Nicky Deuce: Welcome to the Family

By Steve Schirripa
Rating: 3 1/2 stars
Reviewed by Noelle

Twelve year old Nicholas Borelli, Jr. lives in a nice highbrow neighborhood in New Jersey and is expecting to go to his usual summer camp when the camp has an unexpected emergency and can't open on time. His parents reluctantly decide to send him to his grandmother Tutti who lives in a very Italian neighborhood in Brooklyn while they go on their scheduled cruise. Nicholas arrives and after one look, his Uncle Frankie rechristens him Nicky Deuce and starts to teach him about his Italian-American heritage. Nicky watches gangster movies, meets the locals in the neighborhood, and prepares to become a "goomba." To his surprise, this usually brainy rich kid loves his new life. His grandmother's cooking is fabulous and he makes a new friend named Tommy, and he has his first real crush on a girl named Donna. But his new life has some shadows to it. Frankie disappears regularly for his "job," and after a little investigating, Nicky is sure his uncle is part of the mafia. Nicky's new friend Tommy also gets Nicky involved in some shady dealings. In fact, Tommy and Nicky get into some very serious trouble, and it will take Frankie, Nicky's dad and some courage that Nicky never knew he had to get them out of it. This is a very fun, quick read that boys will especially like. There is adventure around every corner, and it is a great story for anyone who ever wondered what it would be like to be put smack in the middle of a mobster story.