The Kidnap Years
The Astonishing True History of the Forgotten Epidemic That Shook Depression-Era America
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- ¥2,200
Publisher Description
A chilling true crime book that chronicles the wave of abductions that terrorized the U.S. during the Great Depression, including the most infamous kidnapping case in American history.
"A thrilling account that puts the 1932 Lindbergh baby kidnapping case, billed as "the crime of the century," in the context of the thousands of other kidnappings that occurred in the U.S. during the Prohibition and Depression eras...will enthrall true crime fans."—Publishers Weekly, STARRED review
The Great Depression was a time of desperation in America—parents struggled to feed their children and unemployment was at a record high. Adding to the lawlessness of the decade, thugs with submachine guns and corrupt law-enforcement officers ran rampant. But amidst this panic, there was one sure-fire way to make money, one used by criminals and resourceful civilians alike: kidnapping.
Jump into this forgotten history with Edgar Award-winning author David Stout as he explores the reports of missing people that inundated newspapers at the time. Learn the horrifying details of these abduction cases, from the methods used and the investigative processes to the personal histories of the culprits and victims. All of this culminates with the most infamous kidnapping in American history, the one that targeted an international celebrity and changed legislation forever: the Lindbergh kidnapping.
The Kidnap Years is a gritty, visceral, thoughtfully reported page-turner that chronicles the sweep of abductions that afflicted all corners of the country as desperate people were pushed to do the unthinkable.
"A fascinating crime book like no other."—David Cay Johnston, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Edgar-winner Stout (Carolina Skeletons) makes his nonfiction debut with a thrilling account that puts the 1932 Lindbergh baby kidnapping case, billed as "the crime of the century," in the context of the thousands of other kidnappings that occurred in the U.S. during the Prohibition and Depression eras. The kidnappers were often gangsters and bootleggers, and relatives sometimes turned to the local mob for help in freeing the victims. Even Charles Lindbergh, early in the investigation into his son's kidnapping, asked gangsters for help. But even after Lindbergh paid the ransom, the baby's body was found by the side of the road with a fractured skull and four years passed Richard Hauptmann was tried and executed for the crime, though he denied any involvement. Other horrific outcomes include the case of a 12-year-old California girl who was kidnapped in 1927 and whose body was returned to her parents in pieces after the ransom was paid. Some kidnappings had much better outcomes, such as that of banker August Luer, who was released unharmed after his kidnappers got tired of taking care of him. Dialogue taken from the printed news reports of the time heightens the drama. This collection of kidnapping stories anchored by the Lindbergh case will enthrall true crime fans.
