The legions of fans of the character of conflicted mob wife Carmela Soprano on the popular HBO series will eagerly devour British journalist Longrigg's second look at the role of women in traditional organized crime, after 1997's Mafia Women
, which focused on the Mafia in Italy. Here the author moves beyond popular stereotypes to present a number of fascinating portraits drawn from America's experience of La Cosa Nostra. Some, like the Dapper Don's daughter, Victoria Gotti, are familiar figures, but some of the more obscure women prove even more interesting. Surprisingly, Longrigg has even managed to find a heroic character among the more typical victims of domestic violence and the pampered, superficial individuals who gladly indulged in an affluent lifestyle that their criminal relatives made possible. Betty Tocco, wife of a mob boss, bravely chose to cooperate with the FBI to protect her young son from his father's vicious way of life and became the first mob spouse to testify against her husband at trial. Despite the essential grimness of the world of the Mafia, Longrigg's ear for the humanity of those she describes and the rare moments of humor elevate this book beyond the usual self-serving mob tell-alls. Agent, Derek Johns. (July 14)
