This book is third in the Children of Vice series, which is a follow-up series to the Ruthless People series.
**As I have said in previous reviews, I highly recommend listening to the Ruthless People series BEFORE beginning the Children of Vice series.**
Children of Redemption continues with the multi-cultural, mixed-race mafia family that to the outside world, unfailingly defends and supports every family member, showing their allies and enemies alike that they are “all Callahans”. It’s not so easy being on the inside, however.
This book, like others in both series, has many LOL moments and hilarious banter. On the other hand, there are some incredibly heartbreaking moments in the lives of four MC’s, which isn’t prevalent in the previous books. Get out the tissues for this one because you will need them!
The heartbreak — juxtaposed with several brutally violent scenes — seems to add some balance, reminding us that even seemingly all-powerful people are as fragile as the rest of us and have to face their personal demons and their own mortality sooner or later.
The story line eventually leads us to a mutual redemption between two of the Callahans. The resolution is a welcome relief to all of the tension, competition, and jealousy between two people who should have been closest friends and allies. It is refreshing to see them face tragedy and finally end up not only as better human beings, but also as collaborative, forgiving partners in crime (literally). Even mobsters can grow! lol
This book really adds another layer to the MC’s and adds more texture to the ongoing story. It does pull at the heartstrings, but only after clobbering us over the head with vicious beatings, shootouts, masterful conniving, and all the other bad behavior that we love in the mafia genre.
Last but not least, Joel Froomkin continues to amaze with his narration and voicing of all characters, male and female, young and old. He uses convincing Irish and Italian accents and actually speaks some Irish and Italian. In this book, he adds a suave French gentleman to his broad repertoire!
I highly recommend this book, along with the others in the Ruthless People series and the Children of Vice series! Don’t miss these!