Cocktails and Capers

Explore a world populated by masked marvels and murderous maniacs, venomous vamps and gentleman thieves, swingin' spies and cantankerous crooners. Cocktails & Capers collects essays covering cinematic, pop culture, true crime, and cocktail history, including: Sweet Smell of Success and the nightclubs of Swing Street; A.J. Raffles, gentleman thief; Louis Feuillade's Fantomas and Les Vampires; the history of the Martini; Diabolik, Kriminal, and the skeleton suit-clad maniacs of Italy and Turkey; James Bond, amari, negronis, and how Ian Fleming and Lucky Luciano saved the Allied invasion of Sicily; the history of masked Mexican wrestlers and the partnership of El Santo and Blue Demon; and the weird, wild world of the Rat Pack in the 1960s and how the grim, violent Matt Helm novels became slapstick spy spoofs starring Dean Martin. These are tales of mobsters, movie stars, masked men, torch singers, crooners, and hustlers -- with dozens of cocktail recipes and music suggestions that pair perfectly.