Making Jack Falcone

An Undercover FBI Agent Takes Down a Mafia Family

By: Joaquin "Jack" Garcia, Michael Levin

Narrated by: Dick Hill

Length: 9 hrs and 50 mins

Publisher's summary

At six-foot-four-inches and 375 pounds, Jack Garcia looked the part of a mobster, and he played his part so perfectly that his Mafia bosses never suspected he was an undercover agent for the FBI.

"Big Jack Falcone," as he was known inside La Cosa Nostra, learned all the inside dirt about the Gambino organized crime syndicate and its illegal activities---from extortion and loan-sharking to assault and murder. The result was a string of busts and a quarter-million-dollar contract put out on his life.

Making Jack Falcone tells the incredible true story of Garcia's audacious attempt to become only the second agent (after "Donnie Brasco") to become a made man in the Mafia. Readers will join Garcia as he attends "Mob School," an intensive course of study designed to teach him everything he needs to know about the Mafia, its operations, and its attitudes. An unprecedented glimpse into the inner workings of the FBI, the book also pulls no punches as Garcia reveals how sometimes the agency ran smoothly and criminals were collared according to plan, while other times tempers flared over the progess of cases.

A fascinating inside look at the struggle between law enforcement and organized crime, Making Jack Falcone sheds new light on two organizational cultures that continue to exert an unparalleled grip on the American popular imagination.

©2008 Jack Garcia (P)2008 Tantor

Amazing story, but didn't like the narrator

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Listen to a sample of this book before buying. The narrator's accent is really over the top and the tone of his voice verges on whiney. I couldn't finish the book, even though the story is incredible. His voice is that distracting.

One of the best narrations period

All audiobooks are not created equal and the narrator on this is as good as it gets.

May you find happiness and peace

Great story and amazing listen, America is a better place because of you and other undercover agents

Great Reading

I love audio book where the narrator "plays" the characters. Highly recommend this book!

Enjoyable, entertaining listen

Pros: Compelling listen, never slow, and made immeasurably better by the voice narration that truly seems to fit the character that was Jack Falcone.

Cons: Much of the book bounces around to other cases that Jack was involved with. Although these side investigations were probably necessary to give a full understanding of the life the undercover agent led, they seems to comprise a good portion of the book. In other words, I was hoping he would delve into his life more with the mob and the crimes they committed. I was expecting more of a gruesome read, but it was fairly tame and never discussed any murders or other horrific events that would have painted the reputation the mafia has.

Regardless, this book entertained me and was worth the listen.

I love this book!

So fascinating! Jack is AWESOME. I am so happy I picked up this book. Such a fun listen.

Great Listen!!

What made the experience of listening to Making Jack Falcone the most enjoyable?

i found this book excellent. The reader was fabuolus which is probably the most important part of an audio book for me. The only bad part was once again finding out how bad the FBI is and how not to trust them.

What other book might you compare Making Jack Falcone to and why?

Scores - there are mentions of scores case and they share some names between the 2 books

Which character – as performed by Dick Hill – was your favorite?

jack falcone and greg depalma

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

yes, the ending where the FBI looks extemely incompitant.

Most of the best stories are true

Great narrator, great story, & Thankyou to those in service & I hope to share a beer with some of the people in this book one day.

I crave an "everything pizza" now.

"Hey Jackie boy, you're really something."
I saw Joaquin Garcia interviewed on "60 Minutes" and knew I just had to read his book to see if he really was as ballzy as he appeared in the interview. He definitely was.
This is an exciting and most interesting memoir by a guy who really knows the la cosa nostra up close. I can't imagine how a person could have the guts and gall to do what he did, and for such a long time. But, I'm not sure that his anger at his FBI higher-ups is well-founded though, since he probably would have continued until some one ratted on him and he was done in by the mob.

I'm sure he also misses the free meals, drinks, partying and close calls that accompanied the great undercover work that he did. It's obvious that he really loved his job and knew that he did it better than anyone else could possibly have done.

This was a great read and the narrator was unbelievably authentic. I still feel that it was Jack Falcone himself telling the story.

I'd like to see Garcia in the movies. I think he'd have a great presence on the screen.

An Exciting and Compelling Read!!!

I am huge fan of mafia books and this one did not disappoint. The story was gripping and the narration was excellent. I highly recommend this book and rank it right up there with Havana Nocturne.