The Tangled Web: The Life and Death of Richard Cain - Chicago Cop and Mafia Hit Man

Compelling! The Tangled Web is my first ever "mob book". The pace certainly propelled me though it fighting off sleep to do so. The author's use of crime terminology brought realism to the page. His desciptive narrative brought color to the black and white of the time period. I am a fan of murder mysteries which this was not. At times I thought the story was influenced by the fact that the author was also his brother and was "easy" on this corrupt man. Possibly he has been "too easy" on this character, Dick Cain, I thought but the last chapter changed my thinking. Dick Cain was clearly a sociopath from my perspective and they often have ingratiating personalities thus the portrayal. Michael Cain writes brilliantly particularly noting his extensively poignant vocabulary. I do hope he continues to express himself with his writing talent. The plan is to send this off to a friend who is anxious to read the book in Detriot. Linda Jean

I picked this up on a recommendation from a friend, and could not be more pleased that I did. Written by Michael J. Cain, this is the account of Richard Cain's life and times in crime. A Mafia solder for Sam Giancana, Cain worked both for and against the law to further his agenda. This is such a fun, interesting read that anyone can enjoy.

Imagine having a half brother who was both a highly decorated police detective and a "made" soldier in Chicago's Giancana crime family. That is the story that unfolds as Michael Cain describes the double life of his half-brother Richard. Richard Cain was rumored to be involved in the CIA plots to assassinate Fidel Castro and he was also named as one of the mob hit men supposedly involved in the assassination of JFK. He was appointed Chief Investigator for the Cook County Sheriff's Department at the same time he was on the payroll of mob boss Sam Giancana. What is amazing is that Richard Cain's corruption was widely suspected yet it did not prevent him from moving up the ranks of law enforcement. Along the way he also found time to bug foreign embassies, pass himself off as a psychologist and become and informant for the FBI. The book is mesmerizing read and covers many aspects of organized crime in Chicago from the 1950's to the early 1970's.

You have to keep telling yourself that yes, this is a true story. For a leading character that came from such humble, mundane background, Dick Cain let a most extraordinary life. The book does an excellent job of tracking his life, from a pseudo-inside perspective. It adds to the appeal of the book that the author has a vested interest in the subject, but not involved enough to have a stake beyond discovery of the truth. No over the top dramatics but a very straight forward, well told story. The book leaves you wanting more, which is a good measure of its success. Dick Cain did great things, terrible things, but great. You read his story and he seems to be just a run of the mill tough guy, but by the end of the book you realize just how many adventures he had and just home much of this era's history he saw. It was hard to put down and was told in a very personal, well pace manner. This is a great view of organized crime from the inside. Not from someone who made it big in a financial sense or a power sense, but from a person who actually survived as long as he did without achieving either of those measures of success. Not a stooge but not a star, which makes it, in my experience, a unique and fascinating book.

This book represents the culmination of many years of research both inside my family and inside the government agencies that were a part of Richard's life. I'm proud of the work I've done and encouraged by the feedback from people who have read it. In the true sense of the old Chinese curse, Richard was a man who led an interesting life. I'm not proud of my brother, but I made a decision that his story was worth telling for all its fascinating twists and double dealing. When I was approached by the FBI and told (with implied threats) that I should not pursue the research, I knew that I was onto something that was worth my efforts. I hope you'll agree, and please feel free to send your comments to [email protected]