Skim: Milk, Money & Murder

by Steve Byrne

"Skim" is a debut novel by author Steve Byrne and was inspired by his great-grandfather Maxime Mousseau, the Ontario Liquor Control Inspector in the Windsor area during Prohibition.
100 years before Amazon, Uber Eats and Skip the Dishes, "Moose" Ducharme concocts a way to get booze delivered right to his customers homes. His involvement with illegal liquor suppliers, however, causes dangerous complications he never imagined.

414 pages, Paperback

Published October 7, 2022

Reviews

[Brie_reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

For those from Windsor-Essex — this book is for you! A work of fiction from local Belle River author but based on true events. When prohibition hit in the 1920s, Canadians were looking for ways to drink. Moose Ducharme found a way when he decided to work with the mysterious Saint and deliver Hiram Walker’s whisky along with the milk bottles every day. When greed gets him killed, Moose’s son takes over as business booms by bootlegging booze to the US and a tale of greed, revenge, murder, and booze takes off…

Reasons I Recommend:

1) Local history: Hiram Walker, Walkerville, bootlegging across the river, Quebec booze, and lives of soldiers after wars

2) Fun, easy to read story peppered with local history and legends and

3) A fun story about one family and how they helped get ahead…

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Quote: …and rum running actually became an even more lucrative industry because Michigan and the rest of the United States were still dry. The repeal created a Wild West atmosphere where everybody saw opportunity selling marked-up Canadian liquor across the border.
The really big money was being made by only a handful of local players, however, and vicious turf battles over territory often occurred.

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[Mike Barat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is so good that right after reading it today I called a friend of mine and recommended it to her. The mine charter in this book is Maurice "Moose" Ducharme. After serving in WW1 Moose comes back home to Windsor Ontario where he had a hard time finding employment when Moose came back from the war. And when Moose finely does find employment the job he lands as a milkman doesn't pay very well, and that's when Moose decides to take the plunge and sell alcohol during prohibition in his hometown of Windsor Ontario, easily the hottest spot in Canada for selling alcohol during prohibition, due to the fact that Windsor Ontario is so close to so many people in the United States with the big city of Detroit Michigan being less than five miles away. The decision Moose made to sell alcohol means Moose will have to get involved with some pretty rough charters to say the least. And that's where the story begins the start of more twist than a pretzel.

[Edmond Gagnon · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great novel for author Steve Byrne's first time out.
Skim is a prohibition era yarn, set in the City of Windsor during it's nefarious rum-running days.
The story is about one man, a war hero, who wants to do better by his family and chooses to get involved with local gangsters who are tied into the renowned Purple Gang, and their illegal whiskey business.
Maurice "Moose" Ducharme uses his milk route to deliver black market Canadian Club whiskey to his booze-thirsty clients, taking a big risk by getting in deep with the local crime syndicate.
Being a bit of a Winsor history buff, the story kept me turning pages and routing for the underdog.
For anyone interested in local history, prohibition, and Windsor's dark past, this book is must read.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being from that part of Canada, I really enjoyed all the correct references to Ford City, Walkerville and Windsor. This book was well researched and written. The characters were well developed and likeable. The Rum Running days were wild and this book relates that even small operations were everywhere. When checking out this book from the library the librarian said the author had been one of her teachers. Loved the connection.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great story. Set in the 1920’s in the little town of Ford City, during the Prohibition, this little gem is a mystery and a must read.
Moose Ducharme is a milkman. Not the best job a guy could have but things are tough after World War I. He soon develops a scheme to deliver booze along his milk route. What follows is a funny yet interesting take on family, loyalty and small town influence.
It’s fun with a moral.

[Robert H · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a complete page-turner. It was difficult to put it down. A really solid work of historical fiction, not unlike the books by Eric Larson. Anyone who has an interest in the prohibition years, or the underworld, will find this book compelling.

[Chris Thrasher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story ! The real places, events and characters make this an engaging and fun read

[Daniela · Rating 3 out of 5]

The last third of the book was especially action-packed!

[Rick Loebach · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy to read. Hit home. Just a few tangents at a time. Hard to put down. A great first by Steve Byrne. I’ve recommended to several people.