Hitman
The Untold Story of Johnny Martorano, Whitey Bulger’s Enforcer and the Most Feared Gangster in the Underworld
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Hitman
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Narrated by:
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Keith Szarabajka
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Written by:
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Howie Carr
About this listen
From the New York Times best-selling author of The Brothers Bulger comes the story of Johnny Martorano, whom the FBI called “the most feared man in the underworld.”
Martin Scorcese’s The Departed barely touched his story, but radio talk show sensation, crime reporter, and Boston Herald columnist, Howie Carr, takes us into the heart of the life of Johnny Martorano. For two decades Martorano struck fear into anyone remotely connected to his world. His partnership with Whitey Bulger and the infamous Winter Hill Gang led to 20 murders for which Johnny would serve only 12 years in prison. Carr also looks at the politicians and FBI agents who aided Johnny and Whitey and at the flamboyant city of Boston which they so ruthlessly ruled. But most of all, Carr depicts Johnny—the most fascinating crime figure Carr has ever encountered. A plethora of paradoxes, he was Mr. Mom by day and man-about-town by night. Surrounded by fast-living politicians, sports celebrities and show biz entertainers, Johnny was charismatically colorful—as charming as he was frightening. After all, he was in the end…a hitman.
After graduating from high school, John Martorano turned down seven football scholarships and instead stayed in Boston. Hanging out in the notorious Combat Zone, he fell under the guidance of Stephen Flemmi--high ranking Winter Hill mobster and close associate of James "Whitey" Bulger--and by the age of 25, Martorano was a professional killer. He became one of the Winter Hill Gang's most prolific--and feared--enforcers. This is the gripping true-life story of Martorano's years killing for the Winter Hill Gang, told in Carr's arresting inimitable style.
©2011 Frandel, LLC (P)2011 Blackstone Audio, Inc.What the critics say
What listeners say about Hitman
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 2022-08-31
good book well read
it was a long book abit confusing at times but still good.
learned som new things about some well known criminals
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Langer MD
- 2021-12-27
'Acceptable' Collection of Mob Anecdotes
I am endlessly fascinated with the kinds of people that get involved in Organized Crime. (Spoiler Alert: They're largely self-serving Sociopaths). This book relating a series of experiences for a particularly nasty monster -New England indiscriminate murderer & Whitey Bulger colleague Johnny Martorano - doesn't add anything new.. it's just nicely-compiled.
Author/Radio Personality Howie Carr uses a very clever plot device: a prosecutor confronting Martorano while he testifies on the stand. Each assertion that the Hitman makes is taken as an opportunity to elaborate on some of the jawdropping events that occurred in the Massachusetts underworld (CI betrayals/FBI complicity, robberies, murders, and the insane Irish/Italian gang wars in Boston in the late 50s/early 60s).
Unfortunately the book is aimless - Carr doesn't draw any conclusions. Instead he simply vomits out the ugliness.. giving readers the impression that they're having a few beers with some scumbag relating some of the crazy things he saw other scumbags doing.
Don't get me wrong - it's an awe-inspiring glimpse into some of the worst elements in society - it's just not that edifying.
Keith Szarabajka reads passably well in terms of diction, timbre, tone, and cadence - but is a below-average narrator overall (try the 'Sample' before you download this book to see what I mean). Szarabajka takes irritating sharp breaths throughout the text, occasionally smacks his lips (avoid earbuds), and reads too slowly (playback speed is best set at 1.15X). In addition, he injudiciously makes very poor attempts at stereotypical gangster impressions and "Southie" accents. The subpar performance definitely contributes to my overall poor impression of this book. Blackstone Audio should have cast this project differently.
Given the deficiencies in the book and the presentation, I can't rate this admittedly interesting recording better than 4 stars out of 10. It was offered for free with my Audible subscription and it was a reasonable option for a couple of bored afternoons - go ahead and give it a listen if you can get it for free, too.. but I can't suggest anyone pay actual money to add it to their library.
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