Little Caesar

By WILLIAM RILEY BURNETT

"Little Caesar" is a seminal hardboiled crime novel that defined the gangster genre in American literature. The story follows the meteoric rise and inevitable fall of Cesare "Rico" Bandello, a small-time hoodlum with ruthless ambitions who moves to Chicago to seek power within the city's criminal underworld. As Rico claws his way to the top of the Vanezzi gang, he must navigate the internal betrayals of his associates and the relentless pursuit of the law.

This work captures the gritty atmosphere of the Prohibition era, offering a psychological portrait of a man driven by a singular desire for dominance. Known for its lean, punchy prose and stark realism, the novel explores themes of loyalty, vanity, and the violent consequences of the American Dream gone wrong. "Little Caesar" remains a cornerstone of the noir tradition, having set the template for the modern crime saga and inspired generations of authors and filmmakers with its raw depiction of urban depravity and the dark side of ambition.

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• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1025805836
• ISBN13: 9781025805832
• Release Date: February 2026
• Publisher: Tradd Street Press
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 1.38 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.1" x 9.2"