Book Review: “The Yankee Club” by Michael Murphy

December 27, 2014 at 4:26 pm | Posted in Books | 5 Comments
Tags: Book Review, Fiction, Romance Fiction, Thriller

Michael Murphy in his new book, “The Yankee Club” Book One in the Jake & Laura Mystery Series published by Alibi brings us into the lives of Jake Donovan & Laura Wilson.

From the back cover:   In Michael Murphy’s action-packed Prohibition-era novel of suspense, a mystery writer returns to the bright lights and dark alleys of New York City—uncovering a criminal conspiracy of terrifying proportions.

In 1933, America is at a crossroads: Prohibition will soon be history, organized crime is rampant, and President Roosevelt promises to combat the Great Depression with a New Deal. In these uncertain times, former-Pinkerton-detective-turned-bestselling-author Jake Donovan is beckoned home to Manhattan. He has made good money as the creator of dashing gumshoe Blackie Doyle, but the price of success was Laura Wilson, the woman he left behind. Now a Broadway star, Laura is engaged to a millionaire banker—and waltzing into a dangerous trap.

Before Jake can win Laura back, he’s nearly killed—and his former partner is shot dead—after a visit to the Yankee Club, a speakeasy dive in their old Queens neighborhood. Suddenly Jake and Laura are plunged into a conspiracy that runs afoul of gangsters, sweeping from New York’s private clubs to the halls of corporate power and to the White House itself. Brushing shoulders with the likes of Dashiell Hammett, Cole Porter, and Babe Ruth, Jake struggles to expose an inconspicuous organization hidden in plain sight, one determined to undermine the president and change the country forever.

Introducing Jake Donovan, ex-military, ex-detective turned mystery writer. He has come home to New York to meet his publicist. From practically the moment he arrives he is in trouble. Laura Wilson is an actress and the love of his life, however they cannot get back together as she is engaged to a slimy banker. He meets up with his former partner and someone tries to gun them down in a drive by shooting and then the action really gets going.  “The Yankee Club” is a top-notch thriller filled with blackmail, betrayal, murder and conspiracy. If it were not for his friends Jake wouldn’t stand a chance. The characters in this book are so well done you would swear they are real. The story is so well told that it feels as though you are watching a movie rather than reading words. Mr. Murphy really knows how to write bringing you into the world of Prohibition New York. My only complaint was the language it is “R” rated. I suppose it makes them sound tough but Bogart, Cagney and the others never spoke like that and those stories are classics. Other than that this is grade A+. I am so glad to have found Michael Murphy and am looking forward to the next book in this series.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from TLC Book Tours.  I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”