things and had a set of steel beans in his jeans. That means that if you prefer your books to have sleeping powder qualities—don’t start reading this book.

You ain’t gonna sleep until it’s over.

[Rory Costello · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a nice piece of juicy beef for when you're in the mood for a red-meat gangster yarn. Terrence McCauley keeps things cooking with his plot, and though I was able to guess one of the traitors, that was just one small facet of a storyline that held lots of surprises and some exciting set pieces. It's retro in several cool ways, including the historical flavor (which never gets intrusive) and the drawings (I was glad to see that they weren't left out of the Kindle edition). Yet it doesn't feel hokey or stilted at all. Quinn is a fine creation, a tough guy who sustains and survives damage while using his head in a very believable way. The conclusion leaves the door wide open for another adventure to come, yet brings satisfied closure to this episode.

[Lizziet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. I found this book refreshing. This insightful author really knows how to tell a story. You really feel like you are part of the story and want know more about the character. In a time when you feel like everybody is out for themselves, this books give you hope there is somebody out there who has honor left. The story is set in NYC in the 30s, Quinn is a boxer who would not take a dive in a prize fight. This could cost him his life but a crime boss sees the value in this action and asks him to work for him. It is not the honest life but you feel like there is honor among thieves. The book is not predictable.

I cannot wait to see where the author takes Quinn next.

[Toni Spring · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a quick read.

[Donadee's Corner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terrence McCauley – Charlie Doherty Thriller Bk 2 – Prohibition – Reviewed 11/6/21 – Read 11/1-2/21

It’s 1930 & NY city is in the middle of Prohibition, bootleggers, speakeasies, & crime bosses rule!

Terry Quinn has worked for Archie Doyle since the night of his last match, the night he refused to throw the fight and accidentally killed his opponent. Since then not much has changed, Archie still rules the city of New York with an iron hand. All around them the banks are falling, men and women are struggling to survive, the world of the black market is the only game in town. But Archie sees that things will change soon in the future, the tides were shifting, and knowing that if he did not do something soon he was going to drown.

Archie decided on a plan that would protect him in the future and put it into play but before anything could happen, out of the blue, someone ordered a hit on his right-hand man. Thankfully, Archie’s men saved him, but he would be out of commission for a while. Then his territory came under attack, the beginning of a turf war, but who was behind it? There is no one that he trusted more than Terry, he knew that Terry could find the answers, so the search begins.

Join Terry as he struggles to figure out who is behind the attacks and what he can do to protect his mentor and friend, Archie, and himself…

What did I like? Besides my love for the 1800s, the next period that fascinates me is the early 1900s and the prohibition era. Life was so different and the times fast and loose. Women were changing and mobs were ruling most of the country. This book tells that story with clarity and insight into what was going on then, especially how dangerous it was.

What will you like? Exciting, mysterious, gangsters, bootleggers, speakeasies, turf wars, corrupt officials, and the struggle for life and death. Terrence has shown us in his previous book that he has done extensive research for his material of this time era, it shows on every page. The descriptions and details are remarkable in creating the images in your mind’s eye. The times were dangerous, and he shows us just how much so. If you’re ready to relive the past for a few hours don’t miss this opportunity to add this incredible book to your library. Terrence McCauley’s second book in the Charlie Doherty Thriller series, “Prohibition” is available NOW!!!

• ASIN: B09HFCQW4R
• Publisher: Wolfpack Publishing
• Publication Date: 11/3/2021
• File Size: 3387 KB
• Print Length: 241 pages
• Genre: Historical Thrillers, Noir Crime, Pulp Thrillers

[Rita Reger · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Archie Doyle's 1930's New York, prohibition is just a word when Archie ran the town. The money from his less than legal enterprises were flowing as plentifully as the illegal hooch he served up to thirsty customers in his many gambling halls and speak easies. No one challenged that authority. Especially not the slimy mayor in Archie's pocket. But that's changing. Much more dangerous than the crooked cops on Doyle's payroll paid to look the other way, there's a new dangerous competition in town...and they're gunning for Archie and threatening the empire he's spent decades building.

With Archie's right hand man shot up by an unknown gunman and out of commission, it's now up to Terry Quinn, Doyle's key enforcer and a very likable, loyal, but lethal, badass, to figure out the who the threat is and efficiently eliminate it before things get out of hand. But as the ground gets shakier, the stakes escalate with each spray of bullets, blood and dropping bodies. As one mystery is solved, more questions are unearthed, leaving Quinn racing against the clock. Soon, the entire city is embroiled in a turf war where it's hard to tell the good guys from the bad guys and who's betraying whom.

Can Quinn, ever loyal to his boss, put a stop to it, while protecting those he loves, and still get out of it alive?

The characters are well-formed and nuanced. They come alive, breathing, bleeding, and struggling with their inner demons as they try to stay alive and maintain their power and honor. This book is as much about the honor among thieves and the loyalty of friendship as it is about the shoot-'em-up-bang! lifestyle. Violent, touching, bloody, humorous, cruel, dangerously terrifying and unexpectedly sentimental at times, it wraps up a nice package of dimensionality and reflects a complete picture of the often conflicting nature of the human condition. Neither good, nor bad, with no apologies or pretenses.

As McCauley writes, "Quinn didn't like killing people just for the hell of it. Murder could become an easy solution for most problems. Murder could become a habit and habits make you sloppy. Sloppy got you killed."

The action is fast paced and keeps your attention, flipping pages fervently to see how they will get themselves out of the most recent conundrum. Often, the dry humor provides a nice break to particularly tense scenes, avoiding too much heaviness and darkness. The result is a thoroughly enjoyable experience where you will find yourself alternately fearing for their safety, cheering with relief as they clear hurdles and realize victories, and seething with rage, desiring vengeance for when they are wronged!


A delightful, adventurous ride-along in old fashioned gangster style that quickly engages the reader and evokes the desire to reach right into the pages and help Quinn smack the smugness out of the guest he's interrogating. As much as you might hate violence, you will find yourself cheering him on to "just plug the rat, already!" You're fingers will itch to pick up a Tommy gun and join in the charge! This, is Archie Doyle's New York. Welcome to 1930.

[Gatamadrizgmail.com · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Quinn heard Ceretti’s rapid footsteps echo in the rain-soaked streets. Fatigue and panic would take hold. Soon every step would sound like a whisper: Dead man. Dead man. Ceretti twitched around every few seconds to see if anyone was following him. He saw no one.”

Terry Quinn, hit man for the Doyle mob is following him.

So begins, Prohibition, the gritty new novel by Terrence McCauley that is set in New York City in 1930. Written in a clean Dashiell Hammett style it evokes just how wide open the city was at that point. Tammany Hall was on their way out, thanks to Governor Roosevelt who was called “the reformer”. Prohibition garnered that odd time when liquor was illegal in the U.S. and exemplifies the violence and corruption that occurred. Writer McCauley has done his homework.

Quinn is your quintessential tough guy. He can murder, up to a point, as long as it’s moral. He has a softness for liquor, a certain dame, and has regrets about when he was a boxer and was supposed to take a dive, unfortunately ending in death for his opponent. That ended his legitimate career.

Before you think you have read all this before, think again. The plot is twisty, and famous people of the time understandably rub elbows with the speakeasy culture of the time. James Walker, the dashing mayor, who skated the thin line between honest politician and bon vivant around town. He also uses Texas Guinan, the long forgotten speakeasy owner of the time who was known by her greeting at the door “Well Hello Suckers” and who inspired Mae West. Author McCauley makes great use of all these people and the streets of New York, they are all characters here.

There are points where this drags for me, some repetition in the middle, but that is to be expected in all novels, and I would have liked the author to delve more into the inner working of Quinn, who is a fabulous character.

The evocation of New York during the 30’s is inspired, McCauley keeps it moving. I couldn’t put it down. Definitely pick this up. I would hope that McCauley will follow up with a novel that centers around Quinn.

READ THIS., it won't disappoint especially for fan of old New York.

[Dana King · Rating 5 out of 5]

McCauley may have the best idea on how to sustain a series: make the setting the consistent thing and rotate the characters. Prohibition follows Terry Quinn in his role of chief enforcer for Archie Doyle in Prohibition-era New York; NYPD detective Charlie Doherty is a subordinate character. Slow Burn is Doherty’s book, taking place after Franklin Roosevelt has taken over as governor and pledged to clean up the Tammany machine in the city. McCauley has a gift for capturing not just the period in which the books are set, but the style of writing used by many of the pulp writers of the day. Prohibition comes first, but I read them in reverse order and did not lose any enjoyment.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having a book club meeting with the author is always a great thing especially when it's a book you like! Totally recommend this. It is fast paced and very exciting. I went and got Slow Burn and Fight Card: Against the Ropes right after!

[Gwen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Liked it. Good pulp fiction read. Gave it a 5 star review on Amazon.

[Dana Kabel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prohibition had all of the elements of a classic gangster movie, but with more realistic dialogue. I loved it and I'm looking forward to reading the next one.