Whereas the Purple Gang was a predominantly Jewish group, the crime organizations covered in this volume all come from different ethnic backgrounds. Each gang covered provides insight not only into their crime organization, but also into the ethnic origins of the region. For instance, the chapter on the Giannola/Vitale Mafia covers the origins of the war between the two gangs, which lasted from 1918 to 1921. It also covers the origins of the Italian Mafia-including the history of the dreaded "Black Hand"-and its enclave in the Detroit area. Among other famous area gangs included is the predominantly Irish "Legs" Laman mob and the "River Gang" whose leaders became the founders of Detroit's modern Mafia family.
Kavieff's first book, The Purple Gang, stayed on the Detroit bestseller list for months after its release. With this title Kavieff once again captures the flavor of the era and the region marvelously and is sure to captivate readers across the country
