The Butcher: Anatomy of a Mafia Psychopath

Little did the federal government know that when they protected wildlife sanctuaries they were doing more than protecting endangered species. They were in essence creating clandestine burial grounds for demented psychopathic Mafia murderers. In Staten Island "THE STATE WILDLIFE SANCTUARIES, WHICH WERE PROTECTED BY THE GOVERNMENT FROM ANY KIND OF DEVELOPMENT. NO CONSTRUCTION WAS ALLOWED; NO UTILITY LINES WOULD BE LAID. SURROUNDED BY HUNDREDS OF ACRES OF EMPTY LAND, THERE WAS LITTLE THREAT SOMEONE IDLING BY WOULD STUMBLE ACROSS A BODY OR MEMBERS OF THE MOB BURYING ONE."

The searching of just such a sanctuary/burial ground by multiple law enforcement agencies is where author Philip Carlo starts his hypnotic true-life tale of Mafia-Mad-Man Tommy "Karate" Pitera... who the reader will find out soon enough is a deranged... demented ... package of goods... that somehow fell off the conveyor belt of humanity... before making it through quality control. Pitera was short and pale... and had a feminine voice that even in his adult years as a sadistic Mafia mass murderer... was described as sounding more like Minnie Mouse than Mickey Mouse. Even in the midst of at least SIXTY-SADISTIC-MURDERS... as the reader learns that Pitera killed with impunity... and became the most feared of all Mafia killers... a killer... who scared the living hell out of other soulless killers... even these frightened Mafiosi... who literally shook in their boots around Pitera... at times had to keep from laughing when his girlish "Disney" voice was heard. Pitera had two main M.O.'s. The first was that he would kill in a microsecond without hesitation. The second... was the macabre fashion in which he disposed of the bodies. He had what he called his "DISMEMBERING KIT". "IT WAS CAREFULLY WRAPPED UP IN A CHAMOIS. THERE WERE SCALPELS, RAZOR-SHARP KNIVES, SMALL TWO-FINGER SAWS FOR CUTTING JOINT, BONE, AND SINEW." As chilling as the sound of his "DISMEMBERING KIT" was... the method in which he unflinchingly used it was even more horrifically ghastly. He would throw the dead body in a tub... he would strip naked... get into the tub with the freshly killed body... and start sawing and cutting apart the body. He would cut it into six pieces... two arms... two legs... the torso... and the head. He would then wrap the six pieces in bags and usually put them in a cheap suitcase and go out and bury them in a wildlife sanctuary. In one case... when he murdered a woman who was giving drugs to his addicted girl friend... he kept the head... "AND PEOPLE IN THE KNOW, SAY HE DID SOMETHING UNSPEAKABLE WITH IT. SATISFIED, HE PLACED THE HEAD IN THE FREEZER OF HIS REFRIGERATOR. IT WOULD REMAIN THERE UNTIL PITERA DECIDED TO GET RID OF IT BY DUMPING IT IN THE NEARBY ATLANTIC OCEAN, WHERE CRABS AND FISH WOULD EAT THE FLESH AND BRAINS."

The author meticulously covers all bases surrounding this grotesque individual... and just as painstakingly details the dedicated officers of the DEA led by Jim Hunt Jr. and the all the behind the scenes investigative work that led to the final arrest. If you're not familiar with Philip Carlo the author... and haven't read his other classic Mafia based books... you're in for a treat. This is his home turf... he knows these people... and the real life reality of this culture is his stomping grounds.

I enjoy reading historical accounts of American organized crime. However, I thought this book was lurid, sensational and panders to those who love blood and gore.
The subject itself is inherently violent, but this author wallows in it.

Phillip Carlo is the worst Mafia writer I can think of. I read a ton of mafia books, about the only thing I read. This is supposed to be about Tommy Pitera's life and criminal history. Not briefly going back to him every other chapter and talking about some Feds the whole time. If you read a lot of Mafia books like myself, don't ever get this book or ANYTHING Phillip Carlo writes.

THE BUTCHER is a straightforward true-crime story about one of the most prolific hit-men the American Mafia ever produced, Tommy "Karate" Pitera -- and the DEA agents who eventually brought him down. It's a bloody, gory, gruesome journey along the low-to-mid-level regions of the mob's underbelly, following Pitera's long career of murder and mayhem from its pedestrian origins to its harsh but inevitable conclusion. An entertaining book, it is not for the faint of heart. "Karate" was one vicious, twisted SOB.

Author Philip Carlo, who advertises himself as having a "PhD in street smarts," uses the convention True Crime formula of detailing Pitera's life while simultaneously tracking DEA agents Jim Hunt and Tommy Giesel, whose drug-busting work eventually brought them into contact with a man they referred to as "a vampire." The description is apt. Pitera, who was an only child, grew up in Gravesend, Brooklyn, with a high-pitched voice which made him the target of constant bullying. He responded by taking karate, and became so proficient at the martial art he eventually went to Japan to study it further. His unhappy childhood seems to have sparked a ferocious anger in him, along with a bone-deep bloodlust that only entry into organized crime could satisfy. Returning to America, he proved himself to the Bonanno Crime Family as an assassin, was soon initiated, and rapidly developed a reputation as THE go-to hit-man in the city, a killer so prolific he maintained not one but two unofficial graveyards where the dismembered bodies of his victims were lain to rest. (He also trafficked heavily in drugs, mainly by virtue of ripping off and killing Columbian drug dealers, and it was this detail which drew him to the attention of Jim Hunt.)

Pitera, however, was no mere psychopathic goon, but a shrewd, extremely savvy criminal, wary of betrayal and switchblade-quick at eliminating threats real or imagined. The government found itself repeatedly stymied by his caution and his facility for making witnesses (and potential witnesses) disappear. Nobody wanted to finger "Karate" lest they end up in an unmarked grave. Killing, however, can occasionally backfire, and create enough resentment to overcome fear -- a lesson Pitera came to learn the hard way. In the mean time, however, he had an empire to run -- an empire built on foundations of cocaine and blood.

That's about as much detail as I can give without spoiling the story, which has a lot of twists and turns which would fit neatly in a Scorsese movie.
I can say that as a writer, Carlo isn't a bad storyteller. A product of Brooklyn's "Mafia country," he knows the streets fairly well -- though not as well as he would like to pretend; he gets some details wrong which a real insider would not. His writing style is that of a gifted amateur, being rough around all the edges, prone to redundancy, and with a tendency toward salacious, tabloid-like detail; yet also readable and appealing. He also has a good sense of the frustration, danger and sense of futility cops and G-men often face when trying to combat the drug trade, and he isn't afraid to expose one of the most pernicious yet enduring myths about the Mafia, to wit: that it has nothing to do with drugs.

To sum up, fans of True Crime stories, police investigation procedurals, and of course, Mafia buffs, will probably enjoy this international tale of cops-vs.crooks. But it isn't for the faint of heart...or the faint of stomach.

This reader loved the book. However, like the books and movies about Hannibal Lecter, this book makes this Psychopathic Monster, Vampire, Butcher, Mobster a Super Star. Jim Hunt was the DEA Agent who patiently tracks down the brutal mob hit man, who had never been arrested even though he had murdered and butchered dozens and dozens of peoples before he came to the attention of the DEA because of his drug dealing. Like FBI Agent Clarice Starling in the Lecter stories, the good guys are the supporting cast. Other than the fact that the bad guys are much more interesting than the good guys, this is a terrific page-turner.

The superstar mob killer grows up in Brooklyn's mob infested streets. He is the stereotypical 70-pound weakling who is constantly having the bullies beat him up and steal any and everything he has. He discovers Karate through watching Bruce Lee in the television series "The Green Hornet." He grows strong and skilled in the martial arts and eventually wins a Karate tournament that enables him to travel to Japan for two and a half years to learn the finer points of Karate from the true masters. There he learns how to kill using his hands, feet and the traditional karate weapons. He also acquires tremendous discipline that enables him to stay out of trouble with the law. Once he returns to Brooklyn, he naturally gravitates to the mafia because it offers him the excitement, money and respect that he has always craved. He becomes a major drug dealer. He becomes the most feared of the mafia killers. The ease at which he kills frightens even other mob contract killers. Some of his nicknames include the "butcher," the "vampire" the "Great White Shark." Witnesses to his killings report that he always butchers his victims and cuts their body into six pieces before burying them in one of his secret graveyards such as the William T. Davis Wildlife Refuge on Staten Island.

This superstar killer was so fearless that even when in the custody of the police and DEA he blabbed to the agents guarding him about the most effective way to kill people. He told them that when using a shotgun and aiming just above the collar bone it was possible to blow the victim's head clean off with one shot.

During his trial when the jury left to debate his fate, Pitera turned to Jim Hunt and said, "I bet you they don't have the balls to kill me."
The reader will have to read the book to find out what the jury that "convicted him of eighteen out of the nineteen counts he was charged with" finally did.

In The Butcher, Carlo chronicles the exploits of Tommy "Karate" Pitera -- a martial arts expert who murdered his way to becoming one of the premier killers in NYC during the 1980s and ultimately a notorious capo in the Bonanno crime family -- and of Jim Hunt -- the DEA agent primarily responsible for Pitera's arrest. Carlo succeeds in writing a book that holds the reader's attention from beginning to end. However, the author's writing style is reminiscent of a dime store western, in which the heart of the chronicle is based on fact but the outlaw and the lawman in pursuit are described in such a manner that makes them seem larger than life (a la William "Billy The Kid" Bonney and Pat Garrett). While this style serves to sustain interest in the story, it tended to make me skeptical about the veracity of some of the details Carlo presents in The Butcher. Another criticism I had is that Carlo seems to be more intent in The Butcher on focusing on the horrific and sensational aspects of Pitera's murders and ruthlessness (since this is what Carlo feels, and probably correctly so, helps to sell books) moreso than on presenting solid research and/or insights into the motivations for Pitera becoming some a cruel and heartless killer. As another reviewer mentions, Carlo spends more time providing insights about Jim Hunt and the other DEA agents involved in investigating Pitera than about "The Butcher" Pitera, himself. I expected more from Carlo in this area since, after all, the sub-title of this book is the "Anatomy Of A Mafia Psychopath." Nonetheless, if you are a fan of books about the Mafia or of true crime, I think you'll enjoy The Butcher even with its flaws.

I like reading "true crime" books and have a special infatuation with books dealing with the mafia. Unfortunately, I gave up on this take a little over halfway through. Had it been compelling, I probably would have finished, but I found The Butcher to be a little worse than average.

First, it is a very slowly building book. Tales dealing with mafia are already quite complex and intricate because of the many trcomplex relationships they depict (____, whose son _____ owed money to _____, was a government informant who ended up snitching on ______...). This book, though, dealt with such a wide and interconnected cast of characters in such a slow and drawn out way that it was often hard to keep its cast of characters straight. (And that, in turn, made the book a more difficult read than it could have been.)

Second, I found the authors style of writing to be a distraction. Carlo's writing style is not quite the journalistic "fly on the wall" approach that this type of story often demands. Instead, he is quite drawn to corny phrases, such as describing characters as being "as tough as barbed wire" and the like. Cheesy cliches like these serve to detract and distract from the already dragging story.

And like some other reviewers, I just did think Carlo did a good job in letting us "into" the characters - particularly Pitera (who, really, we don't get to know too well in the entire first half of the book).

All in all, a less than decent read that may have been better had it more editing and pace.

This is the story of Tommy "Karate" Pitera, almost certainly the most deadly criminal ever to succeed in the Mafia, and very possibly an outright serial killer as well. These phenomena must fascinate people, given how many books there are about the Maf' and about serial killers.

I've read a lot of books in these genres. Reading "just one more" like this really made me wonder why I find it so fascinating. This book highlighted one aspect of that fascination: what "Tommy Karate" became was so reprehensible that it was hard to look away.

Carlo does a good job, within the scope of a popular book, of showing some of the roots of Pitera's psychopathy. He follows his subject's life and career in detail, intercut with views of the manhunt that brought him down and some background on the principal investigators (primarily the two lead DEA agents).

He goes completely overboard in making his good guys great, to the point of occasionally sounding like an FBI propaganda film from the Thirties.

Carlo is very fond of certain turns of phrase that trigger my English usage yuck-o-meter, such as "towed the line" (should be "toed"); "mechanized" in place of "mobilized" and in other slightly wrong contexts; and "an intricate part of," about which reasonable people could argue except that he used it every twenty pages (out of almost 300) so that it would be falling flat even to someone who thinks it is good grammar.

However, those flaws do not overwhelm this well-researched and nicely-paced story, which tells an important if disgusting story and tells it well.

Carlo has selected an excellent topic for this novel, a truly horrifying individual involved in such a secretive group of people. This should have been a thrilling case study or at least an engaging non-fiction tale. And the topic truly WAS entertaining. Unfortunately the writing was rather sparse and almost newspaper like. I felt like I was reading a series of facts or lists rather then a true story. Because of this I never felt really engaged with what I was reading. Now it is true that I generally don't read non-fiction books, so this could actually be the norm and I might just be missing it. But as a reader going into this book I really felt like I wanted something more then I got out of it. I was left thinking to myself "This guy would make an awesome topic for a book" then I realized that I had just read a book. There is just something missing in the writing style that I can't quite put my finger on. This is still an interesting read, it just upsetting that it could have been a REALLY GREAT read but wasn't.

Warning to readers - this man is a sick man, there are crime scene pictures. Some will find this disturbing - you have been warned.

I think I will re-read this again after reading other's reviews I am thinking that perhaps I have missed something. I will update this review after a second attempt.

I've read 3 previous Carlo books. His writing has gotten better in that he left out mundane courtroom non-contributary details (as in The Nightstalker). On the other hand, from the very start one can tell the main character (Pitera)provided NO input on this book (unlike his other books). It seems that the story is based on 80% DEA information (which in itself is based on outside observation) and maybe 20% of 2 turncoat associates. That being said, you never really get into the mind/thought process/rationale of Pitera. Also, the book is not told in story-form persay, but rather in chapters of different contributing events. The reason this book gets 4 stars is because I found it to be an entertaining page-turner. I found my wife was frequently heckling me to shut the book and pay more attention to her. I had never even heard of the main character Tommy Pitera until this book. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of true crime. It would also make an amazing mob movie if Scorcese were to do it with a decent budget. Get it!

The author did a great job bringing the stories of the two protagonists together for a climactic ending. The author ( may he rest in peace ) was from that area, giving him an unusual vantage point. A great talent for retelling these dark stories taken away far too soon.

The Butcher: Anatomy of a Mafia Psychopath by Philip Carlo is about the life oF Tommy Pitera and the DEA and their struggle to apprehend and incarcerate this murderous drug running Mafioso. Pitera is a complex individual who in his younger life was constantly bullied because of his high pitched voice and skinny frame. He channeled all of this into his only true love, Karate. Through his rigorous training, Tommy became a killer with his hands and feet. He joined the mafia and became a hired killer who enjoyed his work. His drug dealing and smuggling caught the attention of the DEA who went after him and brought him to trial. Philip Carlo's writing and narration is very effective. He not only follows the life of Pitera but the DEA agents who eventually brought him down.

A very good read that I have to highly recommend. If you enjoy true crime stories or like to read about the Mafia, then you'll definitely want to grab a copy of this book.

Tommy Pitera was not your 'average' mobster. In fact, he was so far outside the 'norm', that the "Sopranos" never had a character like him. To create Pitera, you'd have to combine the short fuse of the Sopranos' Paulie "Walnuts" with the body-count from a teen slasher flick, and and perhaps throw in a dash of Hannibal Lechter's finesse with surgical instruments.

Unfortunately, Tommy "Karate" Pitera was not born of the imagination of a Hollywood screenwriter. Growing up in Brooklyn in the late 1950s and early 60s, Pitera was incessantly targeted by bullies, partly due to his stature, and even more significantly because of his unusually high-pitched voice. Introduced to the martial arts as a young teen, he quickly became a force to be reckoned with, and ultimately ended up getting invited to train in Japan --where he spent over two years honing his fighting skills. He returned to the U.S. stronger and even more formidable than when he left, and though he never again had to concern himself with being targeted by bullies, they no doubt left their mark on him.

(I'm not suggesting that the terrible manner in which he was treated as a kid is an excuse for his horrifying actions as an adult -however, he could be the poster boy for a zero-tolerance policy towards bullying.)

Pitera created a very comfortable life for himself as a hit man for the mob --eventually ascending to the level of a "made" man. In the end though, his time in the mob was limited by his own depravity.

THE BUTCHER is an intriguing account into the life of a man who in any other circumstance, would have been a notorious serial killer--but instead, turned his demons (for a few years anyway) into a sick career.

- Jonathan Sabin

The mafia was dramatized and glorified in the cable series "The Soprano's". In it the viewer sees the sociopathic behavior of the mobsters, as well as their quirks. Tony goes to a psychiatrist, Paulie sniffs women's underwear, Bobby plays with train sets. They kill with little, if any remorse.

The real story is much more chilling. Here, Tommy Pitera is chronicled as a scary, creepy serial killer, who goes beyond murder for hire, and kills to satisfy his own twisted sense of right and wrong.

Pitera ascended as a capo in the Bonanno family as an earner in the heroin and cocaine trade. However, his brazen killing made it difficult for even hardened criminals to justify his presense in their midst. Pitera was not the first or last mobster who was ratted out, but his crimes were heinous, even by the standards of the mob.

Pitera is a worthy story for a biography, but Carlo clearly could have told this story more cohesively. At the center of the story is Frank Gangi, a tortured low level mobster who turned federal witness against Pitera. Carlo jumps between characters, and sometimes time periods, and makes an interesting and gripping story somewhat muddled.

The trial is covered in only three pages, where it may have been one of the most climactic parts of the book. The jury took six days to return a verdict. What held them up? What was in their minds that made them doubt this verdict?

Jim Hunt was the officer in charge of this investigation, yet it seemed as if he were barely interviewed. Maybe he refused to cooperate in this book, but this would have been a piece of information I would have wanted to know.

I mostly enjoyed the story from the aspect of being interested in this subject, but it could have been a great read of the magnitude of "Helter Skelter".

Since reading "Night Stalker", I have been a fan of Philip Carlo's work. In telling the story, he is not shy about giving details while writing with a mastery of the written word. In writing "The Butcher" , Carlo explores what might be the most brutal side of the mafia. Far from putting out "hits", Tommy Pitera butchered his victims as one might expected from a serial killer. Truly, this is one of the most shocking mafia books available in print.

Carlo initially paints Pitera as an insignificant youth that would grow to have bridges to burn. Overcoming his frailty through mastery of the martial arts, Pitera quickly gained notice in the New York underworld. Not only was Pitera seemingly capable of any crime, but he also had no apparent boundaries in terms of the crimes he would committ. Man or woman, even friends would come to eventually feel unsafe around Pitera. Willingly dismembering bodies in the bathtub was no different to him than the business of disassembling a cow to a butcher.

Carlo's short chapters may become frustrating to some readers, as it takes away from the natural pace of the story. Some side-stories could have also been omitted. Still, it is tough not to be engrossed and perhaps shocked by this side of the mafia.

Not the best i've ever read but not disappointing. This book tells the story of Tommy Pitera, a Capo in the Bonnano crime family. Tells about the drugs, murder, martial arts history, criminal career, his whole story almost, though Phillip Carlo could have given more information into the why's and how's of the mafia psychopath in this book.

It's a decent read if you're interested in the Mafia or just as a true crime book- Though I preferred "The Ice Man" book over this. Maybe this Tommy character didn't interest me as much, but other than that decent book. If you're interested in the Mafia I'd recommend it. 3-4 stars.

Mr. Carlo adds one more volume to the already bloated world of non-fiction mafia books. Several of the others are written by him as well. Who could resist reading about a serial murdering Mafioso, who dismembered his victims, and was so callous that other Mafiosi were unnerved by him?

So if you like this subject matter, the book will probably hold your attention from beginning to end. Unfortunately, the writing style is turgid and clichéd. I kept having the feeling that I had read exact phrases over and over, only to find out that I had. Good editing could have improved this book tremendously. The book also did not benefit from Mr. Carlo's psychological interpretations about the genesis of a killer.

The book is obviously well researched, and Mr. Carlo used both law enforcement and Mafia sources. He takes the politically correct stance of championing the good guys, but everyone knows whom the book is really about. The story of a more mundane criminal would not have survived the author's style. This one does - but just barely.

Tommy "Karate" Pitera is a pond-scum-level Mafia goon who relished killing people and killed so many of them that he had his own private burial ground for them in the depths of a bird sanctuary on Staten Island. His nickname, one in a long tradition of colorful mobster nicknames, came from his studies of martial arts during 2 years in Japan. In THE BUTCHER: ANATOMY OF A MAFIA PSYCHOPATH, Philip Carlo tells the story of Tommy's rise through the sociopathic ranks of the Bonanno crime family and his subsequent take-down by a dedicated DEA agent.

This would be a good story, but for the writer's attempts at a hard-boiled style of writing. Not only does the writing not come off well, but it proves so distracting that it renders the book painful to read. Good writing does not call attention to itself, and this writing practically swaggers on the page, decked out in a trench coat and fedora.

I found the The Butcher: Anatomy of a Mafia Psychopath to be a mildly interesting story. Though it's billed to be a look inside the mind of one of the mafia's most psychopathic nutjob murderers, really it doesn't do much to shed any light on what makes the seriously crosswired brain of Tommy Pitera tick. More than anything the book is just a history of some of his crimes, part of his childhood, but more about the history and family history of the lead investigator, Jim Hunt, who's role it was to bring Pitera down. There is a small smattering of photographs near the back of the book that help put faces with names, which was a nice touch.

Thomas Pitera was one of the most sadistic and gruesome hit men who ever worked for the mafia. This book gives you a detailed portrait of his life and times: his victims, his methods, his cold blood... and all the goes on inside the mind of such a man. Reading the book left me wondering about how horrible the Human mind can go.

The book also show in vivid detail the investigation that led to Pitera's arrest, trial and imprisonment (for life).

Final notice... this book is not for those who get impressed easily. The violence here is over the top (especially because it was real!). Pitera is, nevertheless an impressive character.

Another reviewer (another 3 star, in fact) already said much of what I would say here. Be that as it may (little inside joke there for readers of the book), I'll repeat some and throw in my own 2 cents.

First, the writing is...different. At first, I thought it was just idiosyncratic. Then I realized it was how the guy writes. Is it bad, good, indifferent? Eh. I'm not sure. One of those idiosyncrasies is the use of "One could readily liken it" when a standard "like" would work. Another is the use of "Having said that" and then launching into some description of something that had nothing to do with the previous statement. He also likes to use certain phrases over and over - often two or more times in one page.

Like the other reviewer mentioned, there's no depth to the book, no attempt to back up or explain what happens. That's a bit aggravating. More so than that, the timelines jump around all over the place. A guy in jail in a previous chapter is suddenly described committing the crime he's jailed for in a later chapter. Not difficult to follow, but again, aggravating. The book description also makes mention of describing the "rituals" of initiation. They said one happened and told some of the timeline, but it was no description and took paragraphs, not pages.

Did I like the book? Eh. I'm not going to buy others by this same author, if that answers the question.

It did manage, amongst all the almost-praise of the mafia, to make them seem very petty. They are real tough in their neighborhoods of other toughs. Wow. Exciting. They walk around talking about drug sales and robberies and killing each other - just like the "gangsters" of LA or any large town. Nothing mysterious or romantic or the least deserving of respect - unlike their titles as 'men of respect'. Not much to respect.

Phillip Carlo tells the story of an unknown mafioso who really seemed to tread more into the path of a serial killer. He does a good job of telling the basics of the story but I find that there are far to many sub characters and tangents to make the story fully serviceable. The story falls apart when it tries to make Tommy Karate anything other than a low level mafia thug who excelled at killing.

The story is brief and exacting. There is no secret that Carlo is at times fascinated by his subjects and sadly that results in a subtle form of hero worship. It is obvious that he holds the goodfellas in higher regard and sadly this results in portrayals which make the mafia seem like harmless or even worse as men of honor.

This is an interesting profile. I don't care how it is light on details and is very interested in showing the mafioso in the best possible light. A good but not by any means a great book!

The Butcher is Philip Carlo's latest entry in his lunatic killer/mobster/psycho library that has included books about Richard 'The Night Stalker' Ramirez, Richard 'The Iceman' Kuklinski, and Anthony 'Gaspipe' Casso. One wonders if Carlo needs a long walk in the sunshine after penning these works. This time it's Tommy 'Karate' Pitera, a notorious capo and stone-cold killer in the Bonanno Crime Family who is currently doing a life sentence. More than one seasoned law enforcement figure is on record saying Pitera was one of the most deadly mobsters to grace NYC, burying countless bodies in a secluded bird sanctuary on Staten Island.

One of the problems about Carlo's work is that he loves to tell, tell, tell, but does not show enough. Pages and chapters are often padded with repeated items about how dangerous someone is, how bad someone is, how this or that someone is. The reader is told, over and over, what someone is like, or what the Mafia is like. There are recapped stories where we are shown the behavior, for instance, but even these are filled with half-sketched bits that continue to tell us what we should think. When there are details, it always sounds very anecdotal, with no references, and you wonder if you're just listening to someone spinning tall tales (in Iceman and Gaspipe, there is clearly a wealth of fiction). That tone does help make the books 'good reads', but it can be a bit maddening.

Unlike Iceman and Gaspipe, The Butcher does not have the subject as a primary source of information. Where those previous books were partially based on the words of Kuklinksi and Casso, The Butcher relies on the testimony of other people involved in the proceedings, with a significant contribution by the law enforcement figures involved. Indeed, the book is often more biographical on the DEA agents involved in the Pitera case than on the mobster himself. There is very little about Pitera coming up as a wiseguy, and there is no timeline for that period (it seems to zip from Japan to becoming a made guy). However, as a true crime work, this is better than the previous two books, which were marred by what seemed like relentless fiction, fish tales, and plain ludicrous claims that had no references or facts behind them. Also, for residents of NYC, particularly Brooklyn, it's always comforting to read about the genuine psychos who were literally your next door neighbors.

If you're familiar with Carlo's other books, this is more fodder for the 'Sopranos addict'. There seems to be far less baloney and fiction in this entry than the previous two mob books, and a lot less of the subtle fawning that readers have detected between author and subject. However, it's still less than 'definitive', and like most books in this genre, goes best if read alongside other material on the same subjects.

Regardless of Carlo's inept presentation (what do you expect from a guy who claims as his credentials to have earned a "PhD in street smarts"), it remains a matter-of-fact that his is the only book available on the psychopathic Bonanno crime family capo, Thomas "Karate" Pitera, who would otherwise have remained in obscurity; and therefore is a must-read for all True Crime and Mafia aficionados. Three stars therefore on the strength of Pitera's story alone, which more than makes up for the effort required in excising it from Carlo's insipidly banal prose.

A well written description of life in the Mob. More so the life of a unbalanced young man that was bullied but then grew up to be a monster assassin. The depiction of his life is a work in the art of undesirable ways. As a young man studying martial arts he becomes a beleiver in the Samurai life. He recieves a chance to study in Japan and accepts it. On his return he has his degree in Murder and soon makes his way and bones with the Mafia. This is a fine representation of the dark side of life, to some young it may seem attractive with flashy cars, gold chains and bobbles and inches of money in your pocket. remember as you read this novel considering this life that you to can end up in a shallow grave in some bird sanctuary.

The story would be better if better written. I hated reading this book, even though I love true crime. Too much detail led to a poor-written book. There are pages from crime scenes, which is good, but nothing gory if you can stomach blood. The book is full of obscenities which isn't necessary as many true-crime authors wrote better without all the cussing.

Another good mafia expose from Philip Carlo, though not as good as some of his others from an entertainment stand point, and that's because he's gleaned most of the information about Tommy Pitera from the man's criminal associates, which is fine overall, it's just that Carlo usually gets his perspective directly from his subject.

J.R. Locke, Author of Possible Twenty, a Gangster Tale

I found this book to be most frightening and extremely interesting. I never quite realized just how truly dangerous members of the Mafia can be. This book showed me that they do what they want, when they want and how they want and don't care about anything but their own interests. Conversely, I got a birds eye view into exactly how the DEA works cases and how those in the DEA- are genuine heroes, fighting the war on drugs everyday of every week. Though I think the war on drugs is an ill conceived notion- people will use drugs if they want to no matter what-I was moved and touched by the heroic efforts of Jim Hunt and his crack team of DEA agents. I can't think of any author that can show just how really dangerous this word we live in is. I highly recommend this book.

I enjoyed reading true crime books, so I read this book in one day. 300 pages, pretty good sized font, no big accomplishment there. I found out about this book from watching the Tommy Karate episode of Mobsters on the BIO channel. Enjoyed it enough to check out the book. While the book goes into some greater detail, it's not much more. The book, as mentioned by many is only partly about Tommy Pitera. It also talks about the investigators and Pitera's close associate, Frank Gangi. To be honest, I had never really heard for Pitera at all. There are multiple books on more famous gangsters, but for Tommy Karate, this is your one source. If the story was an onion, this book only goes a couple layers into Pitera. Maybe this was all the info he could get. The author repeats stupid phrases over and over in this book. You keep reading the same phrases, one in particular I wont repeat, but contains that word that rhymes with bunt.

Bottom line is, the book is light on good inside facts but it is an interesting read if you enjoy this genre of books.

I had chills up my spine reading this. Hey, Sonny G, you aint got NUTHIN on this guy!

Sonny was also a narc...and for his testimony was excused of what, 35 murders?

This book creeped me out...and that takes a LOT to do that to me.

Highly recommended to anyone that is tired of watching "Casino" and "Goodfellas" and who wants the inside story rather than Hollywood garbage.

Poorly written, poorly researched, and filled with enough corny metaphors to make you put it down every five minutes, this book is not for casual readers of the genre. The only book I have read that was worse was "the Mad Ones" about Joe Gallo. This book seems thrown together as if the writer needed to meet a deadline after lounging about for months. The true masterpieces of this genre (Wiseguy, Murder Machine, The Westies) either draw from numerous sources or one all knowing canary. It seems the only source this writer had was a nobody who operated on the fringes of this crew. The rest is filler. That being stated, there is definitely information in this book that I didn't know before. I grew up in this neighborhood during the focused time period so I found numerous sections of information fascinating, but it left me very frustrated. I can't really blame the author b/c it seems without the cooperation of the subject, this work would leave much to be desired. It does. If you are a nut that needs to read everything in the genre like me, then pick this up for the few enticing, yet sadly incomplete nuggets it grants you. If this is your first book about the mob or organized crime, do yourself a favor and buy Wiseguy, Murder Machine, The Westies, Five families, Casino, The Outfit, Black Masss, or even Gaspipe which is by the same author. At least in Gaspipe, the author has numerous sources so the writing is a bit more palatable. If you want a fascinating book about UK crime, try Pretty Boy. None of those above will disappoint. Oh and "I Heard You Paint Houses" is one of the best I have ever read.

While no one can dispute the excitement of the subject matter, this was one of the most poorly written books I have ever read. Sentence structure is often confusing, the narrative jumps all over the place, often within the same sentence. Like an 8th-grader, the author is also fond of "go-to phrases." I lost count of how many times he said "could be readily likened to." In places, the text was simply ungrammatical. In short, it has all the hallmarks of an author who has either completely ignored his editor, or never had one in the first place. I was stunned to find he had published several books. I would assume that his stock and trade is that he has access to superlative sources, but none of that can excuse the wretched writing in this book.

Carlo's The Butcher: Anatomy of a Mafia Psychopath is a hell of a read, a page turner, an intimate bird's eye look into not only the inner workings of the Mafia but also a rare study of just how the DEA operates. I found this book to be a compelling page turner. When I came here to post a review, I was dismayed and stunned by the reviews of some people here, including Terry Nye and J. Schwartz. I found the writing to be tight and economical and to the point. I read glowing reviews of this book in PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY, KIRKUS REVIEWS and BOOKLIST. One of the reviewers criticizes Carlo for using ellipses. This is kind of absurd. If Carlo, as the author, incorporates ellipses for pauses, that is perfectly fine. Why somebody would criticize that is kind of ludicrous to me. The only cliches found in the book are the cliches that were inherently part of the Mafia characters in the book. In reality, however, they were all far from cliched.

Tommy Pitera was put upon and bullied as a child and grew into a fierce war captain with a penchant for cutting up his victims. Carlo described it in great detail. I have never read anything like this. To think that this is really true just left me numb and staring off into space. I particularly enjoy the role of hero Jim Hunt in bringing Pitera at bay. How it happens is an intricate part of the story. All the details are there. All the feelings are there. Pitera killed a woman named Phyllis Burdi. He not only killed her but he dismembered her and cut off her head. He did this because she played a role in the death of the only person he loved -- a woman named Celeste LiPari. Carlo describes this is intimate, very disturbing detail. Also, the character of Frank Gangi, Pitera's right hand man who ultimately turned on him because he witnessed the beheading of Burdi, is a heart wrenchingly portrayed of how a bad guy became...a good guy. In fact, the portrayals of all the characters were so three dimensional I felt like I knew them. Most I didn't particularly want to know, but they came off the pages and walked about.

In another review here, the author complains that the photographs in the book have nothing to do with the story. This is blatantly inaccurate and, honestly, stupid. The many photos in the book are germane to the story and I often looked at them as I read the book. It seems to me that some people have nothing better to do than vent their spleens rather than appreciate this cutting edge work into the netherworld of organized crime and the true inner workings of the DEA. I would highly, highly recommend this book. However, it is not for the squeamish. Another reviewer here said they threw the book in the garbage when they read it, they were so appalled by its content. This fellow should not be allowed in a bookstore. The way they post picture of criminals in post offices, well, his photo should be posted in all Barnes and Nobles and he should be banned. I am proudly putting this book in my library and telling all my friends about it -- but only the adults. I would urge the cry baby writing reviews here to read books more like Jack and Jill and Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.

Poorly written, poorly researched, and filled with enough corny metaphors to make you put it down every five minutes, this book is not for casual readers of the genre. The only book I have read that was worse was "the Mad Ones" about Joe Gallo. This book seems thrown together as if the writer needed to meet a deadline after lounging about for months. The true masterpieces of this genre (Wiseguy, Murder Machine, The Westies) either draw from numerous sources or one all knowing canary. It seems the only source this writer had was a nobody who operated on the fringes of this crew. The rest is filler. That being stated, there is definitely information in this book that I didn't know before. I grew up in this neighborhood during the focused time period so I found numerous sections of information fascinating, but it left me very frustrated. I can't really blame the author b/c it seems without the cooperation of the subject, this work would leave much to be desired. It does. If you are a nut that needs to read everything in the genre like me, then pick this up for the few enticing, yet sadly incomplete nuggets it grants you. If this is your first book about the mob or organized crime, do yourself a favor and buy Wiseguy, Murder Machine, The Westies, Five families, Casino, The Outfit, Black Masss, or even Gaspipe which is by the same author. At least in Gaspipe, the author has numerous sources so the writing is a bit more palatable. If you want a fascinating book about UK crime, try Pretty Boy. None of those above will disappoint. Oh and "I Heard You Paint Houses" is one of the best I have ever read.

While no one can dispute the excitement of the subject matter, this was one of the most poorly written books I have ever read. Sentence structure is often confusing, the narrative jumps all over the place, often within the same sentence. Like an 8th-grader, the author is also fond of "go-to phrases." I lost count of how many times he said "could be readily likened to." In places, the text was simply ungrammatical. In short, it has all the hallmarks of an author who has either completely ignored his editor, or never had one in the first place. I was stunned to find he had published several books. I would assume that his stock and trade is that he has access to superlative sources, but none of that can excuse the wretched writing in this book.

Carlo's The Butcher: Anatomy of a Mafia Psychopath is a hell of a read, a page turner, an intimate bird's eye look into not only the inner workings of the Mafia but also a rare study of just how the DEA operates. I found this book to be a compelling page turner. When I came here to post a review, I was dismayed and stunned by the reviews of some people here, including Terry Nye and J. Schwartz. I found the writing to be tight and economical and to the point. I read glowing reviews of this book in PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY, KIRKUS REVIEWS and BOOKLIST. One of the reviewers criticizes Carlo for using ellipses. This is kind of absurd. If Carlo, as the author, incorporates ellipses for pauses, that is perfectly fine. Why somebody would criticize that is kind of ludicrous to me. The only cliches found in the book are the cliches that were inherently part of the Mafia characters in the book. In reality, however, they were all far from cliched.

Tommy Pitera was put upon and bullied as a child and grew into a fierce war captain with a penchant for cutting up his victims. Carlo described it in great detail. I have never read anything like this. To think that this is really true just left me numb and staring off into space. I particularly enjoy the role of hero Jim Hunt in bringing Pitera at bay. How it happens is an intricate part of the story. All the details are there. All the feelings are there. Pitera killed a woman named Phyllis Burdi. He not only killed her but he dismembered her and cut off her head. He did this because she played a role in the death of the only person he loved -- a woman named Celeste LiPari. Carlo describes this is intimate, very disturbing detail. Also, the character of Frank Gangi, Pitera's right hand man who ultimately turned on him because he witnessed the beheading of Burdi, is a heart wrenchingly portrayed of how a bad guy became...a good guy. In fact, the portrayals of all the characters were so three dimensional I felt like I knew them. Most I didn't particularly want to know, but they came off the pages and walked about.

In another review here, the author complains that the photographs in the book have nothing to do with the story. This is blatantly inaccurate and, honestly, stupid. The many photos in the book are germane to the story and I often looked at them as I read the book. It seems to me that some people have nothing better to do than vent their spleens rather than appreciate this cutting edge work into the netherworld of organized crime and the true inner workings of the DEA. I would highly, highly recommend this book. However, it is not for the squeamish. Another reviewer here said they threw the book in the garbage when they read it, they were so appalled by its content. This fellow should not be allowed in a bookstore. The way they post picture of criminals in post offices, well, his photo should be posted in all Barnes and Nobles and he should be banned. I am proudly putting this book in my library and telling all my friends about it -- but only the adults. I would urge the cry baby writing reviews here to read books more like Jack and Jill and Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.

Never heard of Tommy "Karate" Pitera, but this well-written inside look at his life will expose you to it, if you dare. This looks at his whole life, from the beginning, and is nicely paired with similar treatment of the lawmen who eventually bagged him. If you enjoy a good Mafia book - and who doesn't really? - then this is one of the better crafted ones, even if the writing does sometimes resort to cliches.

This book reads with the pace of a detective novel or a Scorcese film while still setting forth, brick by brick and piece by piece, the story of one of the most reprehensible human beings - even by Mafia standards that ever lived.