The Winter of Frankie Machine

Frank Machianno, age 62, runs a bait shop near San Diego; loves his girlfriend, ex-wife, and daughter; sponsors Little League; and lives a quiet life. Suddenly, somebody wants him dead. The retired mobster, known as "Frankie Machine," goes underground to find out who and why. Like Tony Soprano and the Corleone family, Frankie's a sympathetic antihero with heart. Dennis Boutsikaris delivers a fine performance, unveiling Frankie's life in the Mob through flashbacks, some poignant, some bloodcurdling, some humorous. Don Winslow's clever plot twists and intriguing personalities make it difficult to separate the good guys from the bad, but with his wise-guy insouciance, Boutsikaris maintains a tight grip on this appealing character and keeps listeners firmly on Frankie's side. S.J.H. (c) AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine

August 21, 2006
Elmore Leonard fans who have not yet discovered Winslow (The Power of the Dog
) will be delighted by his fourth thriller with its sympathetic antihero. Frank Machianno, a retired mob hit man known as Frankie Machine as a tribute to his efficiency, has put his past behind him and is living a tranquil life in San Diego running a bait shop and supplying restaurants with linens and seafood. When the son of a local mob boss asks for his backup in resolving a dispute with the Detroit mob, Frank agrees, only to find that he's been set up as the intended victim of a hit. Using his survival skills and street smarts, the executioner follows a trail of bodies to identify which of his past crimes has caught up with him. While the plot is familiar, Winslow has created plausible characters and taut scenes of suspense that will keep readers turning pages. Author tour.