Real life inspiration

[Steve Marini]

My debut novel, Connections, involves a Mob massacre in Boston in the 1970s. It was inspired by the real event known as the Black Friars Pub Masscre. Anybody recall it?

[Eric Christopherson]

I knew a woman who lived in Little Italy in Boston in the early 70s who witnessed a mob hit on the street from the sidewalk and one of the shooters (I think there were two) simply told her to "move along."

Good luck with your novel!

[Jack Getze]

If she lived in Little Italy, both that lady and the wiseguys knew the score. She wouldn't say anything. If she did, the threat would be she wouldn't make it to testify in court. More often, the wiseguys or a representative she trusted would visit her at home, explain how things would work out for her and her family, and then she would change her story, or like my father-in-law once did -- look at the defendant in court and say, "I can't be sure that's him." My father in law was tough, not stupid. :-)

[Eric Christopherson]

Yes, this is how it was. I knew the woman well. She was once related to me by marriage. She was a nurse, by the way, and so froze for a moment at the sight of the body, thinking she ought to help...

[Steve Marini]

A close call for her, I'd say. A similar story, when I was a kid (1950s) there was a bank robbery in Needham. A friend of my big brother was there when a guy ran out and dropped a stack of bills. The teenager picked it up and just handed it to him. He was clueless. I think he changed his undies later.

[Jed Power]

I was born in South Boston and now live about 15 miles outside Boston.  I was spending a lot of time in Boston & Cambridge when the Black Friars rip-off went down.  So I remember a lot about it.  Knew one person that was supposedly connected.  The two charged were acquitted.  They were after a few keys of coke & big dough that they got.  But you know all that.

Best,

Jed Power

[Steve Marini]

Interesting reply. Thanks.