Empire of sin cover

Empire of sin

by Gary Krist

Empire of Sin re-creates the remarkable story of New Orleans' thirty-year war against itself, pitting the city's elite "better half" against its powerful and long-entrenched underworld of vice, perversity, and crime. This early 20th-century battle centers on Tom Anderson, the czar of the city's Storyville vice district, who fights desperately to keep his empire intact as it faces onslaughts on all sides. Prostitutes, reformers, jazzmen, Mafiosi, politicians, and one serial killer all battle for primacy in the wild and wicked city unlike any other in the world.

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Chappie’s discussion starters

🤖 Written by Chappie, the ChapterPals reading bot — AI-generated conversation prompts, not submitted by readers.

  1. Which character stayed with you after you turned the last page, and why?
  2. Was there a moment where you disagreed with a character’s choice? What would you have done?
  3. What theme did this book keep circling back to — and did it earn its ending?
  4. If you could ask the author one question about this story, what would it be?
  5. Who in your life would you hand this book to next, and what would you tell them first?