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Chasing Goodfellas: Lufthansa, Henry Hill, Point Shaving, and Making Movies by Edward McDonald
Genre: Memoir
Pages: 352
Rating: ★★★★☆
Buy: Bookshop.org
This post contains spoilers.
Book Blurb
Celebrated mafia prosecutor Edward McDonald provides not only a front-row seat to his exciting takedown of the underworld legends who executed the nation’s largest robbery and exploited big-time college basketball players, but also an inside look into the making of the classic film Goodfellas.
America has its share of feared and famous G-men and mob prosecutors, but at the height of the New York Mafia’s reign over New York City and beyond, arguably none was more successful than Edward McDonald.
A folk hero in law enforcement circles and scorned within the underworld, Ed has become a well-known television personality. He is perhaps most recognizable for playing himself in the Oscar-winning blockbuster film Goodfellas. Here for the first time, Ed—along with writer Jake Brown—takes readers inside the investigations and trials of front-page courtroom battles, and offers never-before-explored tales of the exploits of famed gangsters like Henry Hill and Jimmy “The Gent” Burke.
In his memoir, this iconic lawyer rivets readers with a cinematic roller coaster of a read in a gripping and entertaining storytelling style. Ed faced off against the fiercest mob bosses in history, and the legal victories he achieved in the courtroom quite literally devastated organized crime and public corruption at their peak. Here in the pages of Chasing Goodfellas, he takes readers inside two of those real-life investigations and prosecutions.
First, he describes the electrifying details of the Lufthansa heist—the largest robbery in American history and the campaign of murder waged in its wake—and then presents the inside scoop on one of the most famous college sports betting scandals in history with the Boston College point-shaving case. Ed chronicles the exciting investigations that he and his FBI partners carried out step by step, and intimately describes how he successfully conducted the two drama-filled, landmark trials. He follows up with entertaining descriptions of his unlikely appearance as himself in the classic film Goodfellas, and even more unexpected—his three-decade relationship with Henry Hill, the Lufthansa and BC fixer he turned to make those cases.
My Thoughts
I didn’t know much about Chasing Goodfellas before I started reading. I haven’t watched Goodfellas, and I wasn’t familiar with the point-shaving case that plays a role in the story. Honestly, I always thought Goodfellas was just another mafia movie, rather than a film rooted in real-life events. This isn’t necessarily the type of book I would typically pick up, although I do enjoy reading memoirs. I just haven’t had many opportunities to review them on the blog yet!
That said, I found this book absolutely fascinating. I loved learning about these cases from an insider’s perspective, and given my interest in trial law and true crime, it turned out to be a natural fit for me. McDonald does an excellent job of telling the story straightforwardly while providing context about his own life and experiences at the time. He manages to make the legal proceedings and investigations accessible without sacrificing the details that make them so interesting.
You might expect a book that covers criminal investigations and legal cases to get a little dry, but I honestly flew through this one. McDonald has a distinct voice that shines through his writing, and his occasional humorous comments add personality to the story. It feels like you’re listening to someone recounting these extraordinary experiences rather than reading a textbook about criminal law.
I was also fascinated by the glimpses into the lives of Henry Hill and the other mafia members involved in these cases, from those in positions of power to the people working at lower levels of the organization. Since I didn’t know much about the American mafia during this period, I appreciated the explanations and background McDonald provided.
One aspect I particularly enjoyed was getting the prosecution’s perspective. So many mafia stories seem to come from former members or people looking back on their criminal lives, and those accounts can sometimes romanticize the lifestyle. Here, we get a different angle. McDonald approaches these cases from the perspective of someone working to prosecute the people involved, without making excuses for their behavior. I found that refreshing.
The way the various investigations unfold is another major highlight. From the investigation into the Lufthansa heist and the murders that followed as people attempted to silence potential witnesses, to the discovery of a key witness and the point-shaving scheme, the different threads come together in a way that keeps the story moving. Each development builds on what came before, and the connections between the cases make the book feel almost like an episode of Law & Order. There’s plenty to follow, but McDonald lays everything out clearly enough that I never felt lost.
I was especially surprised to learn that McDonald and Henry Hill actually became good friends. That relationship added another interesting dimension to the story and made me even more curious about the people behind these infamous cases. It’s one thing to read about investigating and prosecuting someone; it’s another to learn how a personal relationship developed alongside all of that history.
By the time I finished, I was genuinely interested in learning more about the mafia during this era. I’ve even added Goodfellas to my movie watchlist! I love when a book introduces me to a subject I knew very little about and leaves me wanting to explore it further, and Chasing Goodfellas did exactly that.
Final Thoughts
Chasing Goodfellas by Edward McDonald was an unexpectedly engaging read that combined true crime, courtroom drama, and personal memoir into one fascinating account. I especially appreciated the insider perspective, the author’s distinct voice, and the way the investigations connected to create a bigger picture of organized crime in America. Even without having seen Goodfellas or knowing much about the real-life cases beforehand, I found myself completely drawn into the story. If you loved the movie Goodfellas, enjoy true crime and legal proceedings, or want to learn more about the American mafia from the prosecution’s perspective, I highly recommend adding Chasing Goodfellas to your reading list!
Ready to dive into the real-life stories behind the infamous world of organized crime? Pick up Chasing Goodfellas by Edward McDonald and discover the investigations, courtroom battles, and unexpected relationships behind these fascinating cases. Get your copy through Bookshop.org and support both independent bookstores and the blog at this same time.
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