''As Time Goes By'' is a novel written by American author Michael Walsh, intended as a prequel/sequel to the film '' Casablanca.'' It was published in 1998. The book alternates between the early life of Rick Blaine (played by Humphrey Bogart in the film) in America and the period immediately after the plane leaves Casablanca at the end of the 1942 film.

Plot

1931-35 Yitzik "Rick" Baline is a small-time New York criminal during the time of

Prohibition Prohibition is the act or practice of forbidding something by law; more particularly the term refers to the banning of the manufacture, storage (whether in barrels or in bottles), transportation, sale, possession, and consumption of alcohol ...

. He meets and falls in love with Lois, daughter of Solly Horowitz, a big-time gangster and becomes a favorite of Solly. He eventually becomes Boss of the 'Tootsie-Wootsie' Club, a

speakeasy A speakeasy, also called a blind pig or blind tiger, is an illicit establishment that sells alcoholic beverages, or a retro style bar that replicates aspects of historical speakeasies. Speakeasy bars came into prominence in the United States ...

. He is viewed with extreme disfavor by ''Tick-Tock'', Solly's principal assistant, who plans to be the heir to Solly's businesses if he should retire or be killed. Solly makes it clear that Lois is intended for better things, and she eventually marries a lawyer and would-be politician, Robert Meredith, whom she does not really love. Warfare erupts between the Horowitz, Salucci and O'Hanlon gangs and there are several deaths. Solly and Tick-Tock are killed, as are Lois and her husband, now exposed as a corrupt politician. Rick must flee America. He takes Solly's money, half a million dollars, probably intended for Lois, and travels to Boston with Sam. While the two are purchasing tickets for a steamship to

Le Harve Le Havre (, ; nrf, Lé Hâvre ) is a port city in the Seine-Maritime department in the Normandy region of northern France. It is situated on the right bank of the estuary of the river Seine on the Channel southwest of the Pays de Caux, very c ...

, Rick changes his name to Richard Blaine. 1941-42 Rick, Louis and Sam leave Casablanca with documents provided by Louis. They all travel via Lisbon to London. America has now entered WW2 and they track down Victor, who is keen to resume his part in the work of the Czech Resistance. Ilsa begs him to allow her to assist him, and Rick and Louis also become involved while Sam stays in London. Ilsa, who speaks perfect Russian, is placed in Prague as an assistant to

Reinhard Heydrich Reinhard Tristan Eugen Heydrich ( ; ; 7 March 1904 – 4 June 1942) was a high-ranking German SS and police official during the Nazi era and a principal architect of the Holocaust. He was chief of the Reich Security Main Office (inclu ...

, the 'Butcher of Prague'. Her cover is as a White Russian, and she gains his confidence to the point where he wants her to become his mistress. The plot to assassinate Heydrich (

Operation Anthropoid On 27 May 1942 in Prague, Reinhard Heydrichthe commander of the Reich Security Main Office (RSHA), acting governor of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, and a principal architect of the Holocaustwas attacked and wounded in an assassinati ...

) goes ahead, despite last-minute delays and great risks. During the operation Victor kills Louis, having become convinced that he was a traitor. He then assassinates Heydrich but is killed in the process. With North Africa once again in Allied hands, Ilsa and Rick marry and return to Casablanca with Sam. With Carl as the new owner, Rick's Café Americain is still operating.

References

1998 novels Casablanca (film) Novels based on films Sequel novels {{1990s-hist-novel-stub