Mob over Miami

Rating:
Summary: A low-rent 'Casino'
Review: Mob Over Miami chronicles the quick rise and fall of Chris Paciello, a Staten Island thug who became club king of South Beach before his past caught up with him.

From Brooklyn to Staten Island as a teen and into his 20s, Chris Paciello was an out and out thug, a thief who regularly ripped off friends and anyone he could scam, gaining the nickname 'the Binger' (as he'd binge on stealing). Prone to violence, he administered many a beating as well. Looking to avoid the heat of New York, where he was aligned with various low-level street crews of wannabe wiseguys, he fled to South Beach, Miami, where he had various contacts and was able to open up a successful club, starting a massive snowball that would go uphill in a hurry before tumbling down.

After torching his first club, he aligned himself with various promoters, most notably Lord Michael Caruso (who was connected to Peter Gatien, Manhattan club king) and opened up Liquid, a hugely successful club. Before long Paciello was a highly visible South Beach figure, hanging out with celebrities. Of course, they loved his Brooklyn charm, his tough guy looks, his nice guy demeanor. But little did they know the other Chris, a violent, shiftless goon that no amount of Armani couture could hide.

It was precisely this nature and his past that brought Paciello down. Arrested no less than a dozen times while he was running his Miami fiefdom of clubs, restaurants, and lounges, he assaulted staff, patrons, and whoever else threatened him, drove drunk, threatened various folks, and of course was connected to made guys in the mob. A real class guy, he even stole his neighbors car, only to show up a week later in the same car with an new paintjob.

This book is a good indication of the difference between careful, career criminals and the goons who make good only to destroy it in a hurry. Paciello's rein was indeed short before he became another cooperating witness for the government, after his old crew of Fulbright scholars ratted him out. This is not a flattering photo of anyone. The disgusting nature of thieves who would rob anyone and everyone they could, rob their own friends, and screw you over without thinking, is clear.

The book is certainly serviceable of its kind, written by a Daily News reporter with typical poetic touches here and there, but overall a decent read. Included are photos (usually mug shots) of some of the characters like Mikey 'Flat Top' and 'Messy Marvin', hardly a fascinating portrait of the criminal mind. If the picture of Paciello is at all accurate, it's doubtful he will remain in Witness Protection very long. Recommended for true crime mob addicts, as well as anyone who lives in Brooklyn (Bensonhurst, Dyker Heights, Bay Ridge) or Staten Island, since you'll recognize names, places, and events.

Rating:
Summary: Good Reading on the Mob and South Beach Niteclubs
Review: Niteclubs come and go in South Beach like the seasons change. Chris Paciello is responsible for contributing to the South Beach nitelife explosion that still exists today. Many of Paciello's underlings have started their own clubs (see Level) in South Beach. I hope living in the witness protection program is fun. Excellent book on the modern day mob's demise in NYC. Buy it.

Rating:
Summary: One Of A Kind
Review: This book was fantastic...Michelle McPhee takes you through the life of a punk kid "wannabe" from the streets of Brooklyn & Staten Island to his rise as a South Beach night club baron...running with the beautiful people...until his not so beautiful past catches up with him...this book is an awesome read, and I couldn't put it down...McPhee's got a way of writing about the Mob that captivates you and brings you right into their world....Kudos to McPhee and to Mob over Miami.

Rating:
Summary: You wont fall asleep to this one !!
Review: This is the 1st book I read in 2 days. No Joke. I couldn't put it down. I even told my friends I wasn't in the mood to go hang out just to read it. This book is an easy read and worth the money. Get it if you are interested in true life crime stories. You'll enjoy it. To the author, all I have to say is you picked a great story for your first book. You hit the jackpot with this one. "Bravooo"

Rating:
Summary: You wont fall asleep to this one !!
Review: This is the 1st book I read in 2 days. No Joke. I couldn't put it down. I even told my friends I wasn't in the mood to go hang out just to read it. This book is an easy read and worth the money. Get it if you are interested in true life crime stories. You'll enjoy it. To the author, all I have to say is you picked a great story for your first book. You hit the jackpot with this one. "Bravooo"

Rating:
Summary: Well written book, basically about the decline of the mob
Review: This is well written book mostly about Chris Ludwigsen, who skipped from one NYC mob crew to the next in his early years. A guy who could never be made, because he wasn't Italian. It centers around a couple different crews, mostly the bath house crew associated with the Bonnano's under Consigliere Anthony Spero. Ludwigsen skipped around with variuos members of the crime families, Bonnano, Colombo( the one's who hepled pull off the goodfella's stock scandal. It also goes into who killed Gus Farace. Chris Ludwigsen leaves NYC and starts nightclubs in Miami(pulling off robberies and stuff that helped him become the night club king in Miami's south beach area. His downfall would come from New York over a botched robbery done with others in 1993 that eventually leads to him being taken back to New York and finally flipping to testify..probaly mostly in future cases..especially the government trying to nail Colombo boss allie boy persico. In all it's a good book, well written, but not as profound as say Donnie Brasco. Most of the players in the book weren't even made men, but a lot of them did the dirty work for the mafia