A Pair of Aces

A gripping novel about two trailblazing women on opposite sides of the law—a prosecutor and a madam—who team up to bring down notorious Mob boss Lucky Luciano in 1930s New York, from the New York Times bestselling authors of the million-copy bestseller The Personal Librarian.

Eunice Carter, assistant district attorney for the City of New York and Manhattan’s first Black female prosecutor, has her sights set on the one and only Lucky Luciano, head of New York City’s five largest organized crime families. Other prosectors have tried to bring down Lucky, but they’ve all focused on the crime syndicate’s traditional businesses—bootlegging, gambling, loan sharking, and drug dealing—or tax evasion. No one has thought to approach the mob through its role in prostitution. Until Eunice. But she can’t get Luciano alone.

Polly Adler has worked long and hard to build up her high-class brothel business. Her client list is filled with well-known names, both the famous and the infamous, who all know her booze is top-notch, her music first-rate, her food exquisite, and her girls the best. But Lucky has gone too far, putting her girls in danger, and Polly finally sees the chance to end his reign once and for all.

Together, Eunice and Polly fashion a case utilizing a network of women. Bridging the enormous divide between them and risking their own lives, they assemble evidence bit by bit, under the nose of the man they’re trying to convict. It is this very alliance—of two women from vastly different worlds—that launches the most sensational trial New York City has ever seen.

Praise

“The ace writing duo of Benedict and Murray are at the top of their game… A Pair of Aces is a dazzling, page-turning work of historical fiction that crackles with life and suspense.”
―Marie Bostwick, New York Times bestselling author of The Book Club for Troublesome Women

“”Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray prove once again that they are forces in historical fiction. Together, these two are masterful storytellers.”
―Kennedy Ryan, New York Times bestselling author of Score

“These masterful storytellers deliver a deeply satisfying courtroom drama that offers the rare pleasure of seeing justice done. The takedown of Lucky Luciano is exhilarating—but the novel’s true force rests in two formidable women working in the shadows to build the case… Smart fiction perfect for the times. Just terrific!”
―Stephanie Dray, New York Times bestselling author of Becoming Madam Secretary

“VERDICT Readers of Benedict and Murray’s first two collaborations may find their latest a bit of a shock after the worlds of the Morgan Library and civil rights, but the plot is engaging, the main characters are brave and relatable, and the pacing is brisk.”
Library Journal

“Another detailed and dazzling exploration of an unlikely alliance between two women often overlooked by history but whose contributions to real-life events were pivotal… Lively and lasting portraits of two heroic women.”
Booklist