Little Vic and the Great Mafia War, Larry McShane
Little Vic and the Great Mafia War, Larry McShane
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Little Vic and the Great Mafia War

Author: Larry McShane

Narrator: Brandon Pollock

Unabridged: 6 hr 1 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 02/25/2025


Synopsis

June 20, 1991. A five-man hit team waited in a car outside the Long Island home of Victor Orena, the acting crime boss of the Colombo crime family. Orena recognized the vehicle—and managed to escape with his life. Over the next year, more shots would be fired in what would become the last major mob war in New York's crime-soaked history—and one of the bloodiest. The war ended with Orena's 1992 arrest and conviction for racketeering.

With shocking new revelations from Orena's son Andrew, this eye-opening account takes listeners inside the criminal underworld of New York's infamous "Five Families" from the point of view of one of its rising stars. The grandson of Sicilian immigrants, Victor Orena ingratiated himself with the local Mafiosi during his teens. Ascending the ranks, he eventually became acting boss of the family when its don Carmine "The Snake" Persico was sentenced to prison. But as Persico struggled to maintain control from behind bars, Orena decided to seize that power for himself—launching a ruthless mob war the city would never forget.

Featuring a rogues gallery of legendary mobsters—from the Gallo brothers to the Gambinos and John Gotti—this riveting account sheds new light on one of the most fascinating chapters in American crime.

About Larry McShane

Native New Yorker Larry McShane is a thirty-five-year veteran city reporter, first with the Associated Press and currently with the New York Daily News. The Seton Hall University graduate was a two-time AP New York State Staffer of the Year, and received awards for both feature writing and breaking news coverage during his career. Larry is the author of Cops Under Fire and Chin: The Life and Crimes of Mafia Boss Vincent Gigante.


Reviews

“No one wins in a war, the only one that will is the government” This a true statement and a quote in this book that unfortunately came true. This book is about Mob boss Victor “Little Vic” Orena who at the time was the crime boss of the notorious Colombo family. This book talks of his rise and fall......more

Goodreads review by Jeff

This is a comprehensive narrative of the machinations of the mob and the story of Victor “Little Vic” Orena, a prominent mob boss of the Colombo crime family. The book details the ruthlessness and depravity of mob thugs who turn on themselves to gain control of the “ family” by any means necessary,......more

Goodreads review by J

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC. Larry McShane's "Little Vic and the Great Mafia War" isn't your typical, slickly romanticized gangster saga. It's a raw, knuckle-bruised tango through the chaotic heart of New York's underworld, a symphony of pinstripes and pistol shots conducted......more

Goodreads review by Russell

Larry mchshane books chin and orena both could have been researched better Some major errors in editing and mixing up so e things but good job exposing the corruption that put Mr orena Sr behind bars for life as as 20 to 30 monsters with much more murder convictions have been released on compassiona......more

Goodreads review by Ron

A well-done and informative book on the Great Mafia war and the individuals involved. The author does an outstanding job of introducing the characters and providing a background history on their lives. The story is doubly intriguing with the behind-the-scenes events with local police and FBI agents.......more