Casino Chiseler (Alex Cohen 4) by Leopold Borstinski – Review

• Title: Casino Chiseler
• Author: Leopold Borstinski
• Publisher: Sobriety Press on September 30, 2020
• Genre: Historical Crime Thriller
• Pages: 255
• Format: Kindle Edition
• Rating: 3/5

Many thanks to Emma from Damppebbles Blog Tours and Leopold Borstinski for providing me with a free copy of Casino Chiseler in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Trigger Warnings: Violence, Murder, Attempted Rape

Available Now at these retailers: Amazon UK | Amazon US | Waterstones

Casino Chiseler Book Blurb

Would you gamble everything you possess to win more than you can imagine?

Jewish gangster, Alex Cohen leaves jail to find salvation from the 1940s mob in the hotels of Las Vegas. When Bugsy Siegel invites him to take over sports betting in Nevada, Alex must figure out how to get back to the top table in New York without attracting the Feds’ attention.

If he succeeds then he will regain his self respect, but if he fails then the last members of the
national crime syndicate will cut him dead and he will be left a nobody or wind up a corpse. And after he bumps into his childhood sweetheart, he has a once in a lifetime opportunity to win her heart. But Alex knows the criminal underworld has the habit of spilling over into his personal life and when Meyer Lansky asks him to murder Siegel, Alex must choose what is truly important to him.

The fourth book in the Alex Cohen series is an historical thriller novel, which rips open the Jewish mob’s involvement in the birth of modern Vegas. Leopold Borstinski’s shattering crime fiction deals a royal flush to each reader.

Provided by Damppebbles Blog Tours

My Review

Casino Chiseler is the fourth volume in the Alex Cohen series. Each book covers a different decade in Alex’s life, and with a Vegas backdrop, this novel gives us a look at the 1940s. This mafia thriller takes place during a time when gangsters were as big as the stars on the silver screen.

I’m going to start by saying that this book was not what I expected. I was hoping for non-stop action and a close up look at the big mafia names I grew up reading about. This novel has some action but not to the extent that I expected. I will admit to being a bit disappointed.

Most of the volume dealt with the mundane running of Vegas nightclubs. I found no spark to keep me glued to my seat while I devoured page after page with enthusiasm.

However, with that said, the book is entertaining. Alex is an intense character who does what needs doing. He takes orders from the Syndicate, and regardless of his personal feelings, he follows orders. This straight-faced behavior makes him a stand-up guy who I can admire and trust. While possibly viewed as an oxymoron considering Alex’s line of work, I do like him.

Since I read for entertainment, and this book is entertaining, I am confident in rating Casino Chiseler 3 out of 5 stars. If you enjoy historical novels and the old-time mob, you will enjoy this book.

About the Author

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.

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