Genre: Novel
Grade: B+
Notable People: Loren Estleman
Title: The Confessions of Al Capone
Review –Surprisingly well written and good light read. It’s a long one- that can be read in small increments. Estleman departs from his usual mystery genre to tackle the story of an FBI clerk handpicked by J. Edgar to infiltrate the Florida estate of a dying Al Capone. I won’t tell you why he is chosen since that is part of the premise- but he is quite ill suited. The narrative vacillates between wartime Miami where the story is being recorded and 1920’s Brooklyn and Chicago as Capone tells his story to the man he be lives is there to be his confessor. Vivid portraits, very well researched- a compiling portrait of both men(Capone and Hoover) and the times. I have a weakness for gangster stuff- but this is a good one.