Inspector Oldfield and the Black Hand Society
William Oldfield & Victoria Lane
Simon & Schuster 2018
280 Pages

This book documents the true story of how a single postal inspector was able to bring down the organized crime syndicate The Black Hand.  When William Oldfield, the author, inherited a large, locked truck from his great-grandfather, he began a journey into the case involving the first organized crime group in America.  Upon opening the trunk, he discovered it filled with court evidence for the Black Hand Society trial from 1910.

The first chapters discuss the early postal system and William Goddard’s involvement in becoming the first postal inspector.  The story then proceeds with the origin and development of the Black Hand Society during the latter half of the 19th Century.  The author then introduces readers to John Oldfield, his great-grandfather.  He explores, in detail, the duties of a postal inspector during the turn of the century as well as the life lived by John Oldfield.

This book is an entertaining read with an engaging storyline.  I found the details pertaining to the early postal system and the life and duties of a postal inspector informative.  Without giving the story away, postage stamps were key in exposing and convicting members of the Black Hand Society.

Reviewed by Jeff Jax