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Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'
Last Call: A True Story of Love, Lust, and Murder in Queer New York by Elon Green
11 reviews
jmross10's review against another edition
dark
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
I will not be rating this book owing to the subject matter but that is not a reflection of my feelings.
I think it was very well written and does not suffer from timeline confusion many historical nonfiction books do. It follows the narrative in a mostly linear fashion which makes it easier for readers to follow.
Green did a good job of explaining the circumstances around the murders but also, in my opinion, trying to make these men more than just victims. He took the time to tell their life story separate from their tragic deaths which is so important. It forces readers to remember they are people and not just another name on the page.
There is an air of mystery around the outcome which Green handles well. Not for the sake of monopolizing on the unknown but because that’s where it makes the most sense in the narrative. Once they start looking for legitimate suspects, the information about those individuals (including the guilty parties) is revealed.
As a whole, I think it did a good job recounting the events. It had some information about forensics practices but didn’t overwhelm the reader with it. The historical context was helpful for those who didn’t have that information without being dry or feeling alienating. There was discussion of politics and society as well that made the history more fleshed out than just dates. Lastly, the commentary from his interviewees was well used and distributed throughout the book. It felt like a cohesive narrative and not just a hodge podge of other people’s work.
I think it was very well written and does not suffer from timeline confusion many historical nonfiction books do. It follows the narrative in a mostly linear fashion which makes it easier for readers to follow.
Green did a good job of explaining the circumstances around the murders but also, in my opinion, trying to make these men more than just victims. He took the time to tell their life story separate from their tragic deaths which is so important. It forces readers to remember they are people and not just another name on the page.
There is an air of mystery around the outcome which Green handles well. Not for the sake of monopolizing on the unknown but because that’s where it makes the most sense in the narrative. Once they start looking for legitimate suspects, the information about those individuals (including the guilty parties) is revealed.
As a whole, I think it did a good job recounting the events. It had some information about forensics practices but didn’t overwhelm the reader with it. The historical context was helpful for those who didn’t have that information without being dry or feeling alienating. There was discussion of politics and society as well that made the history more fleshed out than just dates. Lastly, the commentary from his interviewees was well used and distributed throughout the book. It felt like a cohesive narrative and not just a hodge podge of other people’s work.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Homophobia, Murder, Violence, Pandemic/Epidemic, Hate crime, Outing, Blood, and Gore
Moderate: Drug use, Grief, Medical trauma, Racism, Mental illness, Adult/minor relationship, Addiction, Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Cancer, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Medical content, Police brutality, and Suicide
bi_n_large's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Murder, Homophobia, Bullying, and Hate crime
Moderate: Transphobia, Drug use, Mental illness, Police brutality, and Alcoholism
Minor: Infidelity, Sexual violence, and Sexual content
book_enjoyer's review against another edition
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
4.0
I’m not usually one for true crime, or even fictional murder mysteries, but I enjoyed this one. Green lays out the details of the Last Call Killer’s murders in unflinching, brutal detail, but he takes equal care with the victims’ lives and the gay bar culture that forms the setting of the book. As a queer reader, I appreciated that the book didn’t feel like it was written for a straight audience—Green doesn’t pause to explain what a bear or a leather daddy is, for example—and didn’t shy away from detailing the level of casual homophobia present at the time. In the epilogue, Green expresses some hesitancy as to whether he, a straight man, should be telling this story: “Could I do right by the queer community and its history? That’s not for me to say. What I tried to do in this book was let my sources tell the story.” In my opinion, he has risen to this challenge. Last Call is compelling, atmospheric, and thoroughly-researched, and it sheds light on a brutal serial killer whose actions were ignored for too long because of his victims’ sexuality.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Gore, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, and Murder
Moderate: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Death, Drug use, Hate crime, Medical content, Racial slurs, and Sexual content
amandas_bookshelf's review against another edition
dark
informative
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Homophobia, Murder, Medical content, Violence, Death, and Hate crime
Moderate: Alcoholism, Death of parent, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, and Rape
Minor: Drug use and Panic attacks/disorders
killerpancake's review against another edition
dark
informative
mysterious
sad
fast-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Violence, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Rape, Physical abuse, Murder, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Alcoholism, and Alcohol
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Racism, Cursing, and Blood
This is true crime where the victims were gay men and includes crime scene information. I appreciate that it focused more on the victim's lives instead of venerating the killer.thesaltiestlibrarian's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
sad
tense
slow-paced
4.0
RTC
Thanks to Edelweiss for the ARC. The opinions expressed herein are mine alone and may not reflect the views of the author, publisher, or distributor.
I have a problem with looking up crime scene photos when a case piques my interest. I think this book has cured that problem.
LAST CALL details several killings in the late 80s and early 90s in and around the NYC area. All the victims were gay men, whether closeted or not, and were particularly gruesome. New Jersey, Manhattan, even Pennsylvania became dumping spots for the Last Call killer's victims. The MO was to dismember and decapitate the bodies, deposit the parts into separate garbage bags, double bad and double tie them, and leave them in 55-gallon barrels along the highways. You can see how that would be easy disposal in such a huge metropolitan area.
Elon Green really does justice to this case with all of the history of the gay communities affected and objective analysis of the police work. He outlines the lives and histories of each victim, painting them in the most human light, and covering wholly the tragic loss of each life. Even though I knew who was going to be murdered, I hated that their life stories came to that end. It's like my brain was beating against the current for a different turnout.
And really, THAT is EXACTLY how true crime should be written. Green knocked it out of the park here. He focused his narrative on the victims and their families, not the killer. People who don't understand the true crime community believe that we're focused on the killer because he or she is fascinating and "cool" in the morbid sense, and that's just not true. (Well, 99% of the time. Sometimes the worrisome fandom pops up, i.e. serial killer crushes.) Yes, the psychology and sociology is a fascinating area of study, but the killers themselves are not the point of the true crime community. The victims are. Their families are. The gaps in law enforcement that show when a unique crime happens, rectifying those deficiencies are the point.
Justice is the point.
Elon Green has crafted a little-known story into a beautiful, heartbreaking, totally human history and case study. True crime books don't usually get under my skin. I've been through a lot of crap in my short life, and it's hard to shock me. But Green's writing--his depiction of brutality against a marginalized community--won't be leaving this ally anytime soon.
Thanks to Edelweiss for the ARC. The opinions expressed herein are mine alone and may not reflect the views of the author, publisher, or distributor.
I have a problem with looking up crime scene photos when a case piques my interest. I think this book has cured that problem.
LAST CALL details several killings in the late 80s and early 90s in and around the NYC area. All the victims were gay men, whether closeted or not, and were particularly gruesome. New Jersey, Manhattan, even Pennsylvania became dumping spots for the Last Call killer's victims. The MO was to dismember and decapitate the bodies, deposit the parts into separate garbage bags, double bad and double tie them, and leave them in 55-gallon barrels along the highways. You can see how that would be easy disposal in such a huge metropolitan area.
Elon Green really does justice to this case with all of the history of the gay communities affected and objective analysis of the police work. He outlines the lives and histories of each victim, painting them in the most human light, and covering wholly the tragic loss of each life. Even though I knew who was going to be murdered, I hated that their life stories came to that end. It's like my brain was beating against the current for a different turnout.
And really, THAT is EXACTLY how true crime should be written. Green knocked it out of the park here. He focused his narrative on the victims and their families, not the killer. People who don't understand the true crime community believe that we're focused on the killer because he or she is fascinating and "cool" in the morbid sense, and that's just not true. (Well, 99% of the time. Sometimes the worrisome fandom pops up, i.e. serial killer crushes.) Yes, the psychology and sociology is a fascinating area of study, but the killers themselves are not the point of the true crime community. The victims are. Their families are. The gaps in law enforcement that show when a unique crime happens, rectifying those deficiencies are the point.
Justice is the point.
Elon Green has crafted a little-known story into a beautiful, heartbreaking, totally human history and case study. True crime books don't usually get under my skin. I've been through a lot of crap in my short life, and it's hard to shock me. But Green's writing--his depiction of brutality against a marginalized community--won't be leaving this ally anytime soon.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Murder, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Alcoholism
seriouslybookedup's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
5.0
Easily one of the best true crime books I've read in a while. I think the author does a great job balancing the details of the crime without it being too salacious or too dry and clinical in the storytelling. Sometimes I wonder if it was too gruesome, but I think it's important not to sugarcoat the heinous nature of these crimes especially since they were targeted at gay men. I think the book is also great at providing critical context about the time and place that these crimes took place and how it impacted the gay community (and how the local gay community members organized in response to these crimes).
I was particularly moved and horrified by the court transcript of Harrow who had to relive the trauma of his assault and then had to watch as the perpetrator was set free - despite all the credible evidence. And, I was also surprised by the bizarre connection to Rudy Giuliani and how his indirect (maybe?) involvement may have sabotaged any efforts to investigate similar unsolved murders.
I felt like there were so many coincidences and connections that made this book feel intimate to me (e.g. I live in Orlando and the killer went to school in Florida where suspiciously similar unsolved case took place in Orlando). I was riveted and deeply moved by the spotlights on each victim which I think the author handled with a lot of compassion and care.
I was particularly moved and horrified by the court transcript of Harrow who had to relive the trauma of his assault and then had to watch as the perpetrator was set free - despite all the credible evidence. And, I was also surprised by the bizarre connection to Rudy Giuliani and how his indirect (maybe?) involvement may have sabotaged any efforts to investigate similar unsolved murders.
I felt like there were so many coincidences and connections that made this book feel intimate to me (e.g. I live in Orlando and the killer went to school in Florida where suspiciously similar unsolved case took place in Orlando). I was riveted and deeply moved by the spotlights on each victim which I think the author handled with a lot of compassion and care.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Medical content and Murder
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, and Alcoholism
akchanda's review against another edition
dark
informative
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug use, Hate crime, Homophobia, Violence, Sexual violence, Biphobia, and Murder
Moderate: Infidelity
imstephtacular's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Gore, Death, Murder, and Hate crime
Moderate: Grief and Homophobia
Minor: Alcoholism and Biphobia
pomoevareads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
4.0
“Sometimes you want to go
Where everybody knows your name
And they're always glad you came
You want to be where you can see
Our troubles are all the same
You want to be where everybody knows your name”
-Cheers theme song lyrics
This theme song fits in with The Townhouse and/or Five Oaks bars for many gay men in New York in the 1990s. There men could find other men, usually with a significant age difference either way, that they were attracted to and hang out over a piano and have drinks. The men had to be careful about who they decided to leave with as AIDS was taking a large population of men away from their friends and families.
Author and long form journalist Elon Green writes about The Last Call killer who frequented these establishments and preyed upon the men who found a security in these neighbourhood piano bars. Perhaps more correctly, Green writes about the men who became the victims. He writes about their upbringing and personality while sharing how the police finally cracked the case.
I particularly enjoyed the details about the victims and the investigators to humanize the story. The author spent 3 years investigating and writing this book after realizing that there wasn’t even a Wikipedia page for this serial killer. This was a community of human beings that the community just seemed to have forgotten. There were errors in police handling of the evidence and in a seemingly political decision about when to arrest the suspect. Green also acknowledges a group of investigators who prioritized this case and without whom the killer may still be loose.
Thank you to @celadonbooks for this book in exchange for an honest review. True crime fans will enjoy this book that came out March 9.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Torture, Sexual violence, Homophobia, and Alcoholism