Joseph Bruno's Blog, page 50
February 28, 2013
Joe Bruno on the Mob – Lynda Milito – Part 3
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009CGA74M
Just to make it legal, on November 23, 1966, Louie and Lynda tied the knot at City Hall. Since they came from different religions and from families with different perspectives on integrity, there was no big wedding in the couple’s plans; no immediate honeymoon either. Instead of a honeymoon, Louie, being the sentimental slob that he was, went hunting with his pals in the woods of Pennsylvania; Lynda bit her tongue and went back to work.
A few days before their wedding, Louie got a phone call from his lawyer, Charlie LoBianco. It seemed that some poor soul was shot in a bar. A woman witness went through a mugshot book at a local precinct, and pointed to Louie’s picture; saying he was the shooter. This was very puzzling to Lynda, since as far as she knew, Louie was a small-time burglar, and she wondered why a small-timer would have his picture in a police precinct mug book.
In her book, Mafia Wife, Lynda explained the situation.
“When Louie got off the phone with his lawyer he told me that some lady had fingered him for something he didn’t do,” Lynda said.
“Don’t worry about it,” Louie told his wife. “Charlie’s taking care of it. He’s putting a squash on the deal.”
Lynda though “squash” was something you cooked with marinara sauce.
“What’s a squash?” she said.
“That’s when someone changes their mind,” he said.
That didn’t sound Kosher to the Jewish girl from Coney Island.
“Well, did you do it?” she asked Louie.
“I didn’t do nothing,” Louie said. “She got me mixed up with someone else.”
A couple of days later, Lynda got a call from attorney LoBianco.
“Have Louie call me,” LoBianco said. “The witness changed her mind.”
Louie was never arrested, and the incident was never discussed again. Still, it got Lynda thinking that maybe Louie Milito was more involved in the mob and mob business than she ever dreamed, or could possibly stomach.
Another of Louie’s quirks bothered Lynda enormously. Louie was ostensible an animal lover (he adored dogs, and cats not so much), so why, when he went hunting with the boys, did he get his jollies killing innocent deer? To Lynda’s way of thinking, those two human characteristics just don’t jive. If Louie could snuff out the life of Bambi, what else was he capable of doing?
In August of 1967, Lynda reached the point of no return: she got pregnant. Louie was jubilant at the thought of having a son, or even a daughter, but that didn’t mean he had softened much. He rudely told Lynda, “You want the money for that baby to be born in a hospital; you have to come to work and watch-out for me for the phones.”
“But what if I get caught?” she said.
“Lynda! Stop putting the jinx on everything,” he said. “It won’t happen. And if it does, you’ll have the baby in prison.”
On April 10, 1968, the Militos had a daughter, Deena. Soon after, they moved into a larger apartment on East 92nd Street in Flatbush.
Louie was giddy with pride over his newborn daughter.
“He used to call her Deeney-weenie,” Lynda said. “Louie used to come into Deena’s bedroom, pick up a hairbrush as if it were a microphone, and sing anything by Elvis Presley to Deena. He would ask me if he could sing like Elvis, would I love him more.”
In 1970, Lynda found herself pregnant again, which was not a good thing, since by this time, Louie had made it a habit of beating her.
Then there was the problem of where the Milito family should live. Lynda wanted Louie to buy a house in Station Island, where they could have their own garage (instead of renting one), and where their daughter and future children could romp in their own backyard. Louie put the kibosh on that.
He screamed at her, “Lynda, say I’m pinched again; what if I have to go away? I’m not putting my name on no papers for a house. We don’t need a house yet.”
Due to his passion for hunting, Louie bought a big piece of property in the mountains of Pennsylvania. On a big hill, he placed a mobile home. To add to Lynda’s angst, Louie spent tons of money in materials and manpower to building a nine-hundred-foot shale road from the main road to his mobile home. This was money, Linda felt, would be better spent putting as a down payment on a nice Staten Island house. Lynda let Louie know her feelings about the situation in no uncertain terms, and on a regular basis.
This did not please Louie Milito too much.
One day, Linda found papers in the bedroom dresser drawer that indicated Louie was investing in the stock market without Lynda’s knowledge.
“I confronted him, and said he had some nerve investing in the stock market when we could use that money for a house,” Lynda said.
Louie’s eyes bulged with rage. “That’s none of your business what I do with my money.”
Louie pushed Lynda against the wall; her feet were off the floor and his hands were around her neck.
“See your neck!” he screamed. “I could snap it in a second!”
Louie released his grip and stormed out of the house. Lynda, now frantic, called her mother and told her what had just transpired. Lynda said she wanted to leave Louie and move back with her parents.
Mom Lustig, true to form, nixed the idea.
”You have a baby already, and one on the way and now you come to me with your problems?” Mom said. “You stay with your husband. There’s no room here; we don’t want no babies here. You made your bed, so now you can lie in it.”
When Louie came home, Lynda told him she wanted a divorce.
“The only divorce you’ll get is when I put you in a box,” Louie told her. “Then I’ll call your father and say you ran away with another man.”
Knowing Louie’s way of thinking, an abortion was out of the question, so Lynda decided to force a miscarriage. She lifted heavy furniture all day long, and even did two-handed overhead thrusts with the bulky vacuum cleaner. When Louie came home that night, he found his wife on the floor in the bathroom with her head in the bowl. There was a mixture of blood and water all over the bathroom floor.
Louie rushed Lynda to Maimonides Hospital, where the baby was born premature, but died a few minutes later. It was a girl.
For a while Louie was nice to Lynda. He even agreed to buy her a nice, big house in Staten Island: at 552 Arlene Street. However, Louie had an ulterior motive for buying the house; he needed a large room to conduct meetings of his crew, which included Sammy “The Bull” Gravano.
In 1973, the Militos had a son. They, of course, named him Louie.
Lynda wanted to name her son Robert. Her father was Louie; his father was Louie. As far as Lynda was concerned, there was enough Louies in her world. She wanted the name Robert for her son, but Louie wanted Louie, and he got Louie.
Also, in 1973, a major crisis occurred in Louie Milito. The City of New York and the New York Telephone company got smart. They installed new chrome cover-plates over the boxes in pay phones throughout the city.
Louie was stymied.
He brought one of the new chrome cover-plates home, and spent months trying to figure a way to open the locks. When the old lock-picks didn’t work, Louie created new picks; they didn’t work either. Louie was still making money with his car-title scam, but losing the pay-phone gigs put a big dent in his wallet.
As a result, Louie Milito took up shylocking to make up the difference, and he did quite well in the illegal-loan business.
February 27, 2013
Joe Bruno on the Mob – Book Reviews – The Wrong Man: Who Ordered the Murder of Gambler Herman Rosenthal and Why
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars EXCELLENT BOOK FOR A TRUE GRUE COLLECTOR, June 10, 2012
By
RJ Parker “Bestselling & Award-Winning Author” (Toronto) – See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)
This review is from: The Wrong Man: Who Ordered the Murder of Gambler Herman Rosenthal and Why (Kindle Edition)
THE WRONG MAN: WHO ORDERED THE MURDER OF GAMBLER HERMAN ROSENTHAL AND WHY by Joe Bruno is fraught with details of a true crime committed 100 years ago this year in New York City. I’ve read several of Bruno’s books and they are all well-written and well-researched. The author in my opinion, is a New York Historian.
Bruno unravels the true story of a highly decorated crocked cop who was sentenced to death for a crime he didn’t commit, while the real killers walked away. The story is very interesting and is written like a murder, mystery, thriller.
Another good true crime book to add to your collection. Highly recommended.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellant Book; Well Written, June 1, 2012
By
Jean M. Kilgallen (Sarasota, Florida USA) – See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
This review is from: The Wrong Man: Who Ordered the Murder of Gambler Herman Rosenthal and Why (Kindle Edition)
This book, about the murder of small-time gambler Herman Rosenthal and the subsequent conviction and execution of New York City Police Lieutenant Charles Becker, reads like a fiction thriller despite the fact everything in the book actually occurred. The main trust of the book is that an ambitious New York City District Attorney (Charles Whitman – later Governor of New York) with political aspirations, and with the help of ambitious journalists and judges, can twist the facts in a murder case in such a way as to convince a jury that an innocent man is guilty; especially if the actual killers are the most prominent witnesses against the accused. And particularly if the accused has a spotty background to begin with.
This happened in 1912. I wonder, if with all the advances in technology, and especially in the media, this injustice could happen in 2012.
My guess is that it could.
If you read the newspapers and watch TV, there are plenty of ambitious prosecutors with political aspiration out there looking to make an upwardly mobile move. I wouldn’t put it past them to twist the facts in order to get a conviction that will trust them into the public spotlight.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Very Well Written!! Highly Recommended!, June 1, 2012
By
Tony Palumbo – See all my reviews
This review is from: The Wrong Man: Who Ordered the Murder of Gambler Herman Rosenthal and Why (Kindle Edition)
This is a riveting read about a crooked cop who was framed by a group of gamblers for ordering the murder of an especially unlikable man, who was ready to rat on the crooked cop. Lieutenant Charles Becker, who was taking graft with both hands, was shockingly found guilty (twice!) of the murder of small-time gambler Herman Rosenthal, and subsequently wound up being executed in Sing Sing’s electric chair. The real killers, led by a creep named “Bald Jack” Rose walked away scot free.
OK, this happened 100 years ago, when there was no television and no radio, and the newspapers, especially in New York City, had tremendous pull; especially if they had already found Becker guilty in their own minds, and more importantly, in their own editorials.
Some people might say Becker was such a crooked cop, too bad he got screwed. But if this could happened to a highly decorated police lieutenant, imagine how many poor souls have been railroaded into prison (and maybe even executed) by prosecutors who could care less if the defendant is innocent or guilty, and care only about advancing their careers.
It’s a scary thought.
February 26, 2013
Joe Bruno on the Mob – Lynda Milito – Part One
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009CGA74M
She was a Jewish Princess, born and bred in Brooklyn. Yet Lynda Lustig Melito not only married an Italian-American mobster Liborio (Louie) Milito, but she also became his partner in crime.
Lynda Lustig was born in 1947 to Jewish parents, Sophie (Dostis) and Louis Lustig, on West 27th Street in Coney, Island, Brooklyn. At the age of two, Lynda contracted polio. One of her first life memories was while she was lying in a Brooklyn Hospital, and Grandma Dostis kept screaming at her to stay awake so that she wouldn’t die.
Her childhood spiraled downward from there.
Lynda’s father was a nice man, who was pushed into the background by his wife, who constantly kvetched at Louie for not making enough money. In her 2003 book, Mafia Wife – My Story of Love, Murder and Madness, Lynda says about Ma Lustig, “My mother made me feel like I was some mistake in her life, and it was my fault for being born, which she did over and over again, as far back as I can remember.”
Ma Lustig was humorless; the grandmother of gloom. She disliked seeing people around her who showed any outward sign of happiness.
“There was no hugging from my mother; never a sign of warmth that I can recall,” Lynda said. “In fact, when I see her face in my memory, she’s not smiling. Forget about laughing. She refused to watch TV comedy shows and nobody else was allowed to watch them if she was in the room.”
With her mom being quite the bummer, Lynda became a student at Seth Low Junior High School on Avenue P, and then at Lafayette High School on Benson Avenue in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. Lafayette High’s famous Jewish alumni include comedian Larry David, comedienne Rhea Perlman, “Judge Judy” Blum, and Larry Ziegler; better known as Larry King.
After taking a whirl at baton twirling, Lynda majored in cutting class.
“I didn’t take to pencils; I didn’t take to books and if I went to class I didn’t take notes,” Lynda wrote.
Consequently, instead of attending school, Lynda spent most of her days hanging out at Seth Low Park, or in a candy store know as “Mom and Pops,” across the street from the school. Besides, selling the standard “candy store” fare, Mom and Pops was a joint where you could make bets on sporting events, or buy or sell items that had “fallen off the back of the truck.” The hangout folks at Mom and Pops didn’t get a formal education like the students did at Seth Low, but they got a thorough education in survival on the streets; legally, or illegally.
Mom and Pops was also the hangout for an august bunch of young thugs called the “Junior Rampers.” The Junior Rampers were minor league associates of a Bensonhurst crime wave called “The Rampers,” of which Sammy “The Bull” Gravano was a chief player. The next step up from “The Rampers” was a slot in the Major Leagues of Crime – the Italian-American organized crime crew, inaccurately called the “Mafia” by law enforcement and the press (The truth is – the Mafia exists only in Sicily, but the law, in concert with the media, never lets the truth get in the way of a good story).
At the age of 15, Lynda became enamored with the opposite sex. However, her biggest impediment in attracting the young wolves at Mom and Pop’s, was stuck right in the middle of her face. Although quite pretty, Lynda’s nose was roughly the size of a sweet potato, and flattened like a fighter who had been the target of too many straight left jabs. But thanks to Dr. Silver, Lynda was fitted with a new air receptacle.
“When I took off the bandages, I felt like a new person,” Lynda wrote. “It didn’t matter about the swelling. I felt beautiful, and I loved my doctor.”
Her new nose soon led to Lynda roughly losing her virginity (raped) to a local thug named Frankie LaFonda. But then she met the man of her dreams: a soft-spoken hairdresser named Louie Milito.
They first met at a Brooklyn club called “Tommy Lee’s,” and soon they became quite an item. The only problem for Lynda was that Louie was Italian, and her parents expected her to become romantically involved with men only of the Jewish persuasion.
Lynda introduced Louie to her parents as “Bernie,” and as being half-Jewish and half-Italian.
However, Mom Lustig had her suspicions.
The first time Lynda brought “Bernie” home to meet her parents, he wore a gold chain with a crucifix the size of Staten Island.
“Couldn’t he have found a bigger one?” Mom Lustig remarked.
But Lynda was stuck on Louie, and Louie was stuck on Lynda. However, what Lynda didn’t know at the time was that Louie was not exactly a hairdresser, but was, in fact, a small-time thief with big-time aspirations.
Lynda said on an episode of I Married a Mobster on the Discovery Channel, “I was so in love with Louie, if he asked me to jump off the Empire State Building, I probably would have. I was that much in love with him, and he was that much in love with me.”
Louie Milito started out as a petty thief with The Rampers, where he met Sammy Gravano, who would later play a big part in Louie’s life, and death. The five-foot-four-inch Gravano was a short, thick thug with a Napoleonic complex. However, the instant Lynda met Gravano; she knew Gravano was nothing but trouble.
“The first time I met Sammy, I looked at him and he looked at me” Lynda said. “And I knew right away – no way!”
One of the scams Louie perpetrated, with Lynda’s help was, an illegal car-sale scheme. Louie would buy wrecked cars from shady junkyard dealers, and then have Lynda scratch out the old mileage numbers on the title, and type in new attractive mileage numbers. Other times, Louie would just buy the title of the wreck, and then steal identical cars off the streets.
Louie would then sell the car with the altered title on the streets for a fraction of its true value; making sure to impress upon the buyer if anything went wrong and the law caught wind of the scheme, the buyer was to forget Louie Milito ever existed. Louie always explained the last part of the deal to the buyer, with his normal mild-mannered voice. However, Louie left no doubt in the buyer’s mind that if the buyer decided to sing the wrong tune, he, or she would most likely wind up in the hospital, if not in the morgue.
One day, when Lynda was 17, she was typing a phony title in the basement of her mother’s house. She finished typing and Louie picked up the title to examine Lynda’s work.
Quite peeved, Louie screamed at Lynda, “Look what you did here! You got the mileage wrong. I’m gonna have to pay another hundred and fifty dollars for a new title!”
That said, Louie smacked the back of Lynda’s head so hard, she fell face-first onto the basement floor. Luckily, her new nose was not destroyed.
Lynda said, “I couldn’t think straight. I didn’t understand what had happened. Nobody had ever hit me before, and here I was, lying on the floor in her (mother’s) house with the right side of my head feeling like it had been squashed in a vice.”
Still, despite Louie’s Jekyll and Hyde personality Lynda was madly in love with him. According to Lynda, Louie, most of the time, was “gentle, warm, and quiet.” He was also “considerate, polite, and he paid great attention to whomever was speaking.”
In 1964, Lynda quit school and went to work as a receptionist at an employment agency near Times Square. Her relationship with her mother still stormy, she spent most of her time living with Louie at his parent’s house in Brooklyn. For the first three years they were together, Louie ostensibly worked at the LouArt Beauty Salon in Brooklyn. While Louie styled hair in the day, at night and on the weekends, he and his pals, including his boss, Bernie, at Lou/Art, were scoring more than the New York Yankees.
Besides his car-title scheme, Louie was peddling “swag (stolen)” goods; anything from baby clothes to men’s and woman’s clothing, toys and electronics, and the occasional hot fur coat, which either fell off a truck or was pilfered from a tony department store. Louie even sold stolen diamonds.
To protect his operations, Louie knew how to properly grease the cop’s palms in the Brooklyn police precincts. In addition to the law looking the other way while Louie sold stolen goods, certain law enforcement agents would sell Louie purloined goods of their own: usually fur coats the cops came across in their daily routines.
Soon, the happy couple got their own apartment in Sheepshead Bay in Brooklyn. It was a tiny first-floor hovel. But it came with a garage, which Louie needed for his car rackets.
Soon, with the law getting wise to Louie’s car-title scams, Louie needed a new way to make a buck. He came up with the nickel-and-dime pay-phone scam, in which, to Lynda’s dismay, they both intimately became involved.
Reviews – “Mobsters, Gangs, Crooks, and Other Creeps – Volume 3 – New York City”
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009CGA74M
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars AS GOOD AS A HISTORY BOOK, March 31, 2012
By
RJ Parker “Bestselling & Award-Winning Author” (Toronto) – See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)
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This review is from: Mobsters, Gangs, Crooks, and Other Creeps – Volume 3 – New York City (Mobsters, Gangs, Crooks, and Other Creeps – New York City) (Kindle Edition)
Mobsters, Gangs, Crooks, and Other Creeps – Volume 3 by Joe Bruno is a masterpiece of New York City’s history of crimes and criminals, and even disasters. Many of these people were the dregs of society who Bruno dug up from the sewers of NYC and placed in a book.
From the indulgent sections on The Old Brewery, the Brooklyn Theater Fire, Paul Castellano, Carlo Gambino and Vito Genovese to Evelyn Mittelman aka The Kiss of Death, Bruno lays out spellbinding information that is captivating to the last word.
This is the second book I’ve read by the author and have added him to my favourites. I like his style and the substance of his material. Good as a history book. Highly recommended.
- RJ Parker, True Crime Author
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars mobster gang crooks and other creeps new york parts 1thru 3, October 23, 2012
By
Big Daddy – See all my reviews
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This review is from: Mobsters, Gangs, Crooks, and Other Creeps – Volume 3 – New York City (Mobsters, Gangs, Crooks, and Other Creeps – New York City) (Kindle Edition)
I thought this book was a good read i recommend parts 1&2 also all three books are good and very specific
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Best of the Best, October 21, 2012
By
lcook0825 (New York City, USA) – See all my reviews
This review is from: Mobsters, Gangs, Crooks, and Other Creeps – Volume 3 – New York City (Mobsters, Gangs, Crooks, and Other Creeps – New York City) (Kindle Edition)
This is volume 3 and is definetly the best of all of them. This was as good as any history book on the subject of the Mafia for era in question. The way each person or event was covered left you knowing exactly what happened and being from New York I knew the places. Hope another one comes out as I would be glad to read and review it.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Volume 3 keeps pace with “1″ & “2″, August 1, 2012
By
John M. Bitowt Jr. – See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
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This review is from: Mobsters, Gangs, Crooks, and Other Creeps – Volume 3 – New York City (Mobsters, Gangs, Crooks, and Other Creeps – New York City) (Kindle Edition)
Joe Bruno has once again amazed and mystified the reading audience with “Mobsters, Gangs, Crooks, and Other Creeps-Volume 3 New York City”!! Personally, I can’t wait for Joe to take on other Cities/States, exposing and opening up the amazing characters he so fondly enjoys introducing us to! As in Volumes 1,2, & 3, the reader is destined to find out some previously unpublished or forgotten facts regarding the era, the feel of the city, or characteristics which were popular at said moments. Keeping fingers crossed in hoping that Chicago, Illinois is on his list; “The Windy City”, definetly has it’s share of characters which I’m sure would make Joe feel right at home! A great read for a great price, thanks for the deal!!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Bruno does it again!, March 25, 2012
By
Mathew J. Mari – See all my reviews
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This review is from: Mobsters, Gangs, Crooks, and Other Creeps – Volume 3 – New York City (Mobsters, Gangs, Crooks, and Other Creeps – New York City) (Kindle Edition)
Volume 3 is as good as Volumes 1&2. It is easy to read and very interesting. It is fast reading. You can read it through in a couple of sessions or a chapter at a time at your leisure. You can skip chapters if you like as each is self contained.
I’d like to see it turned into a TV series. A documentary on the history of crime in America. Joe Bruno’s insight and style makes it easy for the reader to understand the colorful yet brutal characters that dominated the crime scenes of NYC for two centuries.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars An excellant book; well written, March 25, 2012
By
Jean M. Kilgallen (Sarasota, Florida USA) – See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
This review is from: Mobsters, Gangs, Crooks, and Other Creeps – Volume 3 – New York City (Mobsters, Gangs, Crooks, and Other Creeps – New York City) (Kindle Edition)
This is a great book for those people who like to read about gangsters like Mafioso Carmine Galente, Paul Castellano, Carlo Gambino, and Vito Genovese. But it also contains some interesting stories on long forgotten disasters like the Brooklyn Theater Fire of 1876 and the General Slocum Paddleboat Fire of 1906.
I especially liked the article on Evelyn Mittelman, called “The Kiss of Death,” because several of her boyfriends were killed by men who lusted to be her new boyfriend. And in the end, she winds up with Harry “Pittsburgh Phil” Strauss, the most sadistic killer in Murder Incorporated. Eventually, Strauss was executed by the state in the Sing Sing electric chair, right after “The Kiss of Death” kissed him goodbye. Fascinating!
5.0 out of 5 stars Volume 3 is as good as Volumes 1 & 2, March 25, 2012
By
Tony Palumbo – See all my reviews
This review is from: Mobsters, Gangs, Crooks, and Other Creeps – Volume 3 – New York City (Mobsters, Gangs, Crooks, and Other Creeps – New York City) (Kindle Edition)
I had already read Mobsters, Gangs, Crooks and Other Creeps-Volumes 1 & 2 – New York City, so when I saw that Volume 3 was available I just had to buy it. And the author doesn’t disappoint at all!
There’s great features on all sorts of mobsters, and some female crooks too. And the articles on the Old Brewery and Satan’s Circus shows how much New York City was a den of iniquity in the later part of the 19th century.
But my favorite article was on Thomas E. Dewey, who to my knowledge, has never before been portrayed as one of the bad guys. According to this book, Dewey, who was a special prosecutor, later three-term Governor of New York, and a man who even ran for the Presidency of the United States, would do anything to get a conviction on a mobster; even if it meant framing that mobster for something the mobster didn’t do.
All in all, for 99 cents, Volume 3, like Volumes 1 & 2, is a great bargain.
Highly recommended!
February 25, 2013
Joe Bruno on the Mob -Read the Reviews for “Mobsters, Gangs, Crooks and Other Creeps-Volume 1 – New York City”
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009CGA74M
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars GREAT BOOK FOR A TRUE GRUE FIX, March 30, 2012
By
RJ Parker “Bestselling & Award-Winning Author” (Toronto) – See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)
This review is from: “Mobsters, Gangs, Crooks and Other Creeps-Volume 1 – New York City” (Kindle Edition)
MOBSTERS, GANGS, CROOKS AND OTHER CREEPS by Joe Bruno is packed with crimes and criminal stories that took place in NYC.
This author captured some of the bigger names in criminal history. The book is well-written and for over 200 pages, it’s worth a lot more than 99 cents. If you’re a true crime reader, you will enjoy the stories of mobsters, gangs, outlaws, creeps, crimes and criminals. A brilliant book to add to my collection.
- RJ Parker, author of 7 true crime books
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent read, January 11, 2012
By
Desmond Gill “TheAyeThai” (Sarasota, FL) – See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
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This review is from: “Mobsters, Gangs, Crooks and Other Creeps-Volume 1 – New York City” (Kindle Edition)
If you’re a mobster fan, this is the book for you. There are dozens of short bios on mobsters, gangs, riots and natural disasters, some of which I never head of before. Especially interesting are the articles that took place in the 1800′s, like the Civil War Riots of 1863, and the Astor Place Theatre Riots of 1849. At 99 cents, this book is a better value than most at ten times the price.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars WELL DONE, December 16, 2011
By
Alexandra Keener “Alex” (Ohio) – See all my reviews
This review is from: “Mobsters, Gangs, Crooks and Other Creeps-Volume 1 – New York City” (Kindle Edition)
This book must have been thought out and researched over years. IT covers all sorts of criminals and creeps – even politicians! surpise! year right…
Great book and if you like fiction mafia—I suggest this one For Nothing
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Best 99 cent investment in a book you can make…, November 10, 2012
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j.sebastian (NY, NY) – See all my reviews
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This review is from: “Mobsters, Gangs, Crooks and Other Creeps-Volume 1 – New York City” (Kindle Edition)
I loved all three volumes. The author writes in away that brings all of these non fiction characters to life. All 3 volumes were great reads and I loved learning about these old time new york born and bred criminals, especially the small timers i had never heard of.
I especially enjoyed the authors describing how characters would travel all around the ny metro area when they were on the lam, including hiding out in upstste ny.
Thank you for writing such colorful books and pricing them so reasonably.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Read!!!!!, September 29, 2012
By
Efrain Perez – See all my reviews
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This review is from: “Mobsters, Gangs, Crooks and Other Creeps-Volume 1 – New York City” (Kindle Edition)
Great Read!!!!! Short and informed information about early NY. Criminals and history. Can’t wait to read vol. 2 & 3.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Mobology 101, September 22, 2012
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This review is from: “Mobsters, Gangs, Crooks and Other Creeps-Volume 1 – New York City” (Kindle Edition)
I absolutely loved this book. In fact I could not put it down. As the title describes, when I finished it I really felt as if I just took an introductory course about this subject. Mr. Bruno’ explanations and descriptions and quite detailed. As you get through the book, his narrative is very consistent. I really didn’t find any contradictions. I am a medical researcher and don’t know why I find this material so fascinating. The book is also written in both a serious and comedic mannerI I am already on the second volume. Joe is quite the master. His stories are very accurate and consistent with other books I have read. Great work, Joe.
5.0 out of 5 stars The Creeps, January 25, 2013
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Mrs. Bady – See all my reviews
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This review is from: “Mobsters, Gangs, Crooks and Other Creeps-Volume 1 – New York City” (Kindle Edition)
A very interesting book with even more colorful characters.
An easy read, sometimes repetitive but all in all, enlightening.
Would definitely recommend.
5.0 out of 5 stars Nice historic read., January 17, 2013
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Mark Gorge – See all my reviews
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This review is from: “Mobsters, Gangs, Crooks and Other Creeps-Volume 1 – New York City” (Kindle Edition)
Good historic read of the history of organized and disorganized crime in NY. Not a lot of detail, but not skeletal. Sort of an overview with enough content to make it interesting.
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5.0 out of 5 stars Great Value For Under a Buck!, November 20, 2012
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This review is from: “Mobsters, Gangs, Crooks and Other Creeps-Volume 1 – New York City” (Kindle Edition)
This is a great book on the bad guys in New York City; especially those from the mid-1800′s and early 1900′s. It’s a fast read and a bargain at only 99 cents. Most of the other gangster books on Amazon cost five buck or more, and they aren’t as good as this one. I can’t wait to read Volumes 2 and 3.
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Eye Opener., August 23, 2012
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Rony Barbery (New York City) – See all my reviews
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This review is from: “Mobsters, Gangs, Crooks and Other Creeps-Volume 1 – New York City” (Kindle Edition)
If you liked “Gangs of New York” if you liked “The Godfather” You must read all three books. It will fill in all the blanks and give you an insight into each character. Joe Bruno certainly did his homework!
