Little Caesar. Illustrated

W. R. Burnett’s Little Caesar is a landmark novel of American crime fiction, a gritty, uncompromising portrait of ambition and corruption in the underworld. First published in 1929, it tells the story of Cesare “Rico” Bandello, a small-time hoodlum whose ruthless drive and cold determination propel him to the top of Chicago’s criminal empire. Burnett strips away glamour to reveal the stark reality of gangland life—its violence, betrayals, and inevitable downfall. Rico’s rise to power is swi...