HAWAII SCANDAL by Cobey Black

Hawaii Scandal by Cobey Black was published in 2002 by Island Heritage Publishing. This is a non-fiction true-crime story set in Hawaii in 1931. 

Thalia Fortescue Massie was a Washington D.C. socialite who, in September 1931, was living in Hawaii with her husband, Navy Lieutenant Thomas Hedges Massie, who was stationed at Pearl Harbor. When the Massies attended a Saturday night party with two other couples at the Ala Wai Inn in Honolulu, Thalia decided to leave the party alone and was later found wandering along a road not far from the Inn at 1:00 the following morning by a passing car. Beaten and suffering from a broken jaw, Thalia told the driver and his passenger that she had been abducted and assaulted by a group of young men but couldn't identify them and didn't know what kind of car they had. Later, when questioned by the police, she claimed she had been raped and assaulted by 5 local Hawaiian boys and was able to provide a partial license plate number for their vehicle. As time went on, Thalia would repeatedly change her story. 

Earlier that same night, five young men, two of Hawaiian ancestry, two of Japanese ancestry, and one of half Chinese/Hawaiian ancestry... were arrested for assaulting a Hawaiian woman. Later, they were also charged with the rape of Massie, which they all denied. So, was Thalia's description of her assailants coaxed from her by the police? Was it based on bigotry or merely a convenience due to the arrest of the five young men earlier in the evening? Or... was Thalia herself covering up for a dalliance gone wrong? 

If you're not already a true-crime buff, Black's Hawaii Scandal may turn you into one. For those readers who lean toward this subgenre of non-fiction... this book may just become your version of nirvana. Murder, mayhem, and lies. Add a wealthy and beautiful socialite from a famous family, her handsome young husband, a vindictive and overbearing (some might call evil) mother, as well as a well-known attorney, and you have all the stuff that makes for a good old-fashioned murder mystery. Except...it's all true, and this book is for you.  

My Personal Rating is ⭐⭐⭐⭐

MIDNIGHT in the GARDEN of GOOD and EVIL by John Berendt

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt, published in 1994 by Random House, is a nonfiction, true crime novel set in the Deep South.

Savannah is the oldest city in Georgia. It has a charming Southern ambiance and a vibrant history. It has many cultural attractions, historical landmarks, and works of art in various architectural styles. In addition, it has a large St. Patrick's Day parade, a famous river port, a renowned art college, and a beach nearby. Savannah is also a quirky city where you might find a man walking an invisible dog and a drag queen becoming a key witness for the defense in a high-profile murder trial. So it's no surprise that The Hostess City of the South is as much a character in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil as any human being involved in the novel. 

The book chronicles John Berendt's experiences while living in Savannah and the real-life events surrounding the 1981 murder of 21-year-old Danny Hansford, a profane young man with an explosive temper, and the trial that followed.

Jim Williams was a historic preservationist and antiques dealer, partially responsible for renovating historic downtown Savannah in the 1950s. He also renovated his home, Mercer House, once owned by the late composer Johnny Mercer, making it one of the grandest homes in Savannah. After finishing the restoration, Williams threw a glamorous Christmas party that soon became one of Savannah's most sought-after annual events. At the time of the story, John Berendt, who wrote a monthly column for Esquire Magazine, was there to write an article about Williams' Christmas party. 

While interviewing Williams for his article, Berendt meets part-time employee Danny Hansford during his tour of Mercer House. He is shocked that Hansford has such unlimited access to the home. Williams explains that he has a medical condition, which requires always having someone nearby in case he should blackout as his justification for Hansford's access to the house. So, as a trusted employee, why did Jim Williams kill Danny Hansford? Was it blackmail, self-defense, or a well-planned murder? The answer is in the pages of the book.

John Berendt's Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is a true-life story that reads like a combination travelogue and murder mystery with a bit of history thrown in for good measure. The book is replete with eccentric, slightly off-center, and downright odd fellow characters. Berendt's novel became a New York Times Best Seller after its publication in 1994 and stayed there for four years. If you have yet to read it, it's worth reading, and if you have read it... it's worth reading again.

My Personal Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The DEVIL in the WHITE CITY by Erik Larson

The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America by Erik Larson, published in 2003 by Crown Publishers, is a historical non-fiction book presented in a novelistic style.

The Devil in the White City story occurs between 1890 and 1895, mainly in Chicago. It weaves together the true stories of Daniel Burnham, the architect who created some of the most beautiful architecture of the day and was responsible for the grandeur of the 1893 World Columbian Exposition. Then there is Herman Webster Mudgett, better known as H.H. Holmes, often called the first serial killer in the United States. He roamed the streets of Chicago during the 1893 World's Fair. Holmes built an elaborately constructed hotel with its own gas-filled vault, later dubbed the 'murder castle.' The hotel was adjacent to the fairgrounds, and upon its completion, Holmes began to accept female guests. Unfortunately for them, they started disappearing.

Erik Larson's The Devil in the White City reads like fiction. What's unfortunate is that it's not. Nevertheless, Larson has captured the true story of two men at opposite ends of the social scale and what happened when a great city like Chicago, which should have been experiencing one of the best times in its early history, was the backdrop.

Dazzlingly beautiful neoclassical buildings provided the landscape along the city's south lakefront for the 1893 Columbian Exposition, which promised to be the most spectacular World's Fair of the 19th Century. With the introduction to the latest technological innovations on full display, the spotlight was on this toddling town. And that spotlight would also be shining down on one of the darkest episodes in the city's history up to that time. 

Chicago is indeed no stranger to tragedy. Before the start of the fair, there was the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, followed by The Haymarket Square bombing in 1886, to name two. But can the City of Big Shoulders rise like a Phoenix from the ashes after the damage caused to its reputation thanks to the brutal murders committed by the New England-born con artist and serial killer that cast a dark shadow over the White City? 

This true crime, non-fiction novel is a must-read for history buffs. So what are you waiting for? 

 

My Personal Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½