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Gold for the Dead
Lambda Literary Award-winning author, Ann Aptaker's Cantor Gold faces the questions of who are her real friends, and how far she would go to avenge their deaths.Early November, 1958
New York City
Art thief and smuggler Cantor Gold's latest underworld caper begins when she arrives at big-time bookie Nick Fortunato's apartment to celebrate his birthday, a ritual the two friends have enjoyed for years. But Nick is missing, and there’s blood on the living room carpet. It’s not Nick’s blood, though. Nick’s death still awaits him. Despite crime lord Sig Loreale’s best plans to protect Nick, with whom Sig has financial dealings, a killer finds Nick hidden away in a cheap hotel owned by Loreale.
Among the players in this tale of friendship, betrayal, and the competition for power between the young and the aging, is the beautiful and possibly deadly Abbey O’Brien. She was Nick’s right hand in his bookie operation, and now that he’s dead, she stands to either gain big or lose even bigger.
The operatives and bettors in Nick’s bookmaking business have a stake in Nick’s death, too…and motives to either solve his murder or get him out of the there’s Freddie Holmes, who sizes you up before you’re allowed entry into the betting parlor; Mike Leandro, leader of the crew that takes phoned-in bets; Chickie D’Andrea, who posts the odds from every track and sporting event; Harry “Horsehide” Lanz, a major gambler and trackside aficionado; Sylvia Georgiadis, an aging grand dame of the gambling world; and others.
Assisting Cantor, as always, are her young Guy Friday Judson Zane; cabbie, sometime getaway driver and sometime friend with benefits Rosie Bliss; and Cantor’s criminal mentor Esther “Mom” Sheinbaum.
And always circling are the cops.
New York City
Art thief and smuggler Cantor Gold's latest underworld caper begins when she arrives at big-time bookie Nick Fortunato's apartment to celebrate his birthday, a ritual the two friends have enjoyed for years. But Nick is missing, and there’s blood on the living room carpet. It’s not Nick’s blood, though. Nick’s death still awaits him. Despite crime lord Sig Loreale’s best plans to protect Nick, with whom Sig has financial dealings, a killer finds Nick hidden away in a cheap hotel owned by Loreale.
Among the players in this tale of friendship, betrayal, and the competition for power between the young and the aging, is the beautiful and possibly deadly Abbey O’Brien. She was Nick’s right hand in his bookie operation, and now that he’s dead, she stands to either gain big or lose even bigger.
The operatives and bettors in Nick’s bookmaking business have a stake in Nick’s death, too…and motives to either solve his murder or get him out of the there’s Freddie Holmes, who sizes you up before you’re allowed entry into the betting parlor; Mike Leandro, leader of the crew that takes phoned-in bets; Chickie D’Andrea, who posts the odds from every track and sporting event; Harry “Horsehide” Lanz, a major gambler and trackside aficionado; Sylvia Georgiadis, an aging grand dame of the gambling world; and others.
Assisting Cantor, as always, are her young Guy Friday Judson Zane; cabbie, sometime getaway driver and sometime friend with benefits Rosie Bliss; and Cantor’s criminal mentor Esther “Mom” Sheinbaum.
And always circling are the cops.
250 pages, Paperback
Published October 14, 2025
2 people are currently reading
19 people want to read
About the author
Ann Aptaker
18 books31 followersNative New Yorker Ann Aptaker has earned a reputation as a respected if cheeky exhibition designer and curator of art during her career in museums and galleries. Taking the approach that what art authorities find uncomfortable the public would likely enjoy, exhibitions Ann has curated have garnered favorable reviews in the New York Times, Art in America, American Art Review, and other publications.
She brings the same attitude and philosophy to her first love: writing, especially a tangy variety of historical crime fiction. Ann’s short stories have appeared in two editions (2003 and 2004) of the noir crime anthology Fedora. Her flash fiction story, “A Night In Town,” appeared in the online zine Punk Soul Poet. In addition to curating and designing art exhibitions and writing crime stories, Ann is also an art writer and an adjunct professor of art history at the New York Institute of Technology. (from the publisher's website)
She brings the same attitude and philosophy to her first love: writing, especially a tangy variety of historical crime fiction. Ann’s short stories have appeared in two editions (2003 and 2004) of the noir crime anthology Fedora. Her flash fiction story, “A Night In Town,” appeared in the online zine Punk Soul Poet. In addition to curating and designing art exhibitions and writing crime stories, Ann is also an art writer and an adjunct professor of art history at the New York Institute of Technology. (from the publisher's website)
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
February 11, 2026
3.5 stars!
An enjoyable, engaging and still well-written book #7 in the ongoing 'Cantor Gold Crime' series.
Recommended book and series!
An enjoyable, engaging and still well-written book #7 in the ongoing 'Cantor Gold Crime' series.
Recommended book and series!
January 20, 2026
This book had a unique tone and the setting was very well done. The author used language and slang that was representative of the 1950s. She also used time period examples such as cars, phone booths and clothing to further set the tone.
This was my first book by this author, and since this is part of series, I felt I missed out on some of the past relationships that the characters had with each other.
Cantor Gold was a unique character and I would like to read another book with this character. The mystery itself was overshadowed by all the characters in the book and trying to figure out their relationships to each other. I did feel the tension between Cantor and Sig and Big Mama. I would have liked more emotion between Cantor and Lily and to have Lil's character developed more. It seems like in the future storyline that Cantor and Abby might develop a relationship.
This was my first book by this author, and since this is part of series, I felt I missed out on some of the past relationships that the characters had with each other.
Cantor Gold was a unique character and I would like to read another book with this character. The mystery itself was overshadowed by all the characters in the book and trying to figure out their relationships to each other. I did feel the tension between Cantor and Sig and Big Mama. I would have liked more emotion between Cantor and Lily and to have Lil's character developed more. It seems like in the future storyline that Cantor and Abby might develop a relationship.
September 23, 2025
Drops you in 1958 NYC with a full sensory reading experience that'll keep you up past bedtime
I read the first two books in this series back when they were published over a decade ago. I only remembered the main character's name was Gold (Cantor Gold to be precise), that the word Gold appeared in every book title, and that I'd really enjoyed the stories despite having no recall of story details all these years later. Jumping into this book essentially cold (without having the full series read and in mind ahead of time) was a concern before I started reading, but then from the opening chapter I realized that Gold for the Dead could easily be read as a standalone story. With all series, the thru line plot threads that flow thru several or all of the books matter, adding elements of character development and backstory among other things that couldn't be contained in a single book; so are there details like character relationships and histories together that might have been in the previous 6 books that would have added additional levels of knowledge and potentially pleasure to reading this one (Book 7)? Sure. But even knowing that while reading, I still had a wildly entertaining and colourful ride thru Cantor Gold's world. Cantor brings colour, sass and gutsiness to her days and nights in the underbelly and street level locales of New York City in 1958. Lovers of fashion will appreciate Cantor's sharp wardrobe of men's clothing that she wears despite the looks, jeers and judgment of so many she encounters be it in passing or those who have known her for decades. The world she lives in is filled with crime, seediness, unsavory characters, and shifting loyalties where danger is more than just a word for her and her compatriots; she's a genuine badass taking risks and repeatedly needling the big dogs in town who have the power to make people disappear, using her humor and (at least surface level) guts and iron will. She's fairly stoic even in her private moments on the page but you still feel for her and the pain she experiences in the story as she gets put thru the wringer. I kept reading well past my bedtime two nights in a row until I finished the book. Now I'm both eager to read the next book in the series and to somehow find time and opportunity to re-read the first 6 books in order of publication to see what I might have missed by delving straight in to book 7. If you're already familiar with this series you'll love this installment even as you ache for Cantor to catch a break and have things go right for her in all aspects of her life; if you've not read any of the series yet and just want to dive in any old place this book gives you a genuine page turner of mystery, suspense, and intrigue, with some romance and enough drama with a dash of angst to cover all the bases with a solid storyline and ending but has some dangling threads that will likely (hopefully) be picked up in the next book or books to come.
In addition to the fashion of the time, there is history woven into the story so seamlessly that you learn while being entertained and don't feel as though you're being lectured or bombarded with facts in a dry delivery style. Couple that will a full sensory description in the narration to go with Cantor's wit and observations, suspicions and emotions held close to the vest with some of it coming out anyway, slang and vocabulary of the time being delivered by characters with sharp and honeyed tongues, and you've got a rich tale that's better than everything being put on TV or in the movie theatre. Grab your favorite bevvie, curl up in your most comfy chair and be prepared to read long after you told yourself you were going to.
I look forward to reading more of this series (past and future publications) and other works by author Ann Aptaker in the future.
I read the first two books in this series back when they were published over a decade ago. I only remembered the main character's name was Gold (Cantor Gold to be precise), that the word Gold appeared in every book title, and that I'd really enjoyed the stories despite having no recall of story details all these years later. Jumping into this book essentially cold (without having the full series read and in mind ahead of time) was a concern before I started reading, but then from the opening chapter I realized that Gold for the Dead could easily be read as a standalone story. With all series, the thru line plot threads that flow thru several or all of the books matter, adding elements of character development and backstory among other things that couldn't be contained in a single book; so are there details like character relationships and histories together that might have been in the previous 6 books that would have added additional levels of knowledge and potentially pleasure to reading this one (Book 7)? Sure. But even knowing that while reading, I still had a wildly entertaining and colourful ride thru Cantor Gold's world. Cantor brings colour, sass and gutsiness to her days and nights in the underbelly and street level locales of New York City in 1958. Lovers of fashion will appreciate Cantor's sharp wardrobe of men's clothing that she wears despite the looks, jeers and judgment of so many she encounters be it in passing or those who have known her for decades. The world she lives in is filled with crime, seediness, unsavory characters, and shifting loyalties where danger is more than just a word for her and her compatriots; she's a genuine badass taking risks and repeatedly needling the big dogs in town who have the power to make people disappear, using her humor and (at least surface level) guts and iron will. She's fairly stoic even in her private moments on the page but you still feel for her and the pain she experiences in the story as she gets put thru the wringer. I kept reading well past my bedtime two nights in a row until I finished the book. Now I'm both eager to read the next book in the series and to somehow find time and opportunity to re-read the first 6 books in order of publication to see what I might have missed by delving straight in to book 7. If you're already familiar with this series you'll love this installment even as you ache for Cantor to catch a break and have things go right for her in all aspects of her life; if you've not read any of the series yet and just want to dive in any old place this book gives you a genuine page turner of mystery, suspense, and intrigue, with some romance and enough drama with a dash of angst to cover all the bases with a solid storyline and ending but has some dangling threads that will likely (hopefully) be picked up in the next book or books to come.
In addition to the fashion of the time, there is history woven into the story so seamlessly that you learn while being entertained and don't feel as though you're being lectured or bombarded with facts in a dry delivery style. Couple that will a full sensory description in the narration to go with Cantor's wit and observations, suspicions and emotions held close to the vest with some of it coming out anyway, slang and vocabulary of the time being delivered by characters with sharp and honeyed tongues, and you've got a rich tale that's better than everything being put on TV or in the movie theatre. Grab your favorite bevvie, curl up in your most comfy chair and be prepared to read long after you told yourself you were going to.
I look forward to reading more of this series (past and future publications) and other works by author Ann Aptaker in the future.
November 26, 2025
Readers diving into Ann Aptaker’s Gold for the Dead quickly realize they’re in the hands of a master storyteller. Built around a gorgeously immersive story world, this historical noir balances grit with heart. From the opening pages, readers are transported to 1958 New York, where the criminal underworld pulses just beneath the surface. Power shifts, teetering alliances, and lurking danger waits in every back alley and side street. Aptaker manages to create a tension so palpable that it nearly vibrates through every scene.
Gold for the Dead is the seventh installment in Aptaker’s Cantor Gold Crime Series, and once again readers are met with Cantor Gold, an art thief whose blend of charisma, contradiction, and emotional complexity makes her quite a standout. Aptaker draws readers into Cantor’s world through a compelling mystery sparked by the unsettling disappearance of her friend Nick Fortunato. However, this is more than a whodunnit. Cantor’s evolving sense of loyalty, justice, and identity transforms the story into something far richer. Ultimately, Gold for the Dead becomes a story about finding belonging in a society that’s always changing the rules for people like Cantor.
Aptaker weaves several compelling themes throughout the narrative, but the one that truly sets the story apart is its exploration of found family. Cantor’s relationships with Judson Zane, Sig Loreale, and her mentor “Mom” Sheinbaum add depth and dimension to the dangerous world she inhabits, illustrating how chosen kin can often offer familiarity and a sense of safety. Through these bonds and the tough choices that test them, Aptaker examines loyalty, betrayal, and the murky spaces between right and wrong. As one character’s ruthless ambition collides with another’s principles, readers come to understand there are deadly costs to crossing certain lines.
Plotting and pacing are essential in a story of this nature, and Aptaker’s understanding of this is evident throughout. The narrative’s events unfold logically, with subplots woven seamlessly into the main arc, creating a cohesive and engaging structure. Aptaker calibrates pacing with precision though, balancing fast, tension-filled moments with quieter periods of reflection and character development. As a result, Gold for the Dead never feels rushed or sluggish. Instead, it maintains a steady, immersive rhythm where every twist feels earned.
Perhaps the novel’s most striking literary achievement is Aptaker’s prose: it anchors the book’s mood, tension, characterization, and thematic richness. Her sharp, evocative language creates a distinct story world, plunging readers into a gritty city alive with history, danger, greed, and desire. Through her well-scripted dialogue, readers glimpse the darker corners of human nature, adding further depth to the narrative. But it’s the attention to marginalized voices and long-overlooked histories that truly resonates. Aptaker’s careful, deliberate style brings them into focus, allowing readers to experience midcentury noir through queerer, more inclusive perspectives.
Final remarks…
Gold for the Dead is a rare gem that draws readers in from page one and transports them completely. Aptaker brings 1958 New York’s criminal underbelly to life with grit, heart, and atmosphere. At the center of it all is Cantor Gold. She’s charismatic, contradictory, and impossible not to root for. While the mystery is gripping, it’s the themes of loyalty, identity, and found family that give the story its emotional punch. Aptaker’s vivid prose, steady pacing, and unforgettable supporting cast make the storytelling feel alive. For readers who crave character-driven suspense with a fresh, inclusive twist on noir, Gold for the Dead highlights exactly why Aptaker’s series is exceptional.
Strengths…
Well-written
Well-structured
Immersive story world
Well-crafted characters
Highly engaging
Gold for the Dead is the seventh installment in Aptaker’s Cantor Gold Crime Series, and once again readers are met with Cantor Gold, an art thief whose blend of charisma, contradiction, and emotional complexity makes her quite a standout. Aptaker draws readers into Cantor’s world through a compelling mystery sparked by the unsettling disappearance of her friend Nick Fortunato. However, this is more than a whodunnit. Cantor’s evolving sense of loyalty, justice, and identity transforms the story into something far richer. Ultimately, Gold for the Dead becomes a story about finding belonging in a society that’s always changing the rules for people like Cantor.
Aptaker weaves several compelling themes throughout the narrative, but the one that truly sets the story apart is its exploration of found family. Cantor’s relationships with Judson Zane, Sig Loreale, and her mentor “Mom” Sheinbaum add depth and dimension to the dangerous world she inhabits, illustrating how chosen kin can often offer familiarity and a sense of safety. Through these bonds and the tough choices that test them, Aptaker examines loyalty, betrayal, and the murky spaces between right and wrong. As one character’s ruthless ambition collides with another’s principles, readers come to understand there are deadly costs to crossing certain lines.
Plotting and pacing are essential in a story of this nature, and Aptaker’s understanding of this is evident throughout. The narrative’s events unfold logically, with subplots woven seamlessly into the main arc, creating a cohesive and engaging structure. Aptaker calibrates pacing with precision though, balancing fast, tension-filled moments with quieter periods of reflection and character development. As a result, Gold for the Dead never feels rushed or sluggish. Instead, it maintains a steady, immersive rhythm where every twist feels earned.
Perhaps the novel’s most striking literary achievement is Aptaker’s prose: it anchors the book’s mood, tension, characterization, and thematic richness. Her sharp, evocative language creates a distinct story world, plunging readers into a gritty city alive with history, danger, greed, and desire. Through her well-scripted dialogue, readers glimpse the darker corners of human nature, adding further depth to the narrative. But it’s the attention to marginalized voices and long-overlooked histories that truly resonates. Aptaker’s careful, deliberate style brings them into focus, allowing readers to experience midcentury noir through queerer, more inclusive perspectives.
Final remarks…
Gold for the Dead is a rare gem that draws readers in from page one and transports them completely. Aptaker brings 1958 New York’s criminal underbelly to life with grit, heart, and atmosphere. At the center of it all is Cantor Gold. She’s charismatic, contradictory, and impossible not to root for. While the mystery is gripping, it’s the themes of loyalty, identity, and found family that give the story its emotional punch. Aptaker’s vivid prose, steady pacing, and unforgettable supporting cast make the storytelling feel alive. For readers who crave character-driven suspense with a fresh, inclusive twist on noir, Gold for the Dead highlights exactly why Aptaker’s series is exceptional.
Strengths…
Well-written
Well-structured
Immersive story world
Well-crafted characters
Highly engaging
January 21, 2026
This time it is more personal than ever!
Cantor arrives at her friend Nick’s for his birthday celebrations only to find he is missing, but he soon meets his fate when Cantor finds him at the hotel where Sig has hidden him to try and protect him. Despite being warned not to, Cantor cannot help investigating and soon she discovers there are more people who could have a stake in Nick’s death than she ever could have imagined.
Now I always love being back with Cantor and this latest story was no exception! The exquisite style of Ann Aptaker’s writing and how it lends to this era and setting is what makes each and every one of these stories so captivating. There is a simplicity but always such intertwined paths to follow and red herrings to avoid to get to the truth. had no idea who killed Nick, but I loved joining Cantor as she tried to figure it out and discovered a few uncomfortable truths about those closest to her on the way.
You don’t have to have read the other books in the series to understand the characters and each story works well standalone, but I recommend you do read them all to get a fuller picture. I’ve really gotten to know this whole cast of characters over all the books, and with each one they always show a different side and surprise me. We also get introduced to new characters each time, and so meeting Abbey, who was definitely a dark horse was a treat, but she wasn’t the only one, leaving Cantor wondering who she really was and just how involved she was in Nicks’ murder. She was questioning how well she knew people she’d known a long time, and was having her head turned by a pretty girl as usual while still nursing her broken heart.
Loved this and cannot wait to find out where life will take Cantor next!
Cantor arrives at her friend Nick’s for his birthday celebrations only to find he is missing, but he soon meets his fate when Cantor finds him at the hotel where Sig has hidden him to try and protect him. Despite being warned not to, Cantor cannot help investigating and soon she discovers there are more people who could have a stake in Nick’s death than she ever could have imagined.
Now I always love being back with Cantor and this latest story was no exception! The exquisite style of Ann Aptaker’s writing and how it lends to this era and setting is what makes each and every one of these stories so captivating. There is a simplicity but always such intertwined paths to follow and red herrings to avoid to get to the truth. had no idea who killed Nick, but I loved joining Cantor as she tried to figure it out and discovered a few uncomfortable truths about those closest to her on the way.
You don’t have to have read the other books in the series to understand the characters and each story works well standalone, but I recommend you do read them all to get a fuller picture. I’ve really gotten to know this whole cast of characters over all the books, and with each one they always show a different side and surprise me. We also get introduced to new characters each time, and so meeting Abbey, who was definitely a dark horse was a treat, but she wasn’t the only one, leaving Cantor wondering who she really was and just how involved she was in Nicks’ murder. She was questioning how well she knew people she’d known a long time, and was having her head turned by a pretty girl as usual while still nursing her broken heart.
Loved this and cannot wait to find out where life will take Cantor next!
November 18, 2025
Book Seven in the Cantor Gold series. I love this series about a dapper lesbian art thief and smuggler living in NYC in the 1950s. I wish it were a television series! Why isn't it?
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews