Bootlegger's Apprentice - Paperback

by Ben Broeren (Author)

The smoke and spirits of jazz-age Chicago are an intoxicating combination for young Aiden McCarthy, whose entry into adulthood is a tug-of-war between the excitement of bootlegging, robbery, and corruption and staying true to his ethics. While cutting deals and facing tough guys, Aiden endeavors to be a principled son and boyfriend. Aiden's fictional adventure intertwines with real-life characters, Louis Armstrong, Al Capone, and North Side Gang leader Dean O'Banion. O'Banion, who is Aiden's boss, uses underworld connections to handle adversaries on both sides of the law, but his hubris is his undoing. Friction between the Irish and the Italians, between the wets and the drys, and within Aiden's family and job intensifies as he finds his way. Will Aiden continue to confront gunmen and politicos or will he restrain his darker whims to make a life separate from crime in Prohibition-era Windy City?