More from Tricia and Nathan:
Mafia in World War II? This One Fact Changed the Plot of Our Book
By Tricia Goyer and Nathan Goyer
Some discoveries in research are expected. You dig, and you find what you’re looking for. Others? Well, they blindside you. Sort of like a speeding Vespa on a crowded Italian street.
That’s what happened when Nathan and I were deep in research for
Flight of Fate. I was already thrilled about weaving real history into our novel—especially the story of the Naples Museum during World War II and the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. (Yes, the very volcano that buried Pompeii in AD 79.) Turns out, this volcano wasn’t done causing trouble.) But what I didn’t expect was how one innocent question would change our entire book.
The Question That Changed EverythingI had been gathering all sorts of juicy details from my online friend Raffael Romano. Raffaele is an expert on Naples history, and he runs his own tour company. (If you ever want to explore Italy without leaving your couch, check out
Naples Grand Tour—you won’t regret it!)
After an information-packed interview, I asked, “So, is there anything we didn’t ask about that we should?”
Raffaele paused. Then, as casually as if he were offering me an extra scoop of gelato, he said:
“You haven’t asked about the mafia.”
Excuse me, what?!
Yes, the Mafia Had a Secret Role in WWIIUp until that moment, I had been focused on mystical artifacts, Nazi theft, stolen artwork, and volcanic chaos. But suddenly, my brain was spinning in a whole new direction.
Because, yes—while American and British forces were battling the Axis in Italy, there was another power at play in the shadows.
The Sicilian Mafia (known as
Cosa Nostra) had been suppressed under Mussolini’s fascist rule in the 1920s and ’30s. However, when Allied forces invaded Sicily in 1943, something surprising happened: the Mafia made a comeback. And not just any comeback—a strategic, calculated one.
The U.S. military, scrambling for allies on the ground, reportedly turned to some rather unusual sources for help. Enter Mafia boss Charles “Lucky” Luciano—yes, the American Mafia kingpin, who was conveniently in a New York prison at the time. In exchange for some leniency, he allegedly used his underworld connections to help Allied intelligence secure Sicily.
Meanwhile, in Naples—where part of our story takes place—the Mafia was alive and well. And they weren’t just smuggling black-market goods or running gambling rings—they were also influencing who had control of their country. (Hint: the Germans may got the boot outta the Boot!)
And Just Like That, A Different Story Emerged!With this new information, our fictional world suddenly cracked wide open. How could we tie the Mafia into the world of ancient legends and steampunk warfare? Are they good? Evil? Somewhere in-between? We could twist those scenarios into tales of sacrifice and duty we had already explored in
Breath of Bones. There were lots of directions we could go, and boy
did we go!
This is Why We Love HistoryThis is what we love about writing historical fiction. It’s like stepping into a time machine and realizing that real history is so much bigger than we imagined. Stories we think we know—like the Allied liberation of Italy—have so many hidden layers. Layers of ordinary people making impossible choices. Layers of forgotten heroes … and unexpected villains.
And, sometimes, layers of the Mafia.
So, the next time you watch a WWII movie and wonder, could the Mafia really have played a role in this?—the answer might just be yes. (And don’t worry. We’re not giving away too much of the plot by sharing this!)
Now, I’m curious—have you ever learned a historical fact that completely surprised you? Drop a comment, and let’s chat! And if you love history as much as I do, be sure to check out
Naples Grand Tour for a deep dive into Italy’s incredible past! Tell Raffelo that Nathan and I send you and said, “Chao!” Also, be sure to check out Book One,
Breath of Bones!
