The Winter of Frankie Machine by Don Winslow

If you're going to read a thriller, enjoy this one. It's about Frankie Machine, a retired hit man for the mafia. Although I'm pretty sure Don Winslow is a dedicated Sopranos follower, I thoroughly enjoyed the references all the same. (It must be great to have had The Godfather and the Sopranos and all those other mafia movies as reference points - saves months of research and ensures that your readers immediately appreciate what you're talking about. I particularly loved the gumars!) I kept picturing Frankie as Roy Billing, who played Aussie Bob Trimbole in Underbelly. This was a great page turner, and excellent entertainment for an afternoon on the couch. 3 stars for entertainment