Kill the Boss Good-by (1956) by Peter Rabe
The boss, in this case mob boss Tom Fell, has disappeared. No one seems to know where he's gone and his second-in-command, Pander, wants to make the business his own. But if that's his goal, why is he letting things fall apart? The cops are getting cocky and making raids--that would never have happened under Fell.
We find out mid-way that Fell, a borderline psychotic, had checked himself in for a "rest cure." When his most trusted lieutenant (not Pander) comes to give him a report on business (not good), he declares himself cured and checks himself out of the clinic. But the ruinous results of Pander's "leadership" threatens to push Fell completely over the psychotic border and anyone who tries to stop him from regaining control over his empire of vice may see just what a psychotic rage looks like.
So....this is definitely not my usual thing. The book was part of an allotment of books I bought on eBay (along with vintage mysteries I was actually in search of...) and, being the bookworm I am, decided to keep it and give the story a try. Again...this is not my usual thing. I'm not a big fan of noir or crime syndicate type stories. Shoot-em-ups among gangsters with no real mystery involved just don't do it for me. There is an interesting look at Fell's character and descent into madness, but that's about all this has going for it. ★
First line: For a town of three hundred thousand, San Pietro looked very dead, but it was noon and it was out of season.
Last line: She sat like that, as if she were waiting to cry.
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Deaths = two shot
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