When Immacolata Borelli decides to spill the beans on her family, she stirs up a hornets nest more powerful than even the Mafia. For the Borellis are Camorra, a network of criminal clans who control fiefdoms in Naples, levying their commissions, or charges, or taxes with all the legitimacy of warlords. Only they’re nastier, scavenging clans who grow in power through exploitation and ugly death.
The Borellis reign over Forcella, using fear as their whip, their writ building up their coffers not on custodianship but on control. And now Immacolata, a third generation Borelli, is in police custody of her own volition, bent upon giving evidence against her siblings, parents and grandparents. But she has reckoned without the revenge of betrayal: Will they let her spill the beans when, even from jail, they pull the marionette strings that control the district over which they rule? And how will the other Camorra react — in support of those who are their own, or viciously as they prepare to fight for control over one more district to add to their own?
Immacolata, though, has not reckoned on swift vengeance. Already, her death has been ordained by the Camorra as their trusted headhunter, Salvatore, seeks retribution. Nor has she thought that the boyfriend with whom she had a brief but passionate tryst in London, will follow her to Italy, looking for her, and becoming another pawn in the Borelli game that must end in vengeance. Eddie Deacon, regular guy, “loser” even, finds hidden strengths in himself, but is kidnapped, beaten, almost killed. As cops and detectives and negotiators gather round for the final assault, Salvatore unleashes his brutality against the enemies of the Camorra.An exciting thriller that pulls no punches, The Collaborator is a worthy successor to Mario Puzo’s The Godfather. Take a bow, Gerald Seymour.
THE COLLABORATOR
Author: Gerald Seymour
Publisher: Hachette India
Pages: 474
Price: Rs 295
