Blind Moon Alley

In the latest sequel to the Prohibition-Era crime series, "Snowball" faces off against a corrupt cop while hiding an escaped convict and uncovering the truth about a tragic incident from his past. With the support of his father and childhood crush, Jersey must navigate the dangerous world of 1920s Philadelphia to prove his innocence and save his friend from the gallows.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 224 pages
Publication date: 06 December 2022
Publisher: Open Road Media

The latest sequel in the Prohibition-Era crime series, "Hard-Boiled Enough to Remind Readers of Hammett and Chandler," is a thrilling and evocative tale that takes readers back to the days of bootleggers and speakeasies. The protagonist of the story is Jersey Leo, a biracial albino working as a bartender at Philadelphia's Ink Well, a Prohibition joint that serves moonshine to a predominantly Black clientele. Despite his humble beginnings and the nickname "Snowball," Jersey is a skilled and determined individual who has faced numerous challenges throughout his life.

When death row inmate Aaron Garvey calls Jersey for a favor, he cannot refuse. Aaron may be a convicted cop-killer, but he is also the childhood friend who stood up for Jersey when he was being bullied. As a Black kid with colorless features that only his mother could love, Jersey had many enemies, and the numbers keep growing. This time, however, it is crooked cops who are after him, looking to break his legs or worse.

Despite the danger he faces, Jersey is determined to hide Aaron while he uncovers the truth about what happened the night Aaron pulled the trigger. With the support of his father, a former boxing champ, and his childhood crush, Myra Banks, Jersey embarks on a dangerous journey to find the truth. As he digs deeper, he discovers a web of corruption and deceit that extends all the way to the top.

"Hard-Boiled Enough to Remind Readers of Hammett and Chandler" is a compelling and well-crafted story that captures the essence of the Prohibition-Era crime genre. Author Florio has an unerring feel for the era and the people, and readers will quickly become invested in the characters and their struggles. Jersey is a tough guy with a heart of hurt, and his journey to uncover the truth is filled with suspense, action, and heartache.

The book hits a comfortable niche between hard-boiled and breezy, with a balance of grit and humor that will keep readers engaged from start to finish. The prose is sharp and evocative, and the characters are well-developed and relatable. "Hard-Boiled Enough to Remind Readers of Hammett and Chandler" is a must-read for fans of crime fiction and anyone who enjoys a good story set in a bygone era.

Dimension: 203 x 133 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781504079150