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The Descendant
Not yet published
Expected 10 Mar 26The story of an Italian immigrant family in the Wild West whose crazy, brave, and magical women overcame impossible odds to become bootleggers, brides—and Mafia bosses.
This based-on-real-events novel tells the story of the family that possibly inspired The Godfather—except this story doesn’t begin with a small robbery in New York. Instead, The Descendant begins with a big, blooming love in the tiny town of Lucca Sicula, Sicily. Told through the lives of the strong Italian women who fought against impossible odds, this historically inspired narrative introduces a whole cast of fascinating characters.
Mariano Barbera was a strong, powerfully built man who saw tiny fourteen-year-old Maria Ragusa at her family’s store and was struck dumb. He had to have her, and she wanted him just as badly. Their life together leads the couple and their children from earthquake-ravaged Sicily to bondage in the mines of Colorado, to cattle ranching in Pueblo, to Mafia life on the mean streets of Red Hook, Brooklyn.
This sweeping family saga centers around the Barberas’ ten children from their three cowboy gangster sons, Peter, Joe, and Austin to their seven wildly different cowgirl daughters. First there’s little Flo—born on the night of the wolves and whose own alpha wolf never left her side—as she navigates life alongside her best pal and younger sister, Clara. Then there’s Flo’s many older sisters: Carrie, who loved and lost; Angie, who loved and left; gorgeous Laura, who loved the wrong man; grouchy but brilliant Helen, who loved many times; and tough-as-nails wrangler Giulia, who loved a woman more than the husband she was forced to marry.
The Descendant is not just the story of how the Mountain Mafia began in the United States. This is the story of a family of scrappy, tough, smart folks who refused to let all the power in the world keep them down.
This based-on-real-events novel tells the story of the family that possibly inspired The Godfather—except this story doesn’t begin with a small robbery in New York. Instead, The Descendant begins with a big, blooming love in the tiny town of Lucca Sicula, Sicily. Told through the lives of the strong Italian women who fought against impossible odds, this historically inspired narrative introduces a whole cast of fascinating characters.
Mariano Barbera was a strong, powerfully built man who saw tiny fourteen-year-old Maria Ragusa at her family’s store and was struck dumb. He had to have her, and she wanted him just as badly. Their life together leads the couple and their children from earthquake-ravaged Sicily to bondage in the mines of Colorado, to cattle ranching in Pueblo, to Mafia life on the mean streets of Red Hook, Brooklyn.
This sweeping family saga centers around the Barberas’ ten children from their three cowboy gangster sons, Peter, Joe, and Austin to their seven wildly different cowgirl daughters. First there’s little Flo—born on the night of the wolves and whose own alpha wolf never left her side—as she navigates life alongside her best pal and younger sister, Clara. Then there’s Flo’s many older sisters: Carrie, who loved and lost; Angie, who loved and left; gorgeous Laura, who loved the wrong man; grouchy but brilliant Helen, who loved many times; and tough-as-nails wrangler Giulia, who loved a woman more than the husband she was forced to marry.
The Descendant is not just the story of how the Mountain Mafia began in the United States. This is the story of a family of scrappy, tough, smart folks who refused to let all the power in the world keep them down.
368 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication March 10, 2026
1 person is currently reading
13 people want to read
About the author
Linda Stasi
11 books29 followersLinda Stasi is a popular and well-read author, and columnist/critic for the New York Daily News, who has also been an on-camera co-host with Mark Simone on NY 1 TV’s What a Week for the past ten years.
Linda is also a frequent on-camera guest on The Today Show, Good Morning America, The CBS Early Show, CNN, Good Day New York, Fox News, MSNBC, etc. and has appeared on The View, and countless other talk shows.
Brash, funny and opinionated, the acerbic Stasi has authored six books and won numerous awards including “Best Columnist” by the Newswomen’s Club of NY, “Best Humor Columnist,” and “Woman of the Year: 2006” by the Boys Town of Italy.
Her first novel, novel, “The Sixth Station,” ( Forge Books) was published in early 2013. The completion of which took five years, two mountain climbs in France, a drive alone through three countries with an exorcist priest from the Vatican, a week with monks, two days of interviews with a cloistered nun in the mountains of Manoppello, Italy, and – voila! – one lost relic found and one novel completed.
Book of Judas is her second novel and features beloved protagonist Alessandra Russo.
Linda is also a frequent on-camera guest on The Today Show, Good Morning America, The CBS Early Show, CNN, Good Day New York, Fox News, MSNBC, etc. and has appeared on The View, and countless other talk shows.
Brash, funny and opinionated, the acerbic Stasi has authored six books and won numerous awards including “Best Columnist” by the Newswomen’s Club of NY, “Best Humor Columnist,” and “Woman of the Year: 2006” by the Boys Town of Italy.
Her first novel, novel, “The Sixth Station,” ( Forge Books) was published in early 2013. The completion of which took five years, two mountain climbs in France, a drive alone through three countries with an exorcist priest from the Vatican, a week with monks, two days of interviews with a cloistered nun in the mountains of Manoppello, Italy, and – voila! – one lost relic found and one novel completed.
Book of Judas is her second novel and features beloved protagonist Alessandra Russo.
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