The Crimper of Old Town: Part One of the Novella Series

The Crimper of Old Town, Book 1

De: A.J. Gordon

Narrado por: Tim Tidball

Boston, Massachusetts, Autumn 1872.

Edwin Morris Jr. barely ekes out a living as a boot cobbler in the tattered repair shop his father left for him. Fleeing an imploded love life and a string of bad luck, he enlists into a life at sea on a trade ship embarking west. Through punishing swells with harsh degenerates, Edwin's fresh start proves to only be the beginning of new troubles...

Set against the underbelly of America's port cities, The Crimper of Old Town, is told with saturated visuals and a tongue-in-cheek approach. Featuring a raucous group of supporting characters that guide and dismay Edwin through his carnivorous rise as a crimping kingpin.

©2020 Aaron James Gordon (P)2020 Aaron James Gordon

Gripping Novella!

When I read a book, I am usually able to pin point where the book is going...this book kept me guessing when I thought it was going one way it went completely differently. I loved the descriptions, the characters were really rich which made it easy to get sucked into it. I highly recommend.

"Be the wind, not the sail."

"Be the wind, not the sail."

Edwin Morris Jr. at the age of 22 has become the sole proprietor of a cobbler's shop. After a string of bad luck and the loss of his first love he decides to cut his losses and embark on a trade ship for better horizons. Little does he know what awaits him on the unforgiving ocean.

I don't usually read novella type series but I can see the appeal of a fast paced adventure on the high seas. Magnetic and vindictive characters, treachery, cons, death and debauchery are packed well into this little punch of a novella. Add to the fact this is based on crimping which is the practice of kidnapping individuals to serve as sailors. A little historical fact I was not aware of and had me Googling.

I can't say that I ended liking the MC Edwin. I'm still grappling with my overall feelings on him as a whole. He's an interesting character with a magnet for bad news. Perfectly defined as a drifter, he makes decisions without too much thought and ends up in situations I could only shake my head at. Predicted to rise to the status of a crimping kingpin in this saga, I can only imagine what the next books will have in store for this character. Color me intrigued.

I am looking forward to his excursion to San Francisco in book two. I do hope that Tim Tidball continues to narrate the saga. He has a good cadence and a voice that fits Edwin in my head. There is cursing, sexual scenes and descriptive violence that fit the 1870 era for those wondering about language and content.

I'd recommend this to readers who enjoy historical fiction with a flare of criminal action. Thank you to Loaded Image Entertainment for the opportunity to listen to the audio version of this novella for an honest and unbiased opinion.