A Pair of Aces Summary: A Story of Eunice Carter and Polly Adler’s Secret Alliance
This guide provides a factual overview of A Pair of Aces by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray.
Set in 1930s New York, the story moves between a prosecutor’s office and the city’s illegal brothels.
Its two leads come from different worlds but form a secret alliance.
This article does not review the writing; it explains what happens and what the book is about.
TL;DR: The Core in Two Minutes
A Pair of Aces follows two real women in 1935 New York.
Eunice Carter is a Black attorney assigned to investigate vice cases.
Polly Adler is a powerful madam whose business is threatened by Lucky Luciano.
- Eunice Carter finds a pattern of Mob control in New York prostitution.
- Polly Adler supplies inside names in exchange for protection for her women.
- Their collaboration faces threats, secrecy, and public scandal.
A Pair of Aces Summary: The Full Story
Spoilers below.
In April 1935, Polly Adler is forced to entertain Dutch Schultz at the Algonquin Hotel. At the same time, Eunice Hunton Carter joins Thomas Dewey’s special prosecution team as the only Black person and only woman.
Eunice receives public complaint duties rather than high-profile rackets.
She notices that prostitutes represented by the same lawyers and bail bondsmen keep being released. She concludes that prostitution has been consolidated into a Mob-run operation called the Combination.
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Dewey initially dismisses vice cases. Dutch Schultz is assassinated by Murder, Inc. on Lucky Luciano’s orders. Luciano then forcibly consolidates houses and treats women as interchangeable workers.
Polly’s own house is targeted when Luciano punches her and kidnaps a girl named Virginia. Polly decides to break the code of silence and contacts Eunice. They meet secretly at locations like Chock full o’Nuts and Central Park.
Polly gives Eunice the names of bookers, enforcers, and bondsmen. Eunice secures legal wiretaps and builds an evidentiary chain to Luciano’s lieutenants Dave Betillo and Jimmy Frederico.
In exchange, Polly and her girls are tipped off before a citywide raid on eighty brothels on February 1, 1936. Hundreds of women are arrested but are initially too afraid to testify.
Polly leaves for Hawaii under a false name and then returns to help. She provides information that flips Red Sadie and Mildred Balitzer. Dewey still keeps Eunice off the trial team because he fears the jury will react to her race.
Eunice secures testimony from Nancy Presser, who can place Luciano at meetings where he ordered attacks on non-compliant brothels. This gives Eunice leverage to claim a seat at the trial table.
During preparation, both women face personal crises. Eunice’s marriage to Lisle Carter nearly collapses, while Polly is disowned by her family after a tabloid exposes her profession.
At trial, the prosecution’s main witnesses are prostitutes and criminals, so the defense attacks their credibility. Polly recruits staff from the Waldorf-Astoria Towers, where Luciano lived under an alias.
A bath maid named Marjorie Brown gives the most damaging testimony. She identifies Luciano and his lieutenants together and describes the abuse of women she witnessed in his suite.
Dewey cross-examines Luciano, whose repeated denials and claims of not recalling his own associates become laughable to the jury. Luciano and nine co-defendants are found guilty on sixty-one counts of compulsory prostitution.
After the verdict, Eunice and Polly share a silent moment of recognition. Eunice’s husband finally respects her work, and Polly decides to write her own story to reveal the forces behind the vice trade.
They remain allies rather than friends.
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Summary by Chapter
Spoilers below.
The Investigation Begins (Chapters 1–10)
Eunice joins Dewey’s team and begins reviewing complaints. Polly meets Dutch Schultz at the Algonquin. Eunice spots a pattern of suspended sentences tied to the same lawyers and bondsmen.
Luciano’s Rise and the Secret Pact (Chapters 11–20)
Dutch Schultz is killed, and Luciano seizes control of prostitution. Polly is assaulted and one of her girls is taken. She reaches out to Eunice, and the two begin holding secret meetings to exchange information.
The Brothel Raid and the Search for Witnesses (Chapters 21–30)
Eunice organizes a simultaneous raid on eighty brothels. Polly flees to Hawaii while Eunice tries to turn frightened witnesses. A threat against Eunice’s home forces her to send her son away.
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The Credibility Crisis and Final Evidence (Chapters 31–41)
The case needs witnesses the jury will believe. Polly helps flip Red Sadie and Mildred Balitzer. Eunice gains a trial seat after securing Nancy Presser’s testimony, while both women face personal crises.
The Trial and Verdict (Chapters 42–52)
Waldorf staff provide credible testimony, especially bath maid Marjorie Brown. Luciano’s cross-examination hurts his case. The jury convicts him and nine co-defendants on sixty-one counts.
Characters In This Book
| Character | Role |
|---|---|
| Eunice Hunton Carter | Attorney on Dewey’s team who builds the case against Luciano. |
| Polly Adler | Madam who runs high-end brothels and secretly assists the prosecution. |
| Thomas Dewey | Special Prosecutor leading the “Twenty against the Underworld.” |
| Lucky Luciano | Mob boss who creates the Combination to control prostitution. |
| Dutch Schultz | Violent mobster assassinated on Luciano’s orders. |
| Lisle Carter | Eunice’s husband, a prominent Harlem dentist. |
| Addie Waites Hunton | Eunice’s mother and civil rights activist. |
| The Lion | Polly’s housekeeper and confidante. |
| Virginia | One of Polly’s girls kidnapped by Luciano. |
| Marjorie Brown | Waldorf-Astoria bath maid whose testimony identifies Luciano. |
| Red Sadie | Rival madam who first names Luciano as the Combination’s boss. |
| Nancy Presser | Former companion of Luciano whose testimony links him to brothel management. |
| Mildred Balitzer | Madam and heroin addict who provides key testimony. |
| Pete Harris | Booker for the Combination and Mildred’s husband. |
| Murray Gurfein | Assistant district attorney and Eunice’s friend on the team. |
| Dave Betillo | Luciano’s day-to-day manager of prostitution. |
| Jimmy Frederico | Mob enforcer for Luciano. |
What Drives the Story
| Theme | How the book presents it |
|---|---|
| Racial and Gender Discrimination | Eunice is the only Black woman on Dewey’s team and is initially kept away from the trial table. |
| Unlikely Allyship | Polly and Eunice form a secret partnership from opposite sides of the law. |
| Exploitation of Women | The Combination treats women as interchangeable workers and moves them between controlled brothels. |
| Justice and Credibility | The prosecution must rely on testimony from prostitutes and madams, which the defense attacks. |
| Identity and Social Stigma | Polly is disowned by her family after a tabloid reveals her profession. |
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Frequently Asked Questions
How does A Pair of Aces end?
Lucky Luciano and nine co-defendants are found guilty on sixty-one counts of compulsory prostitution. Eunice Carter and Polly Adler share a silent acknowledgment in the courtroom.
Is A Pair of Aces based on a true story?
A Pair of Aces is based on the real 1936 trial of Lucky Luciano. The main figures, Eunice Carter and Polly Adler, were historical people.
Do Eunice Carter and Polly Adler become friends?
They remain allies rather than friends. The novel ends with mutual respect but separate paths.
What genre is A Pair of Aces?
It is historical fiction with biographical elements. The story is set in 1935–1936 New York City.
