Download Empire of Deception: The Incredible Story of a Master Swindler Who Seduced a City and Audiobook

“Jobb tells the story of Leo Koretz…with terrific energy and narrative brio. A thoroughly enjoyable read.”

“Intoxicating and impressively researched.”

“Comprehensively researched and enthralling…High-stakes hijinks give the story a rollicking feel, but Jobb manages great poignancy, too.”

“What makes this book so interesting is the excellent pacing and fine detail laced throughout, the joy of reading about a man who could have taught Bernie Madoff a thing or two, and the sheer chutzpah (and, yes, skill) of Leo Koretz, who for a time lived like Gatsby and who managed to separate millions of dollars from people who probably should have known better.”

“A masterpiece of narrative set-up and vivid language.”

“This lively, entertaining, and depressingly relevant history of a man and his con reads like a novel and will be enjoyed by fans of popular history as well as true crime.”

“Narrator Peter Berkrot adopts a tone reminiscent of of Mickey Spillane in delivering this examination of a master swindler from Chicago in the early 1920s. The narration, combined with the author’s somewhat breezy style, makes for an enjoyable account of a con game so brazen that it wouldn’t be matched until Bernie Madoff’s scheme came along…Berkrot adopts a conversational style and eschews theatrics in his narration, preferring to let the story itself capture the listener. But he does add a tone of incredulity as details of the case emerge. Winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award.”