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Crooks
From award-winning author Lou Berney comes an electrifying new novel that follows a uniquely American crime family on an unforgettable journey across four decades.
You’ve never met a family like the Mercurios.
They say the American dream is going farther in life than your parents ever did. But how does that work if your parents are criminals?
For Buddy, a low-level mob wise guy, and Lillian, a charming pickpocket, the criminal underworld is the only life they’ve ever known. When they’re forced to flee the glittering Babylon of Las Vegas, they end up opening a club in Oklahoma City—a town that quickly feels like a gold mine of fresh marks and easy new money. Along for the ride are their five children, all of them raised into the family business of crime—until the day comes when they each have a chance to make their own way in the world, even if they can never completely escape the family’s long, dark shadow.
Jeremy, the family’s Golden Boy, will throw himself into the glittering excesses of a drug-fueled Hollywood in the roaring 1980s.
Tallulah, the daredevil, will find herself in the deadly Wild West of post-communist Moscow.
Ray, the dope, the dumb muscle since he was a kid, wants nothing more than to put down his gun, but following orders is all he’s ever known.
Alice, the genius who renounced her life of crime long ago, now sees her white-shoe law firm being blackmailed and must tap into old skills to save both the company and her own life.
And Piggy, a civilian always on the outside looking in on his crime family, desperate to be part of the gang.
Crooks is an epic novel about a truly unforgettable crime family—and their lives across forty years of corruption, each Mercurio living with the weight of a dark legacy that ultimately threatens to destroy the whole family.
You’ve never met a family like the Mercurios.
They say the American dream is going farther in life than your parents ever did. But how does that work if your parents are criminals?
For Buddy, a low-level mob wise guy, and Lillian, a charming pickpocket, the criminal underworld is the only life they’ve ever known. When they’re forced to flee the glittering Babylon of Las Vegas, they end up opening a club in Oklahoma City—a town that quickly feels like a gold mine of fresh marks and easy new money. Along for the ride are their five children, all of them raised into the family business of crime—until the day comes when they each have a chance to make their own way in the world, even if they can never completely escape the family’s long, dark shadow.
Jeremy, the family’s Golden Boy, will throw himself into the glittering excesses of a drug-fueled Hollywood in the roaring 1980s.
Tallulah, the daredevil, will find herself in the deadly Wild West of post-communist Moscow.
Ray, the dope, the dumb muscle since he was a kid, wants nothing more than to put down his gun, but following orders is all he’s ever known.
Alice, the genius who renounced her life of crime long ago, now sees her white-shoe law firm being blackmailed and must tap into old skills to save both the company and her own life.
And Piggy, a civilian always on the outside looking in on his crime family, desperate to be part of the gang.
Crooks is an epic novel about a truly unforgettable crime family—and their lives across forty years of corruption, each Mercurio living with the weight of a dark legacy that ultimately threatens to destroy the whole family.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published September 9, 2025
172 people are currently reading
7535 people want to read
About the author
Lou Berney
9 books1,083 followersLou Berney is the Edgar Award-winning author of Double Barrel Bluff (November 2024), Dark Ride (2023), November Road (2018), The Long and Faraway Gone (2015), Whiplash River (2012), and Gutshot Straight (2010), all from William Morrow. His short fiction has appeared in publications such as The New Yorker, Ploughshares, the New England Review, and the Pushcart Prize anthology.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 153 reviews
October 22, 2025
Lou Berney has written a wonderful book about a crime family called the Mercurios. The characters are fascinating and fun. They include:
Buddy (the father) - starts out working for the Mafia in Las Vegas. When he is forced to flee, he settles in Oklahoma City and runs a crooked nightclub there. Buddy has never seen a con job that he doesn't like.
Lillian (the mother) - understands her husband well. Her criminal instincts match his. She has five children, yet is decidedly not maternal. Her children practically raise themselves. They are expected to play their parts in the family business.
The Children:
Raymond - is 6 foot 5 inches tall and built like a house. At times, he is thought to be slow, due to his quietness. Ray is very loyal to his sibs. At 18 years old, he becomes a bouncer/security guard at a Los Vegas nightclub. He has no trouble killing people, when ordered to do so by his boss. His life changes when he has an on-line romance and when he finds himself in charge of the nightclub.
Jeremy - is attractive and personable. He grows up to seduce older women who are wealthy. It's a different type of con than what his father specialized in, but a con, nevertheless.
Alice - is the smartest of the siblings. Being exposed to crime as a kid has made her go in the opposite direction. She becomes a high powered attorney. In trying to intercede when her supervisor is being blackmailed, Alice finds herself back in the world she left long ago. Long buried instincts awaken.
Tallulah - could never sit still as a child. She grows up to become an acrobat in a traveling act in Moscow, Russia. The troupe entertains in private homes and also, steals on the side. Tallulah befriends a 10 year old girl in her apartment building and this changes her life.
Piggy - is the nickname for Paul, who is the baby of the family. His sibs are much older. He has a smaller role in the novel.
*******************************
My Reactions:
I thought "Criminals" had it all - good pacing, an original story, intriguing characters and well-planned surprises. It would make a tremendous movie. I loved it!
Buddy (the father) - starts out working for the Mafia in Las Vegas. When he is forced to flee, he settles in Oklahoma City and runs a crooked nightclub there. Buddy has never seen a con job that he doesn't like.
Lillian (the mother) - understands her husband well. Her criminal instincts match his. She has five children, yet is decidedly not maternal. Her children practically raise themselves. They are expected to play their parts in the family business.
The Children:
Raymond - is 6 foot 5 inches tall and built like a house. At times, he is thought to be slow, due to his quietness. Ray is very loyal to his sibs. At 18 years old, he becomes a bouncer/security guard at a Los Vegas nightclub. He has no trouble killing people, when ordered to do so by his boss. His life changes when he has an on-line romance and when he finds himself in charge of the nightclub.
Jeremy - is attractive and personable. He grows up to seduce older women who are wealthy. It's a different type of con than what his father specialized in, but a con, nevertheless.
Alice - is the smartest of the siblings. Being exposed to crime as a kid has made her go in the opposite direction. She becomes a high powered attorney. In trying to intercede when her supervisor is being blackmailed, Alice finds herself back in the world she left long ago. Long buried instincts awaken.
Tallulah - could never sit still as a child. She grows up to become an acrobat in a traveling act in Moscow, Russia. The troupe entertains in private homes and also, steals on the side. Tallulah befriends a 10 year old girl in her apartment building and this changes her life.
Piggy - is the nickname for Paul, who is the baby of the family. His sibs are much older. He has a smaller role in the novel.
*******************************
My Reactions:
I thought "Criminals" had it all - good pacing, an original story, intriguing characters and well-planned surprises. It would make a tremendous movie. I loved it!
September 29, 2025
I have now read seven books by this author, so I obviously enjoy his work. This book was an entertaining, and often amusing, saga about the Mercurio family. The parents got their five children involved in their grifting, but they were willing participants. Don’t expect a mob story, the Mercurios aren’t gangsters and there is no violence (at least none that we witness). Their crimes are pretty low key. As the book progresses in time, each member of the family gets his or her own chapters describing how things turned out for them. The characters felt like real people. This is not one of those books where the grown children get together to gripe about childhood grievances, and I liked that. The pacing is brisk and the dialogue is sharp. 4.5 stars
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
July 1, 2025
Lou Berney knows how to write crime fiction the way Sinatra knew how to wear a tux: sharp, smooth, and just a little smug about how good he looks doing it. He sidles up to genre tropes like he might borrow a cigarette, but then he steals the whole damn pack and makes off with your lighter too. His latest, Crooks, is a dissertation in stylish subversion: part character study, part caper, and all Berney. His rat-a-tat prose, scene-stealing dialogue, and turns of phrase are as lean as they are lethal. Crooks is about a crime family (kinda) who pull off a number of heists (sorta) and deliver it flambé style (definitely delicious). Crooks is a zinger of a read that goes down as smoothly neat as it does on the rocks. And Crooks has rocks to share.
Now let’s be clear. This ain’t a saga about a criminal empire. Crooks is not The Godfather, it’s not The Sopranos, hell, this ain’t even the Byrdes of Ozark. The Mercurio clan, fathered by nom de guerre’d up Buddy, are less a syndicate than a scattered deck of wild cards. They steal, they scheme, they screw up. Mostly, they run. But like any good family story, it’s not about what they do, it’s about who they are. And Crooks is their story.
The structure’s clever: each chapter is its own mini-heist, zooming in on one member of the Mercurio clan. Buddy and Lillian start the story. How this parental Bonnie and Clyde meet in Vegas. How they lived and loved, conned and ran. Subsequent chapters focus on each of their offspring: Jeremy, the radiant gigolo chasing money and love in neon-lit '80s Hollywood; Tallulah, who crash-lands into self-discovery in post-Soviet Moscow; Ray, the romantic bruiser with dreams of restoring vintage Vegas charm; Alice, the brainiac too clever for her own good yet falls into a blackmailing quagmire; and finally boring Piggy, the one who opted out. He’s the designated driver at the afterparty for a family who never sobered up. Each chapter reads like a novella and Berney uniquely crafts his style for each.
For Ray’s chapter? Berney weaves straw into gold. A smoky cocktail of Ocean’s 11 vibes, low-key love, and just enough gunplay to keep things spicy. There’s a monkey. There’s a betrayal. There’s a glimmer of redemption. In other words, a regular Tuesday night in Vegas. Ray’s the kind of character you want to root for, even when you know there is going to be trouble. Alice comes close. Her brain is a weapon, her moral compass demagnetized, but she is spinning towards justice. Or at least an accounting.
And while Berney makes sure none of the Mercurios are purely villainous (even when they’re up to no good), there’s enough grit on these pages to keep ya flipping. Not everyone wants out. Not everyone can get out. That’s the tension. That’s the tragedy. Most importantly, that’s the fun.
Now, cards on the table, Crooks ain’t Berney’s best. But “not his best” still puts him five city blocks ahead of most. What’s missing, maybe, is that final stitch. The closing knot. A full-circle reckoning for the Mercurios as a whole. There are threads still dangling here. Some of the arcs don’t close as much as they drift off, like smoke from a snuffed-out cigar. And maybe that’s the point. Maybe Crooks is more jazz than symphony. But still, you’d like there to be one more beat.
That said, Crooks is never boring. Not even close. Crooks is brisk, stylish, funny, and dirty in all the right ways. This is Lou Berney doing what Lou Berney does best: giving us compelling people we want to invest in, even when we know better. The biggest crime here? That we have to wait for Lou’s next novel.
A bada-bing of thanks to William Morrow for the advance treat. Any time I get a Lou Berney ARC is a cause for celebration. Cheers. Slainte. And the next round’s on me.
And celebrate some more on Read @ Joe's for more reviews.
Now let’s be clear. This ain’t a saga about a criminal empire. Crooks is not The Godfather, it’s not The Sopranos, hell, this ain’t even the Byrdes of Ozark. The Mercurio clan, fathered by nom de guerre’d up Buddy, are less a syndicate than a scattered deck of wild cards. They steal, they scheme, they screw up. Mostly, they run. But like any good family story, it’s not about what they do, it’s about who they are. And Crooks is their story.
The structure’s clever: each chapter is its own mini-heist, zooming in on one member of the Mercurio clan. Buddy and Lillian start the story. How this parental Bonnie and Clyde meet in Vegas. How they lived and loved, conned and ran. Subsequent chapters focus on each of their offspring: Jeremy, the radiant gigolo chasing money and love in neon-lit '80s Hollywood; Tallulah, who crash-lands into self-discovery in post-Soviet Moscow; Ray, the romantic bruiser with dreams of restoring vintage Vegas charm; Alice, the brainiac too clever for her own good yet falls into a blackmailing quagmire; and finally boring Piggy, the one who opted out. He’s the designated driver at the afterparty for a family who never sobered up. Each chapter reads like a novella and Berney uniquely crafts his style for each.
For Ray’s chapter? Berney weaves straw into gold. A smoky cocktail of Ocean’s 11 vibes, low-key love, and just enough gunplay to keep things spicy. There’s a monkey. There’s a betrayal. There’s a glimmer of redemption. In other words, a regular Tuesday night in Vegas. Ray’s the kind of character you want to root for, even when you know there is going to be trouble. Alice comes close. Her brain is a weapon, her moral compass demagnetized, but she is spinning towards justice. Or at least an accounting.
And while Berney makes sure none of the Mercurios are purely villainous (even when they’re up to no good), there’s enough grit on these pages to keep ya flipping. Not everyone wants out. Not everyone can get out. That’s the tension. That’s the tragedy. Most importantly, that’s the fun.
Now, cards on the table, Crooks ain’t Berney’s best. But “not his best” still puts him five city blocks ahead of most. What’s missing, maybe, is that final stitch. The closing knot. A full-circle reckoning for the Mercurios as a whole. There are threads still dangling here. Some of the arcs don’t close as much as they drift off, like smoke from a snuffed-out cigar. And maybe that’s the point. Maybe Crooks is more jazz than symphony. But still, you’d like there to be one more beat.
That said, Crooks is never boring. Not even close. Crooks is brisk, stylish, funny, and dirty in all the right ways. This is Lou Berney doing what Lou Berney does best: giving us compelling people we want to invest in, even when we know better. The biggest crime here? That we have to wait for Lou’s next novel.
A bada-bing of thanks to William Morrow for the advance treat. Any time I get a Lou Berney ARC is a cause for celebration. Cheers. Slainte. And the next round’s on me.
And celebrate some more on Read @ Joe's for more reviews.
August 5, 2025
I received a free copy of, Crooks, by Lou Berney, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. The Mercurios family consists of parents Buddy and Lillian, and their kids, Jeremy, Tallulah, Ray, Alice, and Piggy, they are not like other families, because they are criminals. This is not your typical family at all, they definitely has a different mindset then most families.
May 13, 2025
**Not For Me!
In fairness to the author, my disappointment in Crooks is not due to his writing style, as Berney writes in a style that provides the reader with a fast-paced read.
Rather, my opinion as to why Crooks was not a book for me stems from the following factors:
…My incorrect expectation from the book’s description was that it was going to be a crime family novel on the order of the Corleone family in The Godfather; which is one of my favorite types of books. Instead, it was a book about a family named the Mercurios, consisting of the husband, wife and their five children; each of whom engaged in mostly low-level criminal activities over about a 40 year time span.
…This misunderstanding, despite being somewhat disappointing, in and of itself wouldn’t have been a big issue for me. However, what was a very big source of dissatisfaction is that the book reads like five separate stories, each about the exploits of the five Mercurio children over time; with little that ties each of these stories together, along with an update on their parents, until the final chapters of the book. For me, some of the individual stories of the Mercurio children were interesting and attention-grabbing, while others were not very interesting and compelling.
…So, while Crooks was a fast read, it was too inconsistent in terms of its ability to sustain a high level of my interest throughout, causing me to consider Crooks to just be a fair book.
#Crooks #NetGalley
In fairness to the author, my disappointment in Crooks is not due to his writing style, as Berney writes in a style that provides the reader with a fast-paced read.
Rather, my opinion as to why Crooks was not a book for me stems from the following factors:
…My incorrect expectation from the book’s description was that it was going to be a crime family novel on the order of the Corleone family in The Godfather; which is one of my favorite types of books. Instead, it was a book about a family named the Mercurios, consisting of the husband, wife and their five children; each of whom engaged in mostly low-level criminal activities over about a 40 year time span.
…This misunderstanding, despite being somewhat disappointing, in and of itself wouldn’t have been a big issue for me. However, what was a very big source of dissatisfaction is that the book reads like five separate stories, each about the exploits of the five Mercurio children over time; with little that ties each of these stories together, along with an update on their parents, until the final chapters of the book. For me, some of the individual stories of the Mercurio children were interesting and attention-grabbing, while others were not very interesting and compelling.
…So, while Crooks was a fast read, it was too inconsistent in terms of its ability to sustain a high level of my interest throughout, causing me to consider Crooks to just be a fair book.
#Crooks #NetGalley
September 19, 2025
When a new book by Lou Berney hits the pavement, I turn off all other distractions. Like several other favorites, the only problem is that I rush through his delicious thrillers and realize that now I have to wait a few years before experiencing it again. This one differs from his others in that the Mercurios, taking center strange, a crowd of rascals if I ever saw them, populate a family saga that is almost like a chain of linked stories. Loved it.
October 2, 2025
4.5 Maybe not really 5*s, but i enjoyed this so much more than most if not all of the books I have been listening to.
September 21, 2025
"Mercurios don’t play by the rules, Buddy tells anyone who will listen. Mercurios make up their own rules, follow their own laws. They’re born pirates, outlaws, rogues, and desperados. It’s in their blood."
Well, not exactly, if you're expecting the Gambino crime family or even the Corleones you will be disappointed. I won't regurgitate the blurb but the Mercurios, Dad Buddy and mom Lillian are petty crooks running from one half baked scheme to the next, they give to the world five offspring that learn from mom and dad how to do the same. After the initial introduction to mom and dad the book is multiple chapters of the "children's" stories, (Ray and Tallulah were my favorites), some of them interesting others not so much. There is a final reunion, sort of, at the end of the book that somehow left me wanting. Having said that, the novel is entertaining and a fast read because let's face it, even when not at his best Lou Berney is head and shoulders above other crime writers in my opinion, I have read all his books and will read the next one when it comes out.
Well, not exactly, if you're expecting the Gambino crime family or even the Corleones you will be disappointed. I won't regurgitate the blurb but the Mercurios, Dad Buddy and mom Lillian are petty crooks running from one half baked scheme to the next, they give to the world five offspring that learn from mom and dad how to do the same. After the initial introduction to mom and dad the book is multiple chapters of the "children's" stories, (Ray and Tallulah were my favorites), some of them interesting others not so much. There is a final reunion, sort of, at the end of the book that somehow left me wanting. Having said that, the novel is entertaining and a fast read because let's face it, even when not at his best Lou Berney is head and shoulders above other crime writers in my opinion, I have read all his books and will read the next one when it comes out.
September 10, 2025
Crooks is a totally captivating crime novel! Buddy and Lillian, two small time operators, fall in love and marry, filled with dreams of creating a glamorous Mecurio crime empire in Las Vegas. When things go sour, they flee with their family, to Oklahoma. With disco fever all the rage, they start again, still with larceny in their hearts, and a family to support and bring into the business. Lou Berney’s writing is exceptional, as he weaves a character driven family story centered on Jeremy, (the con artist searching for his next big score), Tallulah, (the aerialist, flying through air, always searching for the next thrill) Ray, (who provides the necessary muscle for the operation) Alice (the brains, who only wants to be on the legal side) and Piggy (the novelist, and youngest, who never was part of it all), as their adventures continue beyond the confines of the family crime enterprise. There is a section for each of the Mecurios, that delve into their character, lives and ultimate growth, as well as the history of that time-period. The sections are as smooth as old time Vegas, with the splash of disco, the thrill and danger of arial performances in Communist Russia in the mid-90’s, as well as crime and murder in Vegas in the 90’s, followed with a view of a different kind of organized crime in the 2000’s. The final part of the book centers on Piggy (Paul) who was never quite old enough to be involved in it all, but gathers them all together for a big reunion and receives an offer he can’t refuse! Lou Berney has written a brilliantly immersive story of family, with characters that are not always likeable, but very memorable with a plot that twists throughout! Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for my advance copy. The opinions of this review are my own.
May 6, 2025
The characters here are mostly amoral and not terribly likeable, yet they are so real that you find yourself cheering them on. Terrific writing.
September 13, 2025
You have to love the new cast of characters in Crooks by Lou Berney.
"Buddy and Lillian have only ever know a criminal life. They are forced to flee Las Vegas and end up opening a club in Oklahoma City. Of course they cook the books and run some scams - and all five children help. Jeremy, Alice, Tallulah, Ray and Piggy all bring their own style to a life of crime."
You can usually count on Berney's MC to have a bit of a fatalistic streak. Buddy is a little different here - always optimistic about the next scam. The first part of the story is more Buddy and Lillian and their disco club (it's the 70's) in Oklahoma City. The second part follows each of the kids as they become adults and pursue their own interests. They all have a wild story. I think Ray's is my favorite.
There's a different ending than a typical Berney book. I think it works great with this crime family - lots of surprises.
Great story from Berney.
"Buddy and Lillian have only ever know a criminal life. They are forced to flee Las Vegas and end up opening a club in Oklahoma City. Of course they cook the books and run some scams - and all five children help. Jeremy, Alice, Tallulah, Ray and Piggy all bring their own style to a life of crime."
You can usually count on Berney's MC to have a bit of a fatalistic streak. Buddy is a little different here - always optimistic about the next scam. The first part of the story is more Buddy and Lillian and their disco club (it's the 70's) in Oklahoma City. The second part follows each of the kids as they become adults and pursue their own interests. They all have a wild story. I think Ray's is my favorite.
There's a different ending than a typical Berney book. I think it works great with this crime family - lots of surprises.
Great story from Berney.
October 18, 2025
More a series of interconnected novellas than one overarching story, Berney creates a family of fascinating characters gifted with his morbidly hilarious dry wit. As an experiment in form and a ripping good time, I loved this.
September 30, 2025
Ultimately pretty disappointing. Was expecting an epic crime tale of a family through the decades. Was instead provided with multiple short stories of low stakes crime by mostly awful unconnected people.
July 24, 2025
In Lou Berney's latest standalone novel. the author successfully incorporates both style and substance, leaving me thoroughly engrossed in the story and marveling over the pitch-perfect way in which it is told.
The Mercurios are not your typical American family. From the time they meet and marry, Buddy and Lillian are involved in ways to make money that are not strictly legal, with their crowning success a disco club they open in Oklahoma. They welcome their five children into the family business from an early age by giving them some of the less dangerous tasks in the club, and each child reacts in a different way.
The book follows each child in turn as they reach adulthood, revealing how their childhood experiences influence how they conduct the rest of their lives. Ray, the oldest, is clearly the muscle. As an adult, he works for a low-level gangster, never backing down from a difficult or lethal assignment. Jeremy has star quality, encouraged especially by his mother to make his fortune with his looks and charisma. Tallulah, the Choctaw girl who is the only adopted daughter, is the athlete. She travels in Russia with a circus group that is comprised of thieves, where she is the resident acrobat who loves to "fly" both while performing and while she is involved in a heist. Brainy Alice goes in the opposite direction, becoming an attorney who avoids doing anything that will jeopardize her professional status. And then there's Piggy, so much younger than the others that he considers himself an only child, who never feels included with his siblings and can't even get them to call him his real name,
What delighted and surprised me was finding out how each of the siblings is able to change as they question what they really want out of life--romantic love, the thrill of danger, a new purpose that gives their life meaning. The final scenes are both gratifying and unexpected. Berney is a master with character development, and his portrait of an unusual family is nothing less than unforgettable.
My review is based on a complimentary pre-release copy of the book.
The Mercurios are not your typical American family. From the time they meet and marry, Buddy and Lillian are involved in ways to make money that are not strictly legal, with their crowning success a disco club they open in Oklahoma. They welcome their five children into the family business from an early age by giving them some of the less dangerous tasks in the club, and each child reacts in a different way.
The book follows each child in turn as they reach adulthood, revealing how their childhood experiences influence how they conduct the rest of their lives. Ray, the oldest, is clearly the muscle. As an adult, he works for a low-level gangster, never backing down from a difficult or lethal assignment. Jeremy has star quality, encouraged especially by his mother to make his fortune with his looks and charisma. Tallulah, the Choctaw girl who is the only adopted daughter, is the athlete. She travels in Russia with a circus group that is comprised of thieves, where she is the resident acrobat who loves to "fly" both while performing and while she is involved in a heist. Brainy Alice goes in the opposite direction, becoming an attorney who avoids doing anything that will jeopardize her professional status. And then there's Piggy, so much younger than the others that he considers himself an only child, who never feels included with his siblings and can't even get them to call him his real name,
What delighted and surprised me was finding out how each of the siblings is able to change as they question what they really want out of life--romantic love, the thrill of danger, a new purpose that gives their life meaning. The final scenes are both gratifying and unexpected. Berney is a master with character development, and his portrait of an unusual family is nothing less than unforgettable.
My review is based on a complimentary pre-release copy of the book.
September 14, 2025
My goodness, where has this book been?
I went in thinking it might feel like The Godfather or even Goodfellas, but Crooks is its own thing entirely. The Mercurios are a crime family, yes-but this isn't just a mob story. It's a sweeping tale of family drama mixed with crime, humor, and loyalty that runs deep, even when it gets complicated. The story carries you through the years, and with each turn you feel more connected to the characters and the choices that shape them. I went in blind and dare I say it turned out to be such a standout read. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I went in thinking it might feel like The Godfather or even Goodfellas, but Crooks is its own thing entirely. The Mercurios are a crime family, yes-but this isn't just a mob story. It's a sweeping tale of family drama mixed with crime, humor, and loyalty that runs deep, even when it gets complicated. The story carries you through the years, and with each turn you feel more connected to the characters and the choices that shape them. I went in blind and dare I say it turned out to be such a standout read. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
November 4, 2025
This book should have been called Rapscallions. It’s a thoroughly enjoyable trip through the lives of a family of, well, rapscallions. I mean, when you inherit the risk-taker gene from both parents, it’s in your blood, as the opening pages declare.
The book’s structure was perfect, with a section for each family member, moving forward through time. Each of the siblings dealt with their heritage in their own way. The whole thing was just totally clever. In fact, it was so clever I might just add a bonus star. Did.
The book’s structure was perfect, with a section for each family member, moving forward through time. Each of the siblings dealt with their heritage in their own way. The whole thing was just totally clever. In fact, it was so clever I might just add a bonus star. Did.
October 18, 2025
(3 1/2). Lou Berney has been a must read author for me for quite a while. He seems to fly under the big best seller radar but he deserves to be recognized as the of the top writers around. This book is pretty much a group of longish short stories. We get set up with the first one, then the others all feature family members from the first. Each one is solid, and the plots are good fun. A very hard book to put down. Good stuff.
October 25, 2025
4.5 ⭐️ rounded up.
This book had me in a chokehold. The family dynamics, the character development; it was a masterpiece. What happens when the children in a family of crooks grow up? Is it truly in their blood?
I almost want them to make this into a movie, but I know they won’t do it justice and I’m just gonna be mad anyways .
This book had me in a chokehold. The family dynamics, the character development; it was a masterpiece. What happens when the children in a family of crooks grow up? Is it truly in their blood?
I almost want them to make this into a movie, but I know they won’t do it justice and I’m just gonna be mad anyways .
July 20, 2025
Thank you for the opportunity to preview’s Crooks.
I’d you enjoy a good crime novel with colorful characters, this is a goon one for you.
Each chapter details a new scenario and outcomes.
I liked this book but found some of it was over the top.
3 stars
I’d you enjoy a good crime novel with colorful characters, this is a goon one for you.
Each chapter details a new scenario and outcomes.
I liked this book but found some of it was over the top.
3 stars
October 17, 2025
An enjoyable read about a large and unique family all of whom have their own set of quirks. Divided into different timelines which was distracting at times. Berney is a great writer and again he set part of the book in Oklahoma City. In fact he set a small part of the book at the old Lakeside movie theatre where I worked when I was a teen. Extra points for that!!
November 25, 2025
Absolutely fantastic narration. A compelling story that didn’t go in the direction I thought it would. Instead, it went into a wonderful unexpected direction. One of my favourite books this year. May even be my favorite. Stellar.
September 14, 2025
Wonderfully creative take on a crime family story. Enjoyed every bit of it.
October 19, 2025
Very entertaining and FUNNY!
October 29, 2025
Fantastic book. I’d read a whole anthology about this family.
September 14, 2025
Lou Berney Does it Again
One of my favorite writers. Typically I hate stories that jump from character to character. There are always some that are weak. But not here. His characters are all equally interesting. Couldn’t put this down.
One of my favorite writers. Typically I hate stories that jump from character to character. There are always some that are weak. But not here. His characters are all equally interesting. Couldn’t put this down.
October 18, 2025
Growing up, the Mercurio kids didn’t get in trouble if they committed a petty crime. In their family, crime was the family business. And business was good. Crooks by Lou Berney is a character driven story wrapped around crime fiction and I really liked it.
This was a fun read. The first half of the book lays the family’s foundation with Buddy and Lillian’s early married life in Las Vegas and then in Oklahoma City. Their kids, Ray, Jeremy, Alice, and Tallulah, all gravitate to the family business at an early age. Only Piggy, the baby of the family, avoids the family business because he was just too young. Each of the older sibling show some kind of exceptional talent that lends itself to crime. The kids put their talents to work early and often. The chapters in the second half are devoted to each sibling as an adult and what they’ve become in life. My favorite character was Ray, the quiet but strong brother who was always the muscle in the family. Ray returns Vegas working as the fixer for a sleazy manager of a tired casino. Ray realizes he needs to change his life and sets out on a path to go legit. I loved Ray’s earnestness as he tries to think and make decisions like a non-criminal in an effort to rebuild his life and the casino.
This multigenerational family saga with heart, humor, and morally gray characters is a great choice for crime fiction fans.
This was a fun read. The first half of the book lays the family’s foundation with Buddy and Lillian’s early married life in Las Vegas and then in Oklahoma City. Their kids, Ray, Jeremy, Alice, and Tallulah, all gravitate to the family business at an early age. Only Piggy, the baby of the family, avoids the family business because he was just too young. Each of the older sibling show some kind of exceptional talent that lends itself to crime. The kids put their talents to work early and often. The chapters in the second half are devoted to each sibling as an adult and what they’ve become in life. My favorite character was Ray, the quiet but strong brother who was always the muscle in the family. Ray returns Vegas working as the fixer for a sleazy manager of a tired casino. Ray realizes he needs to change his life and sets out on a path to go legit. I loved Ray’s earnestness as he tries to think and make decisions like a non-criminal in an effort to rebuild his life and the casino.
This multigenerational family saga with heart, humor, and morally gray characters is a great choice for crime fiction fans.
July 16, 2025
4 1/2 stars
A crime family that at times feels more like the bad "Brady Bunch" and less like THE GODFATHER.
Mom and dad start their relationship with petty crimes and work their way up to involvement with the Vegas mob then to their own club in Oklahoma with the 5 kids growing up along the way. When the Mecurio siblings part ways Jeremy uses his good looks to score big in Hollywood, Tallulah goes adventuring in the new Moscow, Ray stays not knowing anything else but being muscle, Alice runs in the other direction and goes into a law practice and the youngest just wants to do anything with his siblings and get them to call him by his name. Alternating chapters keep us jumping along with each character and all the bumps and bruises along the way. Each one is full of the promise of a better life, weighed by their crooked past and crazy logic to justify it. At times really funny and at other times chilling, this is a classic crime novel Lou Berney style. A tough story with bad guys you should hate but end up cheering for. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.
A crime family that at times feels more like the bad "Brady Bunch" and less like THE GODFATHER.
Mom and dad start their relationship with petty crimes and work their way up to involvement with the Vegas mob then to their own club in Oklahoma with the 5 kids growing up along the way. When the Mecurio siblings part ways Jeremy uses his good looks to score big in Hollywood, Tallulah goes adventuring in the new Moscow, Ray stays not knowing anything else but being muscle, Alice runs in the other direction and goes into a law practice and the youngest just wants to do anything with his siblings and get them to call him by his name. Alternating chapters keep us jumping along with each character and all the bumps and bruises along the way. Each one is full of the promise of a better life, weighed by their crooked past and crazy logic to justify it. At times really funny and at other times chilling, this is a classic crime novel Lou Berney style. A tough story with bad guys you should hate but end up cheering for. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.
June 7, 2025
Loved this book!
October 12, 2025
Sentences come firing like ammo. Crooks is built for speed. The story is a zipping bullet of scams and cons and action and family drama. It’s an All-American saga about a crime family that knows wrong from right and wrong is just fine, thank you.
Crooks starts with Buddy Mercurio. How more American can you get than the fact that Buddy’s father was killed at the Battle of the Bulge? His mother remarries when Buddy is young and “Buddy’s stepfather drinks away whatever money he manages to earn burning trash or hosing down slaughterhouse walls. A real bum, a loser, so Buddy’s mother beats Buddy and his brothers. Does that make sense? Not to Buddy it doesn’t.”
Buddy rejects school, naturally, and settles in at a very young age with the mobsters in Vegas. We are not here to ponder moments, contemplate serenity. Crooks has its track shoes on. Every scene a sprint. Looking for the opposite of Marcel Proust or Karl Ove Knausgaurd? You’ve found it. Looking for that omniscient voice-y voice that keeps a story churning along? Crooks swoops right along on its staccato prose and often hilarious, deadpan asides.
“May of ’61, balmy and sweet, the mountains softening and the hotel pools opening. A rumor reaches Buddy: a girl at the Hacienda so beautiful she’ll stop your heart. Buddy scoffs. The Hacienda? Nobody worth knowing spends a minute at the Hacienda. It’s a dud, a snooze, the only hotel and casino in Vegas without mob ties. The crowd: families, tight-fisted yokels. There’s a go-kart track, a miniature golf course, and (get this) a puppet show.”
The girl in question in the paragraph above turns out to be Lillian Ott and what we’ve got is the beginning of a crime family based in a town that could be ripe for exploitation, Oklahoma City. And then along come the kids—Raymond Jr., Jeremy, Alice, and one day in 1967 Buddy comes home “with a little brown Choctaw baby, wrapped in a blanket.” Tallulah. And Piggy. Soon, all the Mercurio offspring are working at the family-run disco, which becomes a front for all sorts of criminal shenanigans and which serves as a training ground for the kids’ schooling. Of sorts.
And then Crooks follows the Mercurio offspring—globe-trotting in the case of Tallulah (to Russia) and off through the decades as they continue to find ways to emulate and replicate the family biz whether it’s Hollywood (Jeremy) or as a mob enforcer (Ray) and so on. The stories are told in linear fashion as the decades fly. It’s Piggy (Paul), in the end, who is a writer and tries to tie things up at a pre-Christmas family gathering. Paul knows the blood doesn’t quite flow through his veins the way it does for his siblings. Paul recognizes his ability to bask “in the warmth of family” as it gathers to socialize (not criminalize) but he knows he’s not really part of the pack. (Leave it to a writer to look for irony and a few quiet moments.)
The family may be gathered together here at the end of Crooks but it’s hard to believe that all those Mercurio grandbabies won’t soon have stories of their own. After all, as we have learned, it’s in their blood.
Crooks starts with Buddy Mercurio. How more American can you get than the fact that Buddy’s father was killed at the Battle of the Bulge? His mother remarries when Buddy is young and “Buddy’s stepfather drinks away whatever money he manages to earn burning trash or hosing down slaughterhouse walls. A real bum, a loser, so Buddy’s mother beats Buddy and his brothers. Does that make sense? Not to Buddy it doesn’t.”
Buddy rejects school, naturally, and settles in at a very young age with the mobsters in Vegas. We are not here to ponder moments, contemplate serenity. Crooks has its track shoes on. Every scene a sprint. Looking for the opposite of Marcel Proust or Karl Ove Knausgaurd? You’ve found it. Looking for that omniscient voice-y voice that keeps a story churning along? Crooks swoops right along on its staccato prose and often hilarious, deadpan asides.
“May of ’61, balmy and sweet, the mountains softening and the hotel pools opening. A rumor reaches Buddy: a girl at the Hacienda so beautiful she’ll stop your heart. Buddy scoffs. The Hacienda? Nobody worth knowing spends a minute at the Hacienda. It’s a dud, a snooze, the only hotel and casino in Vegas without mob ties. The crowd: families, tight-fisted yokels. There’s a go-kart track, a miniature golf course, and (get this) a puppet show.”
The girl in question in the paragraph above turns out to be Lillian Ott and what we’ve got is the beginning of a crime family based in a town that could be ripe for exploitation, Oklahoma City. And then along come the kids—Raymond Jr., Jeremy, Alice, and one day in 1967 Buddy comes home “with a little brown Choctaw baby, wrapped in a blanket.” Tallulah. And Piggy. Soon, all the Mercurio offspring are working at the family-run disco, which becomes a front for all sorts of criminal shenanigans and which serves as a training ground for the kids’ schooling. Of sorts.
And then Crooks follows the Mercurio offspring—globe-trotting in the case of Tallulah (to Russia) and off through the decades as they continue to find ways to emulate and replicate the family biz whether it’s Hollywood (Jeremy) or as a mob enforcer (Ray) and so on. The stories are told in linear fashion as the decades fly. It’s Piggy (Paul), in the end, who is a writer and tries to tie things up at a pre-Christmas family gathering. Paul knows the blood doesn’t quite flow through his veins the way it does for his siblings. Paul recognizes his ability to bask “in the warmth of family” as it gathers to socialize (not criminalize) but he knows he’s not really part of the pack. (Leave it to a writer to look for irony and a few quiet moments.)
The family may be gathered together here at the end of Crooks but it’s hard to believe that all those Mercurio grandbabies won’t soon have stories of their own. After all, as we have learned, it’s in their blood.
September 9, 2025
📚 ARC BOOK REVIEW 📚
Crooks By Lou Berney
Publication Date: September 9, 2025
Book Publisher: William Morrow
📚MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thank you to @williammorrowbooks and the #EpicTastemakers influencer program for this #gifted book in exchange for my honest review!
📚MY REVIEW:
Crooks, the upcoming novel from Lou Berney, was an unputdownable read filled with endearing characters I rooted for and character-driven storylines that had me completely captivated from start to finish.
This is the story about the Mercurios, a low-level crime family with high levels of moxie. The book is described as 5 siblings, 4 decades, 2 continents, and 1 big story -- and that's pretty accurate. Buddy and Lillian are the parents of the family, and by the end of their first date in 1960s Las Vegas, I was cheering for them. Buddy's a little fish in the mob and Lillian's a charming pickpocket -- and as a couple, they just make sense. Over the years, they have 5 kids: Jeremy, Tallulah, Ray, Alice and Piggy (Paul). The story follows the family from Vegas in the 1960s, to Oklahoma City in the 1970s, to Los Angeles in the 1980s, to Moscow, to Arizona, and so many other places over the years. The book is split into different sections; each takes place in a different year and is told through the perspective of a different family member. All together, we spend 40 years with the Mercurios as they all grapple - in their own ways - with their lifelong connection to their criminal family.
Berney's writing style and storytelling ability immediately pulled me in. I genuinely couldn't get enough of each character's storyline. He provided such richness and depth to each character that I felt truly connected to them. Their quirkiness, their charm, their flaws, their humanity...In all honesty, I kinda fell in love with the Mercurio family.
I'm not sure how to categorize the genre of this book. Is it contemporary fiction? Lit fic? Crime fiction? Some combination of all of them? Ultimately it doesn't matter, because what I DO know for sure is that this book was a brilliant 5⭐ read for me.
I could've read another three hundred pages about the Mercurio family! In fact, when I finished reading the book, I sent a message to Berney himself to let him know that exact sentiment. He thanked me and told me my request was "noted and loved."
I haven't seen this book being talked about as much as it should be, and that needs to change. This is one of those books that can bring back your joy of reading if you're in a slump, because it's just THAT damn good! If you're a fan of character-driven stories, characters you'll fall in love with, generational plotlines across several decades, and books about the bonds of family, you've gotta grab a copy of Crooks when it publishes on September 9th.
#Crooks #LouBerney #WilliamMorrow #EpicTastemakers #fivestarreads #MUSTREADS #crimefiction #booklover #bookreviews #bookrecs #bookrecommendations
Crooks By Lou Berney
Publication Date: September 9, 2025
Book Publisher: William Morrow
📚MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thank you to @williammorrowbooks and the #EpicTastemakers influencer program for this #gifted book in exchange for my honest review!
📚MY REVIEW:
Crooks, the upcoming novel from Lou Berney, was an unputdownable read filled with endearing characters I rooted for and character-driven storylines that had me completely captivated from start to finish.
This is the story about the Mercurios, a low-level crime family with high levels of moxie. The book is described as 5 siblings, 4 decades, 2 continents, and 1 big story -- and that's pretty accurate. Buddy and Lillian are the parents of the family, and by the end of their first date in 1960s Las Vegas, I was cheering for them. Buddy's a little fish in the mob and Lillian's a charming pickpocket -- and as a couple, they just make sense. Over the years, they have 5 kids: Jeremy, Tallulah, Ray, Alice and Piggy (Paul). The story follows the family from Vegas in the 1960s, to Oklahoma City in the 1970s, to Los Angeles in the 1980s, to Moscow, to Arizona, and so many other places over the years. The book is split into different sections; each takes place in a different year and is told through the perspective of a different family member. All together, we spend 40 years with the Mercurios as they all grapple - in their own ways - with their lifelong connection to their criminal family.
Berney's writing style and storytelling ability immediately pulled me in. I genuinely couldn't get enough of each character's storyline. He provided such richness and depth to each character that I felt truly connected to them. Their quirkiness, their charm, their flaws, their humanity...In all honesty, I kinda fell in love with the Mercurio family.
I'm not sure how to categorize the genre of this book. Is it contemporary fiction? Lit fic? Crime fiction? Some combination of all of them? Ultimately it doesn't matter, because what I DO know for sure is that this book was a brilliant 5⭐ read for me.
I could've read another three hundred pages about the Mercurio family! In fact, when I finished reading the book, I sent a message to Berney himself to let him know that exact sentiment. He thanked me and told me my request was "noted and loved."
I haven't seen this book being talked about as much as it should be, and that needs to change. This is one of those books that can bring back your joy of reading if you're in a slump, because it's just THAT damn good! If you're a fan of character-driven stories, characters you'll fall in love with, generational plotlines across several decades, and books about the bonds of family, you've gotta grab a copy of Crooks when it publishes on September 9th.
#Crooks #LouBerney #WilliamMorrow #EpicTastemakers #fivestarreads #MUSTREADS #crimefiction #booklover #bookreviews #bookrecs #bookrecommendations
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