Citizen Somerville: Growing up with the Winter Hill Gang

by Bobby Martini, Elayne Keratsis

In the early 1960's a bloody civil war broke out between the two powerful Irish Mob families in the Somerville Massachusetts neighborhood known as Winter Hill. Over sixty men were murdered, including the leader of the Winter Hill Gang, James "Buddy" McLean. The leadership of one of the most influential non-Italian crime organizations in the United States was inherited by his childhood friend, Howard T. "Howie" Winter. In CITIZEN SOMERVILLE the events during his tenure offer a true picture of an era in Boston's pre-Whitey Bulger history when the streets were protected by a close-knit group of Irish-Italian "businessmen." The son of one of Winter's closest friends, BOBBY MARTINI has laid his own history bare to depict a life of survival in the rough streets of Somerville, stopping just short of entering the Mob life. The death of Martini's two brothers as well as the murders and suicides of scores of others reveal the darker personal side of a small New England town. CITIZEN SOMERVILLE slices a layer deeper than a crime memoir by allowing a usually ostracized faction to speak - the women. After decades of silence, three strong and very different females lift the Mob veil and voice their own struggle to survive in Somerville's criminal circle. Often painfully poignant and yet frequently hilarious, CITIZEN SOMERVILLE is a microscopic view of a generation struggling to walk the moral tightrope between societal decency and the loyalty of criminality. THE BOSTON HERALD'S Laura Raposa writes..."Stories of Howie Winter and his lieutenants are legendary in Boston, but 'Citizen Somerville' brings them back to life with a the stories behind the stories. The underworld dramas in the Boston burg have made headlines for decades, but we've never heard from the supporting cast, namely the women and children. Their tales make for an eye-opening, fascinating read."

Genres: History, Biography, Crime

428 pages, Paperback

First published November 2, 2010

Reviews

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love a good gangster book and this is a lot of interviews and stories about what it was like in Somerville in the 70s and 80s- man we think guns are an issue today? Nothing like the old days in the hood. LeArned a few things….Howie Winter was a good guy who did illegal,things but watched out for everyone in Somerville… it was really Whitney Bulger and Steven Flemmi that we’re trying to take over all the Winter Hill operations and we’re truly evil killers… a good flashback - had to educate myself since both my kids live in Somerville and I go there a lot….fine read

[Janellyn51 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Bobby is a local guy from Somerville, where I've lived for the last 30 years. That doesn't make me a bonafide Townie, but I get some respect for that! The book is about Howie Winter and the Winter Hill Gang, which I've heard about for years, but never really got the true scope of. I have to say, I came out of this loving Howie Winter, even if making book is a crooked thing to do, Howie was always a stand up guy....and not a maniacal whack job like Whitey Bulger and Stevie Flemmie, who I would not want to run into in a dark alley. Bobby Martini is, now, a teamster who drives actors around town when there is a major film being made in the area. He's had his own share of woes. I think he does a really good job of getting across what it was like growing up around here with tons of kids in the family and not always enough to go around. His father, being a friend of Howie's, Bobby grew up with all the guys involved, just around. I believe it's an honest book, told through interviews with Howie, his wife, and a variety of people who survived the Irish gang wars of Charlestown and Somerville. I like that Howie is very matter of fact about what he did and didn't do, matter of fact and unappologetic. This is a self published book, it has it's typos and a flub here or there, but all in all, Bobby told it his way. I now know why I say irregardless....which drives my boyfriend insane....there's no such word, it's a double negative, he's sat me down with a dictionary and dared me to find it. I don't care....I've said it all my life...mostly I say regardless now, unless I'm talking to my boyfriend, because it aggravates him so much!

[Janine]

mixed feelings.
certainly, there are many people like the ones martini describes in his book. i know some people like them and I actually like some of them.
that being said, I do feel that he uses waaaay too broad of a brush to depict people who grew up in somerville. yes, we feel fiercely loyal to the city and to each other. yes, we are often confrontational. however, we all have not and do not participate in crime because there is nothing better to do with our time or because "it's just what you do."
as someone who grew up in somerville and decided to stay, my fear is that individuals who want to read the book to learn more about the Winter Hill Gang may finish the book and believe that the people and the city scenes that Martini depicts were commonplace. no doubt they happened. however, a lot of good things happened in somerville during that same time period as well. i know that is not what Martini experienced or cares to write about. however, i do believe that it would have been nice to ACKNOWLEDGE that there were many organizations working to do good in our city.
i believe martini is telling the truth. however, it is the truth from his perspective and in his eyes. As a citizen of Somerville (a lifer, no less), i am concerned that the book leaves a rough and tumble image of the city i love that is certainly present but not overarching.

[Leslie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I truly enjoyed this book, although it probably will appeal mostly to nearby residents, descendants of residents, and Boston area crime literature junkies. Semi-autobiographical, the book depicts what it was like growing up in East Somerville among members of the Winter Hill Gang during and after the Irish gang wars of the 1960's. It jumps around a lot, sometimes making it difficult to follow.

The author disputes the commonly accepted version of Whitey Bulger's close control of the gang, and portrays the better attributes of Howie Winter -- taking care of the poor and downtrodden in the neighborhood. This tradition of "taking care of our own" was true in many neighborhoods, especially Irish neighborhoods in the middle part of the 20th century. The book also examines the connections of various Winter Hill members with crooked cops and Mafia figures in the North End and Providence, usually for the purpose of working together while maintaining the autonomy of both factions. Is the book a whitewash? Maybe. But it reflects the experiences of the author and shows both the grittiness and joy of being part of the larger "family" in Somerville.

[Janean · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh. My family is from this area so I thought I'd really love this book since I've heard so much about the Winter Hill Gang my whole life (and fairly convinced I have some family who were intimately involved in it in some way), but honestly, I was annoyed at how Martini paints this picture of Howie Winter as the hero gangster. It feels as if this whole book is a "hey, we're not thaaat bad as far as gangsters go!" I also hated the way Martini presents this "no snitching" thing as heroic. Working w/ teenagers on a daily basis who are constantly parading this attitude, I am always fighing against it and I'm annoyed that is glorified here. I get it: sometimes the good guys aren't always the good guys. Cops can be as bad as criminals. But does that mean that we have to glorify this behavior?
Martini's writing isn't great. I had a hard time finishing this because it didn't really captivate me and being a book that is reliant on tons of names, nicknames and dates, it was hard to get back in.
But, on the bright side, Whitey was caught as I was finishing so that made me finish it faster!

[Bridget · Rating 1 out of 5]

I thought it was terrible. I was very excited to read it, as it revolves around the neighborhood I grew up in and cast of characters I heard about my entire life. However, the writing was shoddy, all over the place and hard holding my attention. Surprisingly so, given I knew quite a bit about many of the characters and stories in the book. I felt even more so I would have enjoyed reading it but didn't. I think Bobby wrote the book wearing "rose" colored glasses. I was disappointed.

[Bethie39 · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writing wasn't the best, and at times hard to follow. But, it is fascinating to me, the Irish gangs and the war between Somerville and Charleston (Massachusetts) since I live right here! And some of this stuff still happens, just a bit more under-cover now.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting inside look at a famous local Boston area crime ring....it was a little too obvious the author was trying to separate Howie Winter from Whitey Bulger...I can only take "I SWEAR Winter was a good guy" for so long. Otherwise quick, easy read.

[Laurie Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book!

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a soft spot for mobsters, the Boston "vernacular" and Somerville, so this fit into my interests pretty well. It was like talking to your dad's funny old friend from Somerville.

[Linda Price tammaro]

not great ....

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you ever lived or currently live in Somerville, you will definitely find this interesting.

[Gina Piantedosi]

Loved it...but then again, I grew up in Somerville and lived through this time. Crazy to remember names and places.