“A fast-paced thriller teeming with indelible characters . . .” —Bill Handleman, columnist, The Asbury Park Press

“A captivating story of trying to escape the past wrapped in a thriller of espionage, deceit, and terror. Just when you think you know where the story is going, there & there’s another twist. An enthusiastic two thumbs up!”

“A fantastic book! I do not read Mob-related stories, they are just not my ‘thing’ . . . but this was SO much more! The writing was crisp, the characters were real, the tension was electric, the laughs well-timed, and the twists kept me on the edge of my seat. Very impressive. I knew it was going to be special when I knew I could smell the sauce in the opening chapter. Think Nelson DeMille meets Brad Thor meets Mario Puzo. I cannot WAIT for the next one . . . and you won & want to either.”

“Suggest you get lots of sleep before starting this book because once you read the first page you will not want to put it down. The author captures a true sense of the characters and takes the readers on a thrill ride page after page. This would be the basis for one great movie.”

“Great storyline with compelling characters. The author knows Jersey and knows how to build suspense. I’ve read all the NY / NJ Crime Family books—this ranks with the best. I’ve already gone back to reread my favorite excerpts. You’re going to love Joseph Napolo and his values, loyalty, and his courage.”‍ ‍

“I just finished The Grandfather Clause . . . Wow! It was a page turner for me. There were so many twists and turns, I considered getting Dramamine, lol. This was amodern James Bond meets The Godfather. It seems to me that it would be a good basis for a movie.”

“An amazing page turner with crisp detail and dialogue that you can actually believe . . . It’s like The Sopranos on steroids. I hope this book gets snagged by HBO or Showtime and turned into a miniseries. We need more movies like this . . . Great job!”

“I read this book in just two nights. I really enjoyed this writer’s style. Not a dull moment throughout this book. I highly recommend this book to everyone.”

“I am an attorney who reads a book a week . . . I love the likes of Nelson DeMille and Vince Flynn, etc. The Grandfather Clause truly DELIVERS at that level. A page turner, a great story . . . Clearly this author not only crafts an edge of the seat story buy he enriches it with a depth of language often overlooked in such novels. I am officially on the Phil Genovese bandwagon and look forward to his next novel as much or more as I would DeMille.”

“A very good book . . .The Mob Family in the book is so real . . .”

“What a great read . . . loved the twists, turns and well-developed characters . . . could easily visualize the guns, big cars, and polyester suits . . . and smell the smoke and big dinners. It was hard to put down. VERY highly recommended to all.”

“I received a copy of The Grandfather Clause for Christmas . . . It didn’t disappoint. About 60% of the way through the book I found myself laying awake thinking of how I would end the book if I was the author . . . About 90% of the way through the book I found myself regretting the story was almost over. I wanted it to keep going. Now that I’ve finished, I genuinely miss the story. I miss the characters. So, I guess it’s safe to say the book engaged me. Congratulations to the author. Well done!”

“Richly developed characters unleashed on a totally believable yet incredibly twisted and suspenseful story make for a hard to put down read!”

“This book grabbed you on the first page and continued throughout. I would love to see more from this author. He has the gift of writing!”

“When I retired, I decided to go back to college. Therefore, I don’t have a lot time for just fun reading. Fortunately, a friend gave me the book for Christmas and I am very grateful. It is an exciting tale. The characters are well-developed. I was kept in suspense trying to decide who were the good guys and who were the bad and I learned a good deal about crime in New Jersey. It is obvious from the ending that a sequel is comingand I am looking forward to reading it.”

“I was immediately drawn into the world created by the author and the very real decisions made by all the characters. I especially sympathized with the main character and felt like I would make the very same decisions that he did. At times I had to literally put the book down and breathe because I had been holding my breath or squirming in my seat lost in the world of this book. While this garnered some strange looks in coffee shops, I was happy to make the journey.”

“The Grandfather Clause is a story of two simple guys, college buddies, trying to make a go of a North Jersey trucking business in which they have invested their life savings and every additional cent they could borrow. They run afoul of the Teamsters Union, a mysterious technology company with close ties to the US government, and squads of soul-less mercenaries in the pay of an aspiring Middle Eastern power. Naturally, they do what anyone would do . . . they turn to the Mafia for help. Without giving anything away, let’s just say this particular crime Family is not too terribly well ‘organized.’”

“I was struck by how ‘real’ The Grandfather Clause feels.”

“I travel quite a bit and allow myself the enjoyment of a good novel on half my trips. I enjoy all the current novelists. Turow, Baldacci, Patterson, DeMille, Grisham, and now Genovese. [He] writes as well as any of these others . . .The Grandfather Clause produces a terrific page turner. I liken his style mostly to that of DeMille. . . The story is full of twists and turns and is as difficult a book to put down as any I have read in twenty years.”

“The Grandfather Clause is an amazing book. It’s riveting from the first page to the last. The book was difficult to put down and doesn’t slow down for a moment. Mr. Genovese does a remarkable job with character and story development and this an exceptional ‘first’ novel. I hope a follow up book is just around the corner.”

“This book is a real page turner. The suspense and excitement are in the genre of Patterson and Turow. Cannot wait until he finishes writing his second book. This book would make a first-rate movie.”

“This story will possess you until the last page and when you finish that last page . . . You STILL will not want to put it down! It will take you up, around, and down some exciting paths. The writing style puts you in the action without you realizing it . . . Characters’ designs will play your emotions out from wishing one was your best pal to one you just want to be ‘sent away’ . . . permanently. Mr. Genovese, please write another one. Great book!”

“Fantastic book! . . . Hold[s] your interest to the point you’re going to have a meltdown, if you stop reading. We all want to know what happens to the good guys, as well as the bad.”

“The Grandfather Clause does a wonderful job of sweeping you into the underworld of crime and terrorism. As the story twists and turns, you find yourself unable to put it down. Who are the real heroes? Who are the real enemies? Phil Genovese takes great care to craft a story that naturally builds upon itself as life truly does . . . I loved this book and look forward to living in that world once again.”

“I am a fan of ‘Mob’-related genres but not really into political intrigue, covert operations and such. Having said that, it was an excellent read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The intricacies of several ‘mini-plots’ (subplots is better) and meshing them together was and is a sign of a very good writer . . . What was really outstanding to me was [the] main character, Joseph Napolo . . . The reader is pulled in with his character . . . Further on, when he’s pressured into acts which are the antithesis of his nature, we STILL like him and can identify with his dilemma . . . The style of writing is masterful with an excellent handle on the English language, verbiage interwoven with Italian slang and ‘street smart’savvy references. Very well done! You had me at, ‘What I remember about Sundays back then was that they were always the same.’”

“Fast paced, thoughtful, great story, and funny. The Grandfather Clause is a great read. Anyone who grew up in central New Jersey, who can’t give directions to anywhere without reference to a Garden State Parkway exit, will love this book. Anyone who went to Catholic high school in the ’60s will love this book.Anyone fascinated by the myth and reality of New York’s organized crime Families will love this book. Anyone who harbors a suspicion that the US government over the years has been less than forthcoming about its role in events shaping our history will love this book. Anyone who wonders if there breathes a male Italian-American who could give Sister Agnes Virginia directions to High Mass without using the F-bomb . . . will love this book.”

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