This book was absolutely fantastic. A quick historical fiction mystery with a great twist at the end. There are two feisty strong female heroines that beat back the misogynistic men. I loved the ending, I just wish it were a tiny bit different. All in all though, a great read.

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing, NetGalley and the author Nadine Nettman for this ARC, it was released on May 1, 2024 so go to your local bookstore for a copy.

What a great historical read which didn't take me long to finish. Where it was somewhat predictable, I was also a little surprised at the end. You can't help but love Letty and her steel hard determination.

A smart well-conceived story about the prohibition, taking place in Southern California which I enjoyed. Letty Hart has taken over her family's winery which was prevalent for many years in the Inland Empire Rancho Cucamonga which is gone now and filled with homes I think there may be one left. Anyway, she is working at saving the winery when her father disappears and then she comes across a discovery that will keep the family's business going or kill her. In L.A. Police Woman Annabel Forman is wanting to be promoted to detective but keeps getting passed over and stuck to the desk as a secretary. She has solved cases but her supervisor does not see it that way. She keeps at this case and when she finds the truth it brings other people down that is unsuspected. A really good book with good characters and a good suspense, and mystery story.

The Bootlegger's Daughter was a very quick read and I liked it a lot. With short chapters and a plotline moving forward as precisely as it should, the pacing of the story never slowed down. The readers are made aware early on who is killing the bootleggers so the suspense isn't about who the culprit is but why is the deed being done.
Letty and Annabel's characters were well conceived. Clever and street smart, both understood the challenges they were individually up against and were not scared to move past them to achieve what they had set out to do.

My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Lake Union Publishing and the author Nadine Nettmann for the e-Arc of the book.

I enjoyed this novel. Set in the Los Angeles area during Prohibition, a young woman and her mother struggle to keep the family winery going. Beset by gangsters, bad cops, and bad neighbors, Letty prowls around the speakeasies of L.A. trying to find a buyer for a secret stash of brandy she's found hidden by her runaway father on their property. A secondary story features a female cop struggling to make it in a man's world.

This novel was well written and moved along at a good pace. The characters were well drawn and interesting.

Recommended for interesting, fun reading.

A great 20s novel about two young women on opposite sides of the law. one of bootlegger's daughter and the other a law enforcement officer. I finished the book in one day.

Thank you to Nadine Nettman and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this new historical mystery.

Set in Prohibition Era Los Angeles, the story is told from several perspectives: Hart the peach farmer's daughter,; the first woman detective and the villain. Though this novel is told from different perspectives, it works! I still could follow the story.

The mother and daughter Harts are still legally allowed to produce wine for the church. They still serve wine at church services, which is legally exempt from the Prohibition laws. The family is struggling to keep the farm going and their only financial source is from the church, which is barely enough. When the Priest informs the family that they will stop payment, the Hart family needs to figure out how to earn money in order to keep their farm.

The twists in this story was fascinating. Quite a page turner! I do not want to give away spoilers here. One of my favorite parts of this story was the cameo of the Red Line trains that travelled between Los Angeles and San Fernando Valley.

Highly Recommended for fans of Historical Fiction about Strong Women who Persevere despite the Odds against them

What an interesting read. Set in the days of Prohibition and Hollywood's early movie days, "The Bootlegger's Daughter" is chock-full of mystery, drama, and a unique ending.

I enjoyed the plot, with its twists and turns, as well as the surprising reveal at the end. It was not what I expected, but given the overall theme of things never truly being what they appear to be, it makes sense.

Nadine Nettmann provides a read that will keep the reader thoroughly engaged. Definitely a winner!

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
The synopsis of this book sounded interesting to me so I requested a copy to read.
Unfortunately, I have tried reading this book on 2 separate occasions and during this 2nd attempt, I have
decided to stop reading this book
and state that this book just wasn't for me.
I wish the author, publisher and all those promoting the book much success and connections with the right readers.

It is 1927 and Prohibition era in the USA. In Los Angeles it is the most profitable but also the most dangerous time for bootleggers. This is the story of two woman who are on opposite sides in the prohibition war. Told in the present tense and from 3 viewpoints, those of the two women - Letty, the bootlegger’s daughter and police Officer Annabel Forman, and Detective August Raymond, an expert in bootlegging.

Briefly, Annabelle wants to be promoted to the rank of detective but there is serious misogyny in the police force and she is given a minor theft to prove she is capable and her colleague Raymond does everything to get in her way. Letty and her mother earn a living by supplying legal sacramental wine to the local church. Her Dad walked out years before leaving them on their own. One day Letty discovers a hidden cache of brandy, a means of earning money maybe after the church cancelled their wine order. However a number of bootleggers are ending up dead in the river and Annabelle is investigating…

Very well written thriller with two strong women both determined to prove themselves against the men who continually put them down. It is clear from early on that their lives are destined to become intertwined. An entertaining and interesting historical read with some good twists and turns and a surprising twist at the end. Very enjoyable.

I usually real women’s historical novels. This…..I truly enjoy. It’s very different. It is set during the Depression and the Prohibition time. It is a story of two strong women fighting for their survivals in their own worlds.

I was able to visualize the scenarios and relate to the main characters. The writer made the story enjoyable to read. I will most definitely read her next novel.

Give it a shot…you’ll enjoy it.

Thank you NetGalley and Lakeview Publishing for this copy of eARC.
As usual, all of my reviews are purely my own opinions without any influence from any publisher.

Really interesting 1920's prohibition era story set in Los Angeles.

Letty and her mother are keeping afloat on the canned peaches from their orchard and a wine contract with the local church. However, that contract is lost and now they're trying to find their way. Letty discovers a hidden room in the barn, and a secret stash of brandy. She decides to enter the world of speakeasys to find a way to sell the brandy. That leads to her meeting the city's bootlegger's and a world of crime.

One of the only local policewomen, Annabel Forman, is seeking a promotion and given a crazy case to solve. That case leads her into the world of bootlegging, too - and finds her with Letty.

It's an interesting storyline, great characters and a surprising twist ending.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

It’s 1927, and Letty Hart is struggling to keep the family vineyard afloat on the outskirts of Los Angeles. When their contract to provide sacramental wine is canceled abruptly, the discovery of some illegal alcohol her father left behind seems too good to pass up. Meanwhile, Annabel Forman is trying to prove she deserves the promotion to detective in the LAPD. She is assigned a joke of a case, but she quickly begins to think she’s stumbled on a connection between several murdered bootleggers.

Obviously, these two women are destined to meet. The story along the way is enjoyable, and the further I got into the book, the more I wanted to keep reading. There are some surprises on the way to a suspenseful climax. I did feel like a few aspects of the plot were rushed, but that’s a minor complaint overall. We get the story from three different character’s points of view, Letty in first person and the other two in third person. These changes happen at chapter breaks and are all clearly labeled. The book is written in present tense, and once my brain got used to it, it didn’t matter. Many of the supporting characters don’t get much page time to be fully developed, but they feel real in the time they have. Letty and Annabel, however, are wonderful characters, and I enjoyed watching them deal with what life has given them. If you are looking for a historic crime story, you’ll be glad you picked this one up.

The Bootlegger's Daughter by Nadine Nettmann has written a great story that was so hard to put away.
This story was engaging and very enjoyable.
With fascinating characters.

Thank You NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

It's 1927 and Letty Hart’s father is long gone but his old winery provides a meagre living for Letty and her mother providing sacramental wine to the church during the days of prohibition in Los Angeles. When that contract goes bust and after Letty stumbles upon her father’s hidden cellar, she's tempted to bootleg the secret stash. Meanwhile Officer Annabel Forman, who wants to be the first female detective in the LAPD, inserts herself into investigations not in her purview and is instrumental in solving a number of bootlegger murders.

This is an easy-to-read story with nice short chapters and deals with a topic I haven't seen much in my fiction - bootlegging. Letty and Annabel are both strong characters and I enjoyed the book very much. I see red every time I read one of these historical novels where men are so dismissive of women's abilities. I'm thankful I wasn't around in those days. I thought the ending wasn't as strong as the rest of the book but I didn't hate it. 3.5 Stars rounded up.

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing via Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this novel. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: May 1, 2024

I loved reading about the 1920’s but all the story felt dragged too much for my liking
But i love the connection between the female characters i enjoyed to see it very much

Letty and Annabel are on opposite sides of the law in 192os Los Angeles but both are involved in a murder mystery. It's a well written tale than has an unsatisfying ending (at least to me). Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. For fans of historical fiction.

The Bootlegger’s Daughter is utterly fantastic. Nadine Nettmann plants readers in the middle of gritty, seductive, and oft-corrupt 1920s Los Angeles and creates an array of fascinating characters. Letty Hart and Annabel Forman inspire as strong, fearless heroines determined to succeed despite the misogyny and danger both face in opposing careers as bootlegger and officer of the law. Evocative and passionate, with gasp-worthy plot twists, I didn’t want The Bootlegger’s Daughter to end.

THE BOOTLEGGER’S DAUGHTER, by Nadine Nettmann, is a prohibition-era mystery based in Los Angeles. The author starts the suspense from the opening line and builds on it throughout the story, which kept me turning pages. Told from three different viewpoints: Letty, the bootlegger’s daughter; Officer Annabel Forman, trying to prove her worth in a male-dominated field; and Detective August Raymond, an expert in ending bootlegging. I really liked the strength of the female protagonists. Dismissed by men as only being weak women, they each assert and prove their worth and skills. It’s especially so for Letty, whose family winery was shut down after prohibition, aside from the ability to supply the church. When her father abandoned the family, Letty takes it upon herself to learn to run the winery and ferment the wine to keep a roof over her and her mother’s head. The author has clearly done her research, which makes the story feel more authentic.

In both Letty and Annabel’s situations, no matter how much they try to achieve, the men around them do everything in their power to stop them and put them in their place. The women’s determination to succeed weaves in and out of the story, which made me more emotionally invested. I appreciated how the three characters’ lives became entwined and toward the end of the book, the suspense ramped up even more as they headed toward a collision. With a shocking twist at the end, I couldn’t put the book down until I’d read every last word. While this isn’t a series, I’d love to see Letty and Anabelle’s story continue!

I was provided with an advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this book in exchange for my review!

Title: The Bootlegger's Daughter

Author: Nadine Nettman



Rating: 3 stars:

Brief Summary: The story follows two very different women in prohibition era Los Angeles

What I Enjoyed: Learning about prohibition, and the Los Angeles setting

What I Disliked: Some parts of the story dragged on too much and were a little boring.



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