Love a great mob story and this one definitely delivers. Great intrigue and kept me invested the whole way through.

This isn't the type of book I would normally read but the photo and synopsis drew me in.
Overall it was a good book and taught me a lot about a world that I knew nothing about.
The book though had a lot of downtime in it and I found myself skimming parts of the book. It also had a lot of people mentioned and a lot of nicknames in it that made it hard to keep it all straight at times.
If this is a world you are interested in though, I highly recommend this book and am glad I read it, as I learned so much.
Thank you to Netgalley for giving me this book for an honest opinion.

A glimpse into the mob alliance known as Murder Inc. in the 1930s/1940s NYC. I was drawn in at the start, not knowing anything about the topic, but unfortunately it got to be a bit of a slog in the middle. So many names and (at times hilarious) nicknames; this person murdered that one, these 4 people murdered this other person, etc. At times the book felt repetitive, and somewhat scattered in its narrative.

I'd say this is a 2.5 from me. If the narrative were slightly more focused, and overall a bit tighter, I would've been a much bigger fan. But if you're one for non-fiction and don't mind a denser read, I'd recommend it.

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book is in need of additional edits to tighten it up. Right now, it wanders too much and loses the reader's attention.

Thank you, NegGalley and St. Martin's press for the ARC of this book! I love historic fiction, so decided to give a try to historic non-fiction. The book was enjoyable and interesting. The action moved forward briskly, and the suspense was palpable. There were several times when the characters reappeared after a long absence and without much re-introduction. Luckily, I could use a "search" function on my Kindle to find the same character earlier in the book and refresh my memory. Having lived in Manhattan and Brooklyn for 10 years, I could appreciate some addresses and locations. But for most people this level of detail may be too much. However, those are minor quibbles. Go ahead and enjoy this book!

I really enjoy reading about true crime because it interest me about how and why some people act the way they do. This book was very intriguing because it gave a lot of information about the mafia, at least the mafia in New York in the 1920s and 1930s Sometimes I had to tell myself that what I was reading was true and not fictional. If you enjoy true events this is a must read for you.

#ABrotherhoodBetrayed #NetGalley

This was my first mob-related book and I found it fascinating. The story delves into the growth of the mob family in Brownsville, New York - a neighborhood in Brooklyn. Abe Reles, a mob murder man and enforcer, works his way up through the ranks to become the enforcer that everyone turns to, this gives him an unimaginable of power over those below - and above him. When Reles feels the law is coming for him, he quickly starts to sing. Thanks to a memory most people would be jealous of, Reles tells all his takes and sends multiple mob members to Sing Sing where they are executed in the electric chair nicknamed "Old Sparky." Shortly before Reles is set to sing at his biggest trial, he is found dead outside his safe house. There continues to be a lingering question of if he was murdered, killed himself, or died trying to escape.

All in all, this book was definitely worth the time invested to read it. I learned about mobsters I never knew existed and allowed me to learn more about those I knew the names of. I found myself googling the mobsters so I could have a picture in my head of what they looked like so I would have a better understanding of those involved.

I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from the publisher, Minotaur Books, through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book pretty much starts and ends with Abraham “Abe” Reles. It is a story about Reles but also big and little hitters in the New York mob, specifically Brooklyn. His rise and influence in the Brooklyn mob hierarchy and Murder, Inc.

Thomas Dewey fought the mob and the book provides great insight into his political career. Dewey’s replacement, William O’Dwyer, ultimately brought down the Brooklyn racketeers and details of his career. Information is shared about Tammany Hall’s fight against the corruption. Through his defection, Reles helped solve the mystery of numerous murders resulting in numerous arrests of close confidants. Reles “was so cavalier about the killings that he tabulated them as carelessly as one might count friends attending a dinner.” Reles “confirmed the existence of a coast-to-coast underworld with fences to dispose of stolen goods, moles to warn of police movements, doctors to discreetly treat gunshot wounds, and farmers to hide murderers in barns and back houses.” The book goes through the rank and file of the mafia.

There is a great deal of history in this book about anyone connected to or fighting against the mob during the Prohibition era. Much research went into the book including the life of individuals in the mob, their families, arrests, and their lives post-incarceration. The tightness of the “Brotherhood” is evident and unacceptance of any betrayals. The reader learns about police, attorneys and judicial system.

I very much enjoyed this book and learned a considerable bit about the Brooklyn mob and living during this era. The book is well-written, holds the reader’s interest, and moves quickly. The author does a great job tying up what happens to many characters where possible. The “mystery of his [Reles] death had been raked over by one grand-jury probe, one Senate committee, and two mayoral elections, but the question persisted unanswered and unresolved.”

This book was very interesting. It delves into the actual world of the Mafia. The Mafia wasn’t just of the Italian descent; it was made up of other groups like the Jewish and Irish nationalities. It was also almost natural
for young men, who hung out on the street, to become involved in jobs that the Mafia heads would throw their way. The youth were seduced with the money and the way the community treated them, once they were known to be working with the Mafia. This is exactly what happened to Abe Reles. He became very well known for getting every job taken care of. He was vicious, brutal, and feared. The Mafia leaders began to call on him for taking care of getting rid of individuals whom they felt were a threat to their livelihood. Reles’ company, Murder, Inc., was born. Reles’ friends from youth became his Murder, Inc. crew. Reles priced himself on the fact that the Commission trusted him with their criminal activities. The New York and New Jersey officials made it their goal to basically go after the Commission. For many years O’Dwyer fought the system of corrupt police and higher ups who were on the payroll of the Mafia. He was determined to bring the Mafia down. His process was to go after the lower echelon of the Mafia. As they fell, the Mafia leaders would eventually fall. Finally O’Dwyer brought in Reles and his crew. In order not to spend years in prison for murder, he did the unthinkable. He “sang like a canary.” What could he possibly tell O’Dwyer? What secrets would he confess to the Prosecutor? Would the Mafia or the police come after him? Would O’Dwyer be able to keep him protected and alive? Reles was his key witness. Would Reles testify against his own crew? Would he testify against the Commission? This book shed so much light on the various Mafia families and their way of life. There was extensive research completed for this book. I was surprised by many things that The Mafia had been able to do in order to keep their Commission alive. The character development was described in such way that the reader was transported in time. If you like all things Mafia, then this book is a definite read.

Deep with details of names, places, dates, and actions of the murderers and gangsters of New York, this book reads like a textbook on the subject of Murder, Inc.. The facts and testimonies of this gang of murder for hire men are thoroughly documented. This is not an easy or a quick read, however, it is thoroughly engaging as it looks into lives that we have only seen in black-and-white movies of times past. If you are a studious person and want to dive deep into the subject, I would highly recommend This book. Thank you to NetGalley for the advance read copy.

I received an advance reading copy (arc) of this book from NetGalley.com in return for a fair review. Let's face it...gangsters can be fascinating and a group of gangsters who arranged murders at the request of mob figures are even more intriguing. This book details the elite group of killers known as Murder, Inc. They worked out of a New York candy store known as Midnight Rosie's. Honest! Here they sat waiting for a phone call, a message, or a visit that would send them out on their next assignment. With major players such as Abe 'Kid Twist' Reles, Albert 'The Mad Hatter' Anastasia, and Louis 'Lepke' Buchalter, this ruthless group carried out hundreds of murders across the country during the 1920s and 1930s. Author Michael Cannell did a very good job with researching and telling the story. My only complaint was the vast number of characters involved. It was hard to keep them all straight. Murder, Inc. ended its reign of terror when Reles decided to rat them out around 1940. He turned state's witness and sent at least four co-workers to the electric chair. Reles himself met a mysterious fate by defenestration (look it up) that has yet to be satisfactorily explained. If you ever wondered just how the mob pulled off their grisly deeds, this book will give you an incite into how they operated. This is a must-read for anyone interested in mobsters and the bedlam they caused. Lesson learned? Don't cross the big boys!

Michael Cannell's A Brotherhood Betrayed: The Man Behind The Rise And The Fall Of Murder Inc. is a very informative and graphic story about organized crime back in the day and how things worked. Not only does this book describe killings but also the participants. I recommend this book for any one with an interest in the Mob. Mafia or organized crime. However, for the casual reader it would not be to their liking.

For fans of the early Jimmy Cagney films, the TV series The Untouchables, Boardwalk Empire, Peaky Blinders, Goodfellas, and the Godfather films and Goodfellas, this book is for you . This tells the story of Abe Reles and his rise from street corner kid thug and how he works his way up in the mob who later turns informant. The book opens with his death and how his death was listed as "happening during his escape from custody.". then goes into flashback to his early life. Book is dark, gritty , and reflects mob/gangster/police corruption in 40 s Brooklyn NY. Interesting read for fans of this genre.

Thank you so much to the publishers and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A Brotherhood Betrayed follows the rise and fall of Abe Reles, one of the main members of the notorious Murder Inc. This book follows his life and how he would eventually turn on those he worked for and become an informant with law enforcement, only to be found dead before he could testify in court.

Let me begin this review by saying that this is not my usual genre for reading. I am almost completely strictly Young Adult Fantasy, but this story caught my attention. I am so happy that it did. This book read like an adventure rather than a drawn out biography. It touched on multiple people Reles was involved with, allowing for a break from just the facts and lets the drama build up until the point when Reles begins working with law enforcement. It makes you feel immersed in the world of those mobsters and gives you alot to think about when it comes to how those people found themselves in that lifestyle. I would happily recommend this book to anyone who likes the time period with the mobsters or is interested in the networking of the mafias. It was a great read and a surprising break from my norm.

Review: A Brotherhood Betrayed (The Man Behind the Rise and Fall of Murder, Inc.) by Michael Cannell

My thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The man referred to in the title is Abe Reles. I chose to read this book, because I am a huge fan of stories, movies, podcasts, and articles, about organized crime and the criminal elements involved in such activities. I actually enjoy almost all true crime TV shows and podcasts, but these about organized crime and criminals from the early 20th century are some of my favorites. In this book, I hoped to read about the famous gangsters I knew about before or had watched for years. These hopes were satisfied in spades but not as I expected. I had never heard of Abe Reles. I was surprised to have not met Abe previously, but I was not disappointed and happy to meet a new “thug.”

A Brotherhood Betrayed is encyclopedic in its coverage of Abe Reles’s life, crimes, connections, and demise. The book contains lots and lots of stories of the organized crime underworld and how Reles was connected to the crimes and more famous bosses. It was fun to read about the sad end for most of these criminals. Why didn’t I know that Lucky Luciano had been deported and then returned?

If you are a fan of organized crime and criminals, I think you will enjoy this book. I certainly did.

Star rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. I thought I had a good grasp of mob history but I had never heard of Abe Reles. This book was a fascinating look into the most dangerous crew of mobsters. This book was a page turner and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Any fan of mob history will like this book.

The worst part of this book is that it is true. How or what has to happen to people to allow them to do such horrible, miserable and hateful things defies my understanding. Those that make it a profession are even more disturbing. So reading this book, with all the veracity it contained, was painful.

The hypocrisy of these people also reveals their depravity- hurting and killing people, and all the sorrow those acts bring with them- are the job. Yet when they have to consider consequences of their actions. suddenly they need protection.

Frankly I am glad the guy died, but think life in prison, not witness protection would have been more just. All I can say is that I hope he saw the ground coming up.

Well written, enjoyable to read, other than what it was about. The author is good enough to make the bloodshed very, too, real.

Abe Reles, executioner for the Mob/Murder Inc, plummeted to his death in a hotel the day he was supposed to testify against his powerful Mob compatriots. Was it suicide, murder, or a failed escape attempt? The story gripped the nation in 1941. This well-researched book delves deeply into the case, and is definitely worth the read. Highly recommended.

I want to thank NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and author Michael Cannell for providing me with an ARC of this novel!

This was a colorful and spectacular read. I have been obsessed with the Mafia ever since I can remember, so seeing this title was super exciting for me. Who doesn’t like a bunch of Wise Guys? Answer me that! This was novel-like more so than textbook-like, which I really appreciated. Usually novels in this genre will put you to sleep because they’re akin to a history lecture. I couldn’t put this one down once I started it, and I can’t wait to tell more people about it! I’m going to go watch Good Fellas now!

Thank you again to those named above for the chance to read and review this novel!

Murder, Inc did exactly what its moniker would suggest. When the mafia powers needed to eliminate a problem or settle a score or deliver a message, they called on Murder, Inc. Abe Reles was part of the machine. A hitman with great skill and loyalty. But, then he became an informant, a rat as it were, and helped bring down the organization he helped build. This is a slice of Americana that many would prefer to forget but must remember. Michael Cannell has brought this story alive with novel-like suspense and incredible research. You will love this book. Guaranteed.

DP Lyle, award-winning author, lecturer, and story consultant.
www.dplylemd.com