The Kennedy family has always intrigued me. As a history freak I have read a lot of stories about them that gave me a look inside their lives. I already knew that the Kennedys weren't the choir boys that some believed they were; Corruption, mafia, sex, adultery and more. This book confirms that once again, but with some interesting other facts. I liked the more in-depth knowledge of Joe (the father) as most books are more centred on JFK and his brother Bobby, which have their fair part in this book as well. I appreciate the research the author has done and I truly enjoyed the book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you, NetGalley, and Ad Lib Publishers for this ARC.

I found Reckless by Mike Rothmiller and Douglas Thompson interesting but way too long.

Joe Kennedy was hand in glove with the mafia which included sectors of Jewish immigrants, Italians and Russians and when the stock market crash in 1929 wiped out their cash flow Joe Kennedy was astute as he had put his money into stocks and shares hence surviving the crash. Joe not only loved money but also the mafia's women which included high class prostitutes and movie stars. Both Bobby and Jack his sons would follow in their Father's footsteps. Joe Kennedy was also pro-hitler and pro-Chamberlain and disliked interacial marriages.

Bootlegging was rife and Joe had a big falling out with mafia boss Lanskey which was to do with the hijacking of Joe's bootlegger drivers being killed thus causing Joe to have a vendetta against them which was also passed down to both of his sons.

Mike Rothmiller, a former detectective and military veteran brings up conspiracy theories toward the end of the book which piqued my interest with regard to the shooting of JFK by Lee Harvey Oswald.

This was a really insightful account of the JFK era pre and during his presidency. It describes the influence and puppeteering undertaken by his father and the dark side of politics and the world in which the Kennedys lived and operated.

An interesting book on the lives of the Kennedys, from father Joe to JFK and his brothers.

This book is thoroughly researched, also sharing with us the wider goings on of the time, such as prohibition and the mafia. I didn’t really know anything about JFK at all (other than Marilyn & his death) so this painted him in a whole new light. Instead of the kind of folk hero cut short in his prime, my allusions have definitely been shattered.

Although this book is in-depth, it’s not super difficult to read like some other non-fiction books. It gives some interesting new thoughts to the times. If you want to learn more about the real JFK then I would read it.

Thanks to the authors, publisher & NetGalley for access to this arc in return for an honest review.

To the world the Kennedy's were a devote Catholic family. Led by patriarch Joseph an ambitious man along with two of his children. John and Bobby. Both with ambitions. Whilst giving the impression that family was everything, behind the scenes was different. A corrupt life with the mafia. Dealings with the Rat pack. Actresses. And sex!!!!. Plenty of sex.
The authors have investigated the family and brought interesting details to the table that will give you a different side to the men. How pillow talk could lead to disaster.
This is an inside into a different political lifestyle of the Kennedy's and those they had dealings with.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to see an ARC

Reckless a quite shocking book by Detective Mike Rothmiller,formerly of the LAPD, and true crime specialist author Douglas Thompson about the Kennedy clan,most specifically Patriarch Joseph and sons John and Bobby.
For years the Kennedy's had an almost mythic legend, the devout Catholic family with the good-looking sons whose ambitions saw them rise to the highest political offices. The young President who was a devoted family man, his brother the lawyer who was the scourge of organised crime..........or so the generally accepted legend goes.
If you realise that actually the Kennedy family were not the saints they're generally perceived as,this book will shock you. If you know a bit more and think they actually not very nice people ,this book will shock you. Even if you've read all the books and realised that they had dodgy friends,were womanisers and had resorted to murder at least once to prevent a major scandal.......this book will STILL shock you.
From father to sons the male Kennedy's were total degenerates and narcissists,they moved in the same circles ,were friends with and were helped by notorious gangsters. Golden boy JFK was a drug-addicted,sex -addicted predator whose behaviour left him wide open to blackmail as he fell for at least one "honey trap". The sheer scale of depravity is mind-blowing as the authors continue with the revelations and the Kennedy's come across as something from the imagination of Mario Puzo.
Much of what's revealed in this book seems too awful to be true but authors Rothmiller and Thompson have meticulously researched previously withheld but newly-released files and interviewed remaining eye-witnesses.
An excellent book that smashes the "Camelot" legend to pieces and reveals the Kennedy image to be as far from the awful truth as possible.