Lou Manfredo's "Rizzo's Fire"

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Lou Manfredo worked in the Brooklyn criminal justice system for twenty-five years. His short fiction has appeared in Best American Mystery Stories, Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, and Brooklyn Noir.

Here he shares his preferences for the star and director of adaptations of his novels Rizzo's War and  Rizzo's Fire:

My first Joe Rizzo novel, Rizzo's War, was published both in hard cover and audiobook. Emmy Award winning actor, Bobby Cannavale, performed as reader, and when first I heard his Rizzo rendition I was shocked: It was exactly the voice I’d been hearing in my ear as I wrote the book. His performance was chillingly picture perfect.

I’ve recently watched Mr. Cannavale in his recurring role on the CBS crime drama Blue Bloods, and I am thoroughly convinced. If ever there is a Joe Rizzo movie, Mr. Cannavale would be perfect.

In writing Rizzo's War, I had merely a blurry, faceless image of Rizzo in my mind’s eye. But with Rizzo's Fire, Bobby Cannavale was in sharp focus and has so remained as I work on Book III. He may need a little makeup since he’s younger than Joe Rizzo, but other than that, he’s a natural for the role.

Now, if we could get Martin Scorsese on board to direct, we just might have something.

Read more about Rizzo's Fire and Rizzo's War.

The Page 69 Test: Rizzo's War.

Writers Read: Lou Manfredo.

--Marshal Zeringue