Silk Stockings and Speedboats: The Other Smugglers of the Roaring Twenties

Uncover the high-speed, clandestine underbelly of the Jazz Age—where the contraband wasn't just liquor, but luxury.

While history remembers the Roaring Twenties for bootleg whiskey and mobsters, an entirely different breed of outlaw was operating in the shadows. In Silk Stockings and Speedboats: The Other Smugglers of the Roaring Twenties, discover the forgotten networks of underground entrepreneurs who risked it all to smuggle high-end fashion, European silks, cosmetics, and jewels past federal authorities.

Driven by heavy tariffs and a booming cultural appetite for indulgence, these daring smugglers utilized cutting-edge technology—from souped-up marine speedboats slicing through dark coastal fogs to clandestine aircraft—to feed America’s obsession with luxury. Blending meticulous historical research with the pacing of a classic thriller, this captivating volume brings to life the thrilling cat-and-mouse games between rebellious operators and the federal agents sworn to stop them.