THE WINTER OF FRANKIE MACHINE

Frank Machianno, age 62, runs a bait shop near San Diego; loves his girlfriend, ex-wife, and daughter; sponsors Little League; and lives a quiet life. Suddenly, somebody wants him dead. The retired mobster, known as “Frankie Machine,” goes underground to find out who and why. Like Tony Soprano and the Corleone family, Frankie's a sympathetic antihero with heart. Dennis Boutsikaris delivers a fine performance, unveiling Frankie's life in the Mob through flashbacks, some poignant, some bloodcurdling, some humorous. Don Winslow's clever plot twists and intriguing personalities make it difficult to separate the good guys from the bad, but with his wise-guy insouciance, Boutsikaris maintains a tight grip on this appealing character and keeps listeners firmly on Frankie’s side. S.J.H. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine [Published: FEB/ MAR 07]