A Pair of Aces - in the 1930s, two women form an unexpected alliance to take down New York's most notorious mob bosses.

In 1935, Polly Adler was New York City's most successful madam. She was fiercely protective of the women in her employ. When her establishment, along with other area brothels, fell under mob control, Polly knew she had to fight back. Eunice Carter was an assistant district attorney working for Thomas Dewey, who created a task force to bring down the elusive mob bosses. Eunice worked on linking figures including Lucky Luciano to the city's brothels. Polly, a Russian-Jewish immigrant, and Eunice, a Black woman with ancestors who were slaves, formed an unexpected alliance that put both of them at risk. 

New York City of the 1930s comes to life in the third collaboration between authors Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray. They have once again demonstrated that they have a unique formula for success, as A Pair of Aces is another highly entertaining book that sheds light on real women you may not know about. Polly Adler is the more well known of the two. Eunice Carter was the first Black female prosecutor in New York State, and while she made an indelible mark on New York City's efforts against the mob, she was all but invisible despite her great work. Hopefully, this fictionalization account will help give Eunice the recognition she deserves. 

Many thanks to Berkley for the opportunity to read this book in advance. 

Rated 4.25 out of 5 stars.

Historical Fiction.

Publication Date: June 2, 2026.

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