Bøker av Emily Sweeney

Many people don’t get along with their parents. But forBobby Luisi Jr., the relationship with his father deteriorated to the pointwhere it became a matter of life or death—kill or be killed. Luisi grew up in the shadow of his father, a notoriousmobster who was feared by many in Boston’s North End, a tight-knit Italianneighborhood that was full of wiseguys. It all came to a bloody end in 1995 when Luisi’s father,brother, and cousin were gunned down in broad daylight in a busy 99 Restaurantin Charlestown, Massachusetts. The mass shooting made national headlines and Luisi’s family turnedagainst him. In Four on the Floor, Emily Sweeney chronicles the last of Boston’s mobwars and provides an intimate look at a family torn apart by violence, andtells the story of how Luisi’s rocky relationship with his father drove him toseek success as a gangster.From the streets of Boston’s North End to mobhangouts in South Philly, this book reveals the inner workings of crimefamilies and the deadly power struggles and infighting that took place amongorganized crime factions in the 1990s. It’s a fascinating tale of alliances,betrayal, and redemption that readers won’t want to put down

“Sweeney's forensic research shines through an entertaining book that is athoroughly delicious slice of Irish-Americana.”—Irish Times "What makes the story of Murphy’s professional wrestling career so fascinating is the way Sweeney sets the scene for many of his matches...From the booming voice of “Whitey” Kaunfer welcoming cold patrons to the Old Mechanics Building to the sweaty, bloody, and crowded confines of the Boston Arena dressing room, Sweeney does an exceptional job... If you are considering this book for its wrestling content, you will certainly enjoy what you find."—Slam WrestlingNewspaperscalled him the “the man with the cast-iron toes,” “the best drop-kicker inwrestling,” and “one of the mat game's biggest box office attractions.” But Dr.John “Dropkick” Murphy's legacy extends far beyond the wrestling ring. Decadesbefore the Betty Ford Center became a household name — and long before the bandthe Dropkick Murphys named themselves in his honor — the phrase going toDropkick’s meant a person struggling with addiction needed help and would soonget some.This book chronicles for the first time the unbelievable life of Dropkick Murphy, a professionalwrestler who put himself through medical school during the Great Depression andthen opened Bellows Farm, a one-of-a-kind institution that served as both a facilitywhere elite athletes could train as well as a secluded place wheredown-on-their-luck alcoholics could go to sober up discreetly.Thecelebrities who frequented Dropkick Murphy’s farm were many, and numerous professionalathletes would go there to focus on their training and work out in hisstate-of-the-art gymnasium. As a result, Bellows Farm featured an unrivaled andrevolving cast of colorful characters who brought it to life. Drawing on yearsof research and interviews, author Emily Sweeney goes behind the scenes toreveal the untold story of Murphy’s life, his farm, and the legendary eventsthat unfolded there.

Boston has had its share of bookies and loan sharks, gangsters and wiseguys, hoodlums and hit men. From the Great Brink's Robbery, which was hailed as the crime of the century; to the long-forgotten Cotton Club in Roxbury, where the legendary nightlife kingpin Charlie "King" Solomon was gunned down; to the infamous Blackfriars Massacre, a brutal gangland slaying that left five men dead, slumped over a backgammon game in a cramped basement office--all of these dark moments in time are a part of Boston's history that is rarely spoken about. Boston Organized Crime explores the region's shadier side and takes a closer look at the mobsters and racketeers who once operated in the Greater Boston area. Drawing upon an eclectic collection of crime scene photographs, mug shots, and police documents, author Emily Sweeney takes readers on an eye-opening journey through Boston's underworld, from the bootlegging days of Prohibition to the bloody gangland wars of the 1960s.