Philip Carlo is no stranger to violence and death. He grew up in Brooklyn where he had a first-hand look at bullies, assorted tough guys, and Mafia members. He witnessed beatings and extortions, and like many inner-city kids, he became involved with drugs and gangs. That gang affiliation nearly cost him his life. He was shot in the head during a gang fight when he was only 15 years old. Whether surviving that incident gave him a penchant for writing about death and those who cause it, we will never know. What we do know is that Mr. Carlo “walks...