Born Speaking Lies (review)

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Born Speaking Lies - Rob Lenihan

In Born Speaking Lies, New York mobster Billy the Kid gets a chance to escape the violent world of 1990s Brooklyn after being shot and left for dead in a Pennsylvania forest by members of his own crew. Billy tries to disappear into small town life with Lora, a local woman who finds him bleeding by the side of the road, but his desire for revenge and his rapidly deteriorating health drives him toward a bloody confrontation with his former friends.

Do you remember that show Law & Order: Criminal Intent? It's not been on the air for a few years but if it were still there this book would make for an amazing season ending two part episode. I'm just saying. It's a hefty story, coming in at just over 500 pages so this isn't going to be your quick and casual read, this is a commitment. At the same time, the story flows quickly because the writing is superb but also because it's so drama driven, there is always something happening. The story switches character perspective throughout, which is really key in this book because everyone has their own agenda, which seems par for the course in a mob story.

The story itself is violent. If you avoid books with violence, then you'll need to skip this because it starts violent, it's violent all of the way to the very end. And again, it really has to be to hold the weight of it being a mob centered book. It starts with Billy being killed by some of his friends only he doesn't actually die. But it's the perfect set up for him to start all over. We have flash backs of his earlier decades in organized crime which explain the start of the book but also you know more is coming since a man of Billy's character can't stay hidden for long. Of course once his old crew finds out Billy isn't truly dead, they are out to finish the job. I won't tell you how it ends or give a spoiler but it's bloody and it feels like a justified ending, though maybe not what I would have preferred? But the writing is so great and you feel like you are on the streets of New York City with a bunch of young men and teenagers, no parental guidance, trying to make a name for yourself in organized crime. What I appreciate is that the phrases and characteristics of each character feel true to life whereas some mob books use the generic stereotype and it's just forced. Not the case here so if you are a fan of mobster stories and characters, I think you will be pleasantly surprised with Rob Lenihan's offering.