Bootleg Spirits: Love. Betrayal. Honor. Vengeance. (2010) (edit title/settings)

Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit see section history

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Summary edit see section history

Characters/People edit see section history

• Joe Ardizzone: Boss of the Italians in L.A. during the heyday of Prohibition, Joe is a formidable man. He weilds his power with the loving attention of a grandfather, but the iron fist of a despot. His troubles are central to the action of the story.
• Moses Goldman: Joe's personal attorney, and acting Consigliere for the Italian mob. Moses is quiet and withdrawn outside the courtroom, but firey and confrontational inside. He will be at the forefront of Joe's defense.
• Jack Dragna: Underboss of the Italian mob, Jack, though a hothead, is the voice of reason throughout the 'struggles'.
• Tony Bones: Part of the Italian mob, he has worked as an enforcer for Joe the Boss for years, and now plots to turn on him to get his own crack at running the show.
• Mickey Marino: Part of the Italian mob, he's Tony's friend and fellow mob enforcer. Tony has invited him to come along in his power struggle. Mickey has his own struggle of conscience.
• Simon McManus: Leader of the Irish mob in L.A., Simon can see that the power struggle among the Italians could be good for his business. There's more to him than meets the eye.
• Sean Devlin: The #1 muscle of the Irish mob, Sean is a hothead, always given to confrontation before contemplation.
• Albert Simmons: Albert is the main character in present-day. He is an auto customizer and recent widower. It is him that sees and falls in love with the ghost of Rose.
• Rose Monterrosso: Girlfriend to Tony bones in 1927, she is killed in the crossfire of the mob hit on Tony. She reemerges 75 years later as the ghost who catches the attention and affections of Albert.
• Denise Simmons: In 2003 Los Angeles, she is Albert's wife. A homemaker with a penchant for shopping, it is her death that will inspire Albert to spend countless hours wandering the cemetery, a broken man.
• Frankie Doss: In 2003, he's a career criminal who involves Denise in a plot to rob a southern California bank. In the present day, he strikes out to seek revenge against those who he feel are responsible for his incarceration.

Quotes edit see section history

• “It seems as long as I have those letters, I'll never be lonely.”

  Albert

• “How do you like your steak, mate? Bloody?”

  Sean Devlin

• “I say we start from the Underboss and work our way down. We'll leave that fat pasta-eating swine all alone.”

  Sean Devlin

Glossary edit see section history

• Speakeasy: An illegal establishment during Prohibition, it was a bar that served alcohol. Speakeasies could be anything from the remains of a legitimate bar, to a spare room under a barber shop.

Themes & Symbolism edit see section history

• Love: Love, it seems, can conquer all. It's even present after death.
• Revenge and redemption: Revenge can only get you so far when you're fighting for your very survival.

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

1. Wade Cox (Author) - Wade Cox is the sole author of this work.

First Edition edit see section history

Classification edit see section history

• Library of Congress: Add the Library of Congress Classification.
• Dewey: 813

Notes for Parents edit see section history

As this novel deals with rough, criminal characters, they can be quite crude in their language and motivations. There is a good deal of violence and death.

Subjects edit see section history

• Books › Mystery & Thrillers › Thrillers
• Books › Literature & Fiction

Links to Supplemental Material edit see section history

• Wade's Writing Place: The author's personal website, where he shares some of his stories and film work.