Organized crime books
Organized crime books to start from. Open one to see books like it, or tell BookSense what you loved for four picks made for you.
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New to the genre? These 5 are the books to read first.
The Valachi Papers
Peter MaasBuilt from Joseph Valachi's account of his life in the American Mafia, it is an early and influential example of insider testimony in the genre.
Cosa Nostra
John DickieA history of the Sicilian and Italian-American Mafia that places the organization within Italian political and social history.
Monster
Sanyika ShakurA first-person account of gang life in Los Angeles, written from inside the Crips, and a key text on street gangs.
McMafia
Misha GlennyTraces the global trade in drugs, arms, people and money across borders after the end of the Cold War.
Five Families
Selwyn RaabA detailed history of New York's five Mafia families, based on investigative reporting.
Chosen and described with AI from our notes on the genre.
Reading lists
More organized crime books
- Capone
CaponeJohn Kobler - Underboss
UnderbossPeter Maas - Casino
CasinoNicholas Pileggi - Confessions of a Yakuza
Confessions of a YakuzaJunichi Saga - Hell's Angels
Hell's AngelsHunter S. Thompson - Gang Leader for a Day
Gang Leader for a DaySudhir Venkatesh - Spam Nation: The Inside Story of Organized Cybercrime-from G
Spam Nation: The Inside Story of Organized Cybercrime-from Global Epidemic to Your Front DoorBrian Krebs - The Mexican Mafia
The Mexican MafiaTony Rafael - Mafia queens of Mumbai
Mafia queens of MumbaiS. Hussain Zaidi - In God's name
In God's nameDavid A. Yallop - Gangsters & mafieux
Gangsters & mafieuxJohn Seaton2011 - Five Lives Remembered
Five Lives RememberedDolores Cannon2009