Book review: The Iron Will of Shoeshine Cats by Hesh Kestin

Set in 1960s New York, The Iron Will of Shoeshine Cats follows a few weeks in the life of Russell Newhouse a literature student and womaniser who gets tangled up in the world of organised crime.
The secretary of the Jewish Bhotke Young Men’s Society, Russell first comes across the notorious Shushan (Shoeshine) Cats when he interrupts a meeting of the society to arrange the funeral and shiva for Cats’ mother. He appoints Russell who becomes embroiled in the life of the gangster. When Shushan Cats subsequently disappears he has left word that Russell is to take over as his replacement.
This is a romp through the genre of mob tragicomedy and does have some genuinely funny sections. It interweaves a mob storyline with literature, the politics of the time and Russell’s almost continuous skirt-chasing, often at the most inappropriate times. The novel covers the weeks of John F Kennedy’s assassination and the subsequent murder of Lee Harvey Oswald by Jack Ruby an associate and friend of Shoeshine Cats.
Whilst some of the novel is distinctly far fetched, it makes for an enjoyable read and I have bought copies for a couple of people. I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a page-turner that is both funny, at times educational and clever.