Early on in The Big Heist, it refers to “a crime that he and the rest of America would never forget.” Well, I had forgotten. But that’s the thing: this book assumes a lot of prior knowledge. It IS extremely comprehensive, and provides a rich history of this crime, the Mafia (particularly New York-based), and the bizarre role of the law enforcement community in the investigation. But I think those with more prior knowledge of the subject than I have might appreciate it a bit more (another star!)

For anyone who doesn’t remember the crime itself, suffice it to say that this crime was the basis of the movie Goodfellas and, using recent evidence from the 2015 trial of eighty-year-old Mafia don Vincent Asaro, tells the true story of his long-rumored role in the Lufthansa heist.

The book is divided into three sections. In the firs six chapters, the world of the New York Mafia is explored in depth, including the reach of the Five Families at the height of their power. The second section, chapters 7-12, looks at how this heist happened, and how the mastermind of the crime relied on accomplices who were not too bright, which resulted in a boatload of murders. The final section covers the famous betrayal of Asaro by Valenti at the trial (which resulted in a shocking acquittal).

It’s quite an accomplishment, and would be appreciated by true crime fans in general, organized crime story buffs, and anyone who is curious about the extent of the power held by the mob a few short decades ago. Four stars!