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American Demon
American Demon: Eliot Ness and the Hunt for America's Jack the Ripper | Daniel Stashower
14 posts | 16 read | 9 to read
New York Times bestselling author and Edgar Award-winner Daniel Stashower returns with American Demon, a historical true crime starring legendary lawman Eliot Ness. Boston had its Strangler. California had the Zodiac Killer. And in the depths of the Great Depression, Cleveland had the Mad Butcher of Kingsbury Run. On September 5th, 1934, a young beachcomber made a gruesome discovery on the shores of Clevelands Lake Erie: the lower half of a female torso, neatly severed at the waist. The victim, dubbed The Lady of the Lake, was only the first of a butchers dozen. Over the next four years, twelve more bodies would be scattered across the city. The bodies were dismembered with surgical precision and drained of blood. Some were beheaded while still alive. Terror gripped the city. Amid the growing uproar, Clevelands besieged mayor turned to his newly-appointed director of public safety: Eliot Ness. Ness had come to Cleveland fresh from his headline-grabbing exploits in Chicago, where he and his band of Untouchables led the frontline assault on Al Capones bootlegging empire. Now he would confront a case that would redefine his storied career. Award-winning author Daniel Stashower shines a fresh light on one of the most notorious puzzles in the annals of crime, and uncovers the gripping story of Nesss hunt for a sadistic killer who was as brilliant as he was cool and composed, a mastermind who was able to hide in plain sight. American Demon reconstructs this ultimate battle of wits between a hero and a madman.
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review
DGRachel
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Bailedbailed

I tried. I really did. I reached the 42% mark, but no more. I expected this to center on the torso murders of the early 20th century. A series of gruesome murders of which I knew nothing. Instead, I‘ve basically had to sit through a love letter of an Elliott Ness biography. 😡 Check, please!

RamsFan1963 You might want to try Max Allan Collin's book, Elliot Ness and The Mad Butcher, or the graphic novel, Torso by Brian Michael Bendis, if you're interested in learning more about the infamous Cleveland Torso Murderer. 2mo
DGRachel @RamsFan1963 Thanks for the recommendations! I‘ll definitely look into Collin‘s book since I am interested in learning more about the actual killer. I‘m sure this book will eventually get there, but I didn‘t expect Ness‘s life story first. 🤦🏻‍♀️ 2mo
52 likes2 comments
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Nessavamusic
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Mehso-so

This was interesting history, especially learning way more about Eliot Ness than Hollywood had shown. However, the story jumps all over the place and doesn‘t seem to know if it‘s about a serial killer I had never heard of or Eliot Ness. A bit of mess, but was an entertaining listen. 3⭐️
#bookspinbingo bingo!

RamsFan1963 If you're interested in reading more about Ness and the Cleveland Torso Killer, there's a book by Max Allan Collins called Elliot Ness and The Mad Butcher. I thought it was interesting and covered the topic well. 4mo
TheAromaofBooks Great progress!! 4mo
36 likes2 comments
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Kshakal
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Eggs Great choices 😳📚🥶 13mo
26 likes1 comment
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NotCool
Mehso-so

This was okay. I felt annoyed for Elliot Ness, who according to the author, did all this work to make the Cleveland police more efficient and less corrupt. Yet the author acts shocked that clearing out corrupt cops is a different skill set the hunting a serial killer.

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Amie
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Pickpick

Fans of The Devil in the White City will like this, or anyone curious about Eliot Ness's career after Al Capone.

A serial killer eludes police in Cleveland, preying on victims on the edges of society with no apparent pattern. The murders are particularly gruesome, so keep that in mind before picking up this book.

32 likes1 stack add
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gossamerchild
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Mehso-so

This one was odd. I really wanted to like it, as I've been on a major true crime kick for quite a while. However, this didn't quite cut it. I think I fell victim to weird marketing. The title makes this seem like this is mostly about a serial killer, with a little bit of Eliot Ness. Turns out this more like a biography of Ness with a dash of true crime. Not bad if you are intrigued by Ness, but it wasn't my cup of tea.

#librofm #alc

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Ericalambbrown
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Pickpick

This book goes briefly into the real story of Ness and The Untouchables as they worked to gather a case against Capone. It then goes into Ness‘s tenure as head of public safety for the city of Cleveland, during which The Mad Butcher of Kingsbury Run (or the Cleveland Torso Killer) was active. These cases were never solved, but the book is a fascinating snapshot of law enforcement in the 1930s nonetheless. Good book if crime history‘s your jam!

RamsFan1963 I was going to get this from the library, but then I remembered I had read the same story last year in Max Collins book, Elliot Ness and The Mad Butcher. 1y
Ericalambbrown @RamsFan1963 oh! How was that? I‘d actually like another take on this, tbh. 1y
RamsFan1963 Despite the title, the Cleveland Torso Killer wasn't the main focus of the book. It largely dealt with Ness's efforts to clean up the corrupt Cleveland police force and introduce some modern crime fighting tools 1y
Ericalambbrown @RamsFan1963 this book spent a significant amount of time on that as well. They sound very similar. 1y
50 likes2 stack adds4 comments
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EvieBee
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Pickpick

If you‘re able to hang in until the 45% mark, then you‘re golden when it comes to this book. Stashower spent the first half acquainting us with Elliot Ness, one of the “Untouchables” in American‘s Prohibition era.
He stumbles into the role as top dog in the law enforcement team that will eventually take on The Torso Murders.
As a #truecrime aficionado, I don‘t why I didn‘t know about these. They were gruesome!

⭐️⭐️⭐️ ½

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EvieBee
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Can we take a moment to acknowledge how “dark and depraved” this book is thus far?! But I can‘t stop! If you thought the Black Dahlia was fascinating, imagine a slew of bodies brutalized in unimaginable ways. #currentlyreading

jlhammar I was curious about this one. Sounds good! 2y
EvieBee @jlhammar It‘s interesting! I‘m enjoying the audio book. 2y
53 likes5 stack adds2 comments
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Monica5
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Pickpick

Actually finished the Saturday morning, but wasn't feeling well.

If you like True Crime, you should read this. It's about the torso murders in Cleveland during the 1930's and Eliot Ness' involvement in trying to solve.

Ness thought he solved the case but swore all his close people to secrecy. No one has ever told who he thought it was.

It's like Jack the Ripper. We may never know for sure.

#AugustARC
Publishes 9-6-22

9 likes1 stack add
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Monica5
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I read bc I am disabled and it gives me something to do other than house stuff and watching TV (which has nothing on good anyway, except for Jeopardy 😜)

My whole family read, so it's just something I grew up doing and never stopped.

Whenever I can. Usually the afternoons, evenings and night. I try to get a little housework done each day, then read rest of day.

Want to play: @TrishB @Andrew65 @StillLookingForCarmenSanDiego @RamsFan1963

TrishB Thanks for the tag 👍🏻 2y
Andrew65 Thanks for the tag 😊 2y
13 likes2 comments
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Monica5
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For about three years, beginning in 1936, Eliot Ness kept tabs on my grandfather Fred P. Stashower.

#FirstLineFridays
@ShyBookOwl

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Monica5
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Starting this one tonight. Sounds interesting 🤔
It's About Elliott Ness and the hunt for America's Jack the Ripper. I hope this True Crime book doesn't disappoint me like the Case of the Murderous Dr Cream did.