Customer Reviews

Hit 29: Based on the Killer's Own Account

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Joey was a real contract killer, but not a Mafioso. He just did some work for them from time to time. Not an unusual situation. He died some years ago from natural causes. His obituary was in Time Magazine. This book appears to have been put together from Fisher's notes without Joey available to fill in the holes. Fisher had to ad-lib some facts, but did not have specific knowledge. For instance, when Joey smelled trouble he took the safety off two of his .38s. Revolvers do not have external safeties, and no hitman would use a semi-automatic (which has an external safety), even if reliable .38 semis were available in the '50s and early '60s. There is always the chance of a misfire, and with a semi one has to go thru a clearing drill to get off a shot. With a revolver one has merely to pull the trigger again. Also, tailing someone as Joey did it would get you made within a very short time; and; no phone tap would be be done in such a dangerous way. But if you read the book carefully and between the lines, there is some good information. Is the book worth reading? I say Yes.

Not nearly as good as the first book "Joey the Hitman" but still a great page turner. The most entertaing part was near the end. The killer calls up his cheeseball attorney to answer some police questions. When he tells him about the murder he is under question for, and that yes he did do it, the the lawyer laughs and says "Why can't you get into something safe like dope smuggling?" I wish I knew what his real name was. Oh yeah, one other thing. No matter what anyone says about these books by "Joey", the tone of the writing and the facts do ring true, very much so, especially when compared side by side with books by other contract killers. Those that say otherwise are full of hot air.

David Fishers is the ghost writer behind the story of Mafia hit man Joey. Fisher has already published the bestseller Joey the Hitman, and his second memoir with the anonymous Joey focuses on a specific hit--number 29--in Joey's career of over thirty contract murders.

The book is told from Joey's first person point of view. He lays #29 out as a reckless decision, a poor choice in his calculated career. He should have laid low after #28, should have listened to his instincts, but he needed the money for his gambling habit.

The 1968 crime bosses and gambling numbers runners are sufficiently colorful to hold the reader's attention, and the moral code of the tough guys is fascinating, as are Joey's expectations of his "old lady" back at home. He's not college-educated, but Joey's no slouch. He manages a gambling ring and plots his every move to stay on the down low to the law and the right side of the Mafia. He's hardworking and methodical. His tale of a hit that spiraled out of control is a terrific narrative from a tough, cocky wiseguy. Is it 100% true? Probably not. A great read? You bet.

Joey is going to make a hit. Hit number 29 in fact. This time it's a bit strange. He knows the intended victim from childhood, the guy who hired him has a vendetta against him, he's got people following him, and he's not quite sure if the guy deserves what he's getting.

The book boils down to whether in the end, the victim gets killed, or Joey gets shafted. In order to describe how he kills someone, he describes the events leading to, during, and after the job has been done. While hitting is a great story, the preparation involved, along with the needless and pointless details is not.

Joey seems to describe his days at the track, his arguments with his wife, how he hates one guy, how numbers are run. Seemingly sidetracked, he sometimes forgets he's hitting a guy and describes the tedious day to day movements of his own life. When he does go back to the hit, the mystery of the victim is fragmented and hardly fluid.

While interesting in the beginning, towards the later half it gets pretty monotonous, as if delaying the ending in order to fill a few more pages.

What saves it is that is a true story, and does provide insight to the methodical way a hit is accomplished, along with a description of a life of a New York criminal.

This book really gave an in depth look at what goes through a hitman's mind. I found it compelling and hard to put down. I constantly felt like I knew what was going on inside Joey's head.

Oh, and HA HA I'm the first one to review this book!!