THE LUPARELLI TAPES

by Paul S. Meskil ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 1, 1976

The songbook of Italian-American crime has fattened bulgingly since Joe Valachi turned canary: nearly a thousand informers are now relocated with new identities, and former Mafia hitman Joe Luparelli has joined the chorus of privately taped memoirists. Luparelli rose to grisly eminence as chauffeur-bodyguard-enforcer for Joseph (Joy Yack) Yacovelli, family counselor and onetime acting head of the Colombo family, one of the five ruling the New York underworld. He tells of his incorrigible childhood, various burglaries, murders, and jail terms, and of his most famous exploit: fulfilling the contract on Crazy Joe Gallo in the shooting at Umberto's Clam House in Little Italy. When Joe Yack said his wife knew too much and might turn coloratura, so kill her and I'll take care of the body, Luparelli agreed--but got cold feet (or a warm heart) at the last moment. Today he has bad dreams filled with ghosts. Heavy on the blood but nothing new.

Pub Date: Jan. 1, 1976

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Playboy

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 1976

Categories: NONFICTION