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parsed(2022-01-31) - pubdate: 01/22
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pub date: 1643608800
today: 1711602000, pubdate > today = false

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Bean Fate

January 31, 2022 | Trade paperback
ISBN: 9781647500450
$17.95
Reader Reward Price: $16.16 info
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Description

A shocking Prohibition-era murder in a dusty Saskatchewan border town inflames the public's suspicions about links between the politicians and Al Capone and the Chicago Mob. When rookie cop Jack Ross's investigation gets too close to the truth, he's pulled off the case. Then he goes rogue.

About this Author

ISBN: 9781647500450
Format: Trade paperback
Pages: 214
Publisher: Austin Macauley
Published: 2022-01-31

Reviews

"Arnett has delivered a riveting account of a true crime. Based on real historical events and characters, he has vividly captured a sense of the time and place." -- Harold Redekopp, Broadcast Executive

"Booze, bullets and famous names wrapped up in a page turner of a book. I could not put it down." -- Don Newman, Broadcaster and Journalist

"Fast-paced and entertaining...the historical research is detailed and compelling. Bean Fate is an engaging window into a vanished world. Kudos to Arnett. -- Philip Slayton, Lawyer and Author

"A compelling mystery... Arnett gives us a vivid picture about the life of early settlers on the Prairies." -- Nalini Stewart, Arts Advocate

"I commend James Arnett for taking a little-known incident from Canadian history and bringing it alive in the pages of 'Bean Fate'. I enjoyed reading it!" -- Dr. Gordon Goldsborough, President & Head Researcher, Manitoba Historical Society

"1920s Saskatchewan is anything but boring in Bean Fate, a rollicking good read based on a real-life prohibition-era incident. James Arnett deftly captures the period and its characters, set against the background of a porous Canadian-American border and the flow of illegal booze." -- Bill Waiser, Historian and Author

"There is an old adage that every year brings a new surprise. For me, this year's gem came in the form of a delightful piece of historical fiction from a very unlikely source - a topnotch lawyer whom I've known for years as a big player in corporate Canada.You would not expect someone with that kind of CV to launch a bright new career as a novelist. But Winnipeg native Jim Arnett has done just that. Bean fate is a classic crime page turner in which Arnett the lawyer crafts a brilliant portrait of dark doings in the newly created Canadian province of Saskatchewan." -- Gregory Sorbara, Chancellor, York University

"Bean Fate is a period piece set in Saskatchewan in the 1920's. It is about the famous Bronfmans who were engaged in rum running during prohibition in the United States, and the notorious murder of a member of their family in the town of Bienfait (pronounced locally as Bean Fate) in 1922. James Arnett has accurately captured the times and vividly described real people and their relationships. I say this with some authority as my father and some uncles lived in Yorkton, Saskatchewan in the 1920's and they knew Harry Bronfman. They told me some of the facts that are now authentically recounted in 'Bean Fate'. 'Bean Fate' reminded me of reading W.O. Mitchell's 'Who Has Seen the Wind', a story of a young boy growing up in Saskatchewan in the 1930's. Arnett's novel paints a picture of the times of Saskatchewan and the high risk adventures of the Bronfmans and their interaction with the Chicago mafia. It is a story well worth telling and one that is well told." -- Hon. Marshall Rothstein, Former Judge, Supreme Court of Canada

"While it is a work of fiction, the story concerns the investigation of a real murder -- that of Paul Matoff, brother-in-law of notorious Winnipeg - and Regina-based bootlegger Harry Bronfman. ... Based on Saskatchewan lore that Al Capone and fellow U.S. mobster Dutch Schultz were in the area around that time, Arnett weaves the famous gangsters into the tale. ... The fictional protagonist, Jack Ross, is a small-town cop who is unaware of the corruption in his local government that has allowed the town to become a major stop in the illegal export of booze to the United States. ... At just over 200 pages, it is a brisk read and feels a bit like a Canadian counterpart to HBO's Boardwalk Empire. ... For Winnipeggers who like a bit of local history, there's quite a bit to enjoy here, with the notable Bronfman family and former Winnipeg mayor A.J. Andrews among its characters. The Winnipeg Tribune also plays a role, and part of the action takes place at the Royal Alexandria Hotel, which stood at Higgins Avenue and Main Street until the early 1970s. ... It's worth noting that Arnett tries to present a realistic vision of the era, but that, of course, includes some racial slurs and cultural attitudes that might be hard for readers to take. He also addresses this in the book's foreword. ... Arnett was born in Winnipeg (he's the father of actor Will Arnett) and has degrees from the University of Manitoba and Harvard Law School. ... Bean Fate doesn't feel like a first-time effort. Overall, it is well-written, well-researched and quite absorbing -- especially if you're interested in Prohibition or little-known pieces of Canadian history." -- Alan MacKenzie, In the Winnipeg Free Press

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