The Accidental Don by Guy J.Tirondola
Published in March 2012
EBook, 225 pages
Thriller
Synopsis:
Locals in a small coastalvillage come to fear Don De Luca, the stranger who has settled among them, whomthey wrongly surmise to be a mafia don. Don, a bar owner from Newark, on therun, falsely accused of stealing money from the mob, uses his new-found evilidentity as a force for good, combating hatred, bigotry, superstition, andfinally confronting the mob boss who as arrived to kill him.
Don’s journey reveals that somemen are born wicked, some men achieve wickedness, and some men have wickednessthrust upon them.
Guy Tirondola has written an entertaining and wonderful story in The Accidental Don. Please don’t let the synopsis fool you. It’s not a dark mafia tale likeThe Godfather. I found it to be more like a Tarrantino story with a great dealof humor and violence mixed together for one wild ride.
Somuch of the book is made from a comedy of errors. From when Don’s cousin Beppe comes to town in a dark suit and his Cadillac hearse to when a junk gets blownup, the Beaufort townsfolk automatically think MAFIA. It’s all about stereotypes and mistaken identities. I, also, found it interesting how Tirondola portrayed Don as a man who hates the mob in Newark, but he embraces it in Beaufort. I found the hypocrisy pretty amusing.
People nodded, said goodmorning, and he nodded back,
smiling. He saw fear on theirfaces, and he felt guilty and
exhilarated all at once:guilty for pretending to be what he
was not, exhilarated by therespect he was getting and the
power he felt.
The dialogue between Don’s family and the Beaufort townsfolk is hilarious. Here is one of my favorites between Beppe and the local theater owner.
“I’m guessin’ this is yervehicle. Ya look like ya go together.”
“Si.”
I happened to see the Jerseyplates. Did ya come all the way
down here to pick up a body?”
“No. I come-a to work forDon. He’s-a mia famiglia.”
“TheFamily?”
“Si.”
“There’s a don, here in Beaufort?”
“Si. I said so. Now I go. Itell-a him about you, about movie.”
Beppe walked to the driverside of the car.
“Wait, wait. What’s yername?”
“Beppe.”
“Please come again, MistaBeppe. Admission is free next time…”
You have to love it! I found myself chucking the whole way through.
Tirondale, also, introduced some serious issues into the story with an unplanned pregnancy and racism, both very difficult issues in the 1950s. I thought he handled those issues well and it added some gravity to the story which balanced nicely with the humor.
I really enjoyed this book and thought it a very entertaining read. If you are looking for a good Mob page-turner that you don’t want to put down, then The Accidental Don is for you.
About the author:
Guy Tirondola
Award-winning short-story writer was raised in Newark, NJ, and summered in Beaufort, SC. He is a denizen of city streets and salt marshes. This cultural mélange informs his writing sensibilities. He brings an insider’s perspective to THEACCIDENTAL DON.
*Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a member of ReadingAddiction Blog Tours and a copy of this book was provided to me by the author.Although payment may have been received by Reading Addiction Blog Tours, nopayment was received by me in exchange for this review. There was no obligationto write a positive review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and maynot necessarily agree with those of the author, publisher, publicist, orreaders of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal TradeCommision’s 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning Use of Endorcements andTestimonials in Advertising*
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