The fighting at the US government level is over, but at the local level it has just begun. Los Angeles is now controlled by various crime factions, the local government and police are mostly corrupt, and those who try to adhere to a code of ethics are at a big disadvantage. The Morretti crime family has a big advantage because the Mayor is in their pocket, along with the police, but they are still stretched thin dealing with adversaries. Their drug supplier is becoming unreliable, the rival gangs are getting bolder, and old enemies back in Italy also need some attention. Meanwhile, the LAPD has a similar set of issues, but none bigger than the corruption that runs rampant throughout their ranks. It is hard to fight back against the crime families when you can't trust your fellow officers to have your back. It is within these multiple levels of chaos on both sides of the battle that the main characters fight to come out on top, or die trying.

This story remains dark, and characters worth rooting for remain in short supply. Don Antonio and Renaldo both struggle to find ways for their families to come out on top, but the story is definitely moving in a direction where the next generation, Dominic and Vinny, are taking more of the center stage. Vinny learning how to be a ruthless crime boss, and Dominic striving to be a clean cop in a world where that is a big disadvantage. If you liked the first book then I think you will like this one as well, but if you were hoping for more "good" characters worth rooting for, prepare for disappointment. There aren't many "Saints" in this one despite the title, and the relevance of that word to this story won't be revealed until the end. Still it does offer hope for the future of the series.

Ray Porter continues his excellent narration on the audiobook version of this one.