Books by J.A. Schwartzman
Wiseguys, Rabbis, and the FBI
In the 1980s, Mel Cooper, a young financier, became the biggest loanshark in New York City. In the process, he dragged four mafia families and a group of Long Island Rabbis into one of Rudy Giuliani's first racketeering trials. Cooper earned a 30 year prison sentence, but quickly – and accidentally– escaped from prison. Read More...
I, Grace Note
Grace Note is a downtown musician and songwriter, trying to make it in music in the pre-digital age. Her trials and adventures grow increasingly absurd and scandalous as her unstoppable quest for a record deal unfolds. This comic novel was written in 1999, and is being re-released in a revised edition in 2026. Read more...
Loves to Rob, Hates the Mob
Loves to Rob, Hates the Mob
Vinnie was a driver for one of the Genovese Family bosses; he always knew he could have been more. The result was a man full of rage at the deception and dishonesty of mob life, even while he loved the thrills of robbery. He told J.A. his story. This book will be published in 2026 but we will be posting an excerpt here soon.