Tommy Gun Tango by Brant Randall/Bruce Cook

"I've been shot before. And I've taken my share of beatings. I was even left for dead once. But I've never been beaten, shot, and buried alive on the same day."

Title: Tommy Gun Tango
Author: Brant Randall/Bruce Cook
ISBN: 9780979996030
Publisher: Capital Crime Press/2009
Pages: 284

Set in the 1930s, in Los Angelos, this novel moves forward from the view points of four people, who become tangled with each other. At the height of depression, it all about survival in the land of opportunity.

Marshal Lawe is a County Marshall in a small town in Massachusetts, Peony Springs. After losing his job, he starts for for California. Enroute, he picks up, Al Haine who has fled from Ireland in the 1920s, after commiting a murder. Al Haine has worked for mobs, gambled and is always on a look out for making easy money, by hook or by crook.

Gloria Alwyn had run her own little diner in Peony Springs, but lost it. She had headed for her aunt's, where she finds a job at a jazz club and restaurant. Unfortunately, Gloria runs into bad luck again and calls out to Marshall for help. Both had a past and had been in love in Peony Springs. She too is a complete contrast to Gayle Barton-Poole, a wannabe actress known in Peony Springs as Jackie Sue, and had runaway from home. She ends up with Al.

Tommy Gun Tango sucks us into the characters as well as what is going on in Los Angeles. The movie moghuls, with all of their money and clout, buy and sell justice at the drop of a hat, doing the best to hide the crimes of the movie actors. There is this Hollywood tabloid which writes about stories involving famous people the movie industry. This is what it very authentic where money can pay up for anything. Especially at the time of depression.

Marshal, Gloria, Al and Gayle get embroiled in all this. Marshall does not like it at all but Al and Gayle have no qualms about making it to their advantage.

The authior has made the place, people and the times come out alive. With colourfull pasts, each one is victim in one way or the other. And one has to learn to survive, no mattr what. Otherwise sharks will eat them alive. And when an famous actrees husband dies, each one of is forced to face the truth about themselves.

Moving forward with fast pace, it holds our interest till the end. And also still relevant as it was in the 1920s or 1930s. The prejudices for colour, religion and lot more stll exist, however we might deny those.

Thanks to the author for sending me the ARC.