Bourbon & Blood: A Crime Fiction Novel (Bill Conlin Thriller Book 1)

Romance, Mystery & Thrillers, General Fiction

By Garrard Hayes

Publisher : Garrard Hayes

ABOUT Garrard Hayes

Garrard Hayes
Garrard Hayes is a lifelong New York resident whose ancestors made their living on the streets of Manhattan and Brooklyn. His love of action and crime fiction, together with a knack for good, gritty storytelling, sparked him to write. He lives in New York with his wife, two children, and t More...

Description

NOW ON SALE!

TERRIFYING CRIME THRILLER READ! A tale of an unlucky ex-war hero forced into a gangster job. A woman he wanted, a deadly job he didn't. Many four and five star reviews on Amazon.

When his cousin, Jimmy, first tries to talk him into joining Irish mafia boss Frank Sullivan's crew, Bill brushes him off. When he is forced into an interview there is no escaping his dark future. See what happens next. All Bill really wants is a normal life with a nice girl, and he's pretty sure the waitress he just met, Dana, is the one. Will they be together or will his job get in the way?

In the tradition of action-packed noir thrillers, comes a crime fiction story about an otherwise good guy "bent" bad when he's pulled into the underbelly of the New York City crime scene.

Drugs, human trafficking, prostitution and murder... Former soldier war hero Bill Conlin finds himself immersed in it all when he can't find "respectable" work after his tour in Afghanistan. When his cousin, Jimmy, first tries to talk him into joining Irish mafia boss Frank Sullivan's gang, Bill brushes him off.

All Bill really wants is a normal life with a nice girl, and he's pretty sure the waitress he just met, Dana, is the one. But with his savings running low, and desperate to get out of his Hell's Kitchen near-tenement apartment building, Bill, against his better judgment, agrees to a meeting with Mr. Sullivan--and immediately hits the point of no return... Now with a brand new Lincoln and fancy new uptown digs (complete with a live-in girl whose only purpose is to serve him, and a wardrobe packed with weapons), Bill's tasked to take down a Harlem-based Mexican prostitution ring.

One thing leads to another, however, and the deeper he gets, the more he learns, and the more tangled up he becomes in a lifestyle he never wanted. But how long until he takes matters into his own hands... And what will the ultimate cost be...

Mystery & suspense lurk around every corner in this action & adventure novel based in New York City.

Bourbon & Blood is tribute to the 70s and 80s action movies I grew up on. I've loved crime fiction since I was a child and my Parents brought me to see Sean Connery as Ian Fleming's James Bond in Goldfinger. Later on when I was a little older I sat with my Dad and we watched action movies like: Steve McQueen's Bullet, The Getaway, Clint Eastwood's Dirty Harry film series and the French Connection with Gene Hackman. When The Godfather came out it had a huge impact on me and I tried to gather up my friends to make our own movies mimicking the gangsters. As an adult I always loved reading and listened to horror, fantasy and sci-fi for years. Then one day I discovered crime fiction novels by Ken Bruen, James Lee Burke, Dennis Lehane, Adrian McKinty and Stuart Neville. After five years of non-stop crime genre activities like: reading, audio books, movies and TV, I was overcome by a desire to write. I wanted to start painting since I'm a traditionally trained fine artist, but my wife didn't want me messing up her house. Anyway, I started painting with words and that led me to write Bourbon & Blood.

REVIEWS ON AMAZON.COM
More than 100 ★★★★ & ★★★★★ #BookReviews ... http://amzn.to/19YTj9I

Author Reviews:

"There are not sufficient adjectives in the English language to effectively describe this book! It was mind-blowing, to say the very least! The main character, Bill, was awesome! I was rooting for him all the way! The book is amazingly written, it felt like I was right there alongside Bill, shooting and "bustin' a cap in those thugs' asses"
  "Mind-blowing!!!" (Sonja Myburgh, author of A Bullet For You)

"Afghanistan war veteran Bill Conlin is trying to stay straight and out of trouble. What follows is a nail-biting slalom through the streets of New York, as Bill tries to dodge the unwanted attention of Mexican and Russian gangs, as well as keeping on the right side of Sullivan and out of the clutches of the law. However, along the way there is a trail of destruction and collateral damage. A good read."
   "An atmospheric tale of violence and greed" (Charles R Stubbs, author of Web of Deceit)

"Bill Conlin has only one real skill - a special forces skill for weapons, combat, survival. From the poverty tracks to the 24/7 murky money-making machines of drugs, slavery, prostitution, organized crime and moral ambiguity. This is neo-noir, totally compulsive, one man who may seem like he his taking on the world but is, in the final analysis, taking on himself."
  "Ambiguous Compulsive Noir" (Chloe Thurlow, author of Sophie's Secret)

"This book shows a very interesting look at what happened to a great deal of the veterans who are coming home from that war. They are shunned, stepped on and made to feel less than human. Immerse yourself in this tale and see the mental destruction that takes place from within."
  "Bourbon and Blood" (James M. Copeland, author of Bottom Bones)

 

Reader Reviews from Amazon:

5.0 out of 5 stars Could not put down! Highly recommended,
Garrard Hayes knows well the crime scene in New York. Evident in his writing that he writes about places familiar to him. The fluent writing gives the feeling that the fiction story was really happening before your eyes.
Excellent thriller. Highly recommended.
 
 
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read, at a steal of a price!
Was looking for something to past the time, got the kindle version and loved it. If your into the Noir them you will love it.
 
 
5.0 out of 5 stars Very captivating
Once I started reading it was very hard to stop. I would quit for a few minutes only to start right back reading.
 
 
5.0 out of 5 stars A shocking, true to life crime story
Garrard Hayes has created a gripping and shocking story of organized crime; not one made up or contrived, as they usually are, but with a believable and empathetic character, coming home from the horrors of war, who becomes entangled in New York's drug underworld. 'Bourbon & Blood' is a story that one could imagine happening in any of our large cities today. That is what makes it so realistic. Mr. Hayes will have you hooked from the first page and does not let you down to the very last period on the very last page.
 
 
5.0 out of 5 stars BOURBON AND BLOOD
I give this fresh writer five stars. It's no easy task to portray what really goes down on the streets. When dealing with multiple factions, writers often find that they are no Mario Puzo. Garrard Hayes and his raw prose brings to you the Streets of New York. The underground world of mob bosses and a man who knows how to handle them. Watch out James Ellroy, there may be a new kid on the block. The writing is dark and gory at times, and almost seems too real. I can't wait to read another novel by this writer.
 
 
5.0 out of 5 stars Cheers to Bourbon & Blood
Bourbon & Blood is a fast-paced, hard boiled thriller that I couldn't put down. The characters have a genuine feel, complete with flaws and limitations that are truly believable. If you're a fan of non-stop action, don't miss this novel.
 
 
5.0 out of 5 stars Authentic bad guy book

Garrard Hayes brings the New York crime world alive in this fast paced, action packed novel. His writing is crisp while the characters leap off the pages making them turn quickly. Hayes is truly a fabulous crime fiction writer, who evidently knows the New York crime scene, like the back of his hand.


5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent

Excellent book. My first book by this author will be sure to check out more they the author. Loved it.

 

5.0 out of 5 stars Love it

This was good book that was a little different from what I usually read but still the same street crime fiction. Loved it.

 

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Story

A real page turner! I was happy that I could keep up with the story on the kindle phone app. The only dissapointment was the ending I was so involved with the story I wasnt ready for it to end.