The Bronx-born son of a Jewish bootlegger, "Joey the Hit Man" was introduced to crime when he was just eleven years old. For the next thirty years he was a numbers king, scalper, loan shark, enforcer, and drug smuggler. He hijacked trucks, fenced stolen goods, and trafficked in pornography. But Joey really made his name as a Mafia assassin, racking up thirty-eight cold-blooded hits—thirty-five for cash, three for revenge.
In Killer, Joey tells the true story of life in organized crime. He exposes the reality of gang wars, discusses how he raised a family while living on the wrong side of the law, and documents the day-to-day business of crime—from making and breaking alliances to staying one step ahead of the cops. "People think because they saw [The Godfather] they know everything there is to know about organized crime," Joey contends. In this no-holds-barred account, he reveals the brutal truth behind the Hollywood fantasy.
This new edition of Killer includes an afterword by coauthor David Fisher that unmasks Joey's real identity—and the circumstances behind his death that add another layer of mystery to his complicated, colorful, and fascinating life.
Contains mature themes.