The Saint of Lake Topaz

The Starlight Club, Book 11

By: Joe Corso

Narrated by: Robert Ferraro

Length: 6 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's summary

Taking a detour on his way back to Vegas, Bull, one of Big Red Fortunato’s righthand men, visits his old army buddy Sal Stark. Sal has bought a small casino in Lake Topaz, a small town off Route 66 in the Mojave desert. Upon arriving at the Lucky Lady, Bull is dismayed to discover that Sal has been severely beaten, apparently by local “businessmen” who want to claim the casino as their own. Further investigation reveals that the head of this organization, Jarret Hastings, is holding a group of little girls captive. One of the little girls, Susie, is rescued by Bull and believes him to be “the saint of Lake Topaz” she’s been praying for.

Bull’s hardened heart is unfrozen, and he immediately calls his boss Big Red, owner of the famous Starlight Club in Queens, to assist in taking down what is likely a human-trafficking ring. But what Red and Bull, with the assistance of the usual players - Pissclam, Johnny Eight Fingers, Trenchie, and others - find out is that the kidnapping of young girls by Hastings is just the tip of the iceberg.

In the 11th installment of the popular, award-winning Starlight Club series, author Joe Corso takes us on a thrill ride through the little-traveled roads of Nevada desert in the 1960s - when the local law was often subject to interpretation!

©2019, 2020 Joe Corso (P)2020 Joe Corso

Not your typical Mob book!

After finishing a job, Bull decides to take a little detour and visit an old army friend – Sal Stark. Bull is a man not to be messed with as he is the righthand man of Big Red Fortunato – a major player in the Las Vegas mob. Jarret Hastings who is a human trafficker and more didn’t take into account Bull when he decided to hospitalize Stark and then send his men to threaten Mrs. Stark! Bull, along with his boss, Pissclam (I love this name), Johnny Eight Fingers, and the rest of the crew, teach Hastings and his customers a lesson they are not likely to forget!

Oh, and add to this a little girl named Suzie who has asked specifically for a saint! She gets her prayers answered when “Saint” Bull arrives on the scene and rescues her and the other little girls from being sold into harems. This was an intense story that was full of action and suspense as well as humor and there’s even some romance!

Joe Corso, the author, takes the bad guys and makes them good, then takes the really bad guys and makes them worse! I thought the dialog moved the story along at a good pace and was genuine. The characters were well-developed, and I could see Bull, Pissclam, Hastings, and the others vividly in my mind as they were so richly described.

The narrator, Robert Ferraro gives an excellent performance. Each character had a unique voice that fits their personality as described by the author. Ferraro has perfect rhythm and intuitive timing. He used the appropriate inflection of his voice.

There were no issues with the quality or production of this audiobook. It was crisp and clear with no flaws.

Disclaimer: This Audiobook was provided free of charge by the author, narrator, and/or publisher in exchange for a non-bias, honest review.