The Bootlegger's Daughter

A Novel

By: Nadine Nettmann

Narrated by: Jesse Vilinsky, Allyson Ryan, Keong Sim

Length: 9 hrs and 1 min

Publisher's summary

In Prohibition-era Los Angeles, two women on opposite sides of the law must take control of their lives, make their marks, and try to survive. Even if it means crossing the line.

It’s 1927. Letty Hart’s father is long gone, but his old winery provides a meager wage and a legal livelihood for selling sacramental wine. But when that contract goes bust, Letty stumbles upon a desperate option: her father’s hidden cellar—and enough liquor to tempt Letty to bootleg the secret stash. In an underworld dominated by merciless men, Letty is building an empire.

Officer Annabel Forman deserves to be the first female detective in the LAPD. But after two years on the force, she’s still consigned to clerical work and policing dance halls. When Annabel connects a series of unsolved murders to bootlegging, it’s a chance at a real investigation. Under the thumb of dismissive male superiors, Annabel is building her case.

As their formerly uncompromised morals erode, Letty and Annabel are on a collision course—and determined to prove they’re every bit as ruthless and strong-willed as the powers that be who want to take them down.

©2024 by Nadine Nettmann. (P)2023 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“The author is a certified sommelier who provides interesting detail on winemaking and Prohibition. A well-paced historical mystery with plenty of twists and an action-packed and surprising conclusion.”—Historical Novels Review

“History meets mystery meets feminist fiction in The Bootlegger’s Daughter. Utterly enthralling from the gripping first line to the wonderfully provocative last, Nadine Nettmann’s Prohibition-era page-turner features an ingenious premise and formidable cast of characters—especially the women, who are deftly portrayed with period accuracy and trailblazing fortitude, as much a product of their time as they are ahead of it.”—Wendy Corsi Staub, New York Times bestselling author

“With a pitch-perfect ear for time and place, Nadine Nettmann takes the reader on an unforgettable journey through Prohibition-era Los Angeles into a world full of danger and intrigue. Letty and Annabel are both strong characters and show what women were capable of during an era when so little was expected of them. I highly recommend The Bootlegger’s Daughter for book clubs and anyone who savors great writing and a window into history at the same time.”—Anita Abriel, internationally bestselling author of The Light After the War and The Life She Wanted