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The Bootlegger of Illinois
The central core of the book is Jesse's transformation from farmer to distiller of illicit gin – a moral question, as he is not naturally a bad person but sees the act as one of value in that it can save his farm and also he will distribute excess wealth around the neighbourhood. The thread is the journey that (a) gives Jesse the skills he will need, and (b) can he deal with the interest from the Chicago gangsters for his product?
The antagonist – Sean O'Leary – has less of a moral dilemma. He's been a survivor all his life, by any means. He's tough and not frightened to make hard decisions of life and death. He also has a softer side though – he falls in love. The story shows his rise from penniless immigrant to gang leader and a vulnerability through affection for a woman. His story in parallel with Jesse's up to the time their paths cross.
As a supporting character, the town's sheriff – Tom Buckley – has a vested interest in Jesse, who went to war with his son and tried to save him after they were attacked by Germans. The boys were friends from the cradle. Now Tom and his wife are childless and Jesse has no parents – there is an unspoken surrogacy about the relationship. Tom is a straight-dealing guy who has to accept Jesse's actions or see the farm fold and Jesse move away. How far will he go to protect Jesse?
So, it is a journey for the men – from the ideas to action, then the reaction. Consequences in other words. What works at first becomes a dangerous game when the Chicagoans want to be supplied. Their ethics are not Jesse's – he thought he was simply providing for a desire for a good and safe drink (i.e. not potentially lethal bathtub gin) and raising the funds to pay off the mortgage on the farm, keep his hired hands, and provide for a farming community now suffering as the US government turns it back on agriculture in favour of being a manufacturing powerhouse. The ruthless mobster against the young farmer – their massive resources against one man and some friends. Tension.
It is not enough for Jesse to stand his ground and deal with the gangsters arriving in his town. It becomes necessary, essential, that he goes to Chicago to deal with the problem. Working in disguise, he attempts to identify and penetrate the gang that has threatened him and his friends. At the same time, a friend from town has arrived in Chicago to work, escape a small town. Her misfortune is to fall in the hands of sex-traffickers and she needs rescuing, which diverts Jesse from his main purpose.
To avoid a plot spoiler, there are mistakes made and, after returning home, Jesse is tracked down and lives are threatened. Who survives?
Written in present tense, to create a sense of live action unfolding as one reads, a feeling of being an observer and an investment in the good characters.
The antagonist – Sean O'Leary – has less of a moral dilemma. He's been a survivor all his life, by any means. He's tough and not frightened to make hard decisions of life and death. He also has a softer side though – he falls in love. The story shows his rise from penniless immigrant to gang leader and a vulnerability through affection for a woman. His story in parallel with Jesse's up to the time their paths cross.
As a supporting character, the town's sheriff – Tom Buckley – has a vested interest in Jesse, who went to war with his son and tried to save him after they were attacked by Germans. The boys were friends from the cradle. Now Tom and his wife are childless and Jesse has no parents – there is an unspoken surrogacy about the relationship. Tom is a straight-dealing guy who has to accept Jesse's actions or see the farm fold and Jesse move away. How far will he go to protect Jesse?
So, it is a journey for the men – from the ideas to action, then the reaction. Consequences in other words. What works at first becomes a dangerous game when the Chicagoans want to be supplied. Their ethics are not Jesse's – he thought he was simply providing for a desire for a good and safe drink (i.e. not potentially lethal bathtub gin) and raising the funds to pay off the mortgage on the farm, keep his hired hands, and provide for a farming community now suffering as the US government turns it back on agriculture in favour of being a manufacturing powerhouse. The ruthless mobster against the young farmer – their massive resources against one man and some friends. Tension.
It is not enough for Jesse to stand his ground and deal with the gangsters arriving in his town. It becomes necessary, essential, that he goes to Chicago to deal with the problem. Working in disguise, he attempts to identify and penetrate the gang that has threatened him and his friends. At the same time, a friend from town has arrived in Chicago to work, escape a small town. Her misfortune is to fall in the hands of sex-traffickers and she needs rescuing, which diverts Jesse from his main purpose.
To avoid a plot spoiler, there are mistakes made and, after returning home, Jesse is tracked down and lives are threatened. Who survives?
Written in present tense, to create a sense of live action unfolding as one reads, a feeling of being an observer and an investment in the good characters.
280 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 4, 2024
3 people are currently reading
2 people want to read
About the author
Keith Lawson
11 books3 followersSeveral careers. Longest were in Retail Management, then Higher Education.
Published books to help Managers doing their NVQs to speed up the process and showing how to set out evidence. (Out of date now, standards have changed).
Been a freelance photo-journalist and published books on Speedway history.
Part-time actor (some stage work, now movie supporting artist).
Co-founder of Badman Publishing for Independent authors to promote their books and be part of a supportive community.
Published books to help Managers doing their NVQs to speed up the process and showing how to set out evidence. (Out of date now, standards have changed).
Been a freelance photo-journalist and published books on Speedway history.
Part-time actor (some stage work, now movie supporting artist).
Co-founder of Badman Publishing for Independent authors to promote their books and be part of a supportive community.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 15, 2024
This book was out of my comfort zone as it's a genre I've never read before.
The plot was great,however, I felt it took too long to build the back story.
The characters were great and likeable.
The author, I felt, went to great lengths to paint the true picture as much as he possibly could. For most of the book, I felt like I was there.
If you could give half stars, then this would have been 3.5, not 3.
I received a copy of this book from the author through Voracious Readers Only.
The plot was great,however, I felt it took too long to build the back story.
The characters were great and likeable.
The author, I felt, went to great lengths to paint the true picture as much as he possibly could. For most of the book, I felt like I was there.
If you could give half stars, then this would have been 3.5, not 3.
I received a copy of this book from the author through Voracious Readers Only.
June 10, 2024
Loved the incorporation of multiple storylines into what was expected to be a single storyline type story. I'm torn about how I feel about the ending, which I guess is a good thing-it's keeping me thinking and leaves an opportunity for more to come. I was given a complimentary copy of the book from the author via Voracious Readers Only.
May 22, 2024
Young man returns home after the war to find himself in a situation where he has to save the family farm just as prohibition hits. This novel mix of fact and fictions illustrates his fight to survive and thrive.
October 4, 2025
Great atmosphere and suspense
This author specialises in creating great moods and atmospheres, along with slow burning plots that evolve over many years.
It held my interest all the way through.
This author specialises in creating great moods and atmospheres, along with slow burning plots that evolve over many years.
It held my interest all the way through.
May 22, 2024
A free book from Voracious Readers thank you
A tale of a young man who goes off to war then returns to his home town.
Pressure to save the family farm and the introduction of Prohibition lends itself to a great story where fact and fiction are blended so well.
I found this a riveting read.
What a great story and what an ending to hang on!
A tale of a young man who goes off to war then returns to his home town.
Pressure to save the family farm and the introduction of Prohibition lends itself to a great story where fact and fiction are blended so well.
I found this a riveting read.
What a great story and what an ending to hang on!
November 3, 2024
I received this book from voracious readers only in exchange for an honest review. I would give it 3.5. Liked the storyline. Historical fiction is my thing and I hadn’t read much about prohibition. The story was slow to start but I appreciated the inclusion of real people and events. Definitely made it more realistic. The narrative writing style and the use of passive voice made it hard for me to care about any of the characters. However, poor editing was the biggest drawback. Many paragraphs changed tenses within the paragraph, including both present and past tense. Sloppy editing got the names of two female characters confused at one point. Although the protagonist used an alias, the author forgot that and used his real name. Quibbles maybe but better editing would have moved this book up a notch. It was a coming of age story with moral and ethical dilemmas. The plot was interesting. Overall, it was worth the read.
August 18, 2024
Adapt or die army mentality meets Prohibition. After returning home from the army our young protagonist is hit with a hard choice. Lose the family farm or fight to keep it. Keith Lawson has done a great job mixing facts and fiction in this story has he takes you through the young man’s struggles to make ends meet.
With family pride fuelling and pushing him forward, is their anything the protagonist will not do? This book does not disappoint, great read, fascinating story if you, like me, no hardly anything about Prohibition. Highly recommend it.
With family pride fuelling and pushing him forward, is their anything the protagonist will not do? This book does not disappoint, great read, fascinating story if you, like me, no hardly anything about Prohibition. Highly recommend it.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews