The Winter of Frankie Machine by Don Winslow

Frank Machianno, Frank the Bait Guy who everyone loves, and Frankie the Machine who everyone fears. This is my fourth Winslow book, and for reading pleasure, it sure comes close to his last, the 13th novel, Savages (the one that Oliver Stone is currently making into a movie). The venue is Southern California, especially San Diego County. Winslow takes his time with the development of Frank’s character as a hardworking guy who is managing four businesses, but takes time out to surf every day during The Gentlemen’s Hour, which happens well after daybreak, when the other surfers have to get out of the water and head for work. He’s 62-years-old, a lover of opera, a great chef, and a man who appreciates women. Frank is just trying to provide for his daughter, Jill, who is headed for UCLA med school, and his ex-wife, Patty, and who is enjoying his time with Donna, a former Vegas show girl who has preserved her figure into her 50s. But, while Winslow took his time with the evolution of Frank, the transition to trouble was sudden. Frank is inexplicably the target of an assassination attempt, and it is then that his history as an assassin with the mob unfolds. But, Frank has been out of the game for years, and he can’t understand why someone would suddenly want him silenced. The book is about the unfolding of the mafia ties from Detroit to Vegas to Los Angeles to San Diego, and the connection of those ties to politicians and federal law enforcement. Once again, Winslow provides a great story, unexpected twists, compelling action. There are some classic lines. With the dialogue, I found myself thinking about DiNiro. At times he can deliver a poorly written line and sell it like bad actors can't. Winslow can do the same with his prose. After Billy Jacks, who loved to sit in strip bars and watch the action, is shot in the face, survives, but is blinded, he changes his stripper habit, as Winslow notes, "Watching strippers couldn't have been that much fun for a blind guy." Or, as the chase is on and Frank is running from the mob: "Daylight finds Frank in San Diego. Counting on the fog and the hour to shield him from view. And the gun at his hip to protect him from harm." And finally quoting a rant by our title character, "So the government wants to beat down organized crime. That's hysterical. The government is organized crime. The only difference between them and us is they're more organized." Taken out of context, the lines might seem contrite, but they work in context. I’m now moving him into my own power rotation of authors, along with Silva, Connelly, Bruen, Child, Flynn, and Thor.