New Books: THE END OF BROOKLYN by Robert J. Randisi

From Robert J. Randisi:

The thing about Nick Delvecchio is that he sprang into being fully formed. When I wrote NO EXIT FROM BROOKLYN in 1987, there he was. His personality, his family history, all fully in tact. The second book, THE DEAD OF BROOKLYN, came out in 1991. Both of those books are now available from Ramble House Press (http://www.ramblehouse.com/).

And now there’s THE END OF BROOKLYN, 20 years later. (Couldn’t call it “The 20 years Later Affair.” Sounded too much like a Man From U.N.C.L.E. movie.)

The third Delvecchio has existed for some time in one form or another. In my mind, in my drawer (for a long time), in my computer, but the time never seemed right to publish it. I went on to other things—anthologies, many westerns, other series—but the third Delvecchio was always there, on the fringes. I thought about it, worked on it, when I had the time. As time went by I realized that by the time I did get it published it would be a “historical,”—set in the 90’s where the series had left off.

I never conceived the Delvecchio series as a trilogy. In fact, none of my series have ever run a planned length. There were 6 Miles Jacoby books, 5 Joe Keough books, 3 Gil & Claire Hunt” books, 2 Dennis McQueen books, 1 Henry Po book (a lot of short stories, though, to keep old Hank alive). There’s been a half dozen or so Truxton Lewis stories, 4 or 5 stories featuring 1920’s P.I. Val O’Farrell. There’ll be books in those series eventually. More books in ALL those series, if I have my day. None of them have ended.

This, however, this is the last Nick Delvecchio.

I liked the idea of having the last one published by a small press. My friend John Boland had started his perfect Crime imprint, and I had published a short story collection, THE GUILT EDGE, and a stand alone, THE BOTTOM OF EVERY BPOTTLE, with him. When I told him I had a third Delvecchio that was looking for a home he said, “Let’s do it!”

I hauled it out and dusted it off, saw that it needed to be framed. I wrote a prologue and epilogue that take place in present day, and let the rest of the book stand on its own—with, like I said, a little dusting off.

The result, so far, is a starred Booklist review that said, "The final entry in Randisi's Brooklyn trilogy is dark, brooding, and thoroughly compelling [with] . . . clever plotting and an engaging narrative voice. Randisi has written hundreds of crime stories and earned numerous awards. This is among his finest efforts." (Wes Lukowsky, Booklist, May 2011).

Delvecchio is still Delvechio. Family man, man with a conscience, a man who cares. Give it a read. It’s the last one. I swear. Three and out. Now, I’ve got these others series that need to be wrapped up . . .