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The Lufthansa Heist
The inside story—from the organizer himself--of the largest unrecovered cash haul in history. This full account brings readers behind the heist memorialized in Goodfellas, a crime that has baffled law enforcement for decades. From Henry Hill himself, The Lufthansa Heist is the last book he worked on before his 2012 death.
On December 11th, 1978, a daring armed robbery rocked Kennedy Airport, resulting in the largest unrecovered cash haul in world history, totaling six million dollars. The perpetrators were never apprehended and thirteen people connected to the crime were murdered in homicides that, like the crime itself, remain unsolved to this day. The burglary has fascinated the public for years, dominating headlines around the globe due to the story’s unending ravel of mysteries that baffled the authorities.One of the organizers of the sensational burglary, Henry Hill, who passed away in 2012, in collaboration with Daniel Simone, has penned an unprecedented “tell-all” about the robbery with never-before-unveiled details, particulars only known to an insider.
On December 11th, 1978, a daring armed robbery rocked Kennedy Airport, resulting in the largest unrecovered cash haul in world history, totaling six million dollars. The perpetrators were never apprehended and thirteen people connected to the crime were murdered in homicides that, like the crime itself, remain unsolved to this day. The burglary has fascinated the public for years, dominating headlines around the globe due to the story’s unending ravel of mysteries that baffled the authorities.One of the organizers of the sensational burglary, Henry Hill, who passed away in 2012, in collaboration with Daniel Simone, has penned an unprecedented “tell-all” about the robbery with never-before-unveiled details, particulars only known to an insider.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
August 25, 2015
Really 3 1/2 stars.
Interesting and entertaining but flawed. It held my interest all the way and provided a good account of the heist. I knew the locale and even a couple of the specific people and places. That adds to my interest. I worked as a musician in Henry Hill's The Suite for several months in the early 70s, and while really not wanting to get to know anybody or anything, faces become familiar and when you read a book with these guys it becomes a little different. Your interest is piqued.
Writer's credits go to Hill and Simone, and it is pretty easy to tell who wrote what. Simone writes “Narrative Non-Fiction”, which comes down to invented dialogue and I suppose that is the problem I had with this book. I'm sure I have read “Narrative Non-Fiction” many times, without noticing it. Here I'm noticing. The funny thing is that Hill's writing (recorded interviews?) is better than the professional Simone. Two reasons for that. First, Hill's use of Italian American slang is accurate. Hill's mother was Sicilian, as was mine, and we were close in age and geography. Simone's use is a little desifinado, to toss a third language into the pot. It's overdone and sometimes is coming out of some highly unlikely mouths. I find it hard to believe that the Irish Jimmy Burke would be a fount of Italian American slang. It's surprising – from what I've read of Simone, he is from NYC area and I would think he would have a better handle on it. The phonetic spelling doesn't quite get it either. I would have rather seen the correct Italian spelling. Writing dialogue in dialect is a little abrasive also.
I suppose I'm nitpicking. Most people are not familiar with this manner of speaking and wouldn't notice a thing. Hence it would not detract from that person's enjoyment of this book. Perhaps that is who Mr. Simone aimed his writing at.
Interesting and entertaining but flawed. It held my interest all the way and provided a good account of the heist. I knew the locale and even a couple of the specific people and places. That adds to my interest. I worked as a musician in Henry Hill's The Suite for several months in the early 70s, and while really not wanting to get to know anybody or anything, faces become familiar and when you read a book with these guys it becomes a little different. Your interest is piqued.
Writer's credits go to Hill and Simone, and it is pretty easy to tell who wrote what. Simone writes “Narrative Non-Fiction”, which comes down to invented dialogue and I suppose that is the problem I had with this book. I'm sure I have read “Narrative Non-Fiction” many times, without noticing it. Here I'm noticing. The funny thing is that Hill's writing (recorded interviews?) is better than the professional Simone. Two reasons for that. First, Hill's use of Italian American slang is accurate. Hill's mother was Sicilian, as was mine, and we were close in age and geography. Simone's use is a little desifinado, to toss a third language into the pot. It's overdone and sometimes is coming out of some highly unlikely mouths. I find it hard to believe that the Irish Jimmy Burke would be a fount of Italian American slang. It's surprising – from what I've read of Simone, he is from NYC area and I would think he would have a better handle on it. The phonetic spelling doesn't quite get it either. I would have rather seen the correct Italian spelling. Writing dialogue in dialect is a little abrasive also.
I suppose I'm nitpicking. Most people are not familiar with this manner of speaking and wouldn't notice a thing. Hence it would not detract from that person's enjoyment of this book. Perhaps that is who Mr. Simone aimed his writing at.
August 18, 2018
Involves a lot of describing what he bought for his mistress or his wife, and giving details about things like what he was wearing (do you really recall what tie you wore 40 years ago, on each of the many days during which you planned this heist?). Pretty boring given what should have been a gripping subject. Damn near unreadable.
August 18, 2015
This is a book where the "supposed" true story comes from a dead man. Convenient. I think that Daniel Simone has some imagination, but no experience or knowledge. Maybe he watched the Goodfellas and based his research on that? I found much of it laughable. The quality of writing is juvenile and clumsy, the dialogue unrealistic. He spends more time describing what his characters wear, as though it was a fashion parade, than in developing them. There is a scene where Gotti executes DeSimone using a pistol that doesn't exist (A Colt .38 Magnum??? Colt make a .357 Magnum, or a .38 Special) equipped with a silencer? You CANNOT suppress a magnum revolver as the bullet is not sub-sonic and there is a gap between the cylinder and barrel. If you did use a .357 Magnum, you wouldn't be likely to get three rounds into the guy's head, the first round would damn near disintegrate his head, it would at the very least snap it back out of line. It would take a smaller calibre jacketed round to be able to put several into a human head. If he did mean a Colt .357 Magnum, to carry it in an inner vest pocket is ludicrous - it is a VERY heavy and bulky weapon. That is why they invented holsters.
This is schoolboy nonsense, not a credible account of behind the scenes Mafia life. Luckily my copy was a pre-release review copy - I would not be happy if I had to pay for it.
This is schoolboy nonsense, not a credible account of behind the scenes Mafia life. Luckily my copy was a pre-release review copy - I would not be happy if I had to pay for it.
February 10, 2019
Audiobook: I thought this book was quite engaging. I did not particularly care much for the author's writing style in alternating the chapters between being narrated by Henry Hill and then whoever happened to be telling the story from their POV but this aside, I thought the story captivating right from the start. I found myself laughing out loud at some of the exchanges between Henry and the FBI guys. Read the book, you will see why.
I grew up in a neighborhood where being "connected" was commonplace (our own mayor and board of commissioners were indicted for having dealings and schemes with these families; our Commissioner of Safety took his entire family (one of the children whom I attended grammar school with) into the WitSec program to testify against the mayor and those he was connected to and the mayor being sentenced to an eternity in prison and one day later being re-elected wtf!!! ) so Henry Hill's story is credible to me. I don't understand other reviewers who have a hard time believing this book. Trust me, this stuff happens. This is no joke.
I know how everyone is saying he was a rat, but because Jimmy Burke wanted to off him right after the Lufthansa heist and then later on both Jimmy and Paulie Vario had contracts out on Henry, he honestly had nothing to lose by helping the Feds and taking the WitSec deal. He was dead no matter which way he turned and he knew it. So by helping the Feds take down the Lucchese family I think was a good thing. How he managed to be the ONLY surviving accomplice in the Lufthansa deal is nothing short of a miracle. How he managed to stay alive, come out of Witsec and become a famous celebrity and book author- well I tell you, this bad boy had a guardian angel on his shoulders. It's the only way to explain it.
There are other books out there about Henry Hill which are just as good but this one really goes into depth about the Lufthansa robbery. The fact that the whereabouts of the money is still a mystery makes it that much more interesting. Some say Jimmy Burke's daughter has it. Others say it is still buried somewhere. It's all speculation because anyone that could have known are dead. Any way you slice it, anyone who is interested in New York mobsters and the Lufthansa robberies will enjoy this book.
I grew up in a neighborhood where being "connected" was commonplace (our own mayor and board of commissioners were indicted for having dealings and schemes with these families; our Commissioner of Safety took his entire family (one of the children whom I attended grammar school with) into the WitSec program to testify against the mayor and those he was connected to and the mayor being sentenced to an eternity in prison and one day later being re-elected wtf!!! ) so Henry Hill's story is credible to me. I don't understand other reviewers who have a hard time believing this book. Trust me, this stuff happens. This is no joke.
I know how everyone is saying he was a rat, but because Jimmy Burke wanted to off him right after the Lufthansa heist and then later on both Jimmy and Paulie Vario had contracts out on Henry, he honestly had nothing to lose by helping the Feds and taking the WitSec deal. He was dead no matter which way he turned and he knew it. So by helping the Feds take down the Lucchese family I think was a good thing. How he managed to be the ONLY surviving accomplice in the Lufthansa deal is nothing short of a miracle. How he managed to stay alive, come out of Witsec and become a famous celebrity and book author- well I tell you, this bad boy had a guardian angel on his shoulders. It's the only way to explain it.
There are other books out there about Henry Hill which are just as good but this one really goes into depth about the Lufthansa robbery. The fact that the whereabouts of the money is still a mystery makes it that much more interesting. Some say Jimmy Burke's daughter has it. Others say it is still buried somewhere. It's all speculation because anyone that could have known are dead. Any way you slice it, anyone who is interested in New York mobsters and the Lufthansa robberies will enjoy this book.
October 7, 2015
This book was interesting and educational. The whole narrative was full of stupidity and violence.If I hadn't known that this book was based on "fact" and was written by one of the co-conspirators, I would have thought that this book was just too absurd; as a crime novel, no one would have published it -- too implausible, too far-fetched. As it was, the book was a compelling description of gangsters, hoods, thugs, drug dealers, murderers, and thieves. I shook my head constantly as I read, when I wasn't laughing that is. The truth is truly stranger than fiction.
September 1, 2015
The best place I could think to classify this is as historical fiction. The basic facts are true, but the author has done a good job of weaving the unknowable's - the might have been, could have been's, etc. - into an entertaining narrative. I could've lived without the language, but I get that it's a part of who the characters actually were.
Overall, a good listen (I had it on audio) but not one that you just absolutely have to have.
Overall, a good listen (I had it on audio) but not one that you just absolutely have to have.
October 3, 2015
This is an extraordinary book with true to life characters, believable dialogues, and very sophisticated writing. Entertaining, enjoyable, and informative. I strongly recommended.
March 27, 2021
all reviews in one place:
night mode reading ;
skaitom nakties rezimu
About the Book: A heist you’ll be familiar with if you watched the Goodfellas, told by one of the organizers – Henry Hill. It starts at the need for such a heist, such a job, and goes through all of the phases of making such a grand job – successful. Up until the riches they didn’t even realize they stole erupt in murderous chaos…
My Opinion: The fun part ends as soon as it begins, leaving us with more than half a book of back-and-forth with the law, arrests and releases, the who slept with whom and what “that broad” was like.
night mode reading ;
skaitom nakties rezimu
About the Book: A heist you’ll be familiar with if you watched the Goodfellas, told by one of the organizers – Henry Hill. It starts at the need for such a heist, such a job, and goes through all of the phases of making such a grand job – successful. Up until the riches they didn’t even realize they stole erupt in murderous chaos…
My Opinion: The fun part ends as soon as it begins, leaving us with more than half a book of back-and-forth with the law, arrests and releases, the who slept with whom and what “that broad” was like.
August 13, 2022
Very slow in the middle. I had so much trouble keeping everyone straight in this book. If you can get through the middle, it all comes together at the end. Considering the “Lufthansa heist” is the name of the book, I thought there would be a lot more time spent on this specific crime rather than the entire ongoings of the mafia. Probably would have enjoyed the movie a lot more.
August 24, 2018
This book got pretty boring...and it's literally about mobsters, murders, robbery, drug deals, etc...so that shit shouldn't be boring.
August 18, 2015
This book covers much of the same territory as Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi. This is the true story immortalized in the fiction film Goodfellas. And although it is about the same robbery and criminals as Wiseguy, it comes at it from a slightly different angle. For example, there is more focus on the two Lufthansa executives who conceived the plan. However, all comparisons to Wiseguy end there.
The book is doomed by the author's overly florid and heavy handed style. Every sentence is overwritten in almost poetic terms, and often in words too intellectual for the context or characters. The book was co-written by Henry Hill, though you have to wonder how much he really did. Much of the book was (admittedly) simply made up by the Daniel Simone to fill in gaps where no first person recollections exist.
Bizarrely, Daniel wastes time on a very uncomfortable oral sex scene with Stacks, who was supposed to be bringing the getaway van to be destroyed. His descriptions of the act are not only totally unnecessary but also very awkward and almost creepy. The entire section devoted to Stacks, his "girlfriend," and some other African Americans is borderline racist. (I refuse to quote any of the descriptions of her anatomy.) Simone's attempts to replicate their slang and speech are cringe worthy.
Simone, in fact, does an awful job of replicating everyone's speech patterns. Every gangster character talks with odd phrases like "what'rr going on?" And the characters who don't speak English well are even worse. The "educated" FBI and police agents all talk like Harvard professors.
Confusingly, the book is written from Henry Hill's POV- except when it isn't. It can be jarring when one section narrated by Hill leads into another section that isn't, with no stylistic differences between them.
About the only section I found interesting was the glossary of Italian slang, two pages in the back of the book.
The Lufthansa Heist does a pretty good job of describing the overall life and times surrounding the robbery, and goes into great detail about the robbery itself. And while I can't call this a good read, it does illuminate one of the more sensational events in the history of crime.
The book is doomed by the author's overly florid and heavy handed style. Every sentence is overwritten in almost poetic terms, and often in words too intellectual for the context or characters. The book was co-written by Henry Hill, though you have to wonder how much he really did. Much of the book was (admittedly) simply made up by the Daniel Simone to fill in gaps where no first person recollections exist.
Bizarrely, Daniel wastes time on a very uncomfortable oral sex scene with Stacks, who was supposed to be bringing the getaway van to be destroyed. His descriptions of the act are not only totally unnecessary but also very awkward and almost creepy. The entire section devoted to Stacks, his "girlfriend," and some other African Americans is borderline racist. (I refuse to quote any of the descriptions of her anatomy.) Simone's attempts to replicate their slang and speech are cringe worthy.
Simone, in fact, does an awful job of replicating everyone's speech patterns. Every gangster character talks with odd phrases like "what'rr going on?" And the characters who don't speak English well are even worse. The "educated" FBI and police agents all talk like Harvard professors.
Confusingly, the book is written from Henry Hill's POV- except when it isn't. It can be jarring when one section narrated by Hill leads into another section that isn't, with no stylistic differences between them.
About the only section I found interesting was the glossary of Italian slang, two pages in the back of the book.
The Lufthansa Heist does a pretty good job of describing the overall life and times surrounding the robbery, and goes into great detail about the robbery itself. And while I can't call this a good read, it does illuminate one of the more sensational events in the history of crime.
November 23, 2015
This review is of the audio book...which was lively read by Joe Barrett. Part of my enjoyment of this was due to Barrett, no doubt, but I did enjoy Hill's recounting of his days in crime, the famed Lufthansa Heist & Hill finally ratting out his criminal brothers before they whack him. If you've seen GOODFELLAS, this story will seem familiar as it was Hill's life that it was based on. So, even though I knew the bulk of this story [I've read the book too], I enjoyed it because Barrett's gravel voice, with audible accents, cursing his way through this vivid tale. Good stuff.
September 28, 2015
This book explains all the nuances that are mere flashes in the film Goodfellas. It's sort of a satisfying extension of Goodfellas with all the details that were left out in the film. The story reads with clarity and it's full of suspense. Besides Truman Capote's In Cold Blood, this is the only other true crime book written in the style of a novel (at least to the best of my knowledge). It's a spectacular story of an iconic robbery, and it's a fantastic read.
September 28, 2015
The Lufthansa Heist by Daniel Simone & Henry Hill is a fascinating true crime story. The narration shifts between the author's voice and Henry Hill's voice, which personalizes the storytelling. It's well written in the style of a novel, and though some dialogues and aspects of the story seem to have been contrived, nonetheless the principal facts are on the money. It's suspenseful and quite entertaining with lots of interesting facts and witty sarcasm.
October 2, 2015
Fantastic story...
Very interesting story, I love my crime novels and this is the most I've been attached to any new book in quite a while, highly recommend it to anyone interested in the subject matter. Far more information than any other recounting of the heist, so if you found it interesting in Goodfellas, this is a must-read!
Very interesting story, I love my crime novels and this is the most I've been attached to any new book in quite a while, highly recommend it to anyone interested in the subject matter. Far more information than any other recounting of the heist, so if you found it interesting in Goodfellas, this is a must-read!
September 24, 2015
The author clearly wanted this one to be In Cold Blood, he even opens with a quote by Capote, but this isn't the same caliber of true crime writing. There are lots of interesting details, thanks to co-author Henry Hill, but the story just isn't particularly masterfully told. Not great, not the worst.
September 27, 2015
Great read full of new facts. The dialogues are stimulating and sound as if they're alive, and the writing is superb. It's fast reading and I read the whole book in three days. The storyline is captivating and it has a comedic slant to it. The Lufthansa Heist is one of the best true crime books I've ever read. It would make a great film.
September 29, 2015
This book is worth reading. I'm a woman and I never thought I would enjoy a gangster type book, but this one is different. I picked it up in a book store, and as I started reading the first few pages, I was hooked, and bought it. It's not just about a robbery and has something for everyone. Fascinating story.
January 28, 2016
Great and informative read about one of the largest scores ever that went unrecovered and basically unpunished (by the law anyway). If you didn't know this was a true accounting you might think it a bit absurd that these guys pulled it off since they aren't the brightest bulbs in the pack and sure do love to run their mouths. That's also what makes it such a compelling read.
September 30, 2015
This book is what great stories are all about. The combination of Henry Hill's brash spontaneity and Daniel Simone's crafty storytelling and distinct writing is amusing and engaging. This is one of the best true crime books.
February 1, 2016
If you saw Goodfellas, don't read this book. It adds little to the story, and contains way too much rambling by Henry Hill that had nothing to do with Lufthansa. I got really tired of hearing how great it was to be a degenerate, alcoholic, drug addicted, low-level criminal.
February 2, 2016
Very sloppily written and (barely) edited, its still an extremely entertaining read.
September 29, 2015
Once I got into the story, I couldn't put this book down.
I strongly recommend it.
I strongly recommend it.
October 12, 2015
Just a retelling of Wiseguy.
December 10, 2015
Fun. Contrived dialogue and riddled with profanity that becomes burdensome, but an interesting look at mobsters and their varied "enterprises."
October 5, 2015
Nice extension of the 'Goodfellas' story.
July 21, 2021
This isn't bad and, in fact, is fairly engaging in writing and story-telling. However, it covers a lot of very familiar territory. I suspect if you've read Wiseguy or seen Goodfellas, you're going to be pretty familiar with a lot of this and sometimes even recognize chunks of conversations.
One interesting thing here: Hill addresses something that did NOT come across in Goodfellas (full disclosure: I have not read Wiseguy). The mafia characters are not well-educated, smart guys. They are street thugs, but often don't understand things that we would take for granted in conversation and, particularly when dealing with their own attorneys, had to have a lot of hand-holding just to be made to understand what was going to happen in court. This became a real issue for the attorneys handling Henry Hill when he joined the witness protection program and began testifying against the other men involved in the RICO cases he was working with the Feds on.
One other caveat: beyond the details of how they died, or were killed by Jimmy the Gent Burke, you won't get very much new information about the Lufthansa heist. In point of fact, Hill was only tangentially involved in the heist, not an active participant. His troubles stemmed from heroin distribution and point-shaving schemes.
One interesting thing here: Hill addresses something that did NOT come across in Goodfellas (full disclosure: I have not read Wiseguy). The mafia characters are not well-educated, smart guys. They are street thugs, but often don't understand things that we would take for granted in conversation and, particularly when dealing with their own attorneys, had to have a lot of hand-holding just to be made to understand what was going to happen in court. This became a real issue for the attorneys handling Henry Hill when he joined the witness protection program and began testifying against the other men involved in the RICO cases he was working with the Feds on.
One other caveat: beyond the details of how they died, or were killed by Jimmy the Gent Burke, you won't get very much new information about the Lufthansa heist. In point of fact, Hill was only tangentially involved in the heist, not an active participant. His troubles stemmed from heroin distribution and point-shaving schemes.
May 14, 2025
Meh.
Thats all I have to say. Meh.
I just wasn't invested, not emotionally. This book is by no means bad but, despite knowing, roughly, how it ends I knew where all the turns and surprises were before I got to them. I wanted to finish the book before I watched "Goodfellas"t for the first time, but now my desire to watch the Scorsese classic is dampened (I still do love Casino, however).
The prose were find, uninspired, almost a flat report. The characters are far from the noble, however violent, gangsters in the Godfather but instead struggle to be anything better than savages and savages would be a charitable description. I applaud this book for never sugar coating the realities of organized crime.
This will be an "also read" by the end of the year, and after that I will probably forget it read it.
Thats all I have to say. Meh.
I just wasn't invested, not emotionally. This book is by no means bad but, despite knowing, roughly, how it ends I knew where all the turns and surprises were before I got to them. I wanted to finish the book before I watched "Goodfellas"t for the first time, but now my desire to watch the Scorsese classic is dampened (I still do love Casino, however).
The prose were find, uninspired, almost a flat report. The characters are far from the noble, however violent, gangsters in the Godfather but instead struggle to be anything better than savages and savages would be a charitable description. I applaud this book for never sugar coating the realities of organized crime.
This will be an "also read" by the end of the year, and after that I will probably forget it read it.
November 2, 2020
Quick impressions: This is the story of the 1978 Lufthansa Heist that modern readers and movie viewers may remember from the film Goodfellas. The book is by Henry Hill, who had some role in helping to get the plan moving along. Hill was an associate of Jimmy Burke, who is believed to be the mastermind of the heist. This was the last book that Hill worked on before he passed away in 2012. The book, to be honest, has a lot of the facts and details that Hill told before in his 1985 book Wiseguy (link to my review of the book). So if you read Wiseguy, a lot of the material in this Lufthansa book will be very familiar. Some elements from this book are also present in the film.
(Full review on my blog)
(Full review on my blog)
May 14, 2018
I have two separate reviews for this book. The writing itself was really good, and it felt like it was written from the voice of Henry Hill, as best as possible. (I give the book itself a 4.)
I have a bone to pick with the audiobook, however. I will assume Stacks actually spoke in broken English with a southern twang, but the neighborhood kid and the girlfriend did too???? Come on now. Did anyone hear Stacks' girlfriend talk? Or the kid? They couldn't talk like a New Yorker? They lived in Queens in the 70's for god's sake. (I give the audiobook a 3.)
I have a bone to pick with the audiobook, however. I will assume Stacks actually spoke in broken English with a southern twang, but the neighborhood kid and the girlfriend did too???? Come on now. Did anyone hear Stacks' girlfriend talk? Or the kid? They couldn't talk like a New Yorker? They lived in Queens in the 70's for god's sake. (I give the audiobook a 3.)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews