I think THE SOPRANOS was one of the most overrated TV shows ever. I think the year that they killed off Christopher’s girlfriend, it felt like it was going nowhere fast. From what I understand with how it ended, I was right in my assumption. But enough about that – I still love a good mob movie or series dealing with organized crime, so this week we feature three books with one thing in common: the Cosa Nostra, aka “the Outfit,” the bent-nose bunch. So put away your copy of GOODFELLAS for a minute and take a look at these three under-the-radar titles.

MAFIA: OPERATION HIT MAN by Don Romano – This 1974 book was part of the MAFIA: OPERATION series, but it doesn’t have any sort of continuity, that’s for sure, other than dealing with the mob. This one involves the recruiting and work of the title character: a hit man named Dom Caressimo, a former Vietnam vet who is woken by a group of men in complete darkness, making him a job offer he can’t refuse.

And that job is as a hired hit man on the Mafia payroll. He’s given specific directions to follow so he won’t get caught: Do nothing flashy, never kill the subject in certain places or in front of his family, and of course, never kill anyone not involved – just the target. Dom makes a name for himself right off the bat, first taking care of a businessman by making it look like an accident. The only problem was a bit of collateral damage: the businessman’s mistress. After that, he is told never to do that again or there will be repercussions. Dom celebrates by bedding down a bored housewife from Connecticut.

His next assignment is taking out a vending machine operator is a public way. We’re given the gruesome account from a witness’ perspective, and it involves a wall and a bulldozer. As time goes on and Dom gets richer and richer, he figures it’s time to start hiding his money overseas in a certain European country’s banks.

When he gets back from his travels, Dom is given a job that doesn’t sit right with him at all, causing all sorts of problems with his sex life, to the point that he frequents a dominatrix to get himself off. The mob frowns upon this, since the dominatrix does not come cheap.

This is not Mario Puzo’s THE GODFATHER by a long shot. It’s actually a pretty breezy read in general. The killings are not too graphic in their depictions, plus there’s the transformation of Dom from his first job to coming up with a secret identity the mob knows nothing about. What he learns is that everyone is expendable in the world of crime, no matter how good you are at the job. If you find the book, grab it. It’s not going to tax your time or mind.

THE INVADER by Richard Wormser – If MAFIA: OPERATION HIT MAN was just mindless fun, this 1972 one is a slow burn with very little payoff at the end. It’s the story of a small, Texas border town where not a whole hell of a lot ever happens, until someone buys a ranch and does some major improvements.

That man is Dan Dominick, a former solider of the street, as he refers to himself. But there is one person who doesn’t think so: our main character Sheriff Ken Craigie, who at first thinks Dan is a reformed type and a pretty nice guy. But soon the cracks start to show.

First, Dan wants some of his men to be able to carry guns, for which they would have to become deputized. In a town where nothing happens, all of a sudden it has some major money moving in. Then there’s the discovery of an airstrip right over the border. Wonder what that might be used for? Not to mention the house that Dan built looks strangely like a fortress of some sort.

Then Ken has his own problems to deal with, when it’s made to look like his wife ran off with Dan, who himself has disappeared, and with a supposed drug bust blows up in Ken’s face for over stepping his authority. And in the upcoming sheriff elections, one of Dan’s men has signed on as a candidate. It’s all made to look like that the mob wants to take over this one-horse town, with only one man to stare them down.

Not a whole hell of a lot goes on in this novel, but it moves smoothly enough, just to keep you wanting to find out what will be the major payoff. Wormser’s writing is very by-the-numbers, with the climax literally happening on the second-to-last page. I was like, “Okay, are they just going to tie it all up super-quick or am I missing some pages?” You can probably guess how it all turns out.

But the big laugh is the cover, which proudly proclaims THE INVADER is from the same publisher as THE GODFATHER – yes, not writer, but publisher. Yeah, that’s what sells me on some books. There are some publishers I lean toward, knowing full well they deal with quality: Hard Case, Stark House, Black Lizard – but since this book is from 1972, I don’t really think that can apply to this one. Sure, Fawcett Gold Medal put out some great things, but they also put out some real clinkers. Case in point: this.

THE MARKSMAN #5: HEADHUNTER by Frank Scarpetta – This 1973 number is what I like to lump in the category of series books that you can’t jump into. You know the type I’m talking about: where the books pick right up one after another, never explaining what in the world just happened in the previous title.

From what I gathered, Philip Magellan was a triggerman for the mob until his family was killed. But let’s get back to the mess that is this story: We meet Phil as he is flying from St. Thomas to Puerto Rico, since he is on the run – from whom, I have no idea, since it’s never made clear. On the island, he takes a taxi ride, where the driver and his young son plan on rolling the “American tourist.” Phil has other plans: killing everyone who tries to kill him.

Then there is some girl he tries to meet who also flew in from St. Thomas. She seems to be the adopted daughter of some Mafia bigwig. Like I said, nothing is written out and explained; things just happen. All of a sudden, the girl is raped while Phil is out and about. This all takes place within the first 60 pages. Lost? Damn right I was.

The rest of the book deals with Phil hiding from law enforcement and busting up some Mafia heroin ring. HEADHUNTER just made me think, “Why didn’t I just read the Remo Williams mob book instead?” At least there, I knew what would be going on and not feel so lost in the lurch. Avoid this one, unless you’ve got books 1-4 to explain what the hell is going on. Otherwise you’ll just be wasting time and energy.

Next time: Saddlebums or saddletramps? –Bruce Grossman

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