October 8, 2019

The Lagotti Family series reads a little like a Sam Spade novel and a lot like “The Sopranos” (more on that in a minute). This review focuses on book one in the series, The Heist.

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There was a lot to like about this book. First, I appreciated the tone. I could hear the voice of a narrator of an “old-time” gangster movie in my head as I read, which was pretty cool. The plot itself was intricate and tight. There were no loose ends.

I liked the character development. At first, it was a little tricky to keep all of the character relationships straight, but it became apparent early enough in the story that there was a purpose to the tightly woven interactions and connections. The character introductions were such that I could tell who would be a long-term player and who might not be around for long. This method made me think of the first season of “The Sopranos,” when the family relations were complicated but apparent. That took some writing skills on the part of the author.

The plot itself was also well-done (as always, no spoilers – especially since it is a crime family saga). As it is the first of four books, it spent some time laying the foundation for the rest of the series. In that regard, the details about Frank and Mary Lou (in particular) were essential to get straight. I liked the situation that Mary Lou found herself in and found her choices to be entertaining.

Another Soprano allusion: Mary Lou reminded me of Carmela. She understood the family rules and took part in everything (sometimes complicit, sometimes unwittingly), but she also saw that there could be another life for her if only she made different choices. I felt some sympathy for her as she made her choices.

For those who are faint of heart, be warned: these books are gritty and (at times) quite graphic. There is no sugar-coating the attitudes of some of the characters, which sometimes results in language and scenes that may seem shocking.

I think that this aspect added to the story. In today’s society, there is so much that is sanitized and “politically correct.” People are offended at just about everything, which often results in entertainment that is watered down and bland. These books do NOT do that; the author makes no apologies and does not take the easy road, which results in a more realistic and authentic story.

I recognize this might mean that the series isn’t for everyone, and that’s okay. But if you are missing “The Sopranos,” be sure to give the Lagotti Family box set a try.

About Leopold Borstinksi:

Leopold Borstinski is an independent author whose past careers have included financial journalism, business management of financial software companies, consulting and product sales and marketing, as well as teaching.

There is nothing he likes better so he does as much nothing as he possibly can. He has travelled extensively in Europe and the US and has visited Asia on several occasions. Leopold holds a Philosophy degree and tries not to drop it too often.

He lives near London and is married with one wife, one child and no pets.