I’ve always been fascinated by the life, times, and death of JFK. This book is well researched and goes into a lot of facts and history about the Kennedy family as a whole. Sometimes, perhaps a bit too wide ranging with stories and facts about other individuals and groups but drawn together at the end. So was Lee Harvey Oswald an individual assassin or paid and then silenced, there’s plenty of information here to help you to draw your own conclusions. My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC.

I did find this a bit hard to get into at first - but it is worth persevering as gets good and juicy! I only knew what I had read about the family, and the odd conspiracy theory, and I clearly knew about the tragic murder.
This definitely casts some shade over the family, introducing lots I didn’t know about the family!! Thanks netgalley for allowing me to read this.

Thank you for allowing me to read an Arc of this. I was looking forward to reading it. However I've had to move to my DNF pile for now. There's nothing wrong with the book per say, I just found it really hard to get into.

An interesting book detailing the rise and part of the fall of the Kennedy family. It did seem to focus largely on Joe Kennedy and not as much about JFK as I would have liked. Having said that, it showed the background and how they family became so powerful. Most of it was simply shocking. I almost couldn't believe that Joe Kennedy got away with so much, but then again it shows how corrupt all societies are. There were echoes of how certain figures in US politics/ business seem to get away with more than the average person, just because they have money and influence.

Let's confront the Reckless narrative head-on. This is a history that we either did not know about or chose to ignore: Joe Kennedy founded a completely decadent and dishonest family, which persisted for decades before John F. Kennedy emerged as the most significant figure to lead the Western World as president.
Try to figure out how this was permitted to go on as long as it did, with insiders and hangers-on supporting JFK every step of the way, and you'll be astounded page after page.
We are really grateful to Rothmiller and Thompson for their tireless research and for sharing this true story with the world.
An independent review for NetGalley / Ad Lib Publishers

wanted to extend my sincere thanks for granting me early access to "Reckless: Sex, Lies and JFK" through NetGalley. Having had the opportunity to delve into your work, I'm compelled to share my thoughts with you.

Your book is an absolute masterpiece, offering a captivating exploration of a tumultuous era in American history. From the first page, I found myself completely engrossed in your fearless examination of the darker aspects of the Kennedy administration. Your meticulous research and engaging storytelling transported me back in time, allowing me to witness firsthand the political intrigue, scandal, and conspiracy that defined the era.

What truly impressed me about "Reckless" is your ability to weave together disparate threads of history into a cohesive and compelling narrative. Your attention to detail is remarkable, and each revelation is supported by a wealth of evidence and documentation. Your writing is both accessible and engaging, making even the most complex political machinations easy to grasp.

Moreover, "Reckless" offers much more than just a retelling of historical events; it's a reflection on power, corruption, and the moral complexities of politics. Your insights into the nature of power and its effects on individuals and institutions are thought-provoking and timely, offering readers a deeper understanding of the forces at play in our society.

In conclusion, "Reckless: Sex, Lies and JFK" is a true tour de force that deserves widespread acclaim. Your masterful storytelling and fearless approach to your subject matter make this book a standout in the genre, and I have no doubt that it will leave a lasting impact on all who read it. Thank you for sharing your expertise and insight with the world.

Excellent read about JFK and the Kennedy family.

A Catholic family with good looking sons and ties to the mafia they had a power which lasted. The background was thoroughly researched and cleverly documented.

Recommended

The Kennedy family has always intrigued me. As a history freak I have read a lot of stories about them that gave me a look inside their lives. I already knew that the Kennedys weren't the choir boys that some believed they were; Corruption, mafia, sex, adultery and more. This book confirms that once again, but with some interesting other facts. I liked the more in-depth knowledge of Joe (the father) as most books are more centred on JFK and his brother Bobby, which have their fair part in this book as well. I appreciate the research the author has done and I truly enjoyed the book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you, NetGalley, and Ad Lib Publishers for this ARC.

I found Reckless by Mike Rothmiller and Douglas Thompson interesting but way too long.

Joe Kennedy was hand in glove with the mafia which included sectors of Jewish immigrants, Italians and Russians and when the stock market crash in 1929 wiped out their cash flow Joe Kennedy was astute as he had put his money into stocks and shares hence surviving the crash. Joe not only loved money but also the mafia's women which included high class prostitutes and movie stars. Both Bobby and Jack his sons would follow in their Father's footsteps. Joe Kennedy was also pro-hitler and pro-Chamberlain and disliked interacial marriages.

Bootlegging was rife and Joe had a big falling out with mafia boss Lanskey which was to do with the hijacking of Joe's bootlegger drivers being killed thus causing Joe to have a vendetta against them which was also passed down to both of his sons.

Mike Rothmiller, a former detectective and military veteran brings up conspiracy theories toward the end of the book which piqued my interest with regard to the shooting of JFK by Lee Harvey Oswald.

This was a really insightful account of the JFK era pre and during his presidency. It describes the influence and puppeteering undertaken by his father and the dark side of politics and the world in which the Kennedys lived and operated.

An interesting book on the lives of the Kennedys, from father Joe to JFK and his brothers.

This book is thoroughly researched, also sharing with us the wider goings on of the time, such as prohibition and the mafia. I didn’t really know anything about JFK at all (other than Marilyn & his death) so this painted him in a whole new light. Instead of the kind of folk hero cut short in his prime, my allusions have definitely been shattered.

Although this book is in-depth, it’s not super difficult to read like some other non-fiction books. It gives some interesting new thoughts to the times. If you want to learn more about the real JFK then I would read it.

Thanks to the authors, publisher & NetGalley for access to this arc in return for an honest review.

To the world the Kennedy's were a devote Catholic family. Led by patriarch Joseph an ambitious man along with two of his children. John and Bobby. Both with ambitions. Whilst giving the impression that family was everything, behind the scenes was different. A corrupt life with the mafia. Dealings with the Rat pack. Actresses. And sex!!!!. Plenty of sex.
The authors have investigated the family and brought interesting details to the table that will give you a different side to the men. How pillow talk could lead to disaster.
This is an inside into a different political lifestyle of the Kennedy's and those they had dealings with.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to see an ARC

Reckless a quite shocking book by Detective Mike Rothmiller,formerly of the LAPD, and true crime specialist author Douglas Thompson about the Kennedy clan,most specifically Patriarch Joseph and sons John and Bobby.
For years the Kennedy's had an almost mythic legend, the devout Catholic family with the good-looking sons whose ambitions saw them rise to the highest political offices. The young President who was a devoted family man, his brother the lawyer who was the scourge of organised crime..........or so the generally accepted legend goes.
If you realise that actually the Kennedy family were not the saints they're generally perceived as,this book will shock you. If you know a bit more and think they actually not very nice people ,this book will shock you. Even if you've read all the books and realised that they had dodgy friends,were womanisers and had resorted to murder at least once to prevent a major scandal.......this book will STILL shock you.
From father to sons the male Kennedy's were total degenerates and narcissists,they moved in the same circles ,were friends with and were helped by notorious gangsters. Golden boy JFK was a drug-addicted,sex -addicted predator whose behaviour left him wide open to blackmail as he fell for at least one "honey trap". The sheer scale of depravity is mind-blowing as the authors continue with the revelations and the Kennedy's come across as something from the imagination of Mario Puzo.
Much of what's revealed in this book seems too awful to be true but authors Rothmiller and Thompson have meticulously researched previously withheld but newly-released files and interviewed remaining eye-witnesses.
An excellent book that smashes the "Camelot" legend to pieces and reveals the Kennedy image to be as far from the awful truth as possible.