The Valachi Papers

New York Times Bestseller

“As fascinating as fiction, a bloody history of the Mafia as lived by one of its members." —New York Times Book Review

The First Inside Account of the Mafia

In the 1960s a disgruntled soldier in New Yorks Genovese Crime Family decided to spill his guts. His name was Joseph Valachi. Daring to break the Mobs code of silence for the first time, Valachi detailed the organization of organized crime from the capos, or bosses, of every Family, to the hit men who "clipped" rivals and turncoats. With a phenomenal memory for names, dates, addresses, phone numbers—and where the bodies were buried—Joe Valachi provided the chilling facts that led to the arrest and conviction of Americas major crime figures.

The rest is history.

Never again would the Mob be protected by secrecy. For the Mafia, Valachis name would become synonymous with betrayal. But his stunning exposé broke the back of Americas Cosa Nostra and stands today as the classic about Americas Mob, a fascinating tale of power and terror, big money, crime. . . and murder.