Spirits and Secrets: Boozy Tales of a Bartender's Journey with the Mob

by Aly Riley

In the 19th and 20th centuries, the mafia took hold of the United States. Between their illegal gambling, booze parties, and taking over major cities, it became a fearful time for many citizens of the country. But what happens when a simple guy, who became a bartender out of the clear blue following Prohibition, actually became friendly with the biggest names in mob lore and was someone they could trust?

"Spirits and Secrets" follow the true story of Saul Esterson, the author's grandfather who became the mixologist and eventual friend of some huge mafia names like Lucky Luciano, Meyer Lansky, and Bugsy Siegel to name a few. He was just a guy from New York City that went from being a young fisherman to a mafia confidant in a short amount of time. Mafia life can truly only be explained if you lived in it and my Papa did. Well, actually, we all did. It's a wild life, it's a crazy life, but it's our life.

..."You don't fall into it, you're born into it."

66 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 18, 2025

About the author

Aly Riley is an American historian and author based in the United States. She has loved history since the young age of 12, fully immersing herself in the world of Colonial America and beyond. Her first novella, "She Spies", was independently published on Amazon to high acclaim in September 2023.

Her second book, "Spirits and Secrets", will be released in October 2025. That work will delve into the world of her truly amazing Papa, telling his stories of being the bartender to many well known names in mob lore and how being born into mafia life isn't nearly as bad as some may believe it is.