Organized Crime Stories

Jan 18

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Edward Izzi Author Interview

Lords of Sixty-Third Street follows a Chicago reporter who is investigating his friend’s brutal murder, leading him deep into mob deals, street gangs, and political corruption. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

I wanted to write a story that corresponded with all of the gang violence headlines in the Chicagoland area. It seems that every time we watch the news, there is gang-style violence, and innocent people are always getting killed. Also, I liked the ‘Bugsy Siegel’ story and wanted to mix that in with this storyline.

The story jumps between the investigation, mob crews, and gang life without feeling scattered. How did you manage that balance?

I wrote the storyline as though I were watching the movie…different scenes, different characters, different plot structures.

An intriguing aspect of your story is the contrast between the Outfit’s old rules and the chaos of younger street gangs. What interested you about that generational divide?

Like the current organized crime stories, there seems to always be conflict between the ‘old guard wise guys’ and the young, violent gang members who run the Chicago streets without any rules, morality, or scruples.

What is the next book that you are working on, and when can your fans expect it to be out?

Russo’s Revenge, coming out in March, is about a Chicago Cop who is wrongly accused of selling drugs and weapons on the Chicago streets, and looks to pursue redemption and clear his name. The next book, hopefully this summer, is When A Thief Comes To Rome, about a Chicago ex-convict who is hired by the Sicilian Mafia to steal a rare, valuable artifact from a Roman Catholic church in Trastevere, Rome.

Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website | Amazon

Chicago Tribune reporter Larry McKay is assigned to investigate his friend’s brutal murder while navigating the treacherous world of Chicago organized crime. His close friend, fellow reporter Michael Anderson, is robbed and pushed onto the train tracks by members of the O-Block gang at the Sixty-Third Street Metra station. His investigation leads him to Paolo Giannini, Anderson’s brother-in-law and the crime boss of the Outfit’s Sixty-Third Street crew. Giannini and his crew are spearheading the development of the South Side’s Windy City Casino, which is a project mired in political corruption and street gang involvement.

McKay becomes entangled with both the Outfit and the street gangs, even taking in a young member of the O-Block gang, DeMarco Stevens. McKay attempts to save this young teenager from the city’s cycle of violence. But there is betrayal and violence at every level. The Sixty-Third Street crew is already skimming cash from its investors before the casino opens its doors.

With mob boss Little Tony DiMatteo’s blessing, everyone is getting a piece of the action, even though some are not willing to pay for it, including Chicago’s corrupt mayor, Bradley Jefferson. Giannini is under pressure to ensure all the investors are playing by the rules while trying to cover up the embezzlement by his Sixty-Third Street crew.

As Giannini’s Windy City Casino is about to have its grand opening, the Outfit’s Bugsy Siegel is going to realize his magnificent dream. But with all of the city’s bloody violence and corruption, is everyone willing to pay the ultimate price?

Posted on January 18, 2026, in Interviews and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink. Leave a comment.

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