Play Him Again by Jeffrey Stone takes us back to the Roaring Twenties, a time when the world is growing by leaps and bounds, yet the film industry keeps things quiet and without sound. Movie moguls say that it is too expensive and only two studios have sound equipment, and up until now, there has only been one picture with sound. But, that all changes when Matt Hudson, a movie industry bootlegger, decides that he wants to produce a talking picture. He has the will and the desire, but does he have what it really takes to get it done? Things go wrong quickly when he brings in his long time pal and regular mob gangster, Danny, who ends up mysteriously dead. Without any leads, Hudson is on the verge to find out who the killer was, but will he find himself in trouble too?
I was a little hesitant to agree to read this book when I first received the request because I thought it would be crowded with gangsters and blood and shootings. But, I was pleasantly surprised with what the story held. I loved the back story and history regarding the film industry and bootlegging and found that it added a very nice touch of appeal to the overall story. I found all of the characters very well developed and authentic and I loved the “lingo” that they all seem to use so well. I absolutely loved the narrative and all of the suspense. I read this book in a day … and that is saying a lot considering I was apprehensive about reading it in the first place.
[Rating: 4.5/5]
