LEGACY OF LIES

In Paper’s historical crime novel, mobsters hire a retired FBI agent to keep tabs on Jimmy Hoffa.

In 1975, Sam Silver, a former longtime federal agent turned private investigator, lands an unusual assignment to track the movements of Hoffa, the notorious former president of the Teamsters union. His client is Vito Manchetti, a high-ranking soldier for Santo Trafficante Jr., the head of the mob on the west coast of Florida. Sam and Vito became friendly acquaintances when Sam investigated Trafficante for the FBI in the ’60s. Now, after an explosion of violence involving the Mafia and the Teamsters, Vito is concerned Hoffa might disclose sensitive information to the FBI. In this implausible tale by author Paper, Sam’s lack of prudence is astonishing: “Would it be foolish to take an assignment from the mob?” Reluctantly, the ex-agent accepts the assignment—the promised compensation is considerable—but comes to regret it when he sees three men abscond with Hoffa in the back of a car, shortly before he vanishes forever. Sam recognizes the kidnappers as mob associates but decides to keep the information to himself, fearful of retribution from the very people who hired him. Suspiciously, Sam meets his end while sailing on his boat, in what is initially ruled as an accident; a decade later, his only son, Max, receives a letter from him, confessing what he saw—but strangely, he omits the names of the three men, which were apparently recorded in an absent notebook. Max decides to investigate further, and through Bob Doyle, an old colleague of Sam’s, he makes contact with Vito—a dangerous move for both men, evinced by the burglary and murder that ensues.

Over the course of this novel, Paper shows his knowledge of the germane historical material in an impressive manner; in order to creatively reimagine the details behind Hoffa’s mysterious disappearance, he thoroughly establishes his command of the known facts. Also, the novel offers an engaging look into the world of organized crime over the course of a genuinely unpredictable story; the truth behind Sam’s death is indeed revealed to be a tangled web. However, there’s far too much that strains belief, such as the fact that Sam would accept such a sketchy assignment and then confidently declare in a letter to his son that he did nothing that was “questionable.” However, the main flaws of this promising novel have to do with its storytelling; the plot moves at a glacial pace, burdened by too many digressions. The prose, meanwhile, lacks a sense of style that might have maintained readers’ interest. Overall, Paper accomplishes his goal to write a story that “ring[s] with authenticity.” However, it feels more journalistic than novelistic, due to colorless descriptions and mechanical dialogue. The work is likely to appeal to amateur historians who have an interest in the unsolved case of Hoffa’s disappearance, but it won’t attract readers who may be looking for a well-structured story.

A novel with an intriguing premise that’s ultimately hampered by awkward execution.