What do you think?
Rate this book
My Name Was Gerry Sass: A Novel
The Sopranos meets Six Feet Under in this thrilling debut crime novel about the killing of a hitman-for-hire, his daughter who wants revenge, and a priest who accidentally witnessed everything.
Gerry Sass is not who he appears to be. On the surface, he is the proud owner of a local country music station outside of Mystic, Iowa. Beneath it, he’s a mob-connected hitman-for-hire who launders money through the station WIOA.
One morning in 1986, his life of crime catches up to him when two men march him out into the woods and shoot him in the back of the head. Plunged into purgatory, he’s doomed to a painful examination of his life. Unbeknownst to the assassins, Gerry’s closest friend, a Catholic priest named Father Dan, witnesses his execution yet does nothing to stop it.
Meanwhile, Gerry’s daughter, Early, jumps into his prized Mustang with a thirst for revenge. On her adrenaline-fueled hunt, she comes to realize that she’s more like Gerry than she ever chose to admit.
Alternating between the voices of a grieving and adrenaline-fueled daughter, a guilt-ridden priest with no one he can trust, and the voice of a dead killer not quite yet gone, My Name Was Gerry Sass exposes the complicated natures of family, grief, and God in this propulsive and darkly funny novel.
Gerry Sass is not who he appears to be. On the surface, he is the proud owner of a local country music station outside of Mystic, Iowa. Beneath it, he’s a mob-connected hitman-for-hire who launders money through the station WIOA.
One morning in 1986, his life of crime catches up to him when two men march him out into the woods and shoot him in the back of the head. Plunged into purgatory, he’s doomed to a painful examination of his life. Unbeknownst to the assassins, Gerry’s closest friend, a Catholic priest named Father Dan, witnesses his execution yet does nothing to stop it.
Meanwhile, Gerry’s daughter, Early, jumps into his prized Mustang with a thirst for revenge. On her adrenaline-fueled hunt, she comes to realize that she’s more like Gerry than she ever chose to admit.
Alternating between the voices of a grieving and adrenaline-fueled daughter, a guilt-ridden priest with no one he can trust, and the voice of a dead killer not quite yet gone, My Name Was Gerry Sass exposes the complicated natures of family, grief, and God in this propulsive and darkly funny novel.
224 pages, Hardcover
Published May 12, 2026
About the author
Tiffany Hanssen
1 book14 followersTiffany Hanssen is an on-air host at public radio station WNYC in New York City. During her decades-long career in broadcasting, she has produced award-winning national programs and worked at stations from Las Vegas to Washington D.C. She is also a screenwriter and mom to two boys. And although she was born in Iowa and spent many years in Minnesota, she currently lives in Manhattan.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
May 14, 2026
Gerry Sass was a hard man, totally self-centred, violent, often offensive, a lousy husband and father, and a criminal. And now dead, after falsely leading on local Deputy Pete that he was going to spill information on his connections to organized crime.
Two hitmen grab him early one morning and drag him to a hunting blind on his property, and kill him, and leave, thinking no one is the wiser.
But Father Dan, younger son of a criminal, was in the blind, and is shocked and overwhelmed. After contacting Deputy Pete, Dan notifies Early, Gerry’s daughter. She’s unwilling to behave as Dan expects to the news, and he leaves in a huff, still in shock.
Before Early can do much more, the two killers arrive at hers and Gerry's home, and break in. Early watches from a hiding place as they ransack her home and leave, clearly upset not to have found what they were looking for. Unknown to them, Early had taken Gerry’s notebook with her when the killers arrived, and she’s genuinely shocked to realize that despite the ways in which he trained her to deal with certain possible eventualities, she had never believed him to be anything but a harsh man, terrible father and husband. His notebook, which contains payments and other information about his real clients, and nothing to do with the actual running of the radio station he owned, opens her eyes to his criminality. And that he likely did something that led to his death. And she’s bloody furious with the two killers, and determine to kill them right back.
Hopping into Gerry’s prized Mustang, with only necessities (beer, smokes, and a shotgun), Early races after the killers. Meanwhile, Dan falls apart, and has to call on his family’s help, and learns a little about himself, and Gerry, in the process. And Gerry lingers in purgatory as his body is autopsied and prepared for his funeral.
This was such an enjoyable surprise; it’s dark, funny and noirish, with three interesting and flawed characters. Each learns a little about themselves, while Early and Dan have to figure out how to proceed with their lives after Gerry’s unexpected death has given them new opportunities. They both must step up and be daring, something very new for Dan, while Early must also decide who she wants to be and what she’ll do with her life now, instead of dreamily lazing about, partly to irritate Gerry, and partly because she’s never had real goals before.
I liked this novel, and wonder what’s next for this author,
Thank you to Netgalley and to Grove Atlantic for this ARC in exchange for my review.
Two hitmen grab him early one morning and drag him to a hunting blind on his property, and kill him, and leave, thinking no one is the wiser.
But Father Dan, younger son of a criminal, was in the blind, and is shocked and overwhelmed. After contacting Deputy Pete, Dan notifies Early, Gerry’s daughter. She’s unwilling to behave as Dan expects to the news, and he leaves in a huff, still in shock.
Before Early can do much more, the two killers arrive at hers and Gerry's home, and break in. Early watches from a hiding place as they ransack her home and leave, clearly upset not to have found what they were looking for. Unknown to them, Early had taken Gerry’s notebook with her when the killers arrived, and she’s genuinely shocked to realize that despite the ways in which he trained her to deal with certain possible eventualities, she had never believed him to be anything but a harsh man, terrible father and husband. His notebook, which contains payments and other information about his real clients, and nothing to do with the actual running of the radio station he owned, opens her eyes to his criminality. And that he likely did something that led to his death. And she’s bloody furious with the two killers, and determine to kill them right back.
Hopping into Gerry’s prized Mustang, with only necessities (beer, smokes, and a shotgun), Early races after the killers. Meanwhile, Dan falls apart, and has to call on his family’s help, and learns a little about himself, and Gerry, in the process. And Gerry lingers in purgatory as his body is autopsied and prepared for his funeral.
This was such an enjoyable surprise; it’s dark, funny and noirish, with three interesting and flawed characters. Each learns a little about themselves, while Early and Dan have to figure out how to proceed with their lives after Gerry’s unexpected death has given them new opportunities. They both must step up and be daring, something very new for Dan, while Early must also decide who she wants to be and what she’ll do with her life now, instead of dreamily lazing about, partly to irritate Gerry, and partly because she’s never had real goals before.
I liked this novel, and wonder what’s next for this author,
Thank you to Netgalley and to Grove Atlantic for this ARC in exchange for my review.
February 12, 2026
I liked this way more than I thought I would. Crime, mafia, murder, and some fast turning pages. Enjoyed it!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
My Name was Gerry Sass, Tiffany Hanssen’s debut novel, is a small time, small town American crime novel. This is not a criticism. It is just to set expectations around a book that centres around a fairly small time criminal, his daughter and his friend a priest with his own criminal connections.
My Name was Gerry Sass opens with the death of the title character. Gerry has caught the attention of the local sheriff and is trying to play him by pretending to offer information. Only word has got out that Sass is going to squeal so a couple of guys come and kill him. The death is witnessed by local priest Father Dan and sets him off on his own journey of personal discovery. But Gerry’s daughter Early wants revenge and sets out in her father’s beloved Mustang to hunt the killers down. The closer she comes the more she realises how much like her father she is, something that is clear from the chapters focussing on Gerry’s story, narrated from the point of view of his spirit from its spot in purgatory.
Reading a bit like a Tarantino or Coen Brothers tale – set in small town America and featuring characters with not much power but lots of determination. There are car chases, accidental shootings, road house encounters and a brush with the slightly bigger time. But this is all focussed on the low level and so is more than anything else a character study of three interesting individuals and how their circumstances change them. So that, overall, My Name was Gerry Sass is a fun but slight tale that is short enough not to outstay its welcome.
My Name was Gerry Sass opens with the death of the title character. Gerry has caught the attention of the local sheriff and is trying to play him by pretending to offer information. Only word has got out that Sass is going to squeal so a couple of guys come and kill him. The death is witnessed by local priest Father Dan and sets him off on his own journey of personal discovery. But Gerry’s daughter Early wants revenge and sets out in her father’s beloved Mustang to hunt the killers down. The closer she comes the more she realises how much like her father she is, something that is clear from the chapters focussing on Gerry’s story, narrated from the point of view of his spirit from its spot in purgatory.
Reading a bit like a Tarantino or Coen Brothers tale – set in small town America and featuring characters with not much power but lots of determination. There are car chases, accidental shootings, road house encounters and a brush with the slightly bigger time. But this is all focussed on the low level and so is more than anything else a character study of three interesting individuals and how their circumstances change them. So that, overall, My Name was Gerry Sass is a fun but slight tale that is short enough not to outstay its welcome.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks to Grove Atlantic & NetGalley for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Um. I think we can categorize this one at Not For Me. It's too bad, because the description sounded pretty good - a mob-connected hitman gets taken out near the radio station he purchased to launder his dirty money, and chaos ensues. But this book can't decide if it's a treatise on grief and loss of bad parent(s) or a character study of a lonesome priest who doesn't really seem to have a calling and just found himself in a dog collar one day. Unfortunately, it's trying to be both, and the story is relentlessly grim. There is a LOT of killing in this book, to the extent that it reads like the script of a straight to video shoot-'em-up. The most interesting aspect of the story should have been Gerry's hitman career, but the (mercifully) brief stints in Gerry's post-death consciousness skim over this; we mostly get Early (???) on a cigarette-and-booze-fueled revenge roadtrip, which is both unlikely and somehow boring.
It's an easy read, but not worth the time I put in, and the fact that it took me 3 weeks to get it done testifies to that.
Um. I think we can categorize this one at Not For Me. It's too bad, because the description sounded pretty good - a mob-connected hitman gets taken out near the radio station he purchased to launder his dirty money, and chaos ensues. But this book can't decide if it's a treatise on grief and loss of bad parent(s) or a character study of a lonesome priest who doesn't really seem to have a calling and just found himself in a dog collar one day. Unfortunately, it's trying to be both, and the story is relentlessly grim. There is a LOT of killing in this book, to the extent that it reads like the script of a straight to video shoot-'em-up. The most interesting aspect of the story should have been Gerry's hitman career, but the (mercifully) brief stints in Gerry's post-death consciousness skim over this; we mostly get Early (???) on a cigarette-and-booze-fueled revenge roadtrip, which is both unlikely and somehow boring.
It's an easy read, but not worth the time I put in, and the fact that it took me 3 weeks to get it done testifies to that.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
My Name Was Gerry Sass by Tiffany Hanssen. Thanks to @atlanticcrime for the gifted Arc
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Gerry Sass may just seem like a small town radio show owner, but he’s also a mob connected hit man laundering through the station. One morning it catches up with him when he’s shot through the head. His best friend Father Dan, a Catholic priest, witnessed the murder. His daughter, Early, grabs Gerry’s Mustang and goes on a ride for revenge.
This one has a real Tarantino feel to it. I could definitely see him making it into a movie. Not to be stereotypical but I think a lot of male readers will enjoy this one; as they like Tarantino! I loved the decision to have Gerry Sass narrating some chapters, as he’s killed in the very first chapter. I enjoyed his daughter’s chapters more than the others, and loved her quest for revenge but also her confusion and emotion about the past.
“The brightest veins of gold are found in the darkest corners of the mine.”
Read if you like:
-Action packed thrillers
-Revenge stories
-Multi POV
-Tarantino like plots
My Name Was Gerry Sass comes out 5/12.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Gerry Sass may just seem like a small town radio show owner, but he’s also a mob connected hit man laundering through the station. One morning it catches up with him when he’s shot through the head. His best friend Father Dan, a Catholic priest, witnessed the murder. His daughter, Early, grabs Gerry’s Mustang and goes on a ride for revenge.
This one has a real Tarantino feel to it. I could definitely see him making it into a movie. Not to be stereotypical but I think a lot of male readers will enjoy this one; as they like Tarantino! I loved the decision to have Gerry Sass narrating some chapters, as he’s killed in the very first chapter. I enjoyed his daughter’s chapters more than the others, and loved her quest for revenge but also her confusion and emotion about the past.
“The brightest veins of gold are found in the darkest corners of the mine.”
Read if you like:
-Action packed thrillers
-Revenge stories
-Multi POV
-Tarantino like plots
My Name Was Gerry Sass comes out 5/12.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Hit men. A conflicted Priest. 80’s references - sounds good right? With alternating short chapters between three of the main characters this is a fast read at just over 200 pages.
📘 INSIDE THE PAGES
Gerry’s past is anything but ordinary. Now running a small local radio station and living in 200 acres of near-total isolation outside Mystic, Iowa, he’s managed to stay off the radar. But rumors are circling that he sold out his old associates to the Feds, and the confidence that once protected him could be his downfall.
As if that weren’t enough, Pete, his former school nemesis turned local cop, is closing in, convinced Gerry’s tied up in money laundering. Gerry’s only ally is Father Dan, the town’s Catholic priest and he’s about to witness something far darker than a confession.
But Gerry isn’t the only one with a fiery streak. His daughter Early is more like him than she ever realized and she’s not about to let this end without a fight.
🌟 MY THOUGHTS
Such a unique way to tell a story. Gerry is shot in the very first chapter yet still narrates his side, from purgatory!
Father Dan is far from your typical priest. Afflicted with narcolepsy brought on by deep family trauma, he’s living a life that was never really his choice. You can feel his tension and makes you wonder how different things might have been if he hadn’t been labeled “delicate” so early on.
And then there’s Early, Gerry’s daughter. You watch her shift from indifference to revenge, and finally to the unsettling realization that she’s more like her father than she ever wanted to be.
There’s some great dark humor woven throughout, along with fun ’80s references. I couldn’t help but smile at the dashboard cigarette lighter moment. The recurring “it’s a life” thread adds a playful edge to a story filled with deeply flawed, complicated characters.
Many thanks to the publisher AtlanticCrime for sending me a copy.
📘 INSIDE THE PAGES
Gerry’s past is anything but ordinary. Now running a small local radio station and living in 200 acres of near-total isolation outside Mystic, Iowa, he’s managed to stay off the radar. But rumors are circling that he sold out his old associates to the Feds, and the confidence that once protected him could be his downfall.
As if that weren’t enough, Pete, his former school nemesis turned local cop, is closing in, convinced Gerry’s tied up in money laundering. Gerry’s only ally is Father Dan, the town’s Catholic priest and he’s about to witness something far darker than a confession.
But Gerry isn’t the only one with a fiery streak. His daughter Early is more like him than she ever realized and she’s not about to let this end without a fight.
🌟 MY THOUGHTS
Such a unique way to tell a story. Gerry is shot in the very first chapter yet still narrates his side, from purgatory!
Father Dan is far from your typical priest. Afflicted with narcolepsy brought on by deep family trauma, he’s living a life that was never really his choice. You can feel his tension and makes you wonder how different things might have been if he hadn’t been labeled “delicate” so early on.
And then there’s Early, Gerry’s daughter. You watch her shift from indifference to revenge, and finally to the unsettling realization that she’s more like her father than she ever wanted to be.
There’s some great dark humor woven throughout, along with fun ’80s references. I couldn’t help but smile at the dashboard cigarette lighter moment. The recurring “it’s a life” thread adds a playful edge to a story filled with deeply flawed, complicated characters.
Many thanks to the publisher AtlanticCrime for sending me a copy.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
“It’s a life.” This is a phrase that 43-year-old Gerry Sass, a mob hitman who masquerades as a successful radio station owner in Mystic, Iowa, often repeats to himself, and he does it again on the morning of November 26, 1986, to stem his growing sense of dread. He’s under criminal investigation for money laundering, and there are rumors in the underworld that Gerry is going to flip. Unfortunately, his fear becomes reality when two masked men run Gerry off the road, march him into the woods, and shoot him in the head. While the newly deceased Gerry plunges into purgatory to ruminate on his late life, his friend, a timorous Catholic priest named Father Dan, hides unseen in a hunting blind, witnessing the killing but doing nothing to stop it. Instead, he drives to Gerry’s farm to tell Early, Gerry’s college dropout daughter, about her father’s death. Grief-stricken and enraged, Early hops into Gerry’s prized Mustang and embarks on an intense quest to avenge his killing. Along the way, the determined young woman discovers that she is more like Gerry than she had ever imagined. Alternating the high-speed narrative among her three well-drawn protagonists, WNYC on-air host Hanssen makes a kickass debut with this darkly funny, beautifully written, and highly original tale of murder, revenge, and family ties. Most importantly, she has written a moving story about the love between a father and a daughter that abides even after death.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I wanted to like this because the premise seems so fun, but unfortunately this book just didn’t come together for me :( the writing was a little cheesy and there was something off about how little characters were fleshed out— I kept thinking “huh? Who’s that again?”and having to flip back to figure out. The plot also weirdly didn’t feel motivated enough for me, so I was perpetually a little confused about what was going on and why characters were making decisions
May 11, 2026
I love it when you go into a book with your gut feeling being on the fence, wondering whether it’s really the right book for you, and you end up pleasantly surprised and love it! 🙌
I was hooked from the start and really loved the Early character! A solid debut that I definitely recommend checking out, especially if you loved The Sopranos - it definitely has those vibes! 👏
Thank you partner Atlantic Crime for the gifted advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review! ❤️
I was hooked from the start and really loved the Early character! A solid debut that I definitely recommend checking out, especially if you loved The Sopranos - it definitely has those vibes! 👏
Thank you partner Atlantic Crime for the gifted advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review! ❤️
Review of advance copy received from Publishers Weekly
Fun, suspenseful and entertaining- a real page turning. A brilliant and creative character development that is done in a parallel fashion which makes the book uniquely interesting! Absolutely loved it!
May 14, 2026
Format: Gifted Paperback & Audiobook
Writing & Execution: 2.5/5
Themes & Messages: 2/5
Story Overall: 2/5/5
Narration: 3/5
Enjoyment: 2.5/5
While this was a quick and vengeful read, I found the delivery of the story to be clunky and underwhelming.
Writing & Execution: 2.5/5
Themes & Messages: 2/5
Story Overall: 2/5/5
Narration: 3/5
Enjoyment: 2.5/5
While this was a quick and vengeful read, I found the delivery of the story to be clunky and underwhelming.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A great story seen through three characters.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
Highly entertaining, dark, and suspenseful, this book will make you turn the pages fast!
Recommended
Recommended
April 2, 2026
Fun, fast-moving, well-written thriller novel with some fantastic vibes from the start to the finish. 5 stars. tysm for the E-ARC.
May 2, 2026
I always enjoy a book that has multiple povs. The story line was great, but I felt like I was missing some background information from some of the characters. I really enjoyed how it ended.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews