Takedown: The Fall of the Last Mafia Empire
by Rick Cowan, Douglas Century
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Book Summary Information
Author: Douglas Century, Rick CowanEdition: Mass Market Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2003-10-07
ISBN: 0425192997
Number of pages: 384
Publisher: Berkley
Book Reviews of Takedown: The Fall of the Last Mafia Empire
Book Review: Unbelievable!
Summary: 5 Stars
Over the course of the past few years, my love of reading books about the mafia went dormant. When I arrived upon a copy of "Takedown" in a used book store, my interest was revitalized. The story in "Takedown" is unbelievable not because it is untrue, but because it is unbelievable how many times Rick Cowan avoided certain death. Though it is unbelievable at times, it is a true story.
By chance, Rick Cowan was in the right palce at the right time. This young detective made the mafia believe he was a cousin in a garbage hauling family. Through this false pretense, he was able to infiltrate the Gambino Fanily to its highest level. Such a task was thought to be out of reach to the NYPD. The stories Cowan tells of his interactions with the mafia have a level of authenticity to them. You can almost hear the stereotypical accents being spoken as you read. I question whether some of the stories were exaggerated to make the book a more exciting read. Surely any man faced with some of these circumstances would crack or slip.
Cowan even discusses the strain three years uncover put on his family. This is an aspect of the investigation that receives little attention in similar books. I also enjoyed the epilogue in which Cowan discusses whether he felt remorse for "ratting out" the friends he made in three years.
Reading a book about the real life mafia is much more exciting than any movie or TV show available. While there certainly must be some fabrications present in the book, none were so glaring to take away from the story. I would recommend this book to any person with an interest organized crime.
Summary of Takedown: The Fall of the Last Mafia Empire
The bestselling true story of a young NYPD detective's life-or-death undercover odyssey that led to the biggest mob takedown in New York City history.True Crime Books
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