Andrew Gross delivers a story of a Jewish family brought together in the dawn of the women's garment business and torn apart by the birth of organized crime in New York City in the 1930s.
This novel is equal parts historical thriller and family saga, based on Andrew Gross's own family story and on the history of the era, complete with appearances by real-life characters like mobsters Louis Lepke and Dutch Schultz and special prosecutor Thomas Dewey.
Button Man may just be Andrew Gross’s most ambitious and accomplished novel to date. It’s one that shows the true scope of his storytelling talents, melding fact with fiction as history comes breathtakingly alive on the page for readers, who are reminded that our collective past is every bit as immediate and pressing as the complexities of contemporary life.
Andrew Gross has quickly established himself as one of the best historical fiction writers in the game today ... Gross’ latest work is smaller in scope, which allows for more character development. Without the backdrop of a horrendous world war, Gross was able to take his time building Morris, who has to fight and battle for his world, making him both compelling and relatable ... Overall, it’s some of Gross’ best writing.
...unfolds with the urgency of a vintage black-and-white movie from Warner Bros ... Mr. Gross’s direct style is full of sentiment but never maudlin and well-suited to scenes of violent action ... Button Man has plenty of zip—and a lot of moxie, too.
