by Mario Puzo
First published 2001
Michael Corleone never wanted the family business. When his father Vito is brutally shot by rival gangsters, Michael is thrust from college student to reluctant heir of a criminal empire. Forced to defend his family's honor and survival, he must navigate a treacherous landscape of vengeance, political corruption, and brutal retribution. As Michael transforms from principled outsider to ruthless don, each calculated decision pulls him deeper into a world of violence he once rejected. The Corleone family's survival demands total commitment—and Michael will remake himself into whatever weapon is necessary to protect his bloodline.
Genres: fiction, historical-fiction, crime, thriller
Vibes: dark, emotional, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, reluctant-heir
Setting: New York
Period: 20th-century
369 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Ballantine Books
Content warnings: violence