Boyos

Fast paced, a tight and intricate plotline and with a varied cast of characters Richard Marinick scores five stars for his first novel 'Boyos'. Unlike many crime novels published these days 'Boyos' doesn't fall into the trap of trying to be a synopsis for a movie. The characters are true to life, low life to be more accurate and the author obviously has a detailed understanding of the Irish American take on crime families. The book isn't without a couple of faults, though. The anti-hero, Jack Curran, could do with a little more character development to put some flesh on his bones, there are occasional passages in the book which have more detail than is required by plot and the frequent references to the songs playing on the radio become something of an irritation after a while and don't really contribute to either the sense of time and place or atmosphere of the scene. Overall the book is a great addition to the crime genre, avoids many of the usual pitfalls of the gangster novel and is a satisfying read.

Boyos is a masterpiece of modern day crime fiction. To hear this author criticized as an ex-con is to completely miss the point. Many significant writers have been incarcerated: Jean Genet, Oscar Wilde, Anton Chekhov, Aleksandr Solzynitzyn...the list goes on. To be sure, there are criminals who try to cash in on their notoriety by writing a book. If you look closely you can tell them at a glance: they all have co-authors. Eddie McKenzie and that Gotti girl come to mind. Richard Marinick is different: from what I hear, he was a writer before his arrest; he wrote all through a ten-year prison stretch; he wrote everyday for eight years afterward, all before he got a book deal. Get this: he's a writer, who happens to write what he knows, not a thug trying to cash in. And the fact he writes what he knows makes Boyos one of the most remarkable books you'll ever read.

Lots of comparisons were made in reviews of "BOYOS" to George V. Higgans and Dennis Lehane. Not to take anything away from those most excellent crimedog writers, but Marinick has a real-deal heavyweight style all his own. This guy writes dialogue true to the streets of Boston and he plots with same complexity and skill as Ellroy. Interwoven plotlines seamlessly work to build a high wire tension that makes the reader feel like they're a part of the Curran Brothers criminal world. Marinick's massive canvas includes Eye-talian diamond merchants, wise guys, bookies, dealers, addicts, a gluttonous FBI agent, wanna bes, sweet irish Grandmothers, boxers, bartenders, gamblers and thieves. And all of them are depicted with a level of veracity rarely seen in the genre. Also, when the characters in BOYOS ham it up with outrageous anecdotes, it feels and sounds real and not cartoonlike as a Tarrantino comic book pseudo criminal does. No this guy is the real thing and I for one look forward to more books from him.

I have to admit that I bought this book because one of the author's brothers is a friend of mine. I wasn't expecting much since this was his first book but saying I was pleasantly surprised would be putting it mildly. This book was beyond my expectations and the future holds bright for Richard Marinick. The author has taken the wit of Robert Parker's Spenser, the gritty dialogue of Elmore Leonard's 70's novels and the suspense and drama of Dennis Lehane and intertwined them into a novel that allows you a glimpse of how the real criminal society functions and survives. If you enjoy the work of any of the above mentioned authors or have the slightest interest in "Southie" you should buy this book. Guaranteed you will be yearning for Mr. Marinick's next novel.

In the Southie side of Boston, Jack "Wacko" Curran and his even crazier brother Kevin earn a living working for mob boss Marty Fallon by mostly selling drugs to neighborhood dealers, but also perform other duties as assigned. After gaining needed experience on the job, Wacko decides it is time that the siblings become self employed or do a hostile takeover. To bankroll his venture, Wacko plans an armored car heist. Meanwhile Marty has not become a mob chieftain by sitting idly by as his underlings gain the skills until they branch out or try to replace him. Instead, he knows when trouble is brewing and believes the Curran brothers are the current duo to put on ice. Fallon knows about the upcoming robbery and turns to his pals in the FBI to put away the latest pretenders to his Southie crime kingdom, but if the Feds fail him, war is imminent with no one sure which side the cops might be on. This is an interesting look at the criminal mind from an insider's perspective (the author is a former Southie mobster) that grips the reader from the moment they realize how dangerous Wacko and Kevin are. The story line moves forward at rapid pace while insuring fans have a deep look at the ambitious Wacko and to a lesser degree sly king of the mountain Marty and drug crazed loony Kevin. None of the key protagonists are likable or admirable, but these BOYOS will fascinate readers as few characters do. Harriet Klausner