What do you think?
Rate this book
Assassin Trilogy #2
The Heart Of An Assassin by Antonio Bertot
A warring crime family hires an assassin to take out the competition.Follow the an assassin bent on completing his mission. An assassin who claims no loyalty to anyone.Follow the life of a young man who grows up to be a detective and through a twist of fate ends up protecting the assassins next mark.The story is filled with intrigue and mystery, keeping the reader on the edge of his/her seat. With a surprising ending that no one saw coming.Assassin, Mystery, Suspense, Mob Wars, Intrigue, Drama, Crime Syndicate,
Paperback
First published April 1, 2009
22 people are currently reading
139 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
April 24, 2011
I loved it.... I wrote it.... LOL
October 30, 2019
It follows the story of a professional assassin named Nick Costello who was given an assignment to kill a mafia boss. He met a young boy named Tyler Santiago and this boy’s mother. After Tyler’s mother was shot by some gang members associated with a mafia family, the two men didn’t meet again until twenty years later — Nick still an assassin and Tyler now a cop. A professional assassin, a mafia family, the FBI and the NYPD… mix them up in intelligence and counter-intelligence, you get a page-turner of a novel. Read my review here: https://starstack.blog/2019/09/16/the...
January 17, 2020
Great read!!
This book ended as I suspected, I liked it so well I reread it. Now I can’t wait to get the next book.
This book ended as I suspected, I liked it so well I reread it. Now I can’t wait to get the next book.
July 31, 2022
Surprisingly Great Read
I got sucked into this tale. Couldn't put it down after the first two chapters. Great character development. Plot twists galore.
I got sucked into this tale. Couldn't put it down after the first two chapters. Great character development. Plot twists galore.
May 9, 2014
7/2/1964 (San Francisco)
Shannon Murphy & Jamie (2 ½ daughter) were on the beach & Jamie fell in. A jogger Jack Ferrari (Green Beret, real estate broker; Nick Costello, a.k.a.: Tim Goldman, Theo, Neal Galuchi, Joseph Drummer; Theodosio Gresco) had saved Jamie. Nick had lost his wife & children in an accident.
Jack was off on his next mission to Newark, NJ. David Spencer was his longtime lawyer/accountant.
Fazio Giordano (father), Felicia (Feli) Giordano (27, daughter, Harvard, criminology); Encino (son); Fabio (son), & lieutenant Leo Russo; lieutenant John De Luca; lieutenant Erin Romano; lieutenant Joe Coleto; Jimmy (associate); Encino (associate); Sammy (guard, deceased); Joey (guard, deceased); were into prostitution, drugs, extortion, & liquor.
The Costellino (Bolnaldo Sr. (father), Tony (son) Costellino; Clemente Marino (advisor); Bolnaldo Jr. (son); Malco Lombardi) family was their enemy/competitor. They were into prostitution, drugs, & the numbers rackets. Nick Costello & Theodosio Gresco had become members of the Giovanna family.
Jack (Nick) & Felicia were working together. Or were they?
Fazio Giordano had been whacked.
Fast forward 5/22/1984 (New York)
Felicia Giordano announces her intention to step down as the head of the Giordano family & let Fabio take over. 2 FBI agents had met with her. Once again she contacted Nick Costello & ask for his help.
Captain John Connolly (37, FBI, Harvard, Organized Crime Task Force (OCTF), & Sam Williams (FBI) & Sheila Cooper (FBI) were investigating various mob cartel crimes. John & Stephanie Connolly (wife) & their 3 children (John (12), Julie (9) & Ingrid (7) were having a BBQ.
Felicia Giordano tells Fabio about the envelope Nick left in her room.
Who is playing whom? How will the indictment against the Giordano family turn out?
My favorite growing up in NY street ball & playing hoops till we hours of the morning. We didn’t care about race/creed, I still don’t. OK: Mick, Greaser, Spic & the N word was used for everyone.
Awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written mobster crime filled book. It was very easy to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. No grammar errors, repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could make also make great mob movie (Scarface; Godfather; Coming to America) or mini TV series. To be continued. There is no doubt in my mind this is a very easy rating of 5 stars.
Thank you for the free book.
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
Shannon Murphy & Jamie (2 ½ daughter) were on the beach & Jamie fell in. A jogger Jack Ferrari (Green Beret, real estate broker; Nick Costello, a.k.a.: Tim Goldman, Theo, Neal Galuchi, Joseph Drummer; Theodosio Gresco) had saved Jamie. Nick had lost his wife & children in an accident.
Jack was off on his next mission to Newark, NJ. David Spencer was his longtime lawyer/accountant.
Fazio Giordano (father), Felicia (Feli) Giordano (27, daughter, Harvard, criminology); Encino (son); Fabio (son), & lieutenant Leo Russo; lieutenant John De Luca; lieutenant Erin Romano; lieutenant Joe Coleto; Jimmy (associate); Encino (associate); Sammy (guard, deceased); Joey (guard, deceased); were into prostitution, drugs, extortion, & liquor.
The Costellino (Bolnaldo Sr. (father), Tony (son) Costellino; Clemente Marino (advisor); Bolnaldo Jr. (son); Malco Lombardi) family was their enemy/competitor. They were into prostitution, drugs, & the numbers rackets. Nick Costello & Theodosio Gresco had become members of the Giovanna family.
Jack (Nick) & Felicia were working together. Or were they?
Fazio Giordano had been whacked.
Fast forward 5/22/1984 (New York)
Felicia Giordano announces her intention to step down as the head of the Giordano family & let Fabio take over. 2 FBI agents had met with her. Once again she contacted Nick Costello & ask for his help.
Captain John Connolly (37, FBI, Harvard, Organized Crime Task Force (OCTF), & Sam Williams (FBI) & Sheila Cooper (FBI) were investigating various mob cartel crimes. John & Stephanie Connolly (wife) & their 3 children (John (12), Julie (9) & Ingrid (7) were having a BBQ.
Felicia Giordano tells Fabio about the envelope Nick left in her room.
Who is playing whom? How will the indictment against the Giordano family turn out?
My favorite growing up in NY street ball & playing hoops till we hours of the morning. We didn’t care about race/creed, I still don’t. OK: Mick, Greaser, Spic & the N word was used for everyone.
Awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written mobster crime filled book. It was very easy to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. No grammar errors, repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could make also make great mob movie (Scarface; Godfather; Coming to America) or mini TV series. To be continued. There is no doubt in my mind this is a very easy rating of 5 stars.
Thank you for the free book.
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
September 9, 2014
This book was given to me by the author as a review copy, this does not ensure a positive review.
The assassin, trained in times of war, takes a job from a mob boss in order to take over a huge territory. The hit is successful, but not before the assassin gets tangled into the lives of people around him. Can he maintain anonymity in the face of death? Will it make him slip up his perfect record? You will have to read the book to find out.
While I admit there are a few editing issues in this book, the storyline itself is really good. I enjoyed reading it and at the end was hard-pressed to put it down. There are a lot of characters in this story that you have to keep track of, but realizing that this is a story not just about the assassin but a few different mob families, it is really expected that the character list be rather long.
The action scenes are quite detailed and though the conversation in the book is minimal, because the scenes are vivid, it does not feel lacking. On the contrary, the limited dialog gives you the feeling that you are hearing the story from an insider. The short chapters and changing characters effectively speed the pace of the novel all the way to the end.
The assassin, trained in times of war, takes a job from a mob boss in order to take over a huge territory. The hit is successful, but not before the assassin gets tangled into the lives of people around him. Can he maintain anonymity in the face of death? Will it make him slip up his perfect record? You will have to read the book to find out.
While I admit there are a few editing issues in this book, the storyline itself is really good. I enjoyed reading it and at the end was hard-pressed to put it down. There are a lot of characters in this story that you have to keep track of, but realizing that this is a story not just about the assassin but a few different mob families, it is really expected that the character list be rather long.
The action scenes are quite detailed and though the conversation in the book is minimal, because the scenes are vivid, it does not feel lacking. On the contrary, the limited dialog gives you the feeling that you are hearing the story from an insider. The short chapters and changing characters effectively speed the pace of the novel all the way to the end.
June 3, 2013
The assassins are almost always my heroes. They are smart, kind, tough and fearless. I like it when they take a wound that would kill an ordinary man, yet they survive. I do not like to see them become ordinary, turn chicken and die.
This book was entertaining despite rookie cops being pitted against seasoned mobsters which made the playing field uneven. I did not even consider the mechanics of good writing. After breaking one law, why not break them all?
I will tell you a true story. Once I was caught in the crossfire of a drug bust. The law on one side of me and the perps on the other. My adrenalin flowed. There was raw power unleashed of a magnitude I had never known before. While reading this book, I was reminded of how I felt on that day of the drug bust. Read this book. It is short and easy to read, despite the plethora of names. There is a little twist at the end which was hatched in kindness at the beginning of the book. I gave the book a high three stars.
Thank you, Mr. Bertot, for an entertaining read.
This book was entertaining despite rookie cops being pitted against seasoned mobsters which made the playing field uneven. I did not even consider the mechanics of good writing. After breaking one law, why not break them all?
I will tell you a true story. Once I was caught in the crossfire of a drug bust. The law on one side of me and the perps on the other. My adrenalin flowed. There was raw power unleashed of a magnitude I had never known before. While reading this book, I was reminded of how I felt on that day of the drug bust. Read this book. It is short and easy to read, despite the plethora of names. There is a little twist at the end which was hatched in kindness at the beginning of the book. I gave the book a high three stars.
Thank you, Mr. Bertot, for an entertaining read.
February 8, 2017
Need to read the prequel and sequel before writing a review. All I can say now that it makes for a good action mob movie.
September 29, 2013
Rather disappointing book. Characters were very one dimensional, and frankly difficult to keep track of who is who. Didn't get interesting until maybe half way through, and the ending itself was very unsatisfying.
Especially disappointing was the lack of any clear editing. "Accent" used instead of "Ascent" - big difference and shows a great deal of sloppiness. Other examples as well.
The ending of the book suggests a part two. I'm not sticking around for that one.
Especially disappointing was the lack of any clear editing. "Accent" used instead of "Ascent" - big difference and shows a great deal of sloppiness. Other examples as well.
The ending of the book suggests a part two. I'm not sticking around for that one.
September 5, 2015
Fast Read
Story started on page 1 and continued through the whole book. A great page-turner. Kept me interested. The only thing I didn't like we're the many typos and grammatical errors. That kind of thing aggravates me, but I guess that's what you get with a free download. Other than that, it was a great, suspenseful read.
Story started on page 1 and continued through the whole book. A great page-turner. Kept me interested. The only thing I didn't like we're the many typos and grammatical errors. That kind of thing aggravates me, but I guess that's what you get with a free download. Other than that, it was a great, suspenseful read.
Read
August 14, 2011love it
December 4, 2011
More 2.5 than 3 stars. Lots of simple errors and more than a little unbelievable twists.
April 8, 2012
I loved it.
June 24, 2014
There were grammatical errors all over but the story telling was good. Creative twist ending and good descriptions make you feel like you can let go and "know" the characters. :)
December 28, 2013
A great read with an electrifying ending!!
May 25, 2015
Good read!
Easy to read and keeps your attention. if you like mafia and gangland books this is one you will like.
3.5 stars
Easy to read and keeps your attention. if you like mafia and gangland books this is one you will like.
3.5 stars
July 17, 2016
good story, too many names to keep track of probably could have written down names to keep track of who belonged to what crime family.
July 11, 2016
This is a great book of how an assassin changed a neighborhood.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews