The Consigliere, a Novel

Book excerpt: In a most personal and riveting work, Novelist, Donna Masotto presents, "The Consigliere". A middle-aged mafia lawyer, Declan Quinn, realizes his life is meaningless after the tragic drowning of his eight-year-old daughter. At a crossroad between misery and the longing for peace, he shuns his duties as the Consigliere and embarks on a search to find the sister he abandoned when he joined the mob thirty years ago. But first, he must confront his mafia Don and face the truth of his past. Setting off to reclaim his destiny, Declan never expects his grandfather and son to assist him on this journey, but they become key figures when scheming against the mafia Don. At different stops, Declan reunites with friends he knew before joining the mob, beginning at the Lower East Side and Brooklyn. He treks through uncharted lands to unveil a mystery hidden for twenty years. Declan uses the tools of love, forgiveness, and courage, as he tries to overcome life’s inevitable challenges and the past that haunts him—or hunts him down. This work is inspired by the 1969 novel by Mario Puzo, The Godfather and provides the complete backstory of "The Consigliere". This work is so much more than just another book about the mafia, it's a story of boyhood decisions and the effect they have on the man for his entire life. Ms. Masotto's themes show that change is possible even when life's battles pull you down.