by Howie Carr
First published 2006
Howie Carr pulls back the curtain on Boston's criminal underworld through the intertwined lives of two brothers whose names became synonymous with corruption and violence. The story follows these infamous siblings as they navigate the treacherous waters of organized crime and political power in a city where loyalty and betrayal walk hand in hand. Carr draws on his decades of reporting to reconstruct the key moments that shaped their rise and fall. The brothers' choices ripple through Boston's neighborhoods, affecting everyone from street-level operators to the highest echelons of law enforcement. Their family saga becomes a window into the moral compromises that define urban power structures. The narrative reveals how personal ambition and family bonds can both elevate and destroy those who wield influence in the shadows. At its core, this is a story about the price of power and the weight of family legacy in a city where the line between law and lawlessness remains perpetually blurred.
Genres: american-fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, mystery, crime, 21st-century
Vibes: dark, emotional, suspenseful
Tropes: family-secrets, moral-ambiguity
Setting: Boston
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
350 pages · Paperback · Grand Central Pub
Content warnings: violence