Mafia Secrets: Untold Tales from the Hollywood Godfather

by Gianni Russo, Michael Benson

The Kennedys, Marilyn, the Vatican, Vegas, The Godfather, the Mob, and more. A Mafia insider and authentic Hollywood tough guy reveals the explosive secrets he’s learned—and kept—for decades.

During a cursed childhood in a Manhattan neighborhood teeming with Italian immigrants, Gianni Russo fended for himself at an early age. It was a quality that didn’t go unnoticed by Frank Costello—father figure, mentor, and legendary crime boss. Thanks to Costello, Gianni was only twelve when his luck would change for a lifetime. All of it charmed—and thrilling. With it came Hollywood glamor, Vegas risk-takers, political conspiracies, sex, murder, shadow governments, and secrets. The stories Gianni Russo could tell . . . 
Now he does in this bombshell confessional. This is the inside account of the Sicilian Mafia, Cosa Nostra, what really transpired in those Mulberry Street clubs, and who whacked whom. This is Gianni, buddy of Frank Sinatra, and intimately more with Marilyn Monroe. What’s the cover-up behind her death, JFK’s, and Jimmy Hoffa’s? It’s all here. So is the clandestine role of the pope as the sacred boss of bosses, the glory days and downfall of Las Vegas, and the colorful behind-the-scenes tales of Gianni’s role in the greatest movie ever made, The Godfather.

The go-getter Frank Costello once called the “Kid” shares his shocking, exhilarating, sometimes violent, and always riveting life with the dealmakers of Hollywood and the Mob. Gianni Russo lives to tell, and spills it all.

Genres: Crime, Nonfiction, True Crime, Memoir

272 pages, Hardcover

Published November 25, 2025

Reviews

[Valerity (Val) · Rating 5 out of 5]

A revealing book about a life transformed after a chance meeting with Frank Costello as a boy. After becoming his “boy” and working for Costello, life became completely different for Russo. He had a front row seat to the life, and met and befriended many people from all different walks of life. This is his story and many of the secrets he kept for so long. I enjoyed this thoroughly, and will be checking out some of his other books. What a life this man has had so far, and he was surely in a position to know secrets.

[Marcia · Rating 3 out of 5]

If half of what is in this book is true, heads should roll in many high places, from Washington DC to the Vatican and most large cities across the world and if I were the author, I would be worried. That being said, this is one man's memories, difficult to prove or disprove. I will say it was full of interesting details about so many events and deaths over the past 60 plus years. It made for interesting reading.
If you are a grammarian or a reader who expects a story to be complete, prepare for some frustration. There are several places where the author's lack of formal education is apparent and there are story lines that end so abruptly, I found myself backing up to see if I had skipped pages, but no. At other times, it seems there is no real flow, just free-wheeling stories about different mobsters and events.
Overall, I'd say if you are interested in conspiracies or secrets, this is a book you want to read.
Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

[Megan Beech · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whenever I see the word "Mafia" or "mob" in the title of a book or movie, you better believe I'm going to check it out and I'm so thrilled I had the chance to read this book! While I'm not sure if some of these stories Russo tells are true (I wasn't there so I don't know) but I still love a good mafia centered story especially if a wise guy is doing it for the benefit of Hollywood blockbusters to lend some advice and tips on how to make scenes accurate and professional.

I will definitely need to check out his other book that I heard was really good and most likely do a review on that one as well!

I would love to thank the author, publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC book in exchange for an honest review.

[JW · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Horatio Alger story, but only as if written by Mario Puzo: a poor boy, through luck, pluck, and Mafia connections rises to success. Russo and co-author Benson tell entertaining stories, but you’ll wonder how big a saltshaker you’ll need while consuming them. Find out what really happened to Marilyn Monroe and John Kennedy, but the most amazing tale concerns Jimmy Hoffa’s fate. Still, it’s a fun read.

[J R · Rating 2 out of 5]

kinda hilarious memoir that's really a work of fiction, in that a lot of the parts there are very obviously exaggerated or made up and almost none of it matches the actual evidence or Russo's own statements from back in the 90s. 2 stars. tysm for the arc.

[Randal White · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wow! IF true, this book should blow the tops off of some of the biggest conspiracy stories of our time. Russo claims to have been present at, or at least involved in, so many incidents that you would think Congress would be having him testify immediately. Both Kennedy assassinations, Marilyn Monroe's murder, Pope John Paul's murder, seeing Lee Harvey Oswald the night before JFK's murder, and many, many money laundering, bribery, and robberies. Seems too much to be true.
Whether or not you believe him, the stories are interesting. The man knows how to get your interest.
We will wait and see if there's any fallout from his spilling the beans.