Mafia Prince: Inside America's Most Violent Crime Family and the Bloody Fall of La Cosa Nostra

by Phil Leonetti, L.J. Ganser (Narrator)

Mafia Prince is the first-person account of one of the most violent eras in Mafia history - "Little" Nicky Scarfo’s reign as boss of the Philly family in the 1980s - written by Scarfo’s underboss and nephew, "Crazy" Phil Leonetti.

The youngest-ever underboss at the age of 31, Leonetti was at the crux of the violent downfall of the traditional American Mafia in the 1980s when he infiltrated Atlantic City after gambling was legalized, and later turned state’s evidence against his own. His testimony directly led to the convictions of dozens of high-ranking made men including John Gotti, Vincent Gigante, and his own uncle, Nicky Scarfo - sparking the beginning of the end of La Cosa Nostra.

Just as The Godfather and Boardwalk Empire defined the early 20th century Mafia, and Wiseguy and Casino depicted the next great era through the ’70s, Mafia Prince concludes this epic genre revealing the Mafia’s violent final heyday of the 1980s straight from the horse’s mouth.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Crime, History, Audiobook, Biography, Memoir

Audible Audio

First published October 9, 2012

Reviews

[dan_rtype · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read A LOT of books on the mafia and this one is my favorite. Unlike most true crime books, Phil Leonetti actually lived "the life" at the highest levels as the underboss of the Philadelphia mob during his uncle Little Nicky Scarfo's reign as boss. Unlike Sammy Gravano's "Underboss," I didn't find Leonetti's autobiography to be filled with self-serving braggadocio. Leonetti comes across as likable but cold and calculating. A wolf in sheep's clothing. The authors do a great job of explaining Leonetti's world and why he did the things he did.

The book is full of the byzantine betrayals, double and triple crosses that is life in La Cosa Nostra. It's also one of the only books to cover the Genovese Crime Family and its boss Vincent "The Chin" Gigante in any great detail which is invaluable.

[Travis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. To flip on the mob you were a part of. Put many of them in jail. Write a book about it. Still stay alive. Pretty incredible accounts of life inside the mob with actual details of some of the hits and different activities done by not just the mob, but the man providing the info for book himself.

[Walt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adding to the substantive literature on the Scarfo Crime Family, Mafia Prince follows the career of Phil Leonetti, who briefly served as underboss of Nicky Scarfo's organization. The writing is a bit unique. The book is based on interviews with Leonetti, with the authors directly quoting him and then adding (or repeating) the same information. There is not much collaborative evidence. This is Leonetti's story of history.

Having read Mafia Wipeout by Tom Cox, Mob Father by Tommy DelGiorno, Breaking the Mob by Frank Freil, Blood and Honor by George Anastasia, and a few others, I am familiar with Nicky Scarfo's bloody reign. I remember reading DelGiorno's and Caramandi's first-person accounts and thinking, they really did not know Nicky Scarfo. Then again, many of he books on Scarfo barely mention "Crazy Phil" Leonetti. He typically pops out of nowhere as the underboss probably because of his blood relation to Scarfo.

Most of the literature is based on events and people in Philadelphia. Scarfo emerged out of Atlantic City. Leonetti also emerges from Atlantic City which may account for why there is so little written about him or Scarfo's spectacular rise. This was the first book on the Scarfo Mob that really makes it clear that Scarfo's leadership team was the same team he had in Atlantic City. Transplanting that small organization onto the large Philadelphia Mob Family must have created some friction which Scarfo viciously sought to eliminate. Nevertheless, Leonetti's narrative does not explain Scarfo's paranoia.

DelGiorno did an excellent job of describing the fear that pervaded the organization. Leonetti did not share that fear; even though he rhetorically asks "who could be next?" He does not appear to fear Scarfo the way DelGriorno and other members of the mob felt. However, what is clear is Leonetti's close relationship with Scarfo. For the first time, readers will actually hear Scarfo's own words. Leonetti is looking back at Scarfo with disgust, so there is little to nothing about building Scarfo up or viewing his rise to power.

The writing is slow. The authors write out a verbatim passage from the interviews and then unpackage it a little. Sometimes they add some basic details - confirming a murder. Sometimes they describe the environment. There is not much added detail. Scarfo's street tax appears to be at the root of a lot of the violence; but the authors barely discuss it. This is contrary to Scott Burnstein's work, whose style tends to be very thorough and very rapid. Readers familiar with Burnstein will get overwhelmed with the detail. Leonetti and Graziano must have tapered those impulses and instead focused on the raw emotion that pervades this book. Leonetti certainly has remorse for the murder of Salvie Testa, even though he had no role in it. That remorse Leonetti feels is clear and powerful. More frustrating is that there is almost no discussion about how Leonetti's story differs with other narratives.

Leonetti spends a lot of time building up the murder of Angelo Bruno and Scarfo's subsequent meteoric rise. It is almost as if Scarfo's ascendancy was a fluke, not something carefully orchestrated. Scarfo's close relationship with the Genovese Family in New York allowed him access to power. Leonetti reinforces that New York decided who was boss in Philadelphia, not the locals in Philadelphia. This does not appear as clear in other narratives. Leonetti's description of events in Philadelphia is not always clear possibly because he was based in Atlantic City. Major initiatives like the street tax or the revolving door of captains barely receive any detail. Leonetti casually dismisses both Caramondi and DelGiorno, which is easy to do if they had minor roles in the organization and Leonetti was in Atlantic City. But there is no description of the thought process for Scarfo promoting them within the organization. Lastly, I was hoping for an explanation for Leonetti's nickname, "Crazy Phil" beyond a journalist randomly came up with it....

Overall, this is an excellent first person account of the Scarfo Mob. There are limitations; but the pros outweigh the cons. The writing is good. The authors allow Scarfo and Leonetti to speak for themselves. Nearly a third or a quarter of the book is about Leonetti rebuilding his life after the mob. Other commentators remark that this narrative is less self-serving than others (like Sammy Gravano or Tommy DelGiorno). While Leonetti does not offer any sob story about being treated unfairly either before or after he left the mob, the book portrays him in the best possible light: a murderer who regrets his crimes and rehabilitated himself.

[Michael Flanagan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mafia Prince takes the reader into the secret world of La Cosa Nostra through one time mobster and FBI informant Phil "Crazy Phil" Leonetti. Phil does not hold back when describing the world he lived in and quite often you have to remind yourself that this is not fiction. The book is all the top Mafia movies rolled into one, being a cross between the Godfather and Goodfellas with a touch of the Sopranos.

What sets this book apart is that we see the transformation and realization of the author that there is more to life than the mob. This transformation see's him making a deal with the FBI after he his jailed for 40 years. This see's him becoming a rat and help bring down some of the biggest mobsters of the day. Now don't get me wrong this does not make him a saint. I am sure that under a different set of circumstances Leonetti would still be in the family.

While this book delivers a fascinating read it does have a few features that ended up grating on me. This mainly being the constant repeating of phrases and facts, with a bit of editing these could have avoided. Overall though Mafia Prince deliver a very satisfying read and is a must for anyone with an interest in the American Mafia.

[Jake · Rating 4 out of 5]

To continue the Mafia kick I’ve been on lately, I checked out the Mafia subreddit for book recommendations. To a person, the guys on that site thought Mafia Prince, a book I had never heard of, was one of the best, if not THE best read on La Cosa Nostra in the United States.

I thought I had heard of all the major mafia books but this one completely escaped me. I’m sure this is in part because my interest in Mafia tales is more on the sweeping history of the respective families/syndicates and less on its singular operators. A lot of these kind of biography/autobiography/memoir types are guys reminiscing about what tough guys they were, all the women they banged, having a good table at the Copa and then blaming everyone else when it fell apart.

That was the impression I got as well when I started Phil Leonetti’s Mafia Prince. I really just didn’t have much interest in hearing the same stories regurgitated in a different context. But when I went back to the subreddit, folks were insistent: You gotta try this book. So I gave it a second chance and stuck with it.

And yeah, this is definitely one of the best mafia books ever written.

I think in part it’s because Phil Leonetti doesn’t try to glorify his time in the mob. He’s candid about how even the good ol’ days were bad. This is Henry Hill’s Wiseguy (the inspiration for GoodFellas) just more honest and depressing about how awful mafia life is. Having ascended due to his uncle’s meteoric rise to boss of the Philadelphia-Atlantic City mob, he came to hate his uncle for his greed and bloodthirstiness and realized that the entire thrill of LCN that he felt as a kid was nothing more than a crock (the comparison to Santa Claus is apt).

I kind of wish this was the movie that was made instead of Goodfellas. Scorsese has always had an interest on touching on ht glamour of the mob before the inevitable gangsters downfall. Here you learn that it’s just not the case, nor was it ever. It’s an easy to read book; mostly just anecdotes from Leonetti with accompanying context from his co-authors. But I’m not sure anyone not interested in mafia tales would enjoy it. Still, it has to be on a completist’s list.

[Fátima Linhares · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Nós éramos feitos de uma massa diferente; matávamos toda a gente, por amor de Deus. Se tivéssemos problemas com as pessoas, matávamo-las; se as pessoas nos faltavam ao respeito, matávamo-las. Se elas nos devessem dinheiro ou nos impedissem de o ganhar, matávamo-las."

São estas as palavras de Philip Leonetti, o número dois da máfia de Atlantic City e Filadélfia. Desde os 8 anos que foi ensinado pelo seu tio, o número um, Nicodemo Scarfo sobre La Cosa Nostra. E mataram muita gente, mas quando o tio manda matar um dos amigos de Philip, Salvie Testa, membro fiel da causa, algo em Philip desperta e decide que está farto de aturar o tio e as suas loucuras.

Depois de ambos serem detidos com base na lei RICO e condenados, Philip decide colaborar com o FBI e dá o seu testemunho contra a organização.

[Vakaris the Nosferatu · Rating 5 out of 5]

all reviews in one place:
night mode reading ;
skaitom nakties rezimu

About: This is a beautiful dark story of an often romanticized topic: Mafia. Little Nicky Scarfo ruled Philly’s Mafia Family, La Cosa Nostra, this thing of ours. Under his rule everyone got out of their way, for these people, this mob, was ruthless and cruel. On some incidence a man took his own life in fear they came to brutally murder him, even though it was a mere chance. Scarfo’s nephew, Crazy Phil Leonetti ruled as his second in command, earning his name as the crazy one, following the rules obediently, putting Family above all else, including his own son. But as time went by, and good men, loyal men died for mere fact his uncle thought they were too proud of the job they did under his orders, Phil started questioning him as the boss, and the whole structure too. And he wasn’t the only one tired of a ruthless, paranoid boss.

Mine: I greatly respect people who are able to rise above their given life. Phil Leonetti is a great example of it. Born into Mob to be as good as the Prince of Crime, he obeyed, he lived it, he breathed it, and he killed for it. But he evolved when the chance presented itself, and made sure his own son didn’t have to belong the way he did. He got out when he could, and took anyone willing and able with him, in a sense. Once he saw the stupidity behind aggression, he did his best to straighten himself, and build a better life, outside of the crime for himself and his family. I wish them all luck in it.

It’s a good book, good new perspective. Mafia is not Sopranos. It’s brutal, horrible, and death is easy. Being trigger happy will not keep you safe, loyalty will not keep you safe, for nobody is ever safe in a life like that. 5 out of 5, and then a few extra points for the final word of Leonetti.

[Augusto Moreno · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting subject matter, didn’t realize the Philadelphia underworld was crazy like that. Surprised Martin Scorsese hasn’t made the movie yet.

Not the best mob book I’ve read but definitely nowhere near the worst one I’ve ever read.

Joey Merlino is a pussy.

So is Phil tho claiming he turned into a rat only to spite his uncle yet he refused to testify against him supposedly because he would say mean things 😂
So he’s also a pussy

[Michael Hames · Rating 4 out of 5]

The narrator of the book is a bit repetitive sometimes which is why i rated it 4 stars instead of 5 but it’s a great story about the mob. Like reading real life version of The Godfather or The Sopranos. If you enjoy mob movies you will enjoy this book.

[Blake · Rating 2 out of 5]

"I was practically born into a New England society of murderous sociopaths, having been brought up under the wing of the nearest silhouette of a father-figure I could find, himself a locally noted murderous sociopath. For a couple decades it was alright being a murderous sociopath in the company of murderous sociopaths, and there's no denying that our feudal profit-sharing model was at a minimum very lucrative for my father-figure. But unfortunately most of the other murderous sociopaths were in the habit of behaving like murderous sociopaths, my father-figure especially so, often killing our own murderous sociopaths for what I’d deem insufficient reasons, if only silently and to myself. We eventually drew the lethal (but ineffective) ire of still other murderous sociopaths and the decidedly non-lethal (yet very effective) wrath of the federal government. I was eventually looking at, like, the rest of my life in prison, so I decided I had no choice any longer but to sell out my father-figure and leave that life of murderous sociopathy behind me... except to remind everyone with this book that I totally was a murderous sociopath for, like, decades there in New England, and that every murderous sociopath I ratted on absolutely had it coming, and that I didn’t really have a choice anyways, so there. Thank you."

Sound a little familiar at this point?

Jokes aside, most books on La Cosa Nostra history are fascinating to me, but Leonetti lacks the charisma and storytelling acumen of a Henry Hill type – a dose of personality that might have at least made his lifestyle seem swashbuckling and morbidly fun or his plot arc comically absurd rather than just well-trod. Zero sensory data and a very scarce sense of humor might make Leonetti believable as an ice-cold killer, but it also means he's a pretty mediocre primary source for such a personal account of mob history.

It might not just be Leonetti, though - it could also be a failing of his ghostwriters. You never get the feeling that you're actually experiencing the scene in 1970s & 80s Atlantic City, either because they couldn’t be bothered to do more research or because they weren’t talented enough to render it vividly. I think the only signifiers ever mentioned are Cutty Sark as a preferred drink and the names of streets. The authors also fail to deliver on their own teasers. They tell of meetings with Meyer Lansky in the very beginning of the book and then never actually have those meetings take place in the narrative. That felt like a deliberate fake-out, a device to make it seem like Leonetti was a part of a grander historical tradition of Mafiosi than just his own little story of an uncle and his nephew having a slow-motion falling out, but with no follow-though at all. It could be that they just wrote down everything Leonetti told them and didn’t ask many probing questions, but no reason is ever implied for Leonetti wanting to hold back on anything, and he even drops pretty obvious hints about where he currently lives under witness protection, so he's clearly not the one keeping his mouth shut on such details.

Beyond that, every character is rendered flat, in the exact same mood and repeating the same stock phrases every time we see them, if even that much - several pivotal characters exist only as their name, with no further character attributes demonstrated or physical indicators given, which leaves them all in your mind as little more than a bunch of stuffed leisure suits. The narrative also shifts continually from Leonetti narrating in first person to random unnecessary recaps from a second narrator, and the fourth wall breaking so often makes for a jarring read.

If you're looking for confessions of a murderous sociopath that are a bit more compelling and dark, one working primarily for La Cosa Nostra in New Jersey no less, The Ice Man by Philip Carlo, about and with the assistance of incarcerated hit man Richard Kuklinski, was alright.

[Jason Hillenburg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leonetti should have written this book long ago. We're far removed from the murderous heydey of his uncle's reign over Philadelphia organized crime and Nicky Scarfo's name never rated as high as his contemporary John Gotti. Other writers have penned accounts of this era, but Leonetti has held back revisiting his story for the public outside of a few interviews. Mafia Prince provides him an extended opportunity to examine that part of his life.

It is an opportunity he and his co-authors exploit to the fullest. This is easily one of the best books about late 20th century organized crime I've read. The chief highlight of its structure is the juxtaposition of the narrative with Leonetti's personal reflections. It gives the book dueling but nevertheless consistent voices. Both voices share a conversational tone that allows readers to digest a considerable cast of characters and events.

Leonetti's recollections are often telling. Perverse yet genuine pride peeks through some memories despite his visceral hatred for Uncle Nicky. His nephew and former underboss Leonetti never meets a chance to blast his uncle that he doesn't like, but his disgust for Scarfo never dominates the book. A wealth of research and solid writing are the driving forces behind this book's success. It will stand for years, if not decades, to come as an authoritative account of "the life".

[Kathy Chumley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Even though The Sopranos was supposedly based on a northern New Jersey crime family much of what happened in this book sounds a lot like the tv series. There's even an uncle-nephew relationship. If anything about the Mafia sounds even slightly attractive this book will show you the reality of that bizarre criminal lifestyle.

The narrator of the audio version really made the book. I think if I had been reading it in a print or electronic version I might not have finished it. The narrator is the reason I kept listening. There were a few times where he seemed to have trouble transitioning from a character (one of the authors) and a reporter (another author) but for the most part he did an excellent job.

Three stars from me is a good book. I'm stingy with stars and only a very few books get four or five stars. A three star book is a good read (no pun intended) but not a must-read.

[Tim · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writing and dialog are a bit stereotypical "mob sayings." with an overabundance of names with variable degrees of character development. Maybe it's true to life, but the story is only moderately engaging.

[RICK "SHAQ" GOLDSTEIN · Rating 3 out of 5]

RICK “SHAQ” GOLDSTEIN SAYS: “HONOR AND RESPECT SEEMED TO BE A THING OF THE PAST.”
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A large part of my personal library is made up of a crime section that engulfs everything from criminal psychology to serial killer profiling to the FBI to the Mafia and everything in between. So in reviewing this book a number of things must be analyzed that involves comparisons to other books of this genre. By now it is absolutely old-hat how one after another… after another… of these former mobsters who bragged about *OMERTA**… the vaunted *CODE-OF-SILENCE* not only rat out their “brothers”… but then have the unmitigated gall to brag about it in books they write. So accepting the fact that to the outside world ratting out your brothers after taking a sacred oath to put *La Cosa Nostra* - *THIS-THING-OF-OURS* ahead of everything including G-d, country and family… is once again being denigrated… the shock value that used to come from such ground breaking books no longer applies.

The details of the literally non-stop incestuous killings “of their own” in the Atlantic City and Philadelphia area is so voluminous and non-stop that it almost defies belief. The story centers around the author Philip “Crazy Phil” Leonetti and his uncle Nicodemo “Little Nicky” Scarfo… and despite Phil on one hand constantly paying “tribute” to Uncle Nicky for teaching him the true *La Cosa Nostra* way from childhood… early on in the book and then for all eternity he becomes sick of being around Scarfo… and is actually happier than he’s ever been when his Uncle is in jail. The author also has the audacity to call his Uncle evil. Is that not the epitome of “the pot calling the kettle black”… since Phil was involved one way or the other in every one of the murders his Uncle ordered?

There are also a couple of repetitive writing nuances that become burdensome to the reader such as listing the characters entire name in innumerable paragraphs on a page interspersed with paragraphs in between them with shortened versions… like you’re going to forget who Uncle Nicky or Crazy Phil is from one paragraph to the next… and believe me this idiosyncratic writing style takes place hundreds of times. Also the term “compound” is used to describe where they live enough times to choke a horse.

Along with the dissolution of *OMERTA*, the time honored Mafia code of not involving family members who don’t participate in “THIS-THING-OF-OURS” in brutal retaliation also goes by the wayside. Killing innocent family members along with killing targets in front of their Mothers become commonplace and is laid out in no uncertain terms by the author.

As the saying goes: “If you’re keeping score at home”… it will be a close race as to which there is more of in this book… killing people who were your friends/family members/valued associates… or how many former avowed sworn to the death to observe *OMERTA* members… sang like a canary.

[Maciej Tomczyk · Rating 5 out of 5]

A highly entertaining read during my commute. When I was in high school, after watching mafia films, I wondered what ultimately caused the downfall of the mob. Eventually I realized that my premise was flawed. Movies like The Godfather present an idealized, mythic vision of organized crime, with Machiavellian figures who are thinking several steps ahead. The reality, however, is more like The Sopranos and what’s depicted in this book. Instead of a strict code of honor and conduct, most situations were dictated by one single factor: money. If you were a strong earner, you could easily break the rules within reason.

In many ways, a mob family mirrors any other human organization. A company may have an HR department to resolve disputes, while the mob relies on the mechanism of a sit-down. In both cases, the fate of the small organizations with several hundred members rests heavily on leadership. A small company with an inept leader can collapse but in the mob, the problem is amplified by the ever-present pressure of law enforcement.

In this instance, the boss, Nicky Scarfo, enjoyed violence and ruled with sheer brutality. A functional business environment depends on predictable rules. Scarfo provided none, the violent atmosphere eroded trust, bred disillusionment, and ultimately made members far more willing to cooperate with law enforcement.

Then there is another factor which contributed to the decline: the quality of the members was diluted with each successive generation. Many high-ranking mafiosi did not want their children to inherit the same life. Their brightest children often would pursue traditional professions, but those that couldn't cut it gravitated toward the family business. Given the mafia’s dependence on loyalty and discretion, nepotism became a a big liability.

The book is a series of individual conflicts, betrayals, and violent episodes that captures the human dimension very well.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

My good friend, Dave DiDonato, recommended that I read Mafia Prince and gave me his copy. Thank you very much Dave. Mafia Prince, by Philip Leonetti with Scott Burnstein and Christopher Graziano , is a gripping true story of the American Mafia.

As I started reading this book, I was immediately drawn in by the vivid descriptions and intense storytelling. Leonetti's firsthand account of his life as a member of the Philadelphia-South Jersey crime family is both fascinating and horrifying at the same time.

From his childhood growing up in a notorious mob family to his rise through the ranks and eventual downfall, every page is filled with shocking revelations and gritty details that kept me on the edge of my seat.

What struck me most about this book was not just the violence and criminal activities depicted, but also the complex relationships within the mafia. Leonetti's loyalty and devotion to his uncle, "Little Nicky" Scarfo, is constantly tested as he navigates through the treacherous world of organized crime.

But despite the violence and corruption that consumed his life, there are also moments of humanity and vulnerability that make Leonetti's story even more compelling. He struggles with his conscience and ultimately pays a heavy price for his involvement in the mafia.

Overall, this book is a gripping and eye-opening read. It sheds light on a dark side of society that most people only see in movies or TV shows. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in true crime or just looking for an intense and captivating read.

[Phil Villarreal · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writing is poor, and the storytelling is mediocre. Leonetti's memoir thrives on the pure grit of his honesty, humility, shamelessness and experience. He recounts his years in the mob, and what led to his betrayal of his entire crime family and willingness to risk his own life and those of everyone he loved just to stick it to his controlling uncle, never pretending that he became a government witness for altruistic, or even pragmatic, reasons. Leonetti and his gaggle of ghostwriters spin their yarn with the matter-of-fact sloppiness of a tired old man spilling his guts to no one in particular at a dive bar.

Because he was so deeply entrenched with his subject matter, he can't help but tell a more reliable history of the fall of La Cosa Nostra than any journalist could catalogue or any novelist could dream up. His scattered, choppy prose may be agonizing at times, but he manages to translate a convincing feel of what it was like to sell your soul to the seductive greed that mob life offered him.

That said, an editor who halfway paid attention could have done wonders for this mess. Characters are introduced and re-introduced over and over again in the exact same manner, nicknames and terms are given the same treatment and stories are rehashed for no apparent reason.

GoodFellas this is not, but "Mafia Prince" is still vital reason for anyone who can't get enough wiseguy tales.

[Greg · Rating 2 out of 5]

"And said he gets this, and he made the sign of the gun"
"Crazy Phil" Philip Leonetti is the highest ranking turn-coat in the mafia's history, I can't say I'm versed in Mafioso history so factually I can't credit or discredit it.

The book is an oral history of Crazy Phil's rise, under "Little Nicky" Nicky Scarfo. What follows is a very talky and often wandering history of the ultra-violent Philly branch of La Coka Nostra. With a rotating cast of people, it gets bogged down with so many names, some famous, some not so much. Phil builds up his Uncle, as a surrogate father figure only to despise his increasingly sociopathic paranoia.

The problem is there's not much beyond the verbal accounts of Leonetti, the book could be 75% factually incorrect and I wouldn't be any the wiser. Without much detail, Philadelphia and Atlantic City feel like an afterthought other than a few passages describing the fall of Atlantic City. Everything beyond opinions of other mobsters and hits is window dressing. I felt strangely disconnected from the events Phil described. There's also little insight into the mind of Phil, beyond his coldly dispassionate view of murder, and the turmoil he feels over his own life. I bounced between 2 or 3 stars, but I didn't come away with much enlightenment beyond obvious: Philly and Atlantic City in the late 70s and early 80s were not nice places, there's no honor among thieves and "this thing of ours" isn't as interesting as Hollywood.

[Anthony Veros · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Mafia Prince” tells the story of former mobster Philip Leonetti along with his uncle Nicodemo Scarfo, who rise to the top of the Philadelphia-Atlantic City crime family during the 1980s. From the very first page, the story is absolutely fascinating. So much violence happens within the span of a decade that it almost reads like a work of fiction. But what happened through the first 40 years of Philip’s life was very real. Since I watched “The Sopranos” for the first time maybe 15 years ago, I have always considered myself a fan of the mafia genre. I knew the basic story of the Philadelphia family mainly after watching two or three YouTube documentaries. But this book takes the story to another level. From the prohibition times, to Angelo Bruno, to Phil Testa, to Nicky Scarfo’s incredible violent and treacherous reign as boss, and even the post-Scarfo era where John Stanfa and Joey Merlino go to war to take control of the family, this book truly has it all. Highly recommend for anybody interested in the genre.

[Steven Medina · Rating 5 out of 5]

By far the best true crime book I have ever read. Hands down. I learned about the author through a National Geographic documentary on the Philadelphia Mob on a suggestion from YouTube about 6 or 7 years ago. After doing some research I came across an interview (with ABC news I believe it was) that was shot in 1997 I believe where I learned that Leonetti was still in hiding. A couple months later another more recent interview on Valuetainment podcast interviews Phil which is where I learned about his book. Reading this book always kept me on edge about the constant daily dangers and fear of La Cosa Nostra life that Phil experienced under the command of his uncle Nicademo “Little Nicky” Scarfo. If you are looking for the best true crime book, Phil will make sure you have the best read with this read.

[Ann D’Aleandro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Philip Leonetti’s personal account of being in the Mafia in 70’s and 80’s, being brainwashed as a boy by his uncle, Nicodemo “Little Nicky” Scarfo, and becoming a made man and underboss at a very young age gave this story a validity that was basically spine chilling.

Leonetti flips on the Mob and enters Witness Protection because Scarfo’s regime, and orders to his crew became less and less about La Cosa Nostra and the honor they felt they had, and more about Scarfo’s sociopathic ego and paranoia.

It all is basically evil, but it’s interesting what it finally takes for Philip to see the brutality and see the other side. Leonetti doesn’t flinch from the truth or hold back.

Surprisingly, I really enjoyed this book and the rapid fire pace of his memoir. The only thing that became tedious for me was keeping all the players straight towards the last quarter of the book.

[Elizabeth Sands · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those books you wish they'd turn into a miniseries. The story is everything you could ever want out of a mafia book, and the best part is that it really happened! I listened to the audiobook, the narrator was fantastic! I was convinced he was Leonetti telling his story firsthand. The only drawback of the audiobook was having to memorize a lot of names. Sometimes all the family/gang members got a wee bit confusing. The author does a good job of giving you brief summaries about the characters when they're reintroduced after so many chapters. This story had everything for me, comedy, suspense, murder, and close calls. I'd highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys gangster films and stories.

[Steve C · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a good read. I grew up in an area where some of the listed events occurred, and found this very interesting and inciteful. It brought back many memories. Of course none of these events are good, but hopefully they are something of the past and stay there. It is interesting to hear what Joey Merlino says about the book today on You Tube, and at least with him, the life continues. I thoroughly enjoyed this book although that may sound sick. It is something that many of my contemporaries are familiar with from afar, even if we didn't know the full extent of the activities. Today there seems to be a romanization with the Mafia, but hopefully this book with its real life stories will keep those thoughts to a minimum.

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're looking for an apologetic feel good story of redemption, this isn't it. I think the refreshing thing about this book is that Phil Leonetti doesn't make excuses for who he was and what he did. That was the world he was part of. Period. Him turning his life around, he equates La Cosa Nostra to Santa Claus, as in once he saw through the lies there was no reason to keep believing and carrying on in that world. The way he lays everything out, these guys were killing each other left and right, and when the internal mob war started, everything gets ramped up even more. It's like murder was just a casual thing. Wild stuff.

[Gerri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having grown up in Upstate NY I was very aware of La Cosa Nostra and I’ve been fascinated by the organization so over the years I’ve read many books on the subject. IMO this is one of the best out there; maybe the best, as it seems to give the history of many other books wrapped into one. From history and following the story, it is known that Leonetti was one of the most important figures who became an informer, detailing the history of the Mafia. Other than “In The Shadow of My Father” this is a must read for anyone interested in the history of La Cosa Nostra and those that lived within “the thing”.

[Troy Sonnenfeld · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read many books on the Mafia and this one is my favorites. Unlike most true crime books, Phil Leonetti actually lived the life at the highest levels as the underboss of the Philadelphia mob during his uncle Little Nicky Scarfo's reign as boss. Leonetti comes across as likable but cold and calculating. A wolf in sheep's clothing. The authors do a great job of explaining Leonetti's world and his actions. The book is full of betrayals, double and triple crosses that is life in La Cosa Nostra. It's also one of the only books to cover the Genovese Crime Family and its boss Vincent Gigante in any great detail which is invaluable.

[Mikayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

...and then he made the sign of the gun. 👉

I was sceptical at first, but Mafia Prince won me over. It's hard to describe what makes it so good, but it is such an excellent book. Leonetti himself is so funny. (On that note, check out ~25:47 of this interview.) He'll be describing some batshit insane incident that ended with several people dead and/or in prison, then digress to remark on how much he wishes he'd been given the chance to murder Joey Merlino, then launch back into his narrative about how he and his power-mad uncle ruled the Philly underworld.

[Tony Soprano · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

the writing, at least the parts narrated by Scott burnstein, were a slog to get through. he tends to be very repetitive and overuse phrases like variations of "extremely powerful" and constantly writing out their full names instead of USING THEIR NICKNAMES.

however, i enjoyed the parts narrated by phil. he has a way with words that makes reading this book entertaining whenever he's taking the reins. and other than the actual writing, the book is well paced and feels like a movie with the way it's being told. phil does a good job of explaining everything in a condensed, easy to understand manner.

[Jacob Bergeron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic insight into the Philadephia Mob and it’s dynamic with the New York mob families. Everything was determined by New York and Philadelphia was a pawn for the Genovese and Gambino families to get more votes in the commission. Gives a great idea of how things are run, why people are killed or not killed, how they are making money, and who controls what. I loved learning about the places local to Philadelphia. Great resource to learn more about the Philly mob as well as the American mob in general

[Joe Fiorella · Rating 4 out of 5]

This should be a movie! Why Hollywood keeps making movie after movie about Gotti or Hoffa is beyond me. This is just begging for a film adaptation! The treachery and deceit, the colorful mob characters, the slew of cinematic style mafia executions, and the dynamic between Crazy Phil and Little Nicky is incredible stuff. And it’s all true!!! A must read for anyone interested in the genre. If you’ve read and enjoyed Gravano’s Underboss, then you’ll love this!