World Gone By

Edgar-winner Lehane wraps up the Joe Coughlin saga that began with The Given Day (2008) and Live by Night (2012) in fine fashion. By 1942, Irish-American gangster Joe Coughlin is almost untouchable. In his own mind, he's an irreplaceable asset not only to Dion Bartolo, the head of the Bartolo crime family, but to Mafia bosses such as Meyer Lansky, Lucky Luciano, and Frank Costello. So Joe is shocked when convicted killer Theresa Del Frisco tells him that there's a contract out for him. Life in the mob is cutthroat and treacherous, and while Joe worries about a possible hit, other matters intrude as fights over territory turn bloody and fears of a snitch create suspicions. Coughlin is a marvelous creation, loyal to his friends and fiercely protective of his nine-year-old son, Tomas. The code he operates under allows him to navigate a path between brutality and charity, a shark among sharks. Lehane's many fans will relish this stunning conclusion to Joe Coughlin's journey. Agent: Ann Rittenberg, Ann Rittenberg Literary. (Mar.)