Devil's Garden

Name: Devil's Garden
Brand: Recorded Books
Availability: InStock
Author: Ace Atkins
ISBN: 9798890597618

Author: Ace Atkins

Narrator: Edoardo Ballerini

Unabridged: 9 hr 58 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Recorded Books

Published: 03/26/2024

Categories: Fiction, Suspense & Thriller, Historical Fiction

Synopsis

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Quinn Colson series comes a noir crime classic about one of the most notorious trials in American history.

San Francisco, September 1921: Silent-screen comedy star Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle is throwing a wild party in his suite at the St. Francis Hotel—girls, jazz, bootleg hooch … and a dead actress named Virginia Rappe.

The D.A. says it was Arbuckle who killed her—crushed her under his weight—and brings him up on manslaughter charges. William Randolph Hearst’s newspapers stir up the public and demand a guilty verdict.

In desperation, Arbuckle’s defense team hires an operative from the famed Pinkerton detective agency to investigate and, they hope, discover the truth. The agent’s name is Dashiell Hammett … and what he discovers will change American legal history—and his own life—forever.

About Ace Atkins

Ace Atkins, an Alabama native, was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in 2001 while at the Tampa Tribune for his investigation of the real-life murders of Charlie Wall and others in 1950s Tampa. He is the author of more than ten books, including four Nick Travers novels: Crossroad Blues, Leavin' Trunk Blues, Dark End of the Street, and Dirty South. And, yes, Ace is his real name.

Reviews

Goodreads review by James

On Labor Day weekend in 1921, silent film star Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle booked several rooms at the St. Francis hotel and proceeded to throw a helluva party. During the course of the festivities, an aspiring actress named Virginia Rappe died under mysterious circumstances. In consequence, Arbuckle fo......more

Goodreads review by Jeff

I really like Ace Atkins as an author, but I couldn't get into this book easily. I think part of that might have been due to the fact that I was already familiar with the story. I found it interesting that Arbuckle was similar to another San Francisco hero. He and Barry Bonds both had their careers......more

Goodreads review by Sidna

I had difficulty deciding how many stars to give this book. I met the author Ace Atkins at a luncheon where he talked about his writing. He is a true crime writer and this book takes place in 1921 when Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle is tried for killing a showgirl at a party that took place in three hotel......more