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The Tales of Elliot Capric #2
Ace Boon Coon
From award-winning author Danny Gardner comes ACE BOON COON, the second in the Tales of Elliot Caprice historical crime fiction series about a disgraced police officer caught between worlds—black and white, good and bad.
It’s 1950s Illinois and Elliot Caprice has returned to his rural Southville homestead to help his uncle save the family farm, which is struggling through a drought. As racial tensions between agricultural workers rise, a murder pulls Elliot back to Chicago when his ties to both Jewish and Negro organized crime factions are discovered during a clash of competing interests around the development of the long-awaited Chicago campus of the University of Illinois.
When pressures from federal agents representing Estes Kefauver’s Special Committee on Organized Crime along with the Nation of Islam, wealthy white potential investors, and a shadowy force called the White Circle League close in, Elliot must race to connect a money trail to two more murders to thwart the destruction of Southville—before forces combine to destroy Elliot.
It’s 1950s Illinois and Elliot Caprice has returned to his rural Southville homestead to help his uncle save the family farm, which is struggling through a drought. As racial tensions between agricultural workers rise, a murder pulls Elliot back to Chicago when his ties to both Jewish and Negro organized crime factions are discovered during a clash of competing interests around the development of the long-awaited Chicago campus of the University of Illinois.
When pressures from federal agents representing Estes Kefauver’s Special Committee on Organized Crime along with the Nation of Islam, wealthy white potential investors, and a shadowy force called the White Circle League close in, Elliot must race to connect a money trail to two more murders to thwart the destruction of Southville—before forces combine to destroy Elliot.
285 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 15, 2020
2 people are currently reading
142 people want to read
About the author
Danny Gardner
17 books55 followersBeginning with HBO's Def Comedy Jam (Season 3,) Danny Gardner has enjoyed careers in acting, stand-up comedy, and filmmaking. His debut novel, A Negro and an Ofay, was nominated for several awards, including the Shamus Award for Best First Novel (2018.) He lives and works in Los Angeles by way of Chicago, Illinois, USA. Ace Boon Coon is his second novel.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
July 9, 2020
I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for a review.
When I opened the first Elliot Caprice novel, A Negro and an Ofay, I told my husband that I wanted to be Danny Gardner when I grew up. His prose takes you smack into the middle of a scene (in that particular case, a Chicago jail cell during Jim Crow) and doesn't let go of you until after you close the cover of the book.
In this sequel, Caprice is still trying to help save his uncle's farm, as well as figuring out how many of his old friends from childhood are involved in a racketeering "short paper" operation (aka, collecting protection money) ... and why so many of them seem to turn up dead.
One of the things that was a little confusing is that flashbacks to Caprice's childhood were not readily delineated. You had to figure out from context that he was now a little kid, or a teenager, or a soldier ... and then you'd find yourself back in the main setting of the book. It was a distraction at times, as I had to go back and re-read to make sure I understood what was going on.
In the end, though, Gardner presented another solid historical noir detective story with more twists and turns than Chicago has back alleys. Highly recommended.
When I opened the first Elliot Caprice novel, A Negro and an Ofay, I told my husband that I wanted to be Danny Gardner when I grew up. His prose takes you smack into the middle of a scene (in that particular case, a Chicago jail cell during Jim Crow) and doesn't let go of you until after you close the cover of the book.
In this sequel, Caprice is still trying to help save his uncle's farm, as well as figuring out how many of his old friends from childhood are involved in a racketeering "short paper" operation (aka, collecting protection money) ... and why so many of them seem to turn up dead.
One of the things that was a little confusing is that flashbacks to Caprice's childhood were not readily delineated. You had to figure out from context that he was now a little kid, or a teenager, or a soldier ... and then you'd find yourself back in the main setting of the book. It was a distraction at times, as I had to go back and re-read to make sure I understood what was going on.
In the end, though, Gardner presented another solid historical noir detective story with more twists and turns than Chicago has back alleys. Highly recommended.
June 29, 2020
Fans of Elliot Caprice won’t be disappointed. A timely dive into issues of poverty, economic disparity, and racial tension boiling over in 1950’s Chicago. In a story as relevant today as it was seventy years ago, Ace Boon Coon illustrates the struggle of a Black veteran trying to find his place in the world, torn between a failing family farm and the draw of the big city where glamour and corruption live side by side. Both worlds collide and threaten to bring Elliot to his knees. Smartly written, intricately plotted, highly recommended
November 30, 2020
The next of the Tales of Elliot Caprice series is the new book Ace Boon Coon. This is a detective novel that addresses issues of race and class by building these issues seamlessly into the dramatic plot. What results is a totally unique detective in Elliot Caprice, an intriguing read, and fascinating characters. This is a super sequel in a historical crime fiction series about a disgraced police officer caught in a world caught between black and white, where murder exposes a clash of greed and competing interests.
Set in 1950's rural Illinois, Elliot Caprice returns to help his uncle save the family farm as he struggles to keep it through a terrible drought. Elliot is pulled into more than he bargained for when a murder draws him back to Chicago. Twists keep Elliot investigating as he resolves to find answers, and to save those he cares for the most. Once Elliot Caprice is challenged, he doesn't back down. As one of the characters sums it up, “It's his backbone . . . Sometimes it gets to him.”
This author is a Chicago native and is extremely knowledgeable in history, philosophy, literature and much more. His extensive research is woven into the tapestry of this story. The city of Chicago in this historical perspective is a fascinating depiction, and appears almost as another character in the story. When Elliot Caprice's Uncle Buster says “I hate this city. She takes too much.” Elliot says “She ain't so bad, after she kills you once or twice.” It's a vivid depiction of this contentious city that these characters fight to survive in. Another aspect of the story that pulls the reader into the story is the colloquial language that is a unique linguistic flare of the era brought to life. It's a compelling cast of characters, with varied motives and ethnic backgrounds.
Author Danny Gardner has enjoyed careers as a Stand-Up Comedian, Actor, Director, Screenwriter and Author. He's a Pushcart Prize nominee and his flash fiction has been featured in Out of the Gutter and on Noir On The Air. He's a frequent reader at Noir at the Bar events nationwide. He blogs regularly at 7 Criminal Minds. He's a proud member of the Mystery Writers of America and the International Thriller Writers. Danny Gardner lives in Los Angeles by way of Chicago. His first book A Negro and an Ofay began his Tales of Elliot Caprice series, now followed by Ace Boon Coon. To learn more about Danny Gardner, check out bronzevillebooks.com on social media or his author page on Amazon or Goodreads, and to hear more from the author, listen on YouTube to A Novel Talk with Danny Gardner.
Set in 1950's rural Illinois, Elliot Caprice returns to help his uncle save the family farm as he struggles to keep it through a terrible drought. Elliot is pulled into more than he bargained for when a murder draws him back to Chicago. Twists keep Elliot investigating as he resolves to find answers, and to save those he cares for the most. Once Elliot Caprice is challenged, he doesn't back down. As one of the characters sums it up, “It's his backbone . . . Sometimes it gets to him.”
This author is a Chicago native and is extremely knowledgeable in history, philosophy, literature and much more. His extensive research is woven into the tapestry of this story. The city of Chicago in this historical perspective is a fascinating depiction, and appears almost as another character in the story. When Elliot Caprice's Uncle Buster says “I hate this city. She takes too much.” Elliot says “She ain't so bad, after she kills you once or twice.” It's a vivid depiction of this contentious city that these characters fight to survive in. Another aspect of the story that pulls the reader into the story is the colloquial language that is a unique linguistic flare of the era brought to life. It's a compelling cast of characters, with varied motives and ethnic backgrounds.
Author Danny Gardner has enjoyed careers as a Stand-Up Comedian, Actor, Director, Screenwriter and Author. He's a Pushcart Prize nominee and his flash fiction has been featured in Out of the Gutter and on Noir On The Air. He's a frequent reader at Noir at the Bar events nationwide. He blogs regularly at 7 Criminal Minds. He's a proud member of the Mystery Writers of America and the International Thriller Writers. Danny Gardner lives in Los Angeles by way of Chicago. His first book A Negro and an Ofay began his Tales of Elliot Caprice series, now followed by Ace Boon Coon. To learn more about Danny Gardner, check out bronzevillebooks.com on social media or his author page on Amazon or Goodreads, and to hear more from the author, listen on YouTube to A Novel Talk with Danny Gardner.
December 6, 2020
This is book two in this series. I haven't read book one. A historical crime fiction novel about a private detective and war veteran Elliott Caprice. He is light skinned and can be a trick a light depending on which side he needs to be on at the time. This touches on so many things. The racial tensions, corruption from organized crime and the power grab in 1950's Chicago. The writing amazed me. It pulled me right into this. I'm a history buff and I love historical crime novels. I really like Elliot and I'm looking forward to reading book one and the next book in this series. I highly recommend this. This is a great book for book clubs that like historical crime.
A big thank you to Bronzeville Books/ Kaye Publicity for the copy of this book.
Dawnny Ruby
Novels N Latte Review
Hudson Valley NY
A big thank you to Bronzeville Books/ Kaye Publicity for the copy of this book.
Dawnny Ruby
Novels N Latte Review
Hudson Valley NY
September 12, 2020
Chicagoland Noir at it's best. A romp through rural Illinois and it's connections to Chicago.
January 15, 2021
I couldn't put this book down . This book ir really awesome.
November 12, 2020
This is the second novel from the writer and I enjoyed his historical mystery novel.
If you enjoy crime fiction, detective dramas or even mystery— this title is for you. Each twist and turn takes you on a quest exploring racial tension, social injustices and economic disparity in Chicago, during the 1950’s. The novel follows Illinois’s private detective Elliot Caprice, former Chicago cop and WWII Veteran. The fair-skinned Black man utilizes racial passing to navigate a world filled with racial segregation and discrimination.
His return to his Southville hometown marks a voyage of adventure and an enigma of mystery.
This novel explores issues of colorism within the Black community, Black and Jewish neighborhood tension, social organization in pursuit of equality and student activism along the campus of the University of Illinois. But that is not all.
Explore this work of historical fiction and the beautiful way Gardner weaves the significant contribution of historical Black history and imagination. I am becoming a love of Bronzeville Books.
I highly recommend this novel.
If you enjoy crime fiction, detective dramas or even mystery— this title is for you. Each twist and turn takes you on a quest exploring racial tension, social injustices and economic disparity in Chicago, during the 1950’s. The novel follows Illinois’s private detective Elliot Caprice, former Chicago cop and WWII Veteran. The fair-skinned Black man utilizes racial passing to navigate a world filled with racial segregation and discrimination.
His return to his Southville hometown marks a voyage of adventure and an enigma of mystery.
This novel explores issues of colorism within the Black community, Black and Jewish neighborhood tension, social organization in pursuit of equality and student activism along the campus of the University of Illinois. But that is not all.
Explore this work of historical fiction and the beautiful way Gardner weaves the significant contribution of historical Black history and imagination. I am becoming a love of Bronzeville Books.
I highly recommend this novel.
October 2, 2020
Danny Gardner fans will celebrate the return of Elliot Caprice in Ace Boon Coon. Gardner takes on pertinent issues of racial tension, economic disparity in 1950’s Chicago. Anyone wanting deep emersion into a fast-paced, intricately plotted crime novel with tight dialogue will not be disappointed in this second novel from a guy who clearly knows his stuff. Two thumbs up for this one.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews