SOLVED. Novel about the mob and the space program. [s]

[Phil]

A few years back I came across a book from the late '60s/early '70s that centered around the mafia infiltrating the American space program. I can't remember the cover, but the blurb on the inside page was about a group of gangsters on a boat off of Cape Canaveral watching a rocket launch and deciding to get into the business. Does this sound familiar to anyone?

[Rosa]

Firebase Seattle, maybe?

[Phil]

It wasn't part of a series (but this does look interesting!)

[Justanotherbiblophile]

I've read this! There's a spoiler you're not mentioning, and I don't want to ruin it for you if you don't remember it.

[Rosa]

Gaah! Can you put it under a spoiler warning, Justanotherbibliophile?

[Justanotherbiblophile]

There's a lot.

Book was older - before newstands/retailers forced publishers into making authors do mega-novels, so was only like 100-200 pages.

(view spoiler)[
We start out with a scientist, who confirms that the Sun is going to go Nova. Which is why the government is funding a lot of shuttles, that're going to immigrate a bunch of people, implied government cronies. We visit a Don who's doing 10-20 in prison, who tells the family to listen to the couple of scientists (they confirmed with another scientist, and many scientific folk are bailing for universities and research labs - since they're not part of kinda corrupt America, and aren't going to get taken), so indications are that this is something serious and not just pointy-heads talking. The Mob decides that they want in on this (I'm pretty sure boat scene is in here). They break the Don out of his white-collar prison (he had been staying doing his time, and running the family from behind bars - but he wants on a ship), and he's not alone. The various branches of the families each get a ship (of a total of like 40?). So several NY families get ships, Chicago gets a ship, Vegas, etc, etc. They're planning to take all the ships and put their people aboard instead of the government's choices (which look to be various politicians, military, and their hotties etc). There's various hijinks - one of the Dons hates another one, and during the launch sequence that ship blows up. Assassins and hitmen and thugs have a field day during the several month lead-up to this operation, as all the stuff everyone was saving up to get even later has now come due. They're self-screening, and are supposed to not bring drugs, but one of those screeners passes a kid who's bringing marijuana seeds past, but tells the young punk that he's going to get a cut. Hottie GF to married upper family guy had to leave her mink coat. The scientist has negotiated for him and his family to go, but at the last minute gets squeezed out. Which was part of the reason the Mob believed him. Anyways his seat get sold to someone who wasn't going to get to go. Mob called due all its debts, and sold out its business interests/territories to the yazuka and other gangs (black panthers?) in order to raise money to take artworks, gems and other things (luxuries) with them. Huge lists of who gets a berth on a ship, and who doesn't, etc, etc. They basically steal the shuttles, and load them up and blast-off early. And at the end...






[ And now I'm going to ruin the ending ]







the scientist and a cop/political guy watch the shuttles launch, and go - well, that only cost us $40 billion (or trillion?). But, the cost of decapitating every major Mob family and their business interests was worth that much, the savings in crime-fighting alone will pay for itself in a year. Do you think they'll be pissed when they find out the Sun's not going to explode? The scientist is wistful, and says I kinda wanted to go anyways. They're headed towards adventure.
(hide spoiler)]

[Rosa]

Wow! But you don’t remember the title either, huh? Well, with those details, someone’s sure to recognize it.
Your first paragraph of description doesn’t have to be hidden, I don’t think.

[Ayshe]

Hijack seems like it could be the book?

[Rosa]

I bet you’re right, Ayshe! You can read the magazine version here, Phil.

[Justanotherbiblophile]

Ayshe's suggestion is the book I described. Whether or not that's OP's...

[Phil]

That's it - thanks!