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Reviews tagging 'Murder'
Last Call: A True Story of Love, Lust, and Murder in Queer New York by Elon Green
59 reviews
phoebemurtagh's review against another edition
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Sexual assault, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Lesbophobia, and Injury/Injury detail
annemaries_shelves's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
4.0
Last Call is a super well-researched book and despite the relatively short length, I got a really good sense of who everyone was, the context in which they lived, and just how outrageously violent and homophobic and apathetic NYC and the world was to gay people during the height of the AIDS crisis.
I think it's easy to forget (or at least I do) that NYC was extremely violent towards LGBTQIA+ people (and still is in many ways) despite also serving as a haven for many who moved there from other areas of the USA. I did appreciate the chapters on NYC queer/gay social scenes and the gay bars that many frequented - it's a piece of queer history that I didn't know much about.
To me, Green did a good job capturing the closeted 20th century queer experience and showing just how difficult it was to be visibly whole and yourself. Pretty much all the known or suspected victims of the serial killer were deeply closeted/scared men - and even with all their relative privileges (middle/upper class, white, presumed straight, family men, etc.) were largely forgotten about and ignored by authorities. Despite the hard work by law enforcement to identify, prosecute, and imprison Rogers, it was largely due to luck and activist support from the Anti-Violence Project, in my opinion, that they were successful given the apathy and/or homophobia of politicians and senior law enforcement (and I'm sure some of the detectives, technicians, etc.).
The writing was good but not outstanding, which I find a feature of many journalists who tackle longer narrative/investigative journalism for the first time (and apparently parts of it were line edited by David Grann, which I found a fun coincidence given I just finished one of his books).
What I find truly upsetting is just how many people Rogers's may have murdered in the decades of freedom he had. I'm glad he's behind bars now.
CW: murder, dismemberment, homophobia, violence/beatings/attacks as hate crimes, needles/injections, AIDS, and anything else you can think of to associate with serial murder of gay people in the early 90s.
I think it's easy to forget (or at least I do) that NYC was extremely violent towards LGBTQIA+ people (and still is in many ways) despite also serving as a haven for many who moved there from other areas of the USA. I did appreciate the chapters on NYC queer/gay social scenes and the gay bars that many frequented - it's a piece of queer history that I didn't know much about.
To me, Green did a good job capturing the closeted 20th century queer experience and showing just how difficult it was to be visibly whole and yourself. Pretty much all the known or suspected victims of the serial killer were deeply closeted/scared men - and even with all their relative privileges (middle/upper class, white, presumed straight, family men, etc.) were largely forgotten about and ignored by authorities. Despite the hard work by law enforcement to identify, prosecute, and imprison Rogers, it was largely due to luck and activist support from the Anti-Violence Project, in my opinion, that they were successful given the apathy and/or homophobia of politicians and senior law enforcement (and I'm sure some of the detectives, technicians, etc.).
The writing was good but not outstanding, which I find a feature of many journalists who tackle longer narrative/investigative journalism for the first time (and apparently parts of it were line edited by David Grann, which I found a fun coincidence given I just finished one of his books).
What I find truly upsetting is just how many people Rogers's may have murdered in the decades of freedom he had. I'm glad he's behind bars now.
CW: murder, dismemberment, homophobia, violence/beatings/attacks as hate crimes, needles/injections, AIDS, and anything else you can think of to associate with serial murder of gay people in the early 90s.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Hate crime, Homophobia, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Alcoholism and Outing
ashleighcattell's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Hate crime, Homophobia, Sexual violence, Transphobia, Murder, and Outing
cleansetolovers's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
medium-paced
4.5
one of the most empathetic true crime books out here.
Green does a masterful job foregrounding the victims and the space queer folks fell in during the 80s-90s. He really focuses hard on giving the victims voices, and making them and their friends and family feel grounded. I think this one is an all-timer for the genre.
Green does a masterful job foregrounding the victims and the space queer folks fell in during the 80s-90s. He really focuses hard on giving the victims voices, and making them and their friends and family feel grounded. I think this one is an all-timer for the genre.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Murder
alyssa_s10's review against another edition
dark
informative
slow-paced
4.75
What I love most about this book is how it delves deep into the historical context of the LGBTQ+ community in New York City during the 1990s. Green masterfully weaves together the social and cultural backdrop of the era, providing a rich understanding of the challenges and triumphs faced by queer individuals at that time. This historical perspective adds a crucial layer of depth to the narrative, making it more than just a recounting of tragic events.
Moreover, the author's dedication to honoring the victims' lives is evident throughout the book. Green takes great care to tell their stories with empathy and respect, giving them a voice that resonates beyond their untimely deaths. This approach not only humanizes the victims but also sheds light on their diverse backgrounds, dreams, and aspirations, making their loss even more poignant.
While the book is undeniably gripping and insightful, the intricate details and the number of individuals involved can sometimes make it a bit challenging to keep track of the entire narrative. However, this is a minor drawback in an otherwise exceptional work.
Overall, "Last Call" is a remarkable blend of true crime and historical narrative that both educates and moves the reader. It’s a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the complexities of queer history and the personal stories behind a dark chapter in New York City's past.
Moreover, the author's dedication to honoring the victims' lives is evident throughout the book. Green takes great care to tell their stories with empathy and respect, giving them a voice that resonates beyond their untimely deaths. This approach not only humanizes the victims but also sheds light on their diverse backgrounds, dreams, and aspirations, making their loss even more poignant.
While the book is undeniably gripping and insightful, the intricate details and the number of individuals involved can sometimes make it a bit challenging to keep track of the entire narrative. However, this is a minor drawback in an otherwise exceptional work.
Overall, "Last Call" is a remarkable blend of true crime and historical narrative that both educates and moves the reader. It’s a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the complexities of queer history and the personal stories behind a dark chapter in New York City's past.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Police brutality, Murder, and Outing
Minor: Alcoholism and Alcohol
alexisgarcia's review against another edition
dark
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.0
i’m can’t believe that i’ve never heard anything about this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
mandi_lea's review against another edition
dark
informative
sad
slow-paced
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Homophobia, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Outing, and Alcohol
colyforniaroll's review against another edition
informative
tense
slow-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Murder
Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault
jhbandcats's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
4.5
This is a sorrowful book about a time and a place where gay men were in the closet and being felled by AIDS. They weren’t important enough for police to take them seriously or for non-gay newspapers to mention anything about assaults or murders. It just wasn’t done.
The focus on New York City gives a feel for what it was like, living in an ostensibly liberal city while never able to be safe. The author’s compassionate focus on the victims and the friends who loved them shows how wrong it was that police departments did nothing about gay bashing for decades. Only when it was politically expedient did the politicians encourage the police to be at least somewhat sympathetic. When enough people started protesting the inaction, the city authorities finally created a liaison position between gays and cops.
Even then, cases were dropped and then forgotten when new homicides came along. It was almost fifteen years between the first known homicide and the court case. Other homicides weren’t investigated because some police departments didn’t think they were connected. The Rockland County Medical Examiner and the FBI mishandled evidence so badly that it couldn’t be used. The initial lack of interest and the difficulty of working in multiple jurisdictions overshadow the success of finding and jailing the killer.
Overall, a fascinating social history and a look back at how poorly gays were - and still are - treated.
The focus on New York City gives a feel for what it was like, living in an ostensibly liberal city while never able to be safe. The author’s compassionate focus on the victims and the friends who loved them shows how wrong it was that police departments did nothing about gay bashing for decades. Only when it was politically expedient did the politicians encourage the police to be at least somewhat sympathetic. When enough people started protesting the inaction, the city authorities finally created a liaison position between gays and cops.
Even then, cases were dropped and then forgotten when new homicides came along. It was almost fifteen years between the first known homicide and the court case. Other homicides weren’t investigated because some police departments didn’t think they were connected. The Rockland County Medical Examiner and the FBI mishandled evidence so badly that it couldn’t be used. The initial lack of interest and the difficulty of working in multiple jurisdictions overshadow the success of finding and jailing the killer.
Overall, a fascinating social history and a look back at how poorly gays were - and still are - treated.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Drug use, Hate crime, Homophobia, Violence, Grief, Murder, Outing, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
squintyfarmer's review against another edition
dark
sad
fast-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia and Murder