“A turn-of-the-century Jewish boy punches his way into the gangs of New York.

When Alex Cohen arrives in 1915 America, he seizes the land of opportunity with both hands and grabs it by the throat. But success breeds distrust and Alex must choose between controlling his gang and keeping his friend alive. What would you do if the person you trusted most is setting you up to die at your enemies’ hands?

The first book in the Alex Cohen series is a violent historical novel, which rips through the early years of the Jewish New York mob. Leopold Borstinski’s gripping crime noir beats at the chest of every reader with a bloody fist.”

A very warm welcome to damppebbles today and to my stop on The Bowery Slugger blog tour. The Bowery Slugger is the first book in the Alex Cohen series by Leopold Borstinski and was published on 10th November 2019 by Sobriety Press. I received a free eARC of The Bowery Slugger but that has in no way influenced my review.

I occasionally indulge in a little historical crime fiction. Not often enough though, not as frequently as I would like. Which was why I was so excited to make a start on The Bowery Slugger. Set in the 1910s, The Bowery Slugger is the first book in Borstinski’s Alex Cohen series. Teenage Alex has recently landed on the shores of America after a long and arduous sea crossing from his native Ukraine. Quickly discovering the streets of America aren’t paved with gold, Alex realises that providing for his family is his responsibility. Using skills he acquired at home he falls in with the gangs of the Bowery and soon makes a name for himself…

I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Bowery Slugger. With its violent opening, I was hooked from the first page and sucked into Alex’s world. The author’s vivid descriptions made it easy for this reader to be whisked back in time to the Bowery in the 1910s, and I loved it! When I wasn’t reading this book, I was thinking about it and keen to return to Alex’s gritty, violent world.

I really liked Alex, but I often tend to prefer the darker characters in the books I read. I was expecting there to be more violence in this book than there actually is but I wasn’t disappointed. Alex’s lifestyle draws him into some tricky situations and he reacts, for him, accordingly. None of the violence in this book is over the top or gratuitous and it fits perfectly into the story.

Alex’s flirtation with his neighbour, Rebecca, was a great sub-plot which softened Alex’s edges a little. I was surprisingly entranced by their ‘will they/won’t they’ relationship as I’m not a fan of romance in the books I read. But it added another layer to Alex Cohen which I enjoyed.

Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. This a great start to what promises to be a brilliant new historical crime series and I cannot wait to read the next book in the series. The ending of The Bowery Slugger came maybe a little too quickly, but I can see exactly why the author ended the novel that way and how it will lead into the second book. Gritty, compelling and oh so good! Highly recommended.

I chose to read and review an eARC of The Bowery Slugger. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.

The Bowery Slugger by Leopold Borstinski was published in the UK by Sobriety Press on 10th November 2019 and is available in paperback and ebook formats | amazon.co.uk | amazon.com | Nook | Goodreads |

Leopold Borstinski is an independent author whose past careers have included financial journalism, business management of financial software companies, consulting and product sales and marketing, as well as teaching.

There is nothing he likes better so he does as much nothing as he possibly can. He has travelled extensively in Europe and the US and has visited Asia on several occasions. Leopold holds a Philosophy degree and tries not to drop it too often.

He lives near London and is married with one wife, one child and no pets.

Author Links: | Twitter | Facebook | Website |