A Pair of Aces: Reese's Book Club

REESE’S BOOK CLUB PICK • A gripping novel about two trailblazing women on opposite sides of the law—a prosecutor and a madam—who team up to bring down notorious Mob boss Lucky Luciano in 1930s New York, from the New York Times bestselling authors of the million-copy bestseller The Personal Librarian.

Eunice Carter, assistant district attorney for the City of New York and Manhattan’s first Black female prosecutor, has her sights set on the one and only Lucky Luciano, head of New York City’s five largest organized crime families. Other prosectors have tried to bring down Lucky, but they’ve all focused on the crime syndicate’s traditional businesses—bootlegging, gambling, loan sharking, and drug dealing—or tax evasion. No one has thought to approach the mob through its role in prostitution. Until Eunice. But she can’t get Luciano alone.

Polly Adler has worked long and hard to build up her high-class brothel business. Her client list is filled with well-known names, both the famous and the infamous, who all know her booze is top-notch, her music first-rate, her food exquisite, and her girls the best. But Lucky has gone too far, putting her girls in danger, and Polly finally sees the chance to end his reign once and for all.

Together, Eunice and Polly fashion a case utilizing a network of women. Bridging the enormous divide between them and risking their own lives, they assemble evidence bit by bit, under the nose of the man they’re trying to convict. It is this very alliance—of two women from vastly different worlds—that launches the most sensational trial New York City has ever seen.

Marie Benedict is a lawyer with more than ten years of experience as a litigator, who found her calling unearthing the hidden historical stories of women. A graduate of Boston College and Boston University School of Law, she is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of DAUGHTER OF EGYPT, THE QUEENS OF CRIME, THE MITFORD AFFAIR, HER HIDDEN GENIUS, THE MYSTERY OF MRS. CHRISTIE, LADY CLEMENTINE, THE ONLY WOMAN IN THE ROOM, CARNEGIE'S MAID, and THE OTHER EINSTEIN. She has also coauthored with Victoria Christopher Murray the New York Times bestselling THE PERSONAL LIBRARIAN, a Good Morning America book club pick, and THE FIRST LADIES, Target’s 2023 Book of the Year -- and with Courtney Sheinmel, THE SECRETS OF LOVELACE ACADEMY. All have been translated into multiple languages, and many have been selected for national book clubs. Writing as Heather Terrell, Marie also published the historical novels The Chrysalis, The Map Thief, and Brigid of Kildare. She lives in Pittsburgh with her family.

"A page-turner that celebrates what women can accomplish when they work together – regardless of background – for each other."—NPR

"Two women from two different worlds - one dedicated to stamping out organized crime in 1930's New York City, one whose livelihood depends on catering to the illegal appetites of the City's famous and infamous. The ace writing duo of Benedict and Murray are at the top of their game in this fast-paced and fascinating novel of two underestimated women who risk their lives to bring down New York's most notorious mobster, Lucky Luciano. A Pair of Aces is a dazzling, page-turning work of historical fiction that crackles with life and suspense."—Marie Bostwick, New York Times bestselling author of The Book Club for Troublesome Women

“Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray prove once again that they are forces in historical fiction. Together, these two are masterful storytellers.”—Kennedy Ryan, New York Times bestselling author of Score

"These masterful storytellers deliver a deeply satisfying courtroom drama that offers the rare pleasure of seeing justice done. The takedown of Lucky Luciano is exhilarating—but the novel’s true force rests in two formidable women working in the shadows to build the case. With clarity, courage, and remarkable honesty, the authors explore the forces that silence the vulnerable. By giving us a glimpse into the soft heart of the infamous brothel owner Polly Adler, and by centering Eunice Carter—a towering legal mind and overlooked American hero—this novel delivers a powerful punch and a much-needed historical reminder of what can be accomplished with grit and determination. Smart fiction perfect for the times. Just terrific!"—Stephanie Dray, New York Times bestselling author of Becoming Madam Secretary

“A thrilling story of power, justice, and remarkable women, expertly written by a duo of masterful authors."—Madeline Martin, New York Times bestselling author of The Secret Book Society

"Cinematic and riveting!"—Nancy Johnson, bestselling author of The Kindest Lie

"A propulsive, inspiring crime story of two unsung women of history carving spaces for themselves in a violent, patriarchal world that wants them silent and docile. Eunice and Polly are a pair you can't help but root for, and figures from history I'll never forget. Set against the dangerous yet glamorous criminal underbelly of 1930s New York, Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray have masterfully written another must-read for 20th century historical fiction lovers, or anyone who's had to fight against the odds for justice and respect."—Erin Crosby-Eckstine, author of the Good Morning America Book Club pick Junie

“A monumental feat... a novel that does not shy away from both the trials and beauties of being a woman.”—The Post and Courier

"Riveting."—Woman's World

Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray’s compelling historical novel, A Pair of Aces, transports readers to the gritty, glamorous, and dangerous streets of 1930s New York City. Selected as a Reese’s Book Club pick, this captivating story brings to life an extraordinary chapter of American history that has largely been forgotten. Set during an era when the mafia ruled the city with absolute impunity, the novel chronicles the incredibly true, high-stakes alliance between two trailblazing women who existed on completely opposite sides of the law. Together, a brilliant prosecutor and a notorious madam achieve the impossible: orchestrating the downfall of Lucky Luciano, the most powerful and feared organized crime boss in the country.

At the heart of the story is Eunice Carter, a woman whose sheer brilliance and determination have allowed her to break through towering racial and gender barriers. As the granddaughter of a man born into slavery, Eunice has fought fiercely for every ounce of respect she has earned, ultimately becoming Manhattan’s first Black female prosecutor. Despite her sharp legal mind and position as an assistant district attorney, Eunice finds herself constantly marginalized by the white, male-dominated justice system. Working under Special Prosecutor Thomas Dewey, she is often relegated to the menial task of sorting through complaints from the general public. However, it is precisely this tedious assignment that allows Eunice to notice a pattern no one else sees, setting the stage for a monumental legal showdown.

Existing in a completely different sphere of New York society is the novel’s other protagonist, Polly Adler. Born Pearl in a Russian Jewish community, Polly immigrated to the United States entirely alone at the tender age of twelve, sent to earn enough money to bring her family across the ocean. America, however, was not the golden land she was promised. After surviving extreme poverty, a brutal sexual assault, and a back-alley abortion, Polly realized she had to rely solely on herself to survive. Through sheer grit and street smarts, she built a highly successful, high-class brothel business. Catering to politicians, celebrities, and mobsters alike, Polly became the city's most famous madam. Despite her illegal trade, she fiercely protects the young women who work for her, treating them with a level of care and respect they cannot find anywhere else in the city.

The paths of these two formidable women converge over the looming, terrifying shadow of Lucky Luciano. As the head of New York City’s five largest crime families, Luciano is viewed as completely untouchable. Law enforcement officials have spent years trying to put him behind bars, focusing their efforts on traditional mob rackets like bootlegging, illegal gambling, loan sharking, and tax evasion. All of these efforts have spectacularly failed. Eunice, however, realizes that the authorities are looking in the wrong place. By piecing together the public complaints, she uncovers that Luciano is systematically and ruthlessly centralizing the city’s independent prostitution rings, taking over what was known as the "skirt trade".

This violent mob takeover directly threatens Polly Adler’s carefully constructed world. When a fellow mobster, Dutch Schultz, is gunned down, Luciano moves aggressively to consolidate his power. His enforcers begin terrorizing independent brothels to force them into his syndicate. When Luciano’s men trash Polly’s establishment, kidnap one of her girls, and physically assault Polly herself, she reaches a breaking point. Polly realizes that if she remains silent, she will lose everything she has built, and the women under her care will be subjected to the mob's brutality. To protect her girls and her livelihood, Polly knows she must take a stand, even if it means risking her own life to become an informant against the most dangerous man in New York.

Recognizing their shared enemy, Eunice and Polly form a secret and incredibly dangerous alliance. The partnership bridges a massive societal divide between a highly educated Black legal mind and a Jewish immigrant madam. Despite their differences, both women understand what it means to be underestimated, marginalized, and silenced by a patriarchal society. Eunice brings the legal strategy, fighting tooth and nail to convince a skeptical Thomas Dewey that prostitution charges are the key to bringing down the mafia boss. Meanwhile, Polly leverages her extensive underground network, bravely gathering the testimonies, witnesses, and evidence required to make the charges stick.

The tension mounts steadily as the two women build their case under a veil of absolute secrecy. The stakes are a matter of life and death; if Luciano discovers their plot, Polly will undoubtedly be murdered, and Eunice’s family and career will be destroyed. Working right under the mob's nose, they painstakingly assemble a bulletproof case bit by bit. Their relentless dedication eventually culminates in the most sensational and highly publicized courtroom trial New York City has ever witnessed, where the testimony of exploited women is finally weaponized against their oppressor.

Ultimately, A Pair of Aces is a magnificent testament to female solidarity, resilience, and the hidden power of women in history. By interweaving the perspectives of Eunice and Polly, the novel highlights how two unsung heroes, separated by class and profession but united by an unbreakable sense of justice, achieved what the entire male justice system could not. It is an exhilarating, empowering, and deeply satisfying historical thriller that proves how much can be accomplished when courageous women refuse to be silenced.