Road to Perdition by Max Allen Collins, Richard Piers Rayner, Robert Lappan (1998, Paperback)

As cliché as it may sound, “Road to Perdition” is a tale of revenge and lost innocence.

The story is narrated by young Michael O'Sullivan Jr., who goes on a killing spree with his mob-hit-man father, after his mother and brother are brutally murdered.

The Depression era story intersperses real-life mob figures of the time, such as Al Capone, with fictional characters. This technique adds weight and believability to the (at times, far-fetched) story and helps the reader buy-into the outrageous events taking place on the page.

Max Allan Collins’ story is fast-paced and engaging. His protagonists, although despicable in their deeds, are easy to root for. Richard Piers Raynner’s black and white art is beautiful to look at and perfectly complements the written word.

This book is a nice read for fans of crime noir. The art will entice you to pick-up the book, but it’s the engaging story that will keep you turning the pages…