A Made Man by Janet Sierzant is the story of Johnny Falcone, a young Brooklyn man determined to prove to his mob father that he can amount to someone influential in the mob world. Johnny forms an alliance with Vito Armani, a revered Mafia boss, and under Vito's guidance, he works in an auto shop that doubles as a car theft ring. His life is shadowed by loss, danger, and criminal activities. He also marries his lover, Ava, and they welcome children into their growing family. An investigation into Vito's shady criminal operations gives Johnny the perfect cover to testify against the Mafia boss. After Vito's arrest, Johnny moves to Long Island with his family and revamps his career as a politician. An unexpected loss eventually shatters his already unstable family life, sending him into the destructive embrace of alcohol. Now in his senior years, someone from his past has returned seeking revenge.

With a fast-paced storyline, Janet Sierzant's tale is full of tension, emotion, personal dilemmas, and unanticipated twists. A Made Man will hurl readers into a treacherous sea of mobsters and Mafia bosses. Fans of crime thrillers will devour this gripping novel page after page—it's quite the sizzler! Sierzant is a master storyteller who writes with poise, precision, and captivating authority. Her writing style is in a league of its own, due to the powerful descriptions she uses to immerse readers in the harsh environment of Mafia life, organized crime, and the countless upheavals that follow. Aside from its suspenseful and engaging criminal overtones, the narrative also navigates the interplay between self-preservation and one's duty to family, including the Mafia family. Readers who relish meticulously crafted storylines will not be able to stop reading A Made Man.

Born to a small-time mobster in Brooklyn, Johnny Falcone grew up witnessing his father run a racketeering business. He admired the respect his father commanded on the local streets. As Giovanni’s age and health slowly take him off the streets, a teenage Johnny persuades his father to let him run the business. Instead, his father’s disapproval of the idea and a stern warning are all he gets. It is not long before Johnny is in his early twenties and gets a job as a mechanic. He bumps into Vito, a feared mafia boss in New York, who offers him a deal he can’t turn down in one of his numerous garages. Johnny believes he has what it takes to be a mobster. But as he gets deep into the grimy world of crime ruled by strict codes, loyalty, money, street cred, fear, and death, he realizes its cold streets have no love or mercy, and he may not be ready for it. Is there a way out for Johnny? Find out in Janet Sierzant’s A Made Man.

Running the storyline on a multi-perspective timeline, Sierzant weaves an intriguing plot, introducing me to a fascinating, dynamic cast. The evocative depictions breathed life into the action. It felt like I was next to the cast in every scene, watching them make their moves. Sierzant’s knack for making the scenes tremendously dramatic gave the characters an appealing animated quality and brought out the humor in the narration. I could not help laughing at the drama that unfolded at the Falcone house as Johnny’s brothers moved in with their spouses. The conversations were authentic and laced with emotions. They gave depth to the cast’s conflicts and complex traits. Lovers of crime thrillers blended with adventure and drama will find Janet Sierzant’s A Made Man an enthralling read.