Ralph Natale, who was crucial to the return to power in the Philadelphia area of the Mafia, also became the first-ever La Cosa Nostra boss to turn federal witness. Natale gave unfettered access to award-winning writer Larry McShane and award-winning producer Dan Pearson to compile one of the most powerful never-before-told tales inside the workings of an organized crime "family" for the book LAST DON STANDING: The Secret life of Mob Boss Ralph Natale(Thomas Dunne Books, on sale March 21. 2017, $25.99).

Smart, savvy, and articulate, Natale came up through the ranks of the mob at first as the son of a numbers runner but quickly rose to the upper echelon of the crime syndicate. He began by serving as the brutal right-hand man for the boss Angelo Bruno as they launched their attempts to take over the Atlantic City casino unions. Zealous prosecutors jailed Natale in the late 1970s and he spent 16 years in lock up, never uttering a word about the life he led and refusing to testify against his fellow made men despite repeated efforts by the government - including a Senate investigative committee -- to entice him to talk.

Upon his release he came back home and quickly retook the crime family as his own. The result was a bloodletting of a mob war that left bodies scattered all over South Philadelphia. Once in complete power as the Don of Philly, he worked tirelessly to forge strong connections nationwide, invigorated the family with more allies than they had in decades, and achieved a status within the mob never seen before or since until he was betrayed by his own, younger, Mafia cohorts. With nowhere to turn, Natale did the unthinkable: he became the first Don to turn federal witness.

LAST DON STANDINGdelivers revelatory inside info into some of the biggest news story's linked to mob history including:

.The murder of Jewish mobster Bugsy Siegel

.Jimmy Hoffa's final efforts to win over the mob before he disappeared

.The mob's takeover of Atlantic City

McShane describes sitting down with Natale, "Meeting Ralph Natale, and spending time with him, was an interesting experience in many ways. He was brutally honest and answered every question I asked. Ralph's recall and his way with words gave me a vivid recounting of his life, his world, and his choices." Pearson recalls a similar time with Natale: "Over a cup of coffee I mentioned Boardwalk Empire and Atlantic City. Ralph offered to give me the REAL story and peaked my interest with things he never shared with anyone. Afterwards, I began researching the history curious to validate it all and keep coming across the one man in the center of it all - Ralph Natale. Knowing what he'd done and who he did it with, at time was frightening. From hearing about some of the most infamous names as well as some of the most famous, I realized there was a very thin line between illegal and legal. There were times when I had to ask uncomfortable questions and I could see his 'eyes go black.' I know this man has taken many lives, but still I was drawn to digging deeper." Uncover the deadly reign of one of the last great mob bosses of Philadelphia, a tale that covers half a century of mob lore.