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A review by history_bot
A Brotherhood Betrayed: The Man Behind the Rise and Fall of Murder, Inc. by Michael Cannell
4.0
For my full review, check out my blog!
We’ve all heard stories—or can guess at—what happens to gang members who talk to the cops. At the height of the mob’s power in New York City, the late 1930’s, a band of mobsters known as Murder, Inc. took money to eliminate witnesses who were willing to testify against their fellow mobsters to escape punishment themselves—until the head of Murder, Inc. became a rat himself.
This is a very dense book, although it isn’t particularly challenging to read. If you try to remember every person’s name, you will have a tough time because there are a lot of moving parts. However, I think Cannell did a great job organizing the book in such a way that it isn’t overwhelming. I wouldn’t call it light reading, though, at least not in terms of subject matter. This book is about a man who, in order not to be taken to court for the 11 murders he committed, turned state witness against other men who took money to kill people, and those murders are often described in horrific detail. This book is not for the faint of heart.
I found this to be an enjoyable and informative book about New York City mobsters, and their downfall. I think it takes a lot of talent to weave together so many loose ends into one coherent narrative, and Cannell has certainly taken the time to do his research properly. If you are at all interested in early 20th-century gangsters or mobs, I think this would be a worthwhile book for you to pick up.
Disclaimer: I received a free advance copy of this book from the publisher, in exchange for my honest review.
We’ve all heard stories—or can guess at—what happens to gang members who talk to the cops. At the height of the mob’s power in New York City, the late 1930’s, a band of mobsters known as Murder, Inc. took money to eliminate witnesses who were willing to testify against their fellow mobsters to escape punishment themselves—until the head of Murder, Inc. became a rat himself.
This is a very dense book, although it isn’t particularly challenging to read. If you try to remember every person’s name, you will have a tough time because there are a lot of moving parts. However, I think Cannell did a great job organizing the book in such a way that it isn’t overwhelming. I wouldn’t call it light reading, though, at least not in terms of subject matter. This book is about a man who, in order not to be taken to court for the 11 murders he committed, turned state witness against other men who took money to kill people, and those murders are often described in horrific detail. This book is not for the faint of heart.
I found this to be an enjoyable and informative book about New York City mobsters, and their downfall. I think it takes a lot of talent to weave together so many loose ends into one coherent narrative, and Cannell has certainly taken the time to do his research properly. If you are at all interested in early 20th-century gangsters or mobs, I think this would be a worthwhile book for you to pick up.
Disclaimer: I received a free advance copy of this book from the publisher, in exchange for my honest review.