title: The Black Hand (book)
text: # The Black Hand (book)
  
  The Black Hand: The Epic War Between a Brilliant Detective and the Deadliest Secret Society in American History is a non-fiction book written by Irish American author Stephan Talty, published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt on 25 April 2017.
  
  ## Characters
  
  * Joseph Petrosino – a New York City police officer who is a pioneer in the fight against organized crime.
  
  ## Reception
  
  The book received praise from critics. Author Mark Adams said: "The Black Hand is nonfiction noir at its best: a real-life Godfather prequel that pits an unforgettable Italian-American hero against the seemingly unstoppable menace that would become the New York mafia". Kirkus Reviews said it was: "A thrilling tale of the "Italian Sherlock Holmes"".
  
  ## Film adaptation
  
  In 2017, Paramount Pictures announced that it had acquired the movie rights to Talty's book. Leonardo DiCaprio was slated to star as Petrosino.
  
  