The Bootlegger's Confession

by Allan Levine

The year is 1922. U.S. Prohibition is in full swing and the bootleg business is booming for Jewish-Canadian entrepreneurs, Saul and Lou Sugarman.Looking to keep a close eye on their border transactions, the Sugarman's set up their sister Rae and husband Max in a general store in southern Manitoba, close to the North Dakota border. One night, several hours after concluding a lucrative bootleg deal, Max Roter is found dead.Determined to find the killer, Lou Sugarman hires Sam Klein, Winnipeg's best known private detective, to investigate the murder. A routine investigation quickly devolves into a kidnapping crisis, leading Sam Klein straight into the dangerous mob world of 1920s New York City. The second trilogy in the Sam Klein mystery series transports readers back to the "gateway of the west," Winnipeg of the 1920s. It was a boom time for commerce and crooks, radicals and revolutionaries, as a brave new world opened up for waves of immigrants seeking a better life.

336 pages, Paperback

Published November 7, 2016

About the author

Allan Levine was born in Winnipeg in 1956 and received a Ph.D. in history from the University of Toronto in 1985. He is the author of 10 non-fiction books that have examined a wide-range of political, social and economic issues. He has delved into Canadian, European, American and Jewish history. He has also published five historical mystery novels, including Evil of the Age and four books featuring Sam Klein. He has been freelancing articles and reviews for more than 30 years. He frequently contributes to the National Post and for the past six years has been writing a column for the Winnipeg Free Press, Now & Then, which looks at the history behind current events. In all of his work, he aims to bring the past alive and reflect on history's lessons.

Reviews

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good mystery with a lot of threads that worked together well without getting confusing. Also neat to read a book that takes place in my hometown.

[Magali Najarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 actually
It was a solid book. It had an interesting plot but I've read better. I really wanted more of the gangsters and their stories but that's just me
It's still worth the read though.
If you like mystery, historical fiction I recommend this book.

[Beverley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting because of the Winnipeg setting.

[Heather(Gibby) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a decent mystery/thriller, however far more engaging is the historical depiction of Winnipeg in the 1920's.

[Zeke Zimonick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading about the Canadian prairies of the roaring 20s. An interesting take on it.

[Wayne Inkster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again Allan Levine did a fabulous job of bringing Sam Klyne and historic Winnipeg to life. If you've read the other Sam Klyne novels you won't want to miss this latest addition!