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Reviewed by Philip Zozzaro for Readers' Favorite
The city of Hartford was the midpoint between the organized crime strongholds of New York and Boston. For men like Geno DiBacco, the lack of a gangland presence only served as a boon for his criminal forays. Geno’s base of operations was a luncheonette named Pal’s where he maintained a semi-legitimate presence while planning more illicit ventures with his small but loyal crew. Geno’s son, Kevin, grew up around this hive of activity, yet was shielded by his mother from the excesses of this life. From an early age, Kevin knew that his father was larger than life and meaner than hell. Kevin witnessed his father's largesse but conversely witnessed his cold and cruel demeanor. As time marched on, the city of Hartford was changing and that didn’t bode well for old-school criminals like Geno DiBacco in The Gabardine Gang by Kevin DiBacco.
The Gabardine Gang is an entertaining read with equal parts memoir and true crime narrative. The subject of organized crime has been covered from a variety of angles over the years, but the viewpoint of the son or daughter of an underworld figure lends emotional depth to the tale. When Kevin first sees his father’s world in technicolor, his words convey the curiosity and awe he felt as a young boy. Yet, the allure of the money and the good times it buys are balanced with the dark days when Geno has hit a losing streak and soon he is not the man he once was. Kevin’s coming of age coincides with his father’s downward spiral. Author Kevin DiBacco pens a moving and engaging memoir that will attract interest from those who enjoy either a well-written true crime book or an impactful memoir.
