A gripping novel about two trailblazing women on opposite sides of the law—a prosecutor and a madam—who team up to bring down notorious mob boss Lucky Luciano in 1930s New York, from the New York Times bestselling authors of the million-copy bestseller The Personal Librarian.
Eunice Carter, assistant district attorney for the City of New York and Manhattan’s first Black female prosecutor, has her sights set on the one and only Lucky Luciano, head of New York City’s five largest organized crime families. Other prosectors have tried to bring down Lucky, but they’ve all focused on the crime syndicate’s traditional businesses—bootlegging, gambling, loan sharking, and drug dealing—or tax evasion. No one has thought to approach the mob through its role in prostitution. Until Eunice. But she can’t get Luciano alone.
Polly Adler has worked long and hard to build up her high-class brothel business. Her client list is filled with well-known names, both the famous and the infamous, who all know her booze is top-notch, her music first-rate, her food exquisite, and her girls the best. But Lucky has gone too far, putting her girls in danger, and Polly finally sees the chance to end his reign once and for all.
Together, Eunice and Polly fashion a case utilizing a network of women. Bridging the enormous divide between them and risking their own lives, they assemble evidence bit by bit, under the nose of the man they’re trying to convict. It is this very alliance—of two women from vastly different worlds—that launches the most sensational trial New York City has ever seen.
Historical ficiton at its best
"A Pair of Aces is a gripping historical fiction read that includes a powerful court room drama . In a bold move Lucky Luciano head of the mob is on trial and lives are at stake if he is not found guilty. The unlikey duo of Eunice Carter a black lawyer on the prosectuion team who is fighting for her own rights amongst the men and Polly Alder. a Jewish immigrant who came to the States, clawed her way to the top and now runs a high class brothel who truly cares for her girls. Both put their lives on the line to put Lucky behind bars and the court room scenes are so well written you feel like you are there. The atmosphere is dark, gritty and brutal at times that will have you binge reading as fast as you can. Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray have brought the era of the 1930's and the mob to life and written a powerful book that will stay with me for a long time."
