Originally published in 1962, The Merchants of Menace analyzes Mafia activity in the United States. Described as an authoritative effort to explain organized crime, the book draws on author Edward J. Allen's experiences during the late 1940s and early 1950s whilst serving as the Chief of the Police Department in Youngstown, Ohio-a city at the time corrupted by Mafia influence from nearby Detroit and Buffalo, N.Y.-and his crack-down on gambling, prostitution and gangster ties. With over 30 illustrations.
