Gangster Nation - Softcover

Praise for Gangster Nation

Named 1 of 6 Crime Must-Reads This September by LitHub

"The sequel conducts extended discussions on how America is defined by crime, boldly linking gangland violence to the 9/11 attacks . . . Sal/David's mixing of Talmudic citations with Bruce Springsteen lyrics is still very funny. The sacred gets the stuffing kicked out of it by the profane in this wild and sometimes-shocking novel." Kirkus Reviews

"Goldberg s new novel is every bit as entertaining and at least as quirky as its predecessor not an out-and-out comedy but certainly lighter than most books featuring organized crime figures and crazed law enforcers (although there are moments of memorable darkness). The book can be read as an installment in a series or as a stand-alone; Goldberg provides enough background to allow newbies to pick up the important plot threads." Booklist

"One can t help but think of such greats as Mario Puzo, Jimmy Breslin, Elmore Leonard, and Donald E. Westlake while reading this witty, brutal, vital book. Goldberg is a master, expertly building upon the grim goings-on of Gangsterland, merrily pursuing plot points set up there to their logical, wicked ends. And, as if the impressive buildup of tension weren t sufficient, he ends the current installment on a cliff hanger of truly epic proportions, setting up what appears to be the forthcoming and final installment of the Gangster trilogy. This reviewer is already getting itchy, waiting for that welcome denouement." Mystery Scene Magazine

"Not only religion but family (what is the mafia if not a family?) and community are dissected in Goldberg s sharp satires, which also happen to be excellent crime novels." LitHub, 1 of 6 Crime Must-Reads This September

"[A] fast-paced, addicting novel." San Diego City Beat

"Fans of Elmore Leonard will quickly devour Tod Goldberg s latest novel, Gangster Nation . . . This worthy follow-up sees Goldberg fine-tune his signature mix of dark humor, violent crime, Talmudic wisdom and suburban satire." Orange Coast Magazine

"Written with humor and the same type of dark, up-close-and-personal style of dialogue that Don Winslow is known for, Goldberg also mixes in some eyebrow-raising historical facts about how criminals (of all types, but especially gangsters) have shaped and changed America throughout the country s history. A touch better than its predecessor (Gangsterland), Goldberg s latest novel is a bold and daring adventure that hits hard early on and never lets up. The story twists and turns its way to a surprising ending, setting things up nicely for the planned third and final book in the Sal Cupertine trilogy, The Death of a Gangster." The Real Book Spy

"Sal Cupertine is back and better than ever. I love this guy." Lee Child

"Gangster Nation is a razor. It will slice you open and reveal your insides. And like the best of Tod Goldberg's work, it'll show you everything you are at your core." Brad Meltzer, New York Times bestselling author of The President's Shadow

"Tod Goldberg s brilliant Gangster Nation is hilarious, complex, and a total page-turner. It s also a little insane, in the best possible way." ---- Lisa Lutz, New York Times bestselling author of The Passenger

TOD GOLDBERG is the author of more than a dozen books, including Gangsterland, a finalist for the Hammett Prize; The House of Secrets, which he coauthored with Brad Meltzer; and the crime-tinged novels Living Dead Girl, a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, and Fake Liar Cheat, plus five novels in the popular Burn Notice series. He is also the author of the story collection Simplify, a 2006 finalist for the SCIBA Award for Fiction and winner of the Other Voices Short Story Collection Prize, and Other Resort Cities. His essays, journalism, and criticism have appeared in many publications, including the Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Review of Books, Las Vegas Weekly, and Best American Essays, among many others, and have won five Nevada Press Association Awards. He lives in Indio, California, where he directs the Low Residency MFA in Creative Writing & Writing for the Performing Arts at the University of California, Riverside.