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  Praise for

  The Godfather’s Revenge

  “Some of us have been living with the Godfather mythology for thirty-seven years now. The late Mario Puzo’s 1969 bestseller shocked the nation with its explosive mix of sex, violence, and profound cynicism. The new novel, The Godfather’s Revenge…[is] a big, ambitious book…deftly handled and deeply ironic. Winegardner packs a great deal of mob lore into the novel…plenty of action…[and] smart talk. The Godfather’s Revenge is popular fiction at its best and arguably offers more depth and realism than Puzo’s original.”

  —The Washington Post

  “Re-creating Puzo’s embroidered Mafia universe can be entertaining, and Winegardner has rich (in every sense of the word) material to work with.”

  —The New York Times

  “Keeps the action moving, the plentiful sex and violence scenes have that Police Gazette swagger, and in the end it may be even more fun, thanks to its deliberate excess and sly asides. Like Puzo, Winegardner paints real-life characters in far darker colors than their public images.”

  —New York Daily News

  “A corker. [Winegardner’s] created a plot that cleverly encircles and amplifies the existing tale.”

  —The Seattle Times

  “Faux Kennedy brothers, elaborate detailings of byzantine Cosa Nostra politics, steamy pulp-fiction prose, a hot murder mystery, and [an]…epic cast make this Godfather installment a worthy addition to the chronicle of la famiglia Corleone. Winegardner breathlessly reanimates these archetypes even more effectively than he did in The Godfather Returns. [His] deft plot-spinning is rivaled only by his sure grasp of Goodfella mise-en-scène, the profanity-laced witticisms, the fashion fetishizing, the cool, long, dark sixties Chevy Biscaynes. Minor characters, from upstart Eddie Paradise to the musically monickered Ottilio Cuneo and Osvaldo Atobello, add varnish to inch-thick operatic mobster atmosphere. Bloody and bombastic—a top-notch addition to the saga.”

  —Kirkus Reviews

  Further Praise for the Novels

  of Mark Winegardner

  “The real deal.”

  —Stephen King

  “Shows a hard-eyed love of human drama—sad, ridiculous, and lovely.”

  —The Washington Post Book World

  “Grand in scope.”

  —The Cleveland Plain Dealer

  “Profoundly impressive…an expansive talent.”

  —Antonya Nelson

  “A meaty, engrossing novel.”

  —Chicago Tribune

  “Both an intimate and a sweeping scale. But [Winegardner’s] main achievement is a narrative voice…that’s distinctly his own.”

  —Los Angeles Times

  “An ambitious novel…. Like Jonathan Franzen in The Twenty-Seventh City, or E. L. Doctorow in City of God, Winegardner takes on the American metropolis…in plain, straightforward prose.”

  —Publishers Weekly

  “Playful and vivid…a crafty mix of the real and imaginary.”

  —Stewart O’Nan

  “A grand piece of historical fiction recalling E. L. Doctorow and, more recently, Don DeLillo. Winegardner is a lively writer who holds the reader’s interest throughout his long epic. A remarkable and entertaining book.”

  —Booklist

  ALSO BY MARK WINEGARDNER

  FICTION

  The Godfather Returns / 2004

  That’s True of Everybody / 2002

  Crooked River Burning / 2001

  The Veracruz Blues / 1996

  NONFICTION

  Prophet of the Sandlots / 1990

  Elvis Presley Boulevard / 1988

  AS EDITOR

  3 x 33 / 2005

  We Are What We Ate / 1998

  The 26th Man / 1991

  THE GODFATHER’S REVENGE

  MARK WINEGARDNER

  SIGNET

  Published by New American Library, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, USA Penguin Group (Canada), 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 700, Toronto, Ontario M4P 2Y3, Canada (a division of Pearson Penguin Canada Inc.) Penguin Books Ltd., 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England Penguin Ireland, 25 St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2, Ireland (a division of Penguin Books Ltd.) Penguin Group (Australia), 250 Camberwell Road, Camberwell, Victoria 3124, Australia (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty. Ltd.) Penguin Books India Pvt. Ltd., 11 Community Centre, Panchsheel Park, New Delhi - 110 017, India Penguin Group (NZ), 67 Apollo Drive, Rosedale, North Shore 0632, New Zealand (a division of Pearson New Zealand Ltd.) Penguin Books (South Africa) (Pty.) Ltd., 24 Sturdee Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg 2196, South Africa

  Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England

  Published by Signet, an imprint of New American Library, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc. Previously published in a G. P. Putnam’s Sons edition.

  Copyright © The Estate of Mario Puzo, 2006

  All rights reserved

  ISBN: 978-1-1012-1129-8

  Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

  PUBLISHER’S NOTE

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party Web sites or their content.

  The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

  Ancora una volta,

  alla mia famiglia

  Men must either be flattered or crushed, for they will revenge themselves for slight wrongs, while grave ones they cannot. The injury, therefore, that you do a man should be such that you need not fear for revenge.

  —MACHIAVELLI, The Prince

  Cast of Characters

  THE CORLEONE FAMILY

  Vito Corleone: the first Godfather of New York’s most powerful crime family Carmela Corleone: wife of Vito Corleone and mother of their four children Santino “Sonny” Corleone: Vito Corleone’s oldest son (deceased)

  Sandra Corleone: Sonny’s wife, now living in Florida

  Francesca, Kathy, Frankie, and Santino Corleone Jr.: children of Sonny and Sandra

  William Brewster Van Arsdale III: Francesca’s husband (deceased)

  Tom Hagen: consigliere and (unofficially) adopted son

  Theresa Hagen: Tom’s wife and mother of their four children

  Frederico “Fredo” Corleone: Vito’s second-born son (underboss 1955–1959)

  Michael Corleone: Vito’s youngest son and the reigning Godfather of the Corleone Family

  Apollonia Corleone: Michael’s first wife (deceased)

  Kay Adams Corleone: Michael’s second wife (divorced) Anthony and Mary Corleone: children of Michael and Kay

  Connie Corleone: Vito and Carmela’s daughter

  Carlo Rizzi: Connie’s husband (deceased), father of her two sons

  THE CORLEONE FAMILY ORGANIZATION (circa 1963)

  Godfather

  Michael Corleone (1954–) Succeeded his father, Vito Corleone<
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  Consigliere

  Tom Hagen (1945–) Succeeded Genco Abbandando, Vito Corleone’s original consigliere Vito Corleone (1954–1955) and Peter Clemenza (1956–1957) served briefly as consiglieri

  Sotto capo (underboss)

  Position currently vacant

  Formerly Fredo Corleone (1955–1959); Nick Geraci (1959–1961)

  Caporegimes

  Eddie Paradise (1962–)

  Regime started by Salvatore Tessio

  In 1955, merged with Nick Geraci’s regime (started by Sonny Corleone)

  Richard “Richie Two-Guns” Nobilio (1959–)

  Regime started by Peter Clemenza

  Clemenza succeeded by Frank Pantangeli, 1957

  Other Significant Made Members of the Family

  Al Neri: ex-cop; head of Family security rumored to be informal sotto capo

  Cosimo “Momo the Roach” Barone: nephew of Sally Tessio; soldato under Geraci and now Paradise

  Tommy “Scootch” Neri: soldato under Nobilio; nephew of Al Neri

  Renzo Sacripante: soldato under Nobilio

  MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION, LA COSA NOSTRA’S RULING BODY

  (circa 1963; years on the Commission are in parentheses)

  The Five Families of New York

  Michael Corleone (1954–), boss of the Corleone Family Succeeded Vito Corleone (1931–1954)

  Paul “Fat Paulie” Fortunato (1955–), boss of the Barzini Family Succeeded Emilio Barzini (1931–1955)

  Osvaldo “Ozzie” Altobello (1962–), boss of the Tattaglia Family (New York) Succeeded Rico Tattaglia (1955–1961) and Phillip Tattaglia (1931–1955)

  Ottilio “Leo the Milkman” Cuneo (1931–), boss of the Cuneo Family Charter member of the Commission

  Other known Commission members (at-large seats)

  Carlo “the Whale” Tramonti (1931–), boss, New Orleans

  Charter member of the Commission

  Giuseppe “Joe Z” Zaluchi (1931–), boss, Detroit

  Cast of Characters

  Charter member of the Commission

  Salvatore “Silent Sam” Drago (1954–), boss, Tampa

  Appointed to fill vacant at-large seat

  John Villone (1963–), boss, Chicago

  Succeeded Louie “the Face” Russo (1955–1961)

  Frank “the Greek” Greco (1963–), boss, Philadelphia

  Succeeded Vincent “the Jew” Forlenza, boss, Cleveland (1931–1961)

  OTHER ASSOCIATES, FRIENDS, AND BUSINESS PARTNERS

  Judith Epstein Buchanan: Tom Hagen’s comare

  Deanna Dunn: widow of Fredo Corleone; Academy Award–winning actress

  Marguerite (Rita) Duvall: dancer, actress; believed to be dating Michael Corleone

  Johnny Fontane: singer and Academy Award–winning movie star

  Patrick Geary: United States senator from Nevada

  Fausto Dominick “Nick” Geraci, Jr.: deposed Corleone underboss Charlotte Geraci: Nick’s wife Barb and Bev Geraci: children of Nick and Charlotte

  Fausto “the Driver” Geraci: Nick’s father; former cugin’ in Cleveland mob

  Sid Klein: attorney; special counsel during the Red Scare; on retainer to Corleone Family

  Joseph P. Lucadello (aka Ike Rosen): old friend of Michael Corleone’s; CIA operative

  Ambrose “Bud” Payton: former Florida senator; now vice president

  Daniel Brendan “Danny” Shea: attorney general of the United States; James’s brother

  James Kavanaugh “Jimmy” Shea: president of the United States; Daniel’s brother

  Ben “the Phantom” Tamarkin: attorney and fixer for the Jewish syndicate, aka the “Kosher Nostra”

  Agostino “Augie the Midget” Tramonti: Carlo Tramonti’s brother and consigliere

  Jack Woltz: CEO of Woltz International Pictures; former racehorse enthusiast

  CONTENTS

  PROLOGUE

  BOOK I

  CHAPTER 1

  CHAPTER 2

  CHAPTER 3

  CHAPTER 4

  CHAPTER 5

  BOOK II

  CHAPTER 6

  CHAPTER 7

  CHAPTER 8

  CHAPTER 9

  CHAPTER 10

  CHAPTER 11

  CHAPTER 12

  CHAPTER 13

  CHAPTER 14

  BOOK III

  CHAPTER 15

  CHAPTER 16

  CHAPTER 17

  CHAPTER 18

  CHAPTER 19

  CHAPTER 20

  BOOK IV

  CHAPTER 21

  CHAPTER 22

  CHAPTER 23

  CHAPTER 24

  BOOK V

  CHAPTER 25

  CHAPTER 26

  CHAPTER 27

  CHAPTER 28

  CHAPTER 29

  BOOK VI

  CHAPTER 30

  CHAPTER 31

  CODA

  CHAPTER 32

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  PROLOGUE

  Dressed in a tuxedo and his ratty old fishing hat, Fredo Corleone, who was dead, stood before his brother Michael in the middle of the dark cobblestone street in Hell’s Kitchen where they’d lived as children, a fishing rod in one hand and a naked woman on his arm. It was twilight. Fredo seemed poised between laughter and tears, which was heartbreakingly familiar. At the end of the block, the Eleventh Avenue freight train, which had long since been rerouted and dismantled, rumbled toward them but was still out of sight.

  “I forgive you,” Fredo said.

  Blood began to pour from a wound in the back of his head.

  Michael Corleone did not know what he was seeing, but he knew it wasn’t a dream. He certainly did not believe in ghosts.

  “That’s impossible,” Michael said.

  Fredo laughed. “True,” he admitted. “Only God can do that, right?”

  Michael, on the stoop to their apartment building, felt nailed to the spot. There was no one else around. The woman was curvy and milky white, raven-haired, a little bit sheepish about being out in public like this but also brave, the kind of woman who didn’t care too much about what other people thought.

  “God,” Michael said. “Right.”

  “You want to fish?” Fredo extended the rod, grinning. “Or do you want to fuck around?”

  The woman stepped forward. As she moved through the mottled light, she changed into a rotting corpse, then back into Michael’s very ideal of beauty.

  “Let me know, huh?” Fredo said. “Contrary to what you may think, I can set things up. I know you’re lonely. I know you’re all alone. If not this, then something. I want to help you, Mike. I want you to be happy.”

  “Happy?” Michael said. “Don’t you think that’s a little childish, Fredo?”

  Michael immediately regretted saying this, but Fredo didn’t seem to take offense.

  The woman kissed Fredo, and he kissed her back. At the end of his fishing pole, there suddenly appeared a tuna almost as big as Fredo himself. The tuna thrashed, then began to bleed, too, as if it had been both speared and clubbed. The naked woman looked at the fish and started crying.

  “I keep getting confused,” Fredo said to Michael. “Why did I have to die?”

  Michael sighed. Same old Fredo, even dead, in need of explanations for things he should have understood by instinct.

  “I understand revenge and all that, but what happened to me compared to what I did—it don’t exactly balance out. It makes no sense. This ain’t exactly your eye-for-an-eye justice, Mike.”

  Michael shook his head sadly. “Fredo,” he whispered.

  “I’m not saying I didn’t fuck up, because I did.” Fredo was still bleeding, but slower now. “Those fellas I gave that information to, Roth and Ola and them? I told ’em things not knowing how they’d use it, but, to be honest with you, what’d I tell ’em that amounted to anything? When you’d be at home? Christ. There was only one road into and out of your place in Tahoe. A goddamned babbuino could have figured out when you were home. So wh
en they tried to kill you, how was it my fault? As for the other things I told them that might’ve helped bring about peace, I understand it was wrong to go against the Family on that. But it’s also true everything that happened would’ve happened anyhow. With or without me. Right? You know I’m right. None of it hurt the organization, made it any less strong than it was. On top of which, everybody outside the Family who knew about what I did? Dead. You had ’em taken care of, every last one. The only living people who know about it are you, Hagen, and Neri—and you’re always talking about how you’d trust them two with your life. So they’re no problem, right?”

  “There’s Nick Geraci.” Awake, Michael wouldn’t have said the vanished traitor’s name aloud.

  Fredo slapped the palm of his hand against his forehead. Blood sprayed everywhere. “Right! I think of him as dead, but you’re right.”

  “I will avenge your death. You have my word.”

  “That’s comical.” He pointed to his wounded head. “Al pulled the trigger. You gave the order. You gave the order to kill Nick, too. You tried to sacrifice him, like in chess, like losing a knight or a bishop to cover up what’s really going on. Except in chess, the bishop don’t have no chance of swimming away from the discard pile and back on the board, changing its colors, and coming after you. So, sure, kill him. What choice do you have?”

  The bleeding from Fredo’s wound seemed finally to have stopped. He was drenched in blood. He whispered something to the naked woman, and she nodded but kept crying.

  “At the time you did this,” Fredo said to Michael, “neither one of us knew that Nick was behind it. You were certain you’d killed off everybody who knew what I’d done. What I want to know,” he said, “is who you thought would’ve held it against you if you hadn’t’ve killed me? Who’d’ve thought you were weak for showing me some mercy? Name one person.”