Paul Lindsey, The Big Scam

The Big Scam

Paul Lindsey

Simon & Schuster, Sep 2005, $24.00, 320 pp.

ISBN: 0743250001

FBI Headquarters is investigating the New York office when Administrative Assistant Special Agent in Charge Bernard Dreagen, seeking future favors, offers to his former colleague Inspector Charles Lansing the special Vanko squad as a sacrifice. This group apparently breaks all the rules. After scamming a criminal lowlife they are searching for the missing Judge Ferris.

At about the same time local mob chief Tony Casesca suffers a stroke. His deadliest lieutenant Danny DeMilglia becomes temporary head of the family. He warns Tony's nephew by marriage Mike Parisi he better shape up or else. Mike knows that Tony is setting him up to take a fall so that the only competition to replace the boss is eliminated. Soon Vanko's squad, Parisi's men, Lansing, and DeMilglia will learn the basic law of physics about objects sharing the same space when they collide over Judge Ferris.

THE BIG SCAM is a wild FBI investigative tale that uses sidebar vignettes to provide excitement and insight into the Vanko team yet never intrudes on the prime story line of internal gang warfare and internal Feds warfare ultimately meeting. Fans will appreciate the non-stop action starting with an impressive fun to read opening sting and never slowing down until the contenders' final altercation. With all this action, kind of like a modern day Indiana Jones tale, Paul Lindsey also insures his ensemble cast seem real and unique from one another. This is no scam as fans of Mafia vs. the FBI detective novels will enjoy the ride.

Harriet Klausner