Book Reviews (XXVI)

Ladies Night

By

Carol Malone

Book Description

Publication Date: September 4, 2013

Los Angeles, 1954 ... Gangsters, crime, boxing – and romance ...

Jimmy Doherty, a hard-luck orphan from the south side of Chicago, was mentored in the sweet science of boxing by Father Tim Brophy, the Battling Priest of St. Vincent's Asylum for Boys. Jimmy’s fists were good enough to take him to LA where he has begun his rise up the local fight-cards. He has big plans to be a contender and even bigger plans for Lindy – his trainer’s only daughter, who's sweeter than apple pie and harder to resist.

But when Lindy is arrested for killing a boxer with ties to gangster Mickey Cohen, Jimmy is forced to join forces with the arresting detective – who would like to do much more with Lindy than put her in handcuffs – in a desperate search for the real killer.

Love can be murder – in the ring and out ...

My Review

The first pages plunge us directly into the tragedy that hits Jimmy’s family. The story starts in 1945, Chicago, introducing Jimmy Doherty, eleven years old,  who attends the Requiem Mass  held at  the death,  in the war, of his father, better known as The Fightin’Irishman.  Several months later, not able to recover from the grief of losing her husband, Jimmmy’s mother dies too.

Aunt Alice’s words  Jimmy Patrick Doherty’s strong, tough and a survivor can characterize the development of this beautfully penned story. After the death of his aunt, Jimmy is taken to an Asylium for boys. We meet him ten years later in Los Angeles. Oh, but I am not going to tell you the story. I hate spoilers. You have to read the book and see how things develop.

The author proves a deep knowledge of  fight game terms and elements. Even the cahpters of the book are named as in box fighting – round. Well written -  with a carefully built plot and consistent

I loved the characters the author, Jill Tunney aka Carol Malone, created from the very first moment I met them in the story. Jimmy, Lindy, their emotional journey, detective DeLuca Marc. The character that went straight to my heart is Lindy Dominic, a woman who is, according to Jimmy’s words, full of compassion and intelligence. Read the story and you’ll understand why.If you are looking for a story with meaning and with growth, this is one for you. All in all a great young adult story.  It was a pleasure to read a well written and researched novel.

I think this one deserves a  solid 4.