“Alex lived through the war, but will he survive the peace?

Jewish gang member, Alex comes back from the Great War almost destroyed by the horrors he has seen. When he is plucked from certain death by an old friend, he commits to making so much money he’ll never know that agony again.

But the route to the top is fraught with danger and every time he helps one of his powerful friends like Al Capone, he acquires more enemies who want to see him dead. When organised crime financier, Arnold Rothstein dies, the turmoil caused by his loss sets in train a chain of events which means Alex must once more fight for his life. How far would you go to attain your American dream?

The second book in the Alex Cohen series is a violent historical novel, which tears through the Prohibition years of the Jewish New York mob. Leopold Borstinski’s gripping crime noir pierces the heart of every reader like a bullet from Alex’s sniper rifle.”

Hello and welcome to the blog. I am delighted to be sharing my review of East Side Hustler as part of the blog tour today. East Side Hustler is the second book in the Alex Cohen Series written by Leopold Borstinski. I read and reviewed the first book, The Bowery Slugger, last year and thoroughly enjoyed it so I was really looking forward to this one. I received a free eARC of East Side Hustler but that has in no way influenced my review.

We were last with Alex Cohen as he leapt onto a train destined for the trenches of the Great War. East Side Hustler begins in 1919 with Alex’s return to New York but he’s a shadow of the man he was. Traumatised by the sights and smells of war, he finds himself desolate and alone. Having once run the streets which he now sleeps on, it’s a dramatic fall from grace for the man they used to refer to as ‘Slugger’. His family believe him to be dead. He has no one. That is until a familiar face finds him and offers shelter. A warm bed, food on the table and the warm embrace of Sarah, a friend and lover from the past. Alex’s strength builds, he discovers his reputation is unblemished and his determination to live the American dream reignites. And Alex will do that anyway he can, no matter who stands in his way…

East Side Hustler spans the years from 1919 to 1929 and Alex’s return to the mean streets of New York. It’s difficult to not like Alex. He’s ruthless, menacing and a pretty terrible human being but there’s also something about him that appeals to the reader. In The Bowery Slugger Alex was a teenager on the up. You couldn’t help but admire his gumption and his desire to make something of himself. He’s older now and affected by war, but the character readers fell in love with is still very much present.

So much happens in East Side Hustler that it’s hard to summarise the book for this review. After all, East Side Hustler spans a ten-year period in Alex’s life. There’s a lot going on so the reader is quickly absorbed into the story and into the dark underbelly of New York in the 1920s. The main point to mention is the introduction of prohibition which saw the manufacture and sale of alcohol stopped by law. Alex and his ‘colleagues’ quickly discover a way of smuggling alcohol into New York from Canada via Chicago. Risking life and limb in the process, it makes for gripping reading and provides a fair amount of spilt blood. The inclusion of some familiar names, such as Al Capone and Bugs Moran, bring a dash of realism to the story.

Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. East Side Hustler can be read as a standalone but it’s worth picking up a copy of The Bowery Slugger too, as you get to discover where Alex Cohen has come from and what drives him. This series is a gritty look at life on the streets of New York. A no-holds-barred historical noir novel with a lead character that you shouldn’t like, but you won’t be able to help yourself. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series and seeing what Bostinski has in store for Alex next.

I chose to read and review an eARC of East Side Hustler. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.

East Side Hustler by Leopold Borstinski was published in the UK by Sobriety Press on 22nd March 2020 and is available in paperback and digital formats (please note, the following links are affiliate links which mean I receive a small percentage of the purchase price at no extra cost to you): | amazon.co.uk | amazon.com | Google Books | Kobo | 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 |