Family Affair: Greed, Treachery, and Betrayal in the Chicago Mafia
Giancana and Burnstein lay out the history of Outfit (i.e., Chicago Mob) leadership while detailing how investigating the double murder that inspired the movie Casino led to the Family Secrets trial and the jailing of several crime bosses. The victims whose demise sparked the whole thing were Anthony and Michael Spilotro; Joe Pesci’s character in Casino was based on Anthony, and his brutal portrayal was apparently spot-on. The cops caught a break when the Spilotros’ grave was quickly found and evidence began to accrue. When Nick Calabrese and Frank Calabrese, Jr., agreed to testify against Capo Frank Calabrese, Sr., the die was cast. The incidental detail about Outfit upper management proves fascinating; noting how poorly high visibility served founder Al Capone, subsequent leaders Paul Ricca and Tony Accardo took pains to avoid it. Giancana, godson and namesake of another all-too-public face of the Outfit, is well-placed to tell this story, which, though poorly organized and in places poorly written, is must-have true-crime stuff, especially for mavens of organized crime in one of its legendary capitals. --Mike Tribby