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The Bootlegger

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About this listen

When Detective Isaac Bell’s mentor is shot, the turn-of-the-century investigator traces the attack from a booze-smuggling operation back to a team of international saboteurs in this #1 New York Times–bestselling series.

It is 1920, and both Prohibition and bootlegging are in full swing. When Isaac Bell’s boss and lifelong friend Joseph Van Dorn is shot and nearly killed while leading the high-speed chase of a rum-running vessel, Bell swears to him that he will hunt down the men responsible. But Bell doesn’t know what he is getting into. When a witness to Van Dorn’s shooting is executed in a ruthlessly efficient manner invented by the Russian secret police, it becomes clear that these are no ordinary criminals.
Action & Adventure Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Suspense Thriller & Suspense Russia

Critic reviews

Praise for The Bootlegger

“Cussler and Scott have written another wonderful page-turner . . . This is historical action-adventure fiction at its rip-roaring best!”—Library Journal (starred review)

“The Isaac Bell series continues to tell compelling stories. Tidbits of history are sprinkled throughout the narrative, and it’s fun to filter out fictional characters and events from historical facts.”—Associated Press

“As always in this series, the novel is very exciting, with excellent pacing and some very well drawn characters. With his combination of mental and physical prowess, Isaac Bell could easily become a sort of superhero (imagine a blending of Sherlock Holmes and Doc Savage), but the authors do a nice job of keeping him from crossing that line. Another fine entry in a strong series. Cussler is a perennial A-lister, popularity-wise, and his Isaac Bell novels are the pick of his prodigious litter.”—Booklist

“[A] laudable historical action novel.”—Publishers Weekly

Praise for The Striker

“This adventure might be the best yet in the series. The history is fascinating reading. Add a James Bond style flair with sabotage and villainy, and the end result is a great action thriller.”--Associated Press

“Interesting historical scene-setting facts; action that shifts from the dangerous depths of a coal mine to Wall Street, to a confrontation in a tunnel being dug for the New York subway and to a riverboat battle between two paddle-wheelers; deft characterizations; and hard-boiled dialogue. Classic Cussler."--Kirkus Reviews

“The Isaac Bell series is by far the most interesting and enjoyable of Cussler’s novels. They continue to show him at his best, commercially and literarily."--Booklist

“Exciting…The action flows swiftly, and the authors do a good job depicting the work conditions and the class warfare of the time.”--Publishers Weekly
All stars
Most relevant
Very hard to get into but got better toward the end. Not up to Cussler's usual high standards. A little disappointing.

Disappointing.

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Would you listen to The Bootlegger again? Why?

Yes, I was entertained by the style of story telling, the attention to detail for the period and the scenes of action and adventure.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Bootlegger?

Detailed descriptions of the period styles and behaviors i n New York, Chicago, Detroit and Miami

Which character – as performed by Scott Brick – was your favourite?

Isaac Bell - The Lead Detective

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The detailed portrayal of life in the prohibition era.

Entertaining period drama from a master novelist

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What would have made The Bootlegger better?

add a little excitement in both the reading and the story. Not the usual Dirk Pitt hero. In fact who is the hero. Got through about 2 hours and still not sure. Was it really Bell?

What could Clive Cussler and Justin Scott have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Give me a character to hook on to.

How could the performance have been better?

Was just a bit flat.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Disappointment.

Any additional comments?

Just disappointed. I really like the usual Clive Cussler and this did not fit that bill.

Boring.

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