Killing the Mob: The Fight Against Organized Crime in America (Bill O'Reilly's Killing Series)

“Killing the Mob” is the tenth book in the Killing series by authors Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard. This one examines the fight against organized crime in America. As with the previous nine books in this series, this reader found the story to be highly interesting, well-researched and well-written.

The chapters prior to the organized crime chapters reviewed some of the truly bad boys and bad girls from the 1930s. This included those gangsters, that movies have been made about, including Bonnie & Clyde, as well as John Dillinger and others. Often times these “gunners” seemed to be bigger than life. Now that this reader knows that Bonnie Parker was only a petite four feet, eleven inches tall, he sees her in a different light. Hard to visualize her as a tough gal, that is vertically challenged and chain-smokes Camel cigarettes.

The women that were involved with both gangsters and political elite was entertaining. Why these attractive women were involved with gangsters was fascinating. Singer Phyllis McGuire, Virginia Hill Hauser, and then actress Marilyn Monroe and socialite Judith Campbell who would sleep with both gangsters and President Kennedy. President Kennedy most certainly was an active womanizer outside of his marriage, and FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover enjoyed keeping files on who the president was sleeping with.

I see Attorney General Robert Kennedy in a new light, as he most certainly did go after organized crime and had some success, to the anger of J. Edgar Hoover. One would imagine Robert Kennedy having concerns about how close his father Joseph was to the mob.

Most certainly was “Killing the Mob” an enjoyable read. The authors, as they have recommended in previous books, including the excellent “Killing Crazy Horse”, is to get out and experience where the history in the book was made. They recommended for this book the Bonnie and Clyde Ambush Museum in Gibsland, Lousisana. They also mentioned several cemeteries where famous gangsters are buried. The authors left this reader with the thoughts that the fight against organized crime continues, the war will never be won and there are simply too many people willing to go after all that money found in criminal activities,

I have read and reviewed all ten of the "Killing"- series books. Each was worthy of 5 stars except this one and "Crazy Horse". In each case, the need to broaden the scope of the subject causes the description of characters to become more superficial. Adding pre-prohibition bank robbers seems arbitrary in a book focused upon the Mafia. Descriptions of the brutal "hits" done on mob members often seem needlessly lurid and gratuitous. Nevertheless the pages turn rapidly as the book progresses in the "pithy" manner typical of the series. Those readers seeking a guilty dip in salacious gossip may decide to pass a few unoccupied summer hours with this book. Just don't expect to find organized crime to be killed by the final page.

Okay, so I have read O'Reilly's books in the past and just want to point out that his research books are usually pretty good. This is no different: interesting stories in Bill's voice about an endlessly fascinating topic.

A great read!

This book is scary and amazing. Well researched and easy to read. You won't be able to put it until the end and even then you will want to read the rest of the story.

"Killing the Mob" was a quick and interesting read. It is well written, compelling, and enjoyable like O'Reilly's/Dugard's other books, but this one was written more like a bunch of character vignettes and anecdotes, and lacked some of the depth and continuity of their other works. Similar to other titles in the "Killing" series there was some very unique and entertaining information documented (and sourced), but "Killing the Mob" is a very wave-top level volume. If that's what you're looking for in order to get an introduction into organized crime and the Mob, then this is an excellent starting point. However, I recommend looking elsewhere for a more comprehensive, authoritative publication.

Read it then read killing Geronimo Then read killing Lincoln