Description
Book SynopsisPresents the true story of the life of Richie “the Boot” Boiardo, one of the most powerful and feared men in the New Jersey underworld. Richard Linnett provides an intimate look inside the Boot’s once-powerful Mafia crew, based on the recollections of a grandson of the Boot himself and complemented by never-before-published family photos.
Trade Review"Richard Linnett’s riveting, eloquent account of a larger-than-life man, his family, and an era is testimony to the truism among crime writers that nothing we create can ever equal reality—a page turner." -- Katherine Hall Page * award-winning author of the Faith Fairchild mystery series *
"In the Godfather Garden is a compassionate and remarkable story. This is a deeply-researched and beautifully written tale of a true-life character, straight out of classic tragedy." -- Scott Wallace * author of The Unconquered: In Search of the Amazon's Last Uncontacted Tribes *
"A fascinating and often riveting book about Richie 'the boot' Boiardo and his exploits with an amazing cast of characters from the annals of organized crime in New Jersey … This is an excellent book, and highly recommended for anyone with an interest in organized crime." * The Historian *
Table of ContentsContents
The Garden ix
Acknowledgements xi
Prologue: They Got Me, Joe 1
1 Diamond Ritchie 11
2 The Longy War 26
3 I'm no Crybaby 45
4 Fortune Son 57
5 Jerry 65
6 The Club Fremont Incident 85
7 Castle Cruel 100
8 Loose Lips 113
9 The Old Gang of Mine 124
10 Cause for Indictment 134
11 The Italian Way 142
12 On the Jolly Trolley 154
13 The Mafia Exists! 162
14 This Thing of Theirs 171
Epilogue: The Curse 182
Timeline 191
Cast of Characters 195
Notes 203
Selected Bibliography 227
Index 231
