The Mafia: A Story of Corruption, Violence and Murder

by Al Cimino

This enthralling guide tells the story of the rise and spread of the Mafia, from the island of Sicily to the United States and beyond.

The Mafia is full of blood-chilling characters, from Al Capone, who ran Chicago during Prohibition, and hitmen Louis Lepke and Alberto Anastasia who founded Murder, Inc, to Totò Riina, 'boss of bosses', John Gotti, 'the Teflon don', and Bernardo 'The Tractor' Provenzano, who hid out under cover for 43 years...

They were extraordinary men who lived through extraordinary times. The Mafia tells the story of their lives, their families, their codes, their crimes and their cold-blooded murders. It's a long and enthralling tale, drenched in blood and scored with betrayal.

This book provides an essential starting point to understanding the world of organized crime.

350 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 1, 2026

Reviews

[Omari Jarrett]

Great book! It covers all the central mafia families in Italy and specifically NY, Philly and CHI in the US. At times the stories feel disjointed due to all the characters Cimino tries to cram into the book. Overall, a great read!

[Christy]

I've read numerous books on this subject and I will say that one was very informative. Which I really enjoyed.