FIXER

Great Story and Characters

Fixer reviewed by Ann Mahony on Amazon.com

Ed Brodow has whipped together a magnificent tale of an uneducated Jewish man who rises from poverty to the top of New York's political establishment while remaining an independent outsider. Harry Leonnoff continues to surprise the reader throughout this taut and moving novel. His adventures are unforgettable because of the incredible obstacles he faces - notably poverty, polio, anti-Semitism, lack of formal education, his unwillingness to compromise his integrity, and a collection of tough adversaries.

The story was always catching me off-guard, was never formulaic, and was made even richer by its in-depth historical perspective. The author obviously has done a lot of research and describes the inner workings of New York politics in a way that opened my eyes and I'm sure will surprise and enlighten many readers, including New Yorkers who think they know a lot about their city's political history. Fixer exposes the dark side of famous Mayor Fiorello La Guardia, who he shows to be defensive, vindictive, and cruel. The chilling story of Harry's crazy brother-in-law, Willie Malakow, is reason itself to make this book a winner.

If you like a beautifully told story with characters that will jump off the page at you, Fixer is your best bet in a long time.

Copyright © 2008 Ed Brodow. All rights reserved.