No Haven: The Connecticut Mob and the Rise of America's Model City

by Paul Bleakley

With Boston to the north and New York City to the south, Connecticut’s history of organized crime is often overlooked. This is the untold story of New Haven’s illegal past.

One of America’s most historic and enduring cities, New Haven has wrangled with a perpetual identity struggle, torn between worlds that occasionally converged in chaos and violence. In the 1930s, Connecticut became a region where Mafia families like the Genoveses, Gambinos, Colombos, and Patriarcas shared turf—working together with enough profits to go around or descending into open war to rival that experienced in any major city. Central to this conflict were three men who were, at different times, cautious allies or sworn nemeses. Representing the Genoveses, Midge Renault reigned supreme thanks to his reputation for wanton violence. Meanwhile, Colombo capo Ralph “Whitey” Tropiano maintained a lower profile, which belied his reputation as a vicious killer. But it was his lieutenant, Billy “The Wild Guy” Grasso, who ultimately rose to the top after joining the New England Patriarca Family, enjoying a short rule that ended with a murder plot that left him on the wrong end of a bullet.

Genres: Audiobook, Nonfiction

276 pages, Hardcover

Published September 3, 2024

Reviews

[Joanne Ellis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Paul Bleakley’s *No Haven* brings to light the often-overlooked but deeply fascinating history of organized crime in New Haven, Connecticut. With a backdrop defined by the influence of nearby powerhouses like New York City and Boston, Bleakley expertly delves into the city's tumultuous past, revealing a complex world of Mafia intrigue, violence, and shifting alliances. While cities like New York are commonly associated with Mafia lore, *No Haven* asserts that New Haven played an equally significant role in the web of organized crime that gripped the northeastern United States.

The book focuses on the 1930s, a period when Connecticut was a battleground for Mafia families such as the Genoveses, Gambinos, Colombos, and the New England-based Patriarcas. Bleakley’s narrative is anchored around three central figures who shaped the city’s criminal underworld: Midge Renault, Ralph “Whitey” Tropiano, and Billy “The Wild Guy” Grasso. These men, at various points cautious allies or fierce enemies, reflect the shifting dynamics of power within the Mafia, where violence and betrayal were as common as the alliances that temporarily maintained the peace.

Bleakley’s depiction of Midge Renault, who ruled through sheer brutality, and Ralph Tropiano, who maintained a quieter but no less lethal presence, adds layers to the book's exploration of the personalities that drove the chaos. However, it is Billy Grasso, with his eventual rise to power within the Patriarca family, who stands out as a tragic figure. His ascent and sudden downfall are emblematic of the volatile world these men inhabited, where loyalty could quickly turn to treachery.

What makes *No Haven* particularly compelling is Bleakley’s ability to blend historical research with gripping storytelling. His background as a professor of criminal justice and a former journalist lends the book both scholarly depth and narrative accessibility. Bleakley’s attention to historical detail is impressive, yet he avoids bogging down the story with academic jargon, making the book an engaging read for history buffs and true crime enthusiasts alike.

In addition to chronicling the lives of these mobsters, Bleakley also captures New Haven’s identity struggle. The city, caught between its rich history and its darker, violent underworld, serves as a microcosm of the larger regional dynamics at play. Bleakley shows how the Mafia's grip on New Haven was not only a symptom of its geographical positioning but also a reflection of the broader socioeconomic factors that allowed organized crime to thrive.

*No Haven* does more than recount historical events—it paints a vivid picture of a city grappling with its place in the world of organized crime. Bleakley’s nuanced portrayal of the city’s Mafia past, paired with his sharp analysis of the power struggles between families, makes this book an essential contribution to the field of historical criminology. It is a rich, compelling read that reclaims New Haven’s rightful place in the annals of American organized crime history.

For readers interested in Mafia history, *No Haven* offers a fresh perspective on a region that has been long overshadowed by its more famous neighbors. Bleakley’s skillful storytelling and deep historical insights make this a must-read for anyone curious about the hidden corners of America’s criminal past.

[Bonnie Kernene · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this book because mostly because I did not know there was a Mob in New Haven, or any part of Connecticut for that matter. I did find the book rather interesting, but it did seem to revolve around the same people. These mobsters did seem to be the kind you see in many movies - very violent and spent a lot of time locked up. The Boss was well known, and the territory they had tended to be split with the 5 NY families. They did not really have much pull, so if they wanted to move up or stay alive, they paid up. The book was not bad. The research did not seem to be too bad, but I don't know how much information is out there on this, since I did not even know it existed! Give it a read if you like mob books. It is a good read.

[Shane Maher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started this book after watching National Geographic series "Inside the American Mob" and I was curious to see how these events impacted my home city. This book is short, only about 200 pages introduction to conclusion, but it is dense. Thankfully watching the docuseries helped me understand the constant list of names being thrown at me as a reader. Bleakley moves effortlessly through the history of New Haven weaving dynamic characters in and out of the narrative while keeping a pulse on the greater crime families and the goings on of the rest of the region. Perfectly focused and yet so rapid fire informative it definitely requires a reread to catch everything.

[Karen Olson · Rating 1 out of 5]

Relies very heavily on a series of in-depth and extensively researched articles published in 2009 that are easily accessible online for free and written by a New Haven journalist. In fact, it is structured in much the same way as that series, around the same three characters and with a similar narrative. Nothing new here—and the author clearly is not from New Haven.