Mayhem on Mulberry: Book 1
Publication Date: December 23, 2024
What if the only way to protect the one you love is to destroy everything you’ve ever known?
New York City, 1990-a city teetering on the brink of chaos. The AIDS pandemic is ravaging communities, crime is at an all-time high, and the streets pulse with the tension of gang warfare. The once-dominant Italian mafia, now in its twilight, faces a new threat: the rise of ruthless ethnic gangs determined to carve up their territory.
Enzo DeCarlo, heir to a fading mob empire, is caught between two worlds. His father, the old-school Don Vincenzo, clings to the traditions of the past while the DeCarlo family crumbles under pressure from the feds and encroaching Chinese, Vietnamese, and Korean gangs. Enzo’s loyalty to his family has always been unwavering-until he meets the captivating Jen Mo Li, a woman with secrets as dangerous as her beauty.
Jen, the daughter of a powerful Chinese crime family, is no stranger to the brutal world of organized crime. Overlooked and undervalued by her own family, she fights to prove herself in a male-dominated world, growing colder and more ruthless with each passing day. But when her brother is murdered, and the blame falls on Enzo, Jen’s desire for revenge spirals into something far more deadly-especially as her heart betrays her by falling for the enemy.
With tensions between their families at a boiling point and betrayal lurking at every turn, Enzo and Jen’s forbidden love becomes a ticking time bomb. When Jen takes control of the notorious Black Dragon gang, the violence escalates to all-out war in Chinatown, with blood flowing in the streets and power shifting hands. But Jen’s bold moves come at a terrible cost, and when a tragic mistake links her to a human trafficking operation, she finds herself hunted by both the law and her enemies.
As their worlds spiral out of control, Enzo and Jen are forced to make impossible choices. Can Enzo defy his father and the mafia’s brutal code to save Jen and their child? And can Jen survive long enough to claim her throne in the criminal underworld-or will the betrayals she’s suffered drive her to a darker fate?
In this explosive tale of love, betrayal, and survival, nothing is certain, and no one is safe. Dive into the pulse-pounding world of gangland New York, where power, loyalty, and love collide. Will Enzo and Jen escape the deadly shadows of their families-or be consumed by them?
The streets are unforgiving. Are you ready to find out who survives?
Rise of the East, Book One in the Mayhem on Mulberry series by Vincent DeFilippo, is filled with action and adventure with suspenseful moments.
Chinese gangs, along with Mafia families, rule Little Italy and the Chinatown area in New York City. When they are all fighting to be on top, there is mayhem, murder, and so much more.
Jen is Chinese, and though she works in her family’s businesses and they flourish under her control, she is worthless in her father’s eyes since she’s a woman. When her older brother is killed, and she is still not worthy in her father’s mind, she herself turns to the gangs.
Enzo is the son of the DeCarlo family’s mob boss, but when his and Jen’s paths cross, there’s an instant connection and attraction. They decide to act on it, and you know no good can come of it. There are secrets, lies, and lies of omission.
We can immerse ourselves in their lives, the actions of the gangs and the mob, along with their businesses, ruthlessness, and violence. There are graphic descriptions throughout, and the imagery was bloody and horrific. There are vivid descriptions of the businesses and the interactions between the members and rival factions. The story is filled with multiple storylines and moves at a fast pace. There are unexpected outcomes throughout, and the ending, which does give some closure, took me by surprise in several ways. Is it the opening for the next book in the series?
Rise of the East is filled with gang and mob drama that had me hooked from the beginning.
Dr. Vincent DeFilippo, an international financier and former CEO of a private equity fund in Hong Kong, where he aided numerous executives and businesses in raising billions of dollars in capital.
Currently residing in New York, he is a Professor at Monroe College, where he mentors and teaches young people to achieve their goals. Driven by his passion for writing and storytelling, he captivates readers with his fiction works and provides practical business and financial advice through his non-fiction books.
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Thanks for sharing. Great review! 🙂
Thank you. I grew up in NY and often went to Chinatown and Little Italy for meals and shopping. This is a whole different view.