Author's note -- Preface -- Introduction: 'Where'd daddy go?' -- Part one: Sicilia. The conquered conquerors ; Blood and soil ; Secret societies -- Part two: The story begins. A rose without a nose and a marquis with bloody clothes ; Illustrious corpses -- Part three: L'America. The mafia's Plymouth Rock ; Dagos did it ; Vengeance with the swiftness of a hawk ; Man is a wolf to man ; An evening in Sicily ; The mafia's Aristotle ; Give the people what they want ; They were more than brothers ; Luciano ups the stakes while Rothstein craps out ; The Atlantic City conference ; War and its opportunities ; Sic semper tyrannis! -- Part four: The building of empire. Expanding the realm--and attracting unwanted attention ; The Dutchman ; The long arm of the law ; Lepke lams it ; Hunting for treasure--and for Big Greenie ; A twisted kid ; Braciole and brisket cooked well-done ; The war effort ; King of the desert ; The Havana conference ; The Desert King dethroned -- Part five: Challenges from within and without. The mob's television debut ; The Waddler and the Whiner ; It is written ; Disorderly retreats -- Epilogue: LCN in the DNA -- Acknowledgments -- Source notes -- Bibliography -- Picture credits -- Index.