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The Winter of Frankie Machine
The author of The Death and Life of Bobby Z. and The Power of the Dog now gives us a fierce and funny new novel—and a blistering new take on the Mafia story.
Frank Machianno is a late-middle-aged ex–surf bum who runs a bait shack on the San Diego waterfront when he’s not juggling any of his other three part-time jobs or trying to get a quick set in on his longboard. He’s a stand-up businessman, a devoted father to his daughter, and a beloved fixture in the community.
Frank’s also a hit man. Specifically: a retired hit man. Back in the day, when he was one of the most feared members of the West Coast Mafia, he was known as Frankie Machine. Years ago Frank consigned his Mob ties to the past, which is where he wants them to stay. But a favor being called in now by the local boss is one Frank can’t refuse, and soon he’s sucked back into the treacherous currents of his former life. Someone from the past wants him dead. He has to figure out who, and why, and he has to do it fast.
The problem is that the list of candidates is about the size of his local phone book and Frank’s rapidly running out of time.
And then things go really bad.
Frank Machianno is a late-middle-aged ex–surf bum who runs a bait shack on the San Diego waterfront when he’s not juggling any of his other three part-time jobs or trying to get a quick set in on his longboard. He’s a stand-up businessman, a devoted father to his daughter, and a beloved fixture in the community.
Frank’s also a hit man. Specifically: a retired hit man. Back in the day, when he was one of the most feared members of the West Coast Mafia, he was known as Frankie Machine. Years ago Frank consigned his Mob ties to the past, which is where he wants them to stay. But a favor being called in now by the local boss is one Frank can’t refuse, and soon he’s sucked back into the treacherous currents of his former life. Someone from the past wants him dead. He has to figure out who, and why, and he has to do it fast.
The problem is that the list of candidates is about the size of his local phone book and Frank’s rapidly running out of time.
And then things go really bad.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published September 26, 2006
463 people are currently reading
4967 people want to read
About the author
Don Winslow
113 books7,474 followersDon Winslow is the author of twenty-one acclaimed, award-winning international bestsellers, including the New York Times bestsellers The Force and The Border, the #1 international bestseller The Cartel, The Power of the Dog, Savages, and The Winter of Frankie Machine. Savages was made into a feature film by three-time Oscar-winning writer-director Oliver Stone. The Power of the Dog, The Cartel and The Border sold to FX in a major multimillion-dollar deal to air as a weekly television series beginning in 2020.
A former investigator, antiterrorist trainer and trial consultant, Winslow lives in California and Rhode Island.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
A former investigator, antiterrorist trainer and trial consultant, Winslow lives in California and Rhode Island.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 881 reviews
January 18, 2026
LA PRIMAVERA ARRIVA D'INVERNO
Un buon thriller, robusto, potente, con dialoghi curati, trama non certo rivoluzionaria, già letta, già vista: ma il segreto è nelle piccole variazioni, in come si usano e amalgamano gli ingredienti, e la pietanza cucinata da Winslow è appetibile, onesta, divertente.
Nelle prime quaranta pagine facciamo la conoscenza col protagonista, un sessantenne che ha ancora parecchio da insegnare ai pischelli, smentendo il luogo comune che il suo non sia un paese per vecchi.
Frank e i suoi riti, le sue abitudini, la sua routine, come e con chi passa le giornate ci portano in un attimo al punto di svolta, al favore che non si può rifiutare, perché più che un favore è un ordine: e allora, anche se ti sei ritirato, anche se ti chiamassi Will ‘Unforgiven’ Munny e allevassi maiali nel fango portando in giro la tua splendida faccia, anche se non sei più in gioco, anche se chiedi solo di essere dimenticato, il passato ritorna, presenta il conto, e Frankie Machianno torna a essere Frankie la Macchina.
Frankie si trasforma davanti agli occhi del lettore, che lo ha conosciuto abitudinario, pignolo, puntiglioso, preciso, attento, maniacalmente preso dal suo rituale mattutino: lo abbiamo conosciuto pressoché anziano, e ce lo ritroviamo davanti macchina da guerra, efficiente, esperto, scaltro, abile killer.
Ambientato a San Diego, come anche La pattuglia dell’alba, con riferimento e omaggio al mondo del surf, ma con più parsimonia che nella La pattuglia dell’alba, spazia per lo Stato di California quando Frankie inizia la sua fuga.
Diventerà un film?
Un giorno sarà un film con DeNiro protagonista, non più diretto da Scorsese, ma da Michael Mann, o da William Friedkin?
Non lo so, sono anni che il progetto non decolla.
Per il momento, è un buon libro, perfettamente autonomo.
Ed è già qualcosa.
Un buon thriller, robusto, potente, con dialoghi curati, trama non certo rivoluzionaria, già letta, già vista: ma il segreto è nelle piccole variazioni, in come si usano e amalgamano gli ingredienti, e la pietanza cucinata da Winslow è appetibile, onesta, divertente.
Nelle prime quaranta pagine facciamo la conoscenza col protagonista, un sessantenne che ha ancora parecchio da insegnare ai pischelli, smentendo il luogo comune che il suo non sia un paese per vecchi.
Frank e i suoi riti, le sue abitudini, la sua routine, come e con chi passa le giornate ci portano in un attimo al punto di svolta, al favore che non si può rifiutare, perché più che un favore è un ordine: e allora, anche se ti sei ritirato, anche se ti chiamassi Will ‘Unforgiven’ Munny e allevassi maiali nel fango portando in giro la tua splendida faccia, anche se non sei più in gioco, anche se chiedi solo di essere dimenticato, il passato ritorna, presenta il conto, e Frankie Machianno torna a essere Frankie la Macchina.
Frankie si trasforma davanti agli occhi del lettore, che lo ha conosciuto abitudinario, pignolo, puntiglioso, preciso, attento, maniacalmente preso dal suo rituale mattutino: lo abbiamo conosciuto pressoché anziano, e ce lo ritroviamo davanti macchina da guerra, efficiente, esperto, scaltro, abile killer.
Ambientato a San Diego, come anche La pattuglia dell’alba, con riferimento e omaggio al mondo del surf, ma con più parsimonia che nella La pattuglia dell’alba, spazia per lo Stato di California quando Frankie inizia la sua fuga.
Diventerà un film?
Un giorno sarà un film con DeNiro protagonista, non più diretto da Scorsese, ma da Michael Mann, o da William Friedkin?
Non lo so, sono anni che il progetto non decolla.
Per il momento, è un buon libro, perfettamente autonomo.
Ed è già qualcosa.
May 20, 2020
**Reread update. I'm pleased to report that Don Winslow has become much better known and respected since I originally wrote this review in 2010.**
“It’s a lot of work being me," Frank Machianno often thinks, and he’s got a point. Despite being in his early sixties, Frank is the slightly fussy owner of several small businesses that keep him hopping. Among them is the bait shop on San Diego’s Ocean Beach Pier where Frank is a local fixture, and he still makes time for the Gentlemen's Hour when several old timers gather to surf. Since his daughter just got into medical school it looks like Frank is going to be busy for the foreseeable future to pay those bills, and that's just fine with him.
But Frank isn’t just a hustling businessman. He once was known by the nickname Frankie Machine by the local branch of the Mafia that he worked for, and his name is still respected and feared. Even though he left that life behind years ago Frank reluctantly gets roped into doing a favor for the boss’s son. Things aren’t as advertised and both the mob and the feds are soon after him. Frankie Machine is going to have to confront old friends, old enemies, old grudges, and a new generation of mob wannabes to figure out who is gunning for him and why.
Don Winslow is one of the modern crime writers who started with a series, but then shifted into more character based stand-alone novels, kind of like what Dennis Lehane and George Pelecanos have done. Even though he’s very talented, it doesn’t seem like he’s getting the same amount of attention as Lehane and Pelecanos are getting for similar work, and that puzzles me because Winslow definately belongs to be mentioned among the best of the modern crime authors.
Winslow has used the San Diego surf culture as a setting several times now, but he’s really created something unique with Frankie Machine. Surfer, former Marine, Vietnam vet, Mafia hitman, father, bait salesman, businessman, opera fan and civic minded local hero seems like a lot to roll into one character, but Frank is a fascinating figure.
The novel also uses a lot of flashbacks to explain Frank’s complex history, his life as a gangster and his ultimate disillusionment with organized crime. Frank lived through a lot of ups and downs as a mob guy from the peak of 70’s era Vegas to the hard times of the ‘80s as the feds finally started tearing traditional organized crime apart. There’s plenty of realistic action, but the heart of the story is Frank’s thoughts of his past and the conclusions he draws about his life of violence.
“It’s a lot of work being me," Frank Machianno often thinks, and he’s got a point. Despite being in his early sixties, Frank is the slightly fussy owner of several small businesses that keep him hopping. Among them is the bait shop on San Diego’s Ocean Beach Pier where Frank is a local fixture, and he still makes time for the Gentlemen's Hour when several old timers gather to surf. Since his daughter just got into medical school it looks like Frank is going to be busy for the foreseeable future to pay those bills, and that's just fine with him.
But Frank isn’t just a hustling businessman. He once was known by the nickname Frankie Machine by the local branch of the Mafia that he worked for, and his name is still respected and feared. Even though he left that life behind years ago Frank reluctantly gets roped into doing a favor for the boss’s son. Things aren’t as advertised and both the mob and the feds are soon after him. Frankie Machine is going to have to confront old friends, old enemies, old grudges, and a new generation of mob wannabes to figure out who is gunning for him and why.
Don Winslow is one of the modern crime writers who started with a series, but then shifted into more character based stand-alone novels, kind of like what Dennis Lehane and George Pelecanos have done. Even though he’s very talented, it doesn’t seem like he’s getting the same amount of attention as Lehane and Pelecanos are getting for similar work, and that puzzles me because Winslow definately belongs to be mentioned among the best of the modern crime authors.
Winslow has used the San Diego surf culture as a setting several times now, but he’s really created something unique with Frankie Machine. Surfer, former Marine, Vietnam vet, Mafia hitman, father, bait salesman, businessman, opera fan and civic minded local hero seems like a lot to roll into one character, but Frank is a fascinating figure.
The novel also uses a lot of flashbacks to explain Frank’s complex history, his life as a gangster and his ultimate disillusionment with organized crime. Frank lived through a lot of ups and downs as a mob guy from the peak of 70’s era Vegas to the hard times of the ‘80s as the feds finally started tearing traditional organized crime apart. There’s plenty of realistic action, but the heart of the story is Frank’s thoughts of his past and the conclusions he draws about his life of violence.
June 20, 2015
The Power of the Dog is my favorite novel by Don Winslow and it's on a very short list of my favorite books of all time. But The Winter of Frankie Machine is easily my second favorite of Winslow's books while all of the others are tied for third.
What I love most about the book is the character that Winslow has created in the protagonist, Frank Machianno. The first chapter, in which Frank rises and goes through the routine of beginning his day, is alone worth the price of admission. You'll never find a better example of an author using a few deftly-described scenes to establish his or her main character, and after reading that single chapter, it really doesn't matter what it is that Machianno does for a living or what he might do with the rest of his life. You already know that this is going to be a great character and that you'd follow him happily, no matter what path he might choose to take.
As it happens, Frank is a Vietnam vet, now in his early sixties and living in San Diego. He runs a bait shop down on the pier; he wholesales fish, and he has a few rental properties. He's on good terms with his daughter and his ex-wife; he's got a fantastic girlfriend, and he's usually in the water most every morning for the Gentlemen's Hour, which is when the older surfers paddle out on their boards, maybe catch a wave or two, and otherwise remind each other of how great they were back in the good old days.
In other words, life is pretty damned good until suddenly the bad old days rear their ugly head. Before he retired and turned legit, Frank Machianno was a hit man for the local chapter of the mob--a legend in his own time who earned the nickname "Frankie Machine" for the efficient manner with which he carried out his assigned duties. Now, an old mob boss asks Frank to referee a dispute that involves the mobster's son.
Frank agrees to do the favor, principally out of respect, only to discover that he's been set up to be killed. Someone out of his past wants him dead, and Frank has no idea who or why. His only recourse is to follow the trail of the assigned hit back up the chain and see where it leads. The only question is whether or not he can stay alive long enough to figure out what's going on and put an end to it.
In the process of tracking down the person who ordered him dead, Frank has to sort through any number of jobs he was involved in back in the day, trying to determine who he might have offended and why. It all makes for a gripping and very entertaining tale from start to finish. I loved this book when it was first published in 2006, and I enjoyed it even more, re-reading it nine years later. This is one of those books and Frankie Machine is one of those characters that will remain with me for a very long time. I can hardly wait to read this book again in another few years.
What I love most about the book is the character that Winslow has created in the protagonist, Frank Machianno. The first chapter, in which Frank rises and goes through the routine of beginning his day, is alone worth the price of admission. You'll never find a better example of an author using a few deftly-described scenes to establish his or her main character, and after reading that single chapter, it really doesn't matter what it is that Machianno does for a living or what he might do with the rest of his life. You already know that this is going to be a great character and that you'd follow him happily, no matter what path he might choose to take.
As it happens, Frank is a Vietnam vet, now in his early sixties and living in San Diego. He runs a bait shop down on the pier; he wholesales fish, and he has a few rental properties. He's on good terms with his daughter and his ex-wife; he's got a fantastic girlfriend, and he's usually in the water most every morning for the Gentlemen's Hour, which is when the older surfers paddle out on their boards, maybe catch a wave or two, and otherwise remind each other of how great they were back in the good old days.
In other words, life is pretty damned good until suddenly the bad old days rear their ugly head. Before he retired and turned legit, Frank Machianno was a hit man for the local chapter of the mob--a legend in his own time who earned the nickname "Frankie Machine" for the efficient manner with which he carried out his assigned duties. Now, an old mob boss asks Frank to referee a dispute that involves the mobster's son.
Frank agrees to do the favor, principally out of respect, only to discover that he's been set up to be killed. Someone out of his past wants him dead, and Frank has no idea who or why. His only recourse is to follow the trail of the assigned hit back up the chain and see where it leads. The only question is whether or not he can stay alive long enough to figure out what's going on and put an end to it.
In the process of tracking down the person who ordered him dead, Frank has to sort through any number of jobs he was involved in back in the day, trying to determine who he might have offended and why. It all makes for a gripping and very entertaining tale from start to finish. I loved this book when it was first published in 2006, and I enjoyed it even more, re-reading it nine years later. This is one of those books and Frankie Machine is one of those characters that will remain with me for a very long time. I can hardly wait to read this book again in another few years.
May 12, 2018
Brilliant.
This should be on a short list of best crime fiction novels. Ever.
Frankie “The Machine” Machianno is one of the greatest mobster characters ever created, in the range of Michael Corleone and Tony Soprano. Like those two iconic gangsters, Frankie balances his life as a violent criminal with a practical and affectionate concern for his family, immediate and extended. Perhaps more Corleone than Soprano in his sensibilities and old school moralities, he is nonetheless a blue-collar soldier, a hitman with the instincts of a killer.
Frankie is a retired and legendary button man, a fixer who is “automatic” and so the alliterative moniker stuck. He is a beloved bait shop owner who also has interests in a linen and a fresh fish business, his days as a hired gunman are far behind him. He is a hard working entrepreneur who is holding down multiple jobs to support his ex-wife and to pay for his daughter’s school. But when his Mafioso past comes back in the form of a “meeting” he finds himself on the outside looking in as decades old crimes come back to haunt him. Frankie is on the run, trying to survive while also trying to learn who has set him up.
As good as a story as Winslow can create, this was attractive and mesmerizing as a character study of Frankie himself. While hiding out we learn about decades of illicit acts that have led to this fateful time. We learn about how the reluctant mobster had fled the southern California family by joining the Marines and serving as a sniper in Vietnam. Returning to San Diego, he found that his cold as ice talents were well served on the streets, in the clubs, back alleys and strip joints. Frankie never made it “big time” was never a “made man” because he never wanted that distinction, remaining a soldier, albeit a remarkably successful and skilled professional. Through Winslow’s vehicle we also learn about the hierarchies of the west coast mob and how relatively backwater San Diego was controlled and dominated not just by Los Angles and Las Vegas but also the bigger East coast families in Detroit and Chicago.
This also reminded me that crime fiction is a literary progeny of westerns. What we find is a natural law that exists beyond the thin façade of civilization – that those who are strong and courageous and unafraid of conflict have a place at the head of the line and heroics are as real and vital in 1970s southern California as in 1870s Kansas. Also noteworthy was the role of Frankie as a legendary gunman and so the young guns, the up and comers, are anxious to prove themselves against this established hero.
Perhaps a ubiquitous theme in Winslow’s canon, the idea that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. There are gangs and then there are gangs and our federal government is the gang of all gangs – the king of the mountain, taking on all comers. But Winslow’s protagonists, exemplified by Frankie Machine, is a deliberate outsider, a man to whom real connections – family and neighbors – mean more than power icons.
A must read.
This should be on a short list of best crime fiction novels. Ever.
Frankie “The Machine” Machianno is one of the greatest mobster characters ever created, in the range of Michael Corleone and Tony Soprano. Like those two iconic gangsters, Frankie balances his life as a violent criminal with a practical and affectionate concern for his family, immediate and extended. Perhaps more Corleone than Soprano in his sensibilities and old school moralities, he is nonetheless a blue-collar soldier, a hitman with the instincts of a killer.
Frankie is a retired and legendary button man, a fixer who is “automatic” and so the alliterative moniker stuck. He is a beloved bait shop owner who also has interests in a linen and a fresh fish business, his days as a hired gunman are far behind him. He is a hard working entrepreneur who is holding down multiple jobs to support his ex-wife and to pay for his daughter’s school. But when his Mafioso past comes back in the form of a “meeting” he finds himself on the outside looking in as decades old crimes come back to haunt him. Frankie is on the run, trying to survive while also trying to learn who has set him up.
As good as a story as Winslow can create, this was attractive and mesmerizing as a character study of Frankie himself. While hiding out we learn about decades of illicit acts that have led to this fateful time. We learn about how the reluctant mobster had fled the southern California family by joining the Marines and serving as a sniper in Vietnam. Returning to San Diego, he found that his cold as ice talents were well served on the streets, in the clubs, back alleys and strip joints. Frankie never made it “big time” was never a “made man” because he never wanted that distinction, remaining a soldier, albeit a remarkably successful and skilled professional. Through Winslow’s vehicle we also learn about the hierarchies of the west coast mob and how relatively backwater San Diego was controlled and dominated not just by Los Angles and Las Vegas but also the bigger East coast families in Detroit and Chicago.
This also reminded me that crime fiction is a literary progeny of westerns. What we find is a natural law that exists beyond the thin façade of civilization – that those who are strong and courageous and unafraid of conflict have a place at the head of the line and heroics are as real and vital in 1970s southern California as in 1870s Kansas. Also noteworthy was the role of Frankie as a legendary gunman and so the young guns, the up and comers, are anxious to prove themselves against this established hero.
Perhaps a ubiquitous theme in Winslow’s canon, the idea that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. There are gangs and then there are gangs and our federal government is the gang of all gangs – the king of the mountain, taking on all comers. But Winslow’s protagonists, exemplified by Frankie Machine, is a deliberate outsider, a man to whom real connections – family and neighbors – mean more than power icons.
A must read.
June 13, 2018
The wire garrote is still clutched in his hands. Old-school, Frank thinks, using a wire. But they probably didn't want to risk the noise of a gun unless they had to. Use a silencer, then. Unless the garrote was meant to make it slow and painful, in which case this hit was personal.
Frankie's a retired mob hit man, enjoying a quiet life in San Diego. But, someone wants Frankie dead. And, until he figures out who ordered the hit, and why, there's not much he can do but run, or fight back.
Friends have been raving about Winslow for years, but I'd avoided him until this book was chosen as the Pulp Fiction Group's June read. What a compelling, involving, and well written story! Hands down, one of the best crime novels I've read.
Frankie's a retired mob hit man, enjoying a quiet life in San Diego. But, someone wants Frankie dead. And, until he figures out who ordered the hit, and why, there's not much he can do but run, or fight back.
Friends have been raving about Winslow for years, but I'd avoided him until this book was chosen as the Pulp Fiction Group's June read. What a compelling, involving, and well written story! Hands down, one of the best crime novels I've read.
September 23, 2020
Una novela muy entretenida.
Frankie Machine es un tipo que resulta simpático.
Fue una lectura muy agradable y divertida.
No es de lo mejor de Don Winslow, pero la trama engancha mucho.
A very entertaining novel.
Frankie Machine is a nice guy.
It was a very pleasant and amusing read.
It's not the best of Don Winslow, but the plot is very engaging.
Frankie Machine es un tipo que resulta simpático.
Fue una lectura muy agradable y divertida.
No es de lo mejor de Don Winslow, pero la trama engancha mucho.
A very entertaining novel.
Frankie Machine is a nice guy.
It was a very pleasant and amusing read.
It's not the best of Don Winslow, but the plot is very engaging.
April 10, 2019
My very first novel by Don Winslow, and definitely not the last one. I would probably have given it five stars right after I finished it, but I got sidetracked and I write the review some three months later. I still feel the story of Frankie Machine is a solid piece of storytelling and Winslow a great talent, but I'm not so sure about shelving it as a favorite.
On the plus side, Frankie in the present day is a great lead : a tough cookie and a workaholic who instead of thinking about his pension keeps juggling several small businesses and finding time to surf daily in his sixties. The plot is very clever and puts to good use a series of flashbacks to the career of Frankie as a hitman for the mob over more than four decades. Somebody though has put a contract on him, and Frankie must re-examine his career in order to find out which of his past misdeeds has come back to bite him in the a$$ now.
Local flavour is also one of the strong points of the novel : California as opposed to the established settings of Chicago, New York, Las Vegas and (surprisingly for me) Denver, makes for a sunny, laid-back yet bloody twist on the gambling, drugs and prostitution rackets.
How does one young kid becomes a hitman for the Mob? Frankie sorts of drifts into it out of a poor family background, a lazy disposition and a lack of moral scruples. The easy money also come into the equation.
He got his diploma, but then what was he supposed to do? His choices seemed to be the Marines or the tuna fleet. He didn't want to stay on the tuna boats or get his head shaved at boot camp. What he really wanted to do was hang out on the beach, surf, drive up and down the PCH, try to lose his cherry, and surf some more.
In his own defense, Frankie Machine gets smarter as he gets older and manages to get his priorities right. But once a member of organized crime, it is mighty difficult to escape its tentacles.
Hanging out with mob guys, Frank thought, was like being frozen in some perpetual junior high school time warp. The conversations were always about sex, food, farts, smells, girls, small dicks, and homos.
And crimes, of course.
So, Frankie Machine must come out of retirement and single handled take on contract killers and distant Mob bosses until his journey into his own past reveals the grudge that refuses to fade away.
On the minus side: I liked Frankie, but his youthful carelessness about killing stopped me from fully believing he is a reliable narrator. It's not that I don't like grey characters with complex motivations, but that I felt the author was working a bit too hard to make him likable in his later years and the plot resolution was a tad too Hollywood style – like a script custom made for a movie version. Oh, and I kinda guessed who was after Frankie right from the first time the culprit showed up (maybe I've read one too many of these crime thrillers). The prose is one of the best things about the novel, and the main reason I will continue to read Winslow novels, although I wish he would use a little less acronyms (PCH stand for Pacific Coast Highway, I think) , but probably this is my own peeve and Californians really enjoy shortening all official names.
[edit: seems like I forgot the rating]
On the plus side, Frankie in the present day is a great lead : a tough cookie and a workaholic who instead of thinking about his pension keeps juggling several small businesses and finding time to surf daily in his sixties. The plot is very clever and puts to good use a series of flashbacks to the career of Frankie as a hitman for the mob over more than four decades. Somebody though has put a contract on him, and Frankie must re-examine his career in order to find out which of his past misdeeds has come back to bite him in the a$$ now.
Local flavour is also one of the strong points of the novel : California as opposed to the established settings of Chicago, New York, Las Vegas and (surprisingly for me) Denver, makes for a sunny, laid-back yet bloody twist on the gambling, drugs and prostitution rackets.
How does one young kid becomes a hitman for the Mob? Frankie sorts of drifts into it out of a poor family background, a lazy disposition and a lack of moral scruples. The easy money also come into the equation.
He got his diploma, but then what was he supposed to do? His choices seemed to be the Marines or the tuna fleet. He didn't want to stay on the tuna boats or get his head shaved at boot camp. What he really wanted to do was hang out on the beach, surf, drive up and down the PCH, try to lose his cherry, and surf some more.
In his own defense, Frankie Machine gets smarter as he gets older and manages to get his priorities right. But once a member of organized crime, it is mighty difficult to escape its tentacles.
Hanging out with mob guys, Frank thought, was like being frozen in some perpetual junior high school time warp. The conversations were always about sex, food, farts, smells, girls, small dicks, and homos.
And crimes, of course.
So, Frankie Machine must come out of retirement and single handled take on contract killers and distant Mob bosses until his journey into his own past reveals the grudge that refuses to fade away.
On the minus side: I liked Frankie, but his youthful carelessness about killing stopped me from fully believing he is a reliable narrator. It's not that I don't like grey characters with complex motivations, but that I felt the author was working a bit too hard to make him likable in his later years and the plot resolution was a tad too Hollywood style – like a script custom made for a movie version. Oh, and I kinda guessed who was after Frankie right from the first time the culprit showed up (maybe I've read one too many of these crime thrillers). The prose is one of the best things about the novel, and the main reason I will continue to read Winslow novels, although I wish he would use a little less acronyms (PCH stand for Pacific Coast Highway, I think) , but probably this is my own peeve and Californians really enjoy shortening all official names.
[edit: seems like I forgot the rating]
April 24, 2023
Winslow really hit his stride with this thriller. It's a story about a guy running a bait shop in Ocean Beach and a few other interests besides. Frankie is retired from the life, but of course you can't outrun your past. Before he surfed the Gentleman's Hour and became everyone's buddy, he was Frankie the Machine, a mobbed-up west coast version of Goodfellas.
This story doesn't just begin when trouble finds Frankie. It began years ago when he was a driver and hanger on for first one crime boss than another. Something has come from Frankie's past and wrapped its tentacles around him and, through a series of flashbacks, Frankie takes a trip down memory lane and the history of the west coast crime families is laid out piece by piece. Through internecine feuds to strip club wars and a stint in the jungles of Vietnam and shaking Nixon's hand at the Western White House, a whole history is fleshed out and connections made.
This isn't just a simple crime story, but a complex tale about what lies beneath the surface of the sun and sand of San Diego and how deep the corruption lies. Winslow is an incredibly talented writer and this is a book that is just impossible to put down.
This story doesn't just begin when trouble finds Frankie. It began years ago when he was a driver and hanger on for first one crime boss than another. Something has come from Frankie's past and wrapped its tentacles around him and, through a series of flashbacks, Frankie takes a trip down memory lane and the history of the west coast crime families is laid out piece by piece. Through internecine feuds to strip club wars and a stint in the jungles of Vietnam and shaking Nixon's hand at the Western White House, a whole history is fleshed out and connections made.
This isn't just a simple crime story, but a complex tale about what lies beneath the surface of the sun and sand of San Diego and how deep the corruption lies. Winslow is an incredibly talented writer and this is a book that is just impossible to put down.
October 24, 2015
"My uncle always told me, "You always have to use your brain in this thing, and you always have to use the gun."
- "Crazy Phil" Leonetti
Don Winslow is a total guilty pleasure. I think the cliché that there are only seven basic stories needs to be expanded to include reluctant former mobster hitmen who surf. I love how the late 2000s brought some pretty amazing surfing/slacker crime fiction. You've got Winslow's 'The Winter of Frankie Machine' and The Dawn Patrol, Pynchon's Inherent Vice, obviously the Big Lebowski (which isn't technically in the early 2000s and is more of a bowling slacker flick than a surfing slacker flick, but details). Anyway, these are all children of Chandler and the 60s. And they all speak to my need for the beach and revenge. Having worked in a bait shop myself (during a college summer) I can totally relate to the Zen nature of selling worms. There is something zen about both surfing and fishing. it reminds me of an old Utne reader article I read awhile back:
"I remember listening to a dharma talk five years ago by one of my favorite teachers, Ajahn Amaro, a witty British monk in the Thai Forest tradition who lives in a humble hut in the Mendocino Forest in Northern California. He used a surfing metaphor to explain samsara, the endless cycle of birth and death. The Ajahn laughed as he talked about the ridiculousness of surfers.
They struggle to paddle through the crashing surf in search of their perfect wave. But when they finally catch one, they get a fleeting rush of adrenaline, get shoved underwater, come up breathless, and then struggle to get back out again for another round. This, he said, is dukkha-suffering."
The same can be said of fishing and probably mob killing. So it goes.
- "Crazy Phil" Leonetti
Don Winslow is a total guilty pleasure. I think the cliché that there are only seven basic stories needs to be expanded to include reluctant former mobster hitmen who surf. I love how the late 2000s brought some pretty amazing surfing/slacker crime fiction. You've got Winslow's 'The Winter of Frankie Machine' and The Dawn Patrol, Pynchon's Inherent Vice, obviously the Big Lebowski (which isn't technically in the early 2000s and is more of a bowling slacker flick than a surfing slacker flick, but details). Anyway, these are all children of Chandler and the 60s. And they all speak to my need for the beach and revenge. Having worked in a bait shop myself (during a college summer) I can totally relate to the Zen nature of selling worms. There is something zen about both surfing and fishing. it reminds me of an old Utne reader article I read awhile back:
"I remember listening to a dharma talk five years ago by one of my favorite teachers, Ajahn Amaro, a witty British monk in the Thai Forest tradition who lives in a humble hut in the Mendocino Forest in Northern California. He used a surfing metaphor to explain samsara, the endless cycle of birth and death. The Ajahn laughed as he talked about the ridiculousness of surfers.
They struggle to paddle through the crashing surf in search of their perfect wave. But when they finally catch one, they get a fleeting rush of adrenaline, get shoved underwater, come up breathless, and then struggle to get back out again for another round. This, he said, is dukkha-suffering."
The same can be said of fishing and probably mob killing. So it goes.
April 1, 2013
I was concerned about reading a second book by Winslow after Savages was so good, fearful that he just wouldn't live up to that book and the hype surrounding him, but this book confirms that I am a scaredy cat for no good reason. I wish I could've reviewed this when I finished it, my mind was filled with superlatives, interesting comparisons and a strong analysis, however since that plane journey I have read 3 more books and spent my days walking around Sydney so my ideas are not as fresh.
The title is a good indicator of the power and subtlety of this book, its double meaning highlighted as you take a ride with Frankie Machine, a 62 year old retired hitman, through his life of crime. Using this as a framing story is an enjoyable concept and provides you with the action you might expect from a book about post-Vietnam gangsters as well as a constant sense of nostalgia from a man approaching the end of his life.
And as I said before it is subtle with it, there's nothing worse than a book that waxes lyrical about times past and constantly makes the point that "things are about to change" or "life was so much better then, why don't we all just give up on enjoying the present," Frankie has fond memories but he accepts the changes and makes them work for him.
Don Winslow can really write, he makes what could be generic ideas in to something fresh and readable, his books are not really about the crime or the kills like most authors using the genre today but about the people and the effect the lifestyle has on them, he doesn't revel in the brutality yet he is aware that it exists. It's a great book by a great writer.
The title is a good indicator of the power and subtlety of this book, its double meaning highlighted as you take a ride with Frankie Machine, a 62 year old retired hitman, through his life of crime. Using this as a framing story is an enjoyable concept and provides you with the action you might expect from a book about post-Vietnam gangsters as well as a constant sense of nostalgia from a man approaching the end of his life.
And as I said before it is subtle with it, there's nothing worse than a book that waxes lyrical about times past and constantly makes the point that "things are about to change" or "life was so much better then, why don't we all just give up on enjoying the present," Frankie has fond memories but he accepts the changes and makes them work for him.
Don Winslow can really write, he makes what could be generic ideas in to something fresh and readable, his books are not really about the crime or the kills like most authors using the genre today but about the people and the effect the lifestyle has on them, he doesn't revel in the brutality yet he is aware that it exists. It's a great book by a great writer.
October 3, 2025
Una gozada.
September 12, 2018
Read my reviews at http://jenchaosreviews.com
By Don Winslow
Alfred Knopf September 26, 2006
320 Pages, Hardcover
Frank Machianno is a respected community member in his Southern California home known only as the "bait guy" and surfer, he only wants a quiet and peaceful life. At one time he was a killer for hire for one of the country's notorious mobs. He was Frankie Machine. No one takes down Frankie Machine. Years ago he severed ties with the mafia and left well enough alone, moving to San Diego resigning his life to one of "normalcy" and stability, until one day a favor gets called in by one of the mob's bosses. He is in a position that he can't refuse, so he goes without argument only to face a botched attempt on his life.
Someone is trying to kill him and the list of killers is long and he has little time to find who and why this is happening.
Then things get really bad, really fast.
RATING: 5 Stars
REVIEW:
The story starts with Frank's life as it is now. It's a little annoying. When things go down, towards the middle of the book, the story picks up. By then, Mr. Winslow has already introduced the readers to the mafia through the memories of Frankie's past. Things get exciting at this point. The story is fast and very intriguing. Like The Death and Life of Bobby Z., there is a surprise towards the end, so there is no guessing what will happen. This is not a predictable storyline.
Frankie runs throughout Southern California's coast and desert, specifically San Diego and Palm Springs areas. The descriptions were accurate and full of detail. Anyone who had not been to these places before would be able to grasp what they are like based on Mr. Winslow's examples from features to temperatures.
The villains are mob members that have a personal beef with Frankie, and they are hot on his tail. However, it seems Frankie keeps one step ahead of them. Frankie does not seem to be superhuman (which is a feature in fictional characters that I do not like), instead he is intelligent, crafty and shows experience over the amateurs. The final chase scene is a classic! I am shocked to see how it ended!
The book was well paced. Though I didn't much like the beginning and the idea of reading the flashbacks, I did see the sense of it.
WRITING:
The writing is excellent. Mr. Winslow uses a lot of surfer jargon in the book to appeal to the readers because Frankie really is a surfer dude, always has been (even though he is a hitman). He knows how to switch between characters' voices and personalities in a way that doesn't seem jerky or uneven. This well written, beautifully described story.
PLOT:
The center of the story doesn't become clear until the middle. If you don't read the inside flap or the summary at all, you have no idea that Frankie Machianno is a mafia dude at all. You also don't know that he is going to be on the run from killers. In the beginning, he is just a regular guy with three jobs. When the plot gets to be clear, it stays consistent, however, the subplots with the twist and surprise at the end come into focus and tie in nicely at the end. This makes for a wonderful piece.
WHAT I LIKED:
I liked the final chase the most. It was intense and full of intrigue. I was on the edge of my seat-literally and had no idea how it would go.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
This is actually twofold. I didn't like the long beginning and I didn't like how long the flashbacks lasted. Though it is important to know about Frankie's past, I don't think it should be so involved. Getting to the point of the actual story was the most important aspect of the book. I thought he could have shortened the introduction of Frankie's life and the flashbacks to get to the point.
OVERALL IMPRESSION:
This book gave me a new love for mafia books. I started to look at other books by Don Winslow. This is the reason I read The Death and Life of Bobby Z. See my review Here. I tried to read The Power of the Dog. However, that's about drug cartels and that's not for me. I would like to read more of his other books because he is an amazing writer and I have not seen so many writers use such description in scenes and made their protagonists so entertaining as Don Winslow does.
By Don Winslow
Alfred Knopf September 26, 2006
320 Pages, Hardcover
Frank Machianno is a respected community member in his Southern California home known only as the "bait guy" and surfer, he only wants a quiet and peaceful life. At one time he was a killer for hire for one of the country's notorious mobs. He was Frankie Machine. No one takes down Frankie Machine. Years ago he severed ties with the mafia and left well enough alone, moving to San Diego resigning his life to one of "normalcy" and stability, until one day a favor gets called in by one of the mob's bosses. He is in a position that he can't refuse, so he goes without argument only to face a botched attempt on his life.
Someone is trying to kill him and the list of killers is long and he has little time to find who and why this is happening.
Then things get really bad, really fast.
RATING: 5 Stars
REVIEW:
The story starts with Frank's life as it is now. It's a little annoying. When things go down, towards the middle of the book, the story picks up. By then, Mr. Winslow has already introduced the readers to the mafia through the memories of Frankie's past. Things get exciting at this point. The story is fast and very intriguing. Like The Death and Life of Bobby Z., there is a surprise towards the end, so there is no guessing what will happen. This is not a predictable storyline.
Frankie runs throughout Southern California's coast and desert, specifically San Diego and Palm Springs areas. The descriptions were accurate and full of detail. Anyone who had not been to these places before would be able to grasp what they are like based on Mr. Winslow's examples from features to temperatures.
The villains are mob members that have a personal beef with Frankie, and they are hot on his tail. However, it seems Frankie keeps one step ahead of them. Frankie does not seem to be superhuman (which is a feature in fictional characters that I do not like), instead he is intelligent, crafty and shows experience over the amateurs. The final chase scene is a classic! I am shocked to see how it ended!
The book was well paced. Though I didn't much like the beginning and the idea of reading the flashbacks, I did see the sense of it.
WRITING:
The writing is excellent. Mr. Winslow uses a lot of surfer jargon in the book to appeal to the readers because Frankie really is a surfer dude, always has been (even though he is a hitman). He knows how to switch between characters' voices and personalities in a way that doesn't seem jerky or uneven. This well written, beautifully described story.
PLOT:
The center of the story doesn't become clear until the middle. If you don't read the inside flap or the summary at all, you have no idea that Frankie Machianno is a mafia dude at all. You also don't know that he is going to be on the run from killers. In the beginning, he is just a regular guy with three jobs. When the plot gets to be clear, it stays consistent, however, the subplots with the twist and surprise at the end come into focus and tie in nicely at the end. This makes for a wonderful piece.
WHAT I LIKED:
I liked the final chase the most. It was intense and full of intrigue. I was on the edge of my seat-literally and had no idea how it would go.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
This is actually twofold. I didn't like the long beginning and I didn't like how long the flashbacks lasted. Though it is important to know about Frankie's past, I don't think it should be so involved. Getting to the point of the actual story was the most important aspect of the book. I thought he could have shortened the introduction of Frankie's life and the flashbacks to get to the point.
OVERALL IMPRESSION:
This book gave me a new love for mafia books. I started to look at other books by Don Winslow. This is the reason I read The Death and Life of Bobby Z. See my review Here. I tried to read The Power of the Dog. However, that's about drug cartels and that's not for me. I would like to read more of his other books because he is an amazing writer and I have not seen so many writers use such description in scenes and made their protagonists so entertaining as Don Winslow does.
July 19, 2020
Fantastic, fun and clever. I love how Don Winslow writes mobsters. Read the whole thing with my best Godfather accent.
July 12, 2025
- Libro Acquistato a Dicembre 2017 -
L’arrivo dell’estate, le lunghe mattinate in spiaggia, il caldo afoso degli interminabili pomeriggi, le serate al buio sul balcone in cerca di un filo d’aria, tutto questo mi allontana dalle letture più impegnative dei classici dell’ottocento e del primo novecento e allora cerco la compagnia di libri più leggeri, di eroi da quattro soldi che non pretendono il lavorio della mente: e così mi tuffo in atmosfere noir, in thriller prevedibili, in romanzi storici ben raccontati ma non sempre documentati e, perché no, in qualche classico della fantascienza finora da me trascurato.
Lo scrittore americano Don Winslow è tra i miei preferiti di questa narrativa leggera (o estiva…ma si può leggere anche d’inverno ovviamente) perché riesce sempre a soddisfare chi è affezionato alle sue trame e ai suoi personaggi! non stiamo parlando di letteratura ma di romanzi da intrattenimento leggero, trame abbastanza simili, eroi quasi mai immacolati, eppure una volta iniziato un suo libro non mi viene permesso di interromperne la lettura fino a notte fonda o finché non mi rendo conto con un leggero pentimento che arriverò al lavoro in ritardo: fin dalla prima pagina si è presi in un vortice di avventure, di agguati, tradimenti e vendette, sparatorie e inseguimenti, mafia americana, cartelli della droga, polizia messicana e FBI e tutto questo prosegue ininterrottamente fino all’ultima stilla di sudore….ops…volevo dire fino all’ultima pagina, rinfrescando la mente e gli occhi.
Alla fine per dire due parole su questo romanzo appena terminato di leggere racconterò soltanto che un anziano killer della mafia americana, uscito dal giro da diversi anni si ritrova invischiato nuovamente, suo malgrado, in quel mondo malavitoso che si era illuso di aver ormai lasciato alle spalle dedicandosi a una vita onesta e rispettosa delle leggi…
L’arrivo dell’estate, le lunghe mattinate in spiaggia, il caldo afoso degli interminabili pomeriggi, le serate al buio sul balcone in cerca di un filo d’aria, tutto questo mi allontana dalle letture più impegnative dei classici dell’ottocento e del primo novecento e allora cerco la compagnia di libri più leggeri, di eroi da quattro soldi che non pretendono il lavorio della mente: e così mi tuffo in atmosfere noir, in thriller prevedibili, in romanzi storici ben raccontati ma non sempre documentati e, perché no, in qualche classico della fantascienza finora da me trascurato.
Lo scrittore americano Don Winslow è tra i miei preferiti di questa narrativa leggera (o estiva…ma si può leggere anche d’inverno ovviamente) perché riesce sempre a soddisfare chi è affezionato alle sue trame e ai suoi personaggi! non stiamo parlando di letteratura ma di romanzi da intrattenimento leggero, trame abbastanza simili, eroi quasi mai immacolati, eppure una volta iniziato un suo libro non mi viene permesso di interromperne la lettura fino a notte fonda o finché non mi rendo conto con un leggero pentimento che arriverò al lavoro in ritardo: fin dalla prima pagina si è presi in un vortice di avventure, di agguati, tradimenti e vendette, sparatorie e inseguimenti, mafia americana, cartelli della droga, polizia messicana e FBI e tutto questo prosegue ininterrottamente fino all’ultima stilla di sudore….ops…volevo dire fino all’ultima pagina, rinfrescando la mente e gli occhi.
Alla fine per dire due parole su questo romanzo appena terminato di leggere racconterò soltanto che un anziano killer della mafia americana, uscito dal giro da diversi anni si ritrova invischiato nuovamente, suo malgrado, in quel mondo malavitoso che si era illuso di aver ormai lasciato alle spalle dedicandosi a una vita onesta e rispettosa delle leggi…
July 14, 2018
Yes, it's a collection of cliches: retired Mafia hit man who never misses is on the run trying to figure out why La Famiglia is trying to kill him. Other than the San Diego setting (stay classy!) there's not much new here, although the storyline occasionally weaves in actual news items such as the kidnapping of young Danielle van Dam, whose name is changed in the book. But author Winslow creates interesting and sympathetic characters, lots of action and fun, a breakneck pace, and a couple of interesting twists to keep us from being overwhelmed by deja vu.
April 18, 2022
Don Winslow writes life. Not about life but rather real life seems to flow from the pages of his books, no matter the subject. Even when he has written about a former hitman for the Mafia, it is life that the reader absorbs from the pages.
Frank Machianno is a retired, renowned, and feared hitman now operating several small businesses in San Diego, including a bait shop. He regularly surfs with a long-time pal who is an FBI agent similar in age to Frank. An attempt is made on Frank´s life and he has to figure out who ordered the attempt and why it was ordered.
He makes provisions to protect those he loves, who might be used as leverage and morphs into investigation mode. This leads him through a long, convoluted, search wherein his friends, his enemies, and those who are neither all play key roles.
Typical of Winslow's books, The Winter of Frankie Machine is written in a straightforward, no-nonsense style. The characters are vivid, the dialogue is realistic and the plot is exceptionally engaging.
I can strongly recommend this book to those who enjoy unpretentious, well-written Mafia/Cosa Nostra stories and thrillers in general.
Fini
Frank Machianno is a retired, renowned, and feared hitman now operating several small businesses in San Diego, including a bait shop. He regularly surfs with a long-time pal who is an FBI agent similar in age to Frank. An attempt is made on Frank´s life and he has to figure out who ordered the attempt and why it was ordered.
He makes provisions to protect those he loves, who might be used as leverage and morphs into investigation mode. This leads him through a long, convoluted, search wherein his friends, his enemies, and those who are neither all play key roles.
Typical of Winslow's books, The Winter of Frankie Machine is written in a straightforward, no-nonsense style. The characters are vivid, the dialogue is realistic and the plot is exceptionally engaging.
I can strongly recommend this book to those who enjoy unpretentious, well-written Mafia/Cosa Nostra stories and thrillers in general.
Fini
August 21, 2023
“Quality of life is about the little things- doing them well, doing them right.”
I approached THE WINTER OF FRANKIE MACHINE for what it is, and I think that, and the fact that I read it on a beach is why I enjoyed it. It is a flawed book, but take it at face value and you will enjoy the read.
The plot in short- someone is trying to kill ex-hitman Frankie Machine. Frankie has been out of the business for a while and is a popular dude on the San Diego waterfront, and he is still connected while being out of the game. Premise is ridiculous. Just go with it.
Much of the novel is flashback as Frankie tries to piece together why someone is after him, by examining his sordid past. During a lot of these flashback moments the text reads a little stereotypical. There are more than a few “Goodfellas” type of moments. Another quibble is that there are lots of names, lots of minor characters with no major impact on the story. It’s like author Don Winslow got a little too caught up in throwing so much detail at the reader. Gets a tad annoying.
Quotes:
• “America, Frank thinks- we’re the only country in the world afraid of our food.”
• “Things you think are lost forever, and then, suddenly, there they are- faded, worn, but back again.”
• “I’ve seen war. Peace is better.”
• “It’s proof that redemption is possible, when flowers blossom from the desert.”
• “There’s trouble that you’ve had, trouble that you presently have, and trouble that you’re going to have- that’s the world.”
• “It’s what happens, this life of ours. Piece by piece, it takes everything away from you.”
• “…numbers never lie; arithmetic is absolute.”
• “They own the game and the game is fixed, and it isn’t fixed for us.”
A highlight of the text includes a moment where a character goes on a rant about government being the real organized crime family in the US, and it is 100% correct. Government is the biggest mafia going.
The last 50 pages barrel along to a quick and satisfying conclusion, and when I put THE WITNER OF FRANKIE MACHINE down I was no worse for the wear, and I had experienced a fun ride.
I approached THE WINTER OF FRANKIE MACHINE for what it is, and I think that, and the fact that I read it on a beach is why I enjoyed it. It is a flawed book, but take it at face value and you will enjoy the read.
The plot in short- someone is trying to kill ex-hitman Frankie Machine. Frankie has been out of the business for a while and is a popular dude on the San Diego waterfront, and he is still connected while being out of the game. Premise is ridiculous. Just go with it.
Much of the novel is flashback as Frankie tries to piece together why someone is after him, by examining his sordid past. During a lot of these flashback moments the text reads a little stereotypical. There are more than a few “Goodfellas” type of moments. Another quibble is that there are lots of names, lots of minor characters with no major impact on the story. It’s like author Don Winslow got a little too caught up in throwing so much detail at the reader. Gets a tad annoying.
Quotes:
• “America, Frank thinks- we’re the only country in the world afraid of our food.”
• “Things you think are lost forever, and then, suddenly, there they are- faded, worn, but back again.”
• “I’ve seen war. Peace is better.”
• “It’s proof that redemption is possible, when flowers blossom from the desert.”
• “There’s trouble that you’ve had, trouble that you presently have, and trouble that you’re going to have- that’s the world.”
• “It’s what happens, this life of ours. Piece by piece, it takes everything away from you.”
• “…numbers never lie; arithmetic is absolute.”
• “They own the game and the game is fixed, and it isn’t fixed for us.”
A highlight of the text includes a moment where a character goes on a rant about government being the real organized crime family in the US, and it is 100% correct. Government is the biggest mafia going.
The last 50 pages barrel along to a quick and satisfying conclusion, and when I put THE WITNER OF FRANKIE MACHINE down I was no worse for the wear, and I had experienced a fun ride.
June 18, 2018
I loved this book! I never thought that I would find myself rooting for a hitman but I did and I have no regrets. Read this book and you will find yourself cheering for Frankie Machine too.
My thanks to the good folks at the Pulp Fiction group for introducing this and many other fine books.
My thanks to the good folks at the Pulp Fiction group for introducing this and many other fine books.
April 16, 2015
8/10
When a retired hitman is targeted out of the blue the old skills come flooding back and the hunt is on as to who would want him dead after all this time. Introduced as a favourite local and somewhat standup citizen, there is more than meets the eye with Frank.
I really enjoyed this short novel about a retired mafia hitman and his forced re-entry into the life that he used to know. The way the tale was weaved from current events unfolding and his previous exploits was deftly done and provided loose ends from the past for who was looking to get revenge. The whole Mafia thing is something I buy into straight away, I love that genre more than most others, so much so I would say one of my all time favourite books is Gangster. I've not read anything by Don Wimslow previously but his work was easy to pick up and the writing flowed making the pages disappear. With the intrigue and writing style this book didn't last long at all.
Highly recommended to those who like crime, organised crime, good writing or intrigue. The mystery kept me guessing thoughout and even at the end there were a couple of excellent twists which caught me off guard. I know this will not be my only reading from this author. Well worth a try!
If you like this try: "Gangster" by Lorenzo Carcaterra
When a retired hitman is targeted out of the blue the old skills come flooding back and the hunt is on as to who would want him dead after all this time. Introduced as a favourite local and somewhat standup citizen, there is more than meets the eye with Frank.
I really enjoyed this short novel about a retired mafia hitman and his forced re-entry into the life that he used to know. The way the tale was weaved from current events unfolding and his previous exploits was deftly done and provided loose ends from the past for who was looking to get revenge. The whole Mafia thing is something I buy into straight away, I love that genre more than most others, so much so I would say one of my all time favourite books is Gangster. I've not read anything by Don Wimslow previously but his work was easy to pick up and the writing flowed making the pages disappear. With the intrigue and writing style this book didn't last long at all.
Highly recommended to those who like crime, organised crime, good writing or intrigue. The mystery kept me guessing thoughout and even at the end there were a couple of excellent twists which caught me off guard. I know this will not be my only reading from this author. Well worth a try!
If you like this try: "Gangster" by Lorenzo Carcaterra
May 25, 2019
4, probably 4.5 stars. Frank Machianno owns several small businesses, including a bait shop on San Diego’s Ocean Beach Pier, he sells fresh fish to local restaurants, and has a linen delivery service. He is also a local fixture, keeping the peace and surfing with the old geezers. Sounds dull, right? When an old friend calls in a favor to help negotiate peace with some local mob guys, we find out that he is actually Frankie Machine, a former hitman. And, someone wants Frankie put in the dirt. Winslow is a master at this stuff, and we see Frankie trying to figure out who wants him dead after all these years of simple, honest living and why. Happily for him, his skills have not waned as there are several stone cold killers after him. Good ending too.
August 17, 2023
4.5 ⭐️. Great read. This was my first Don Winslow book. It read really quick, but unfortunately a campaign I was photographing slowed me down. Great ending!
July 30, 2022
Muy bueno e interesante como F. Machine tiene que sacarse las castañas del fuego el solo sin ayuda y contra todos. El nivel no llega sin embargo al del libro anterior de este autor "El poder del perro". 8/10
June 2, 2016
I read this back in 2007 and absolutely loved it. Everyone I recommended it to, loved it as well. My brother in law passed it on to his friend that never ever read and he credits this book with getting him into reading. This friend is now a voracious reader. My husband has read almost everything this author has written now and I think it's time I jump back on the band wagon!
July 24, 2018
"It's a lot of work being me"
Frank Machianno is a worker, a businessman. He owns a bait shop on San Diego pier, supplies fish to the best local restaurants and has a property rental portfolio. Frank also enjoys the finer things in life. He has season tickets for the opera; he surfs, never missing 'Gentlemen's Hour'; he enjoys cooking in the kitchen he has designed to be just right. He loves his 'cucina'.
'"This is a quality-of-life issue"' and 'quality of life is doing the little things - doing then well, doing them right.'
And Frank is a stand-up guy, a 'sheriff' on the pier, who settles a dispute between a Vietnamese fisherman and a crossbow 'hunter' when the latter 'sees something in Frank's eyes that just makes him shut his mouth.'
Because Frank Macchianno was, in an earlier time, Frankie Machine, top hitman for the San Diego mob. And it appears that someone wants Frankie dead...
I've come late to Don Winslow. I read 'The Power of the Dog' and 'The Cartel', both big sprawling visceral, and brilliant, commentaries on the War on Drugs, and his latest, 'The Force', a stunning 'dirty cop' novel whose central character, and anti-Serpico, vehemently believes that he is the good guy. 'The Winter of Frankie Machine' makes it clear to me that Mr Winslow is the natural successor to Elmore Leonard.
In the first few chapters, we get a clear picture of who Frank Machianno is, and what his life is like. And then all hell breaks loose...
With sharp dialogue, succinct, even laconic, descriptions, flashbacks that serve the plot, Winslow tells a 'hunter becomes the hunted becomes the hunter' story which could easily be formulaic in lesser hands. The novel is reminiscent of the movies of William Friedkin, or perhaps Walter Hill -I'm thinking of the likes of 'The French Connection', 'To Live and Die in LA' or 'The Driver'.
I loved 'The Winter of Frankie Machine' and, as when I discovered the novels of Elmore Leonard maybe 30 years ago, there are many novels to catch up on. And I'm going to read them all....
Frank Machianno is a worker, a businessman. He owns a bait shop on San Diego pier, supplies fish to the best local restaurants and has a property rental portfolio. Frank also enjoys the finer things in life. He has season tickets for the opera; he surfs, never missing 'Gentlemen's Hour'; he enjoys cooking in the kitchen he has designed to be just right. He loves his 'cucina'.
'"This is a quality-of-life issue"' and 'quality of life is doing the little things - doing then well, doing them right.'
And Frank is a stand-up guy, a 'sheriff' on the pier, who settles a dispute between a Vietnamese fisherman and a crossbow 'hunter' when the latter 'sees something in Frank's eyes that just makes him shut his mouth.'
Because Frank Macchianno was, in an earlier time, Frankie Machine, top hitman for the San Diego mob. And it appears that someone wants Frankie dead...
I've come late to Don Winslow. I read 'The Power of the Dog' and 'The Cartel', both big sprawling visceral, and brilliant, commentaries on the War on Drugs, and his latest, 'The Force', a stunning 'dirty cop' novel whose central character, and anti-Serpico, vehemently believes that he is the good guy. 'The Winter of Frankie Machine' makes it clear to me that Mr Winslow is the natural successor to Elmore Leonard.
In the first few chapters, we get a clear picture of who Frank Machianno is, and what his life is like. And then all hell breaks loose...
With sharp dialogue, succinct, even laconic, descriptions, flashbacks that serve the plot, Winslow tells a 'hunter becomes the hunted becomes the hunter' story which could easily be formulaic in lesser hands. The novel is reminiscent of the movies of William Friedkin, or perhaps Walter Hill -I'm thinking of the likes of 'The French Connection', 'To Live and Die in LA' or 'The Driver'.
I loved 'The Winter of Frankie Machine' and, as when I discovered the novels of Elmore Leonard maybe 30 years ago, there are many novels to catch up on. And I'm going to read them all....
June 24, 2018
THE WINTER OF FRANKIE MACHINE by Don Winslow is novel based on the past and current life of an older man named Frank Machianno, who operates a bait shop on a pier and is known and loved by all, and who also is considered by most to be the unofficial keeper of law and order on the pier.
Frank has his hands in several money making ventures; in addition to the bait shop, he also owns other businesses, and supplies tuna to restaurants.
Divorced with a daughter and having a girlfriend, his life has demands from all three relationships; with ex-wife, daughter going to medical school, and his girlfriend’s needs added to his business dealings that result taking up most of his time.
Dave is an FBI agent and good friend of Frankie, and they meet on a regular basis at a restaurant in a friendship that includes a mutual respect for one another.
Frank has a secret from everyone who knows him in his current existence; he was once a feared hit man known as “Frankie the Machine” for the San Diego mob with ties to the Detroit mob known at “The Combination”, and retired after a bad experience helped make his decision to enter the service, and then serving in Vietnam.
Unexpectedly Frank returns home one evening to discover a vehicle watching his home, and spots it while driving past his house and around the block, a practice he’s continued as a safety precaution from his mob days.
Upon surprising the intruders by sneaking into his home, he finds one of the two young punks is the son of a former mob boss, who asks him to represent them in a mob negotiation based on his reputation and pull with the other party, as they are demanding an overly large percentage of profits from the boss’s son’s porno movie operation, with such a request expected to be honored in deference to the boss himself.
Frank makes contact by phone, and a meeting is set up to discuss the matter, but an attempt is made on his life as he’s been set up, and he escapes and goes into hiding using a well designed escape plan he’s had in place with preparations set up over a long period of time.
Will Frank survive the contract put out on him with the ability of the mob to seemingly locate him eventually, and even though he’s made sure those close to him have relocated; will they be safe from retribution being held hostage or worse?
Excellent storyline, which is not surprising as all of Don Winslow’s novels based on the mob are among the best made on the subject, and Frank(ie) as the lead character is perfect for making the reader hope for his survival in the face of seemingly impossible odds against an unescapable force with eyes and ears everywhere.
I recommend this book to all fans of mob books, such as the author’s excellent “The Power of the Dog” and “ The Cartel”.
5 stars
Frank has his hands in several money making ventures; in addition to the bait shop, he also owns other businesses, and supplies tuna to restaurants.
Divorced with a daughter and having a girlfriend, his life has demands from all three relationships; with ex-wife, daughter going to medical school, and his girlfriend’s needs added to his business dealings that result taking up most of his time.
Dave is an FBI agent and good friend of Frankie, and they meet on a regular basis at a restaurant in a friendship that includes a mutual respect for one another.
Frank has a secret from everyone who knows him in his current existence; he was once a feared hit man known as “Frankie the Machine” for the San Diego mob with ties to the Detroit mob known at “The Combination”, and retired after a bad experience helped make his decision to enter the service, and then serving in Vietnam.
Unexpectedly Frank returns home one evening to discover a vehicle watching his home, and spots it while driving past his house and around the block, a practice he’s continued as a safety precaution from his mob days.
Upon surprising the intruders by sneaking into his home, he finds one of the two young punks is the son of a former mob boss, who asks him to represent them in a mob negotiation based on his reputation and pull with the other party, as they are demanding an overly large percentage of profits from the boss’s son’s porno movie operation, with such a request expected to be honored in deference to the boss himself.
Frank makes contact by phone, and a meeting is set up to discuss the matter, but an attempt is made on his life as he’s been set up, and he escapes and goes into hiding using a well designed escape plan he’s had in place with preparations set up over a long period of time.
Will Frank survive the contract put out on him with the ability of the mob to seemingly locate him eventually, and even though he’s made sure those close to him have relocated; will they be safe from retribution being held hostage or worse?
Excellent storyline, which is not surprising as all of Don Winslow’s novels based on the mob are among the best made on the subject, and Frank(ie) as the lead character is perfect for making the reader hope for his survival in the face of seemingly impossible odds against an unescapable force with eyes and ears everywhere.
I recommend this book to all fans of mob books, such as the author’s excellent “The Power of the Dog” and “ The Cartel”.
5 stars
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April 19, 2022Retired mob hitter Frankie Machianno is out of the game. Living in San Diego, he stays busy running his legit businesses, including a fishbait shack. But just when he thinks he's out, he's pulled back in! A mob boss calls in a chip, and it's one last job for the Machine.
Some predictable plot turns, but Frankie is such a likable goon it hardly matters. - Stephen K.
Some predictable plot turns, but Frankie is such a likable goon it hardly matters. - Stephen K.
June 24, 2024
Once when I was a film reviewer in Tokyo, I was asked by my newspaper editor to 'cover' a Sylvester Stallone movie ('Cliffhanger'). To review films, my editor had me and one other person - who always covered 'the action movies'... but he wasn't available so she asked me to review it. And I did.
To my surprise, I ended up giving the film a positive review. But, inside my opinion, I qualified. At one point, I admitted to the reader that 'Cliffhanger' really wasn't my kind of movie. (I don't now recall anything about the flick, never saw it again; at IMDb it's referred to as 'Die Hard'-on-a -mountain.) But I let readers know that - for what it was - it was a well-made movie and was certain to please those seeking exactly that kind of entertainment.
Basically, that's how I feel about 'The Winter of Frankie Machine'. It's not among my favorite kinds of books. But I'd heard author Don Winslow's name being bandied about for so long that I thought to give one of his titles a go. I had the impression that his writing could be intense, so I opted for a work of his that I perceived as being a) less ambitious, and b) a character study.
~ and it very much is the latter. Considering the fact that he's an ex-hit man, Frankie Machine is a compelling (and colorfully complex) character. Winslow's portrayal of him is skillfully done and he's essentially the whole book's focus. Not for a second does he get lost in the (to put it mildly) panoply of mob-types that Winslow kaleidoscopically parades.
In general, such types do little to pique my interest:
~ which is my reason for 4 stars instead of 5. Winslow's considerable skill notwithstanding, a lot of this novel is rather familiar territory. In that sense, reading this particular novel can be a bit like watching Scorsese's 'Goodfellas' (released just over 15 years earlier). Scorsese's mob movies aren't really my thing either. But Scorsese is a gifted storyteller and there's a marked difference between a story being told and the *way* a story is being told.
Something similar can be said about Winslow. He certainly knows how to maximum overdrive his material, in a way that is more than reasonably fresh, engrossing, inventive and occasionally surprising.
Again, the bulk of the surprises come through Winslow's realization of Frankie Machine. You come to like (or at least root for) the guy. I mean, he *is* trying to go straight and has been rather successful in being so... until a gruesome truth from 20 years ago does more than just resurrect to haunt him; it's a nightmare that ricochets while obfuscating its source.
Winslow affords ex-Marine sniper 'Machine' a nurtured conscience:
To my surprise, I ended up giving the film a positive review. But, inside my opinion, I qualified. At one point, I admitted to the reader that 'Cliffhanger' really wasn't my kind of movie. (I don't now recall anything about the flick, never saw it again; at IMDb it's referred to as 'Die Hard'-on-a -mountain.) But I let readers know that - for what it was - it was a well-made movie and was certain to please those seeking exactly that kind of entertainment.
Basically, that's how I feel about 'The Winter of Frankie Machine'. It's not among my favorite kinds of books. But I'd heard author Don Winslow's name being bandied about for so long that I thought to give one of his titles a go. I had the impression that his writing could be intense, so I opted for a work of his that I perceived as being a) less ambitious, and b) a character study.
~ and it very much is the latter. Considering the fact that he's an ex-hit man, Frankie Machine is a compelling (and colorfully complex) character. Winslow's portrayal of him is skillfully done and he's essentially the whole book's focus. Not for a second does he get lost in the (to put it mildly) panoply of mob-types that Winslow kaleidoscopically parades.
In general, such types do little to pique my interest:
Hanging out with mob guys, Frank thought, was like being frozen in some perpetual junior high school time warp. The conversations were always about sex, food, farts, smells, girls, small dicks, and homos.In Winslow's hands, such guys may be effectively functional as thugs but, overall as people... they're not exactly nuanced personalities.
~ which is my reason for 4 stars instead of 5. Winslow's considerable skill notwithstanding, a lot of this novel is rather familiar territory. In that sense, reading this particular novel can be a bit like watching Scorsese's 'Goodfellas' (released just over 15 years earlier). Scorsese's mob movies aren't really my thing either. But Scorsese is a gifted storyteller and there's a marked difference between a story being told and the *way* a story is being told.
Something similar can be said about Winslow. He certainly knows how to maximum overdrive his material, in a way that is more than reasonably fresh, engrossing, inventive and occasionally surprising.
Again, the bulk of the surprises come through Winslow's realization of Frankie Machine. You come to like (or at least root for) the guy. I mean, he *is* trying to go straight and has been rather successful in being so... until a gruesome truth from 20 years ago does more than just resurrect to haunt him; it's a nightmare that ricochets while obfuscating its source.
Winslow affords ex-Marine sniper 'Machine' a nurtured conscience:
Frank never bought into any of that 'Apocalypse Now' crap. He never shot any women or children, or massacred any villages, or even saw anyone who did. He just killed enemy soldiers.~and the street-smart details of his 'leave nothing to chance' life are exhaustive, i.e.:
Every prudent professional hit man has a spider hole, and Frank is nothing if not prudent. His is a vacant apartment on Narragansett Street, a little efficiency unit on the second floor of a house that's a ten-minute walk away. It has a separate entrance up a back stairway. He bought it twenty years ago, when property was still pretty cheap, put it up for rent, and never rented it.And it sure comes in handy... for a guy who tends to survive because he's thorough.
August 30, 2013
-Mafioso crepuscular y caballero de los de antes.-
Género. Novela.
Lo que nos cuenta. Frank Machianno es un maduro caballero que vive plácidamente en San Diego, con ciertas manías diarias, amante del surf y de las actividades acuáticas, que regenta (además de algún otro negocio) un puesto especializado en carnada para la pesca en el muelle de Ocean Beach, con una hija a punto de estudiar medicina y una novia con una boutique, pero cuando el hijo de un capo de la mafia para quien trabajó en el pasado pide colaboración remunerada en un asunto a “la puta leyenda” Frankie Machine, Frank tendrá que volver al escenario y descubrirá que el pasado sigue vivo.
¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/...
Género. Novela.
Lo que nos cuenta. Frank Machianno es un maduro caballero que vive plácidamente en San Diego, con ciertas manías diarias, amante del surf y de las actividades acuáticas, que regenta (además de algún otro negocio) un puesto especializado en carnada para la pesca en el muelle de Ocean Beach, con una hija a punto de estudiar medicina y una novia con una boutique, pero cuando el hijo de un capo de la mafia para quien trabajó en el pasado pide colaboración remunerada en un asunto a “la puta leyenda” Frankie Machine, Frank tendrá que volver al escenario y descubrirá que el pasado sigue vivo.
¿Quiere saber más de este libro, sin spoilers? Visite:
http://librosdeolethros.blogspot.com/...
March 14, 2017
Love don Winslow this was a brilliant novel but, no where near as good as the power of dog, which is in my all time top ten books.
If you haven't read any Don Winslow books before I would highly recommended him.
If you haven't read any Don Winslow books before I would highly recommended him.
January 24, 2020
Don Winslow has zero problem getting his macaroni al dente. Dude is a bad ass.
I first read his “Power of the Dog series, which was f’n amazing and so was this one. Not as brutal but still damn good. This guy can write.
I first read his “Power of the Dog series, which was f’n amazing and so was this one. Not as brutal but still damn good. This guy can write.
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