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The CBGB Conspiracy
"A riveting mystery romp...the ultimate dive into the 1970s underground scene." -Michael Musto, Village Voice
It's New York's hellacious summer of '77. Rampant crime, a city-wide blackout and the Son of Sam murders have knocked Gotham on its ass. When Lucien Lowe, a young poet on the downtown scene, is found dead in his East Village tenement with a heroin needle in his arm, overworked cops rule it an accidental overdose. But Ike's wealthy girlfriend Julie Baroda suspects murder and urges Ike's best friend, the artist and punk rock fashion designer Finn Burdon, to investigate.
Despite Finn's own issues with heroin, he shows an uncanny talent for detective work. As Julie, Finn and police detective Benny Cherin dig deeper, their investigation ultimately encompasses some of the most famous names of 1970s New York, including William S. Burroughs, Jean-Michel Basquiat, CBGB owner Hilly Kristal, Allen Ginsberg, Lou Reed, Truman Capote, Roy Cohn, Fat Tony Salerno, Holly Woodlawn, Steve Rubell, Andrew Crispo, Bella Abzug, Leonard Cohen and many others. In the process, they begin to glimpse the outlines of a violent plot to sabotage the opening night of Hilly Kristal's highly anticipated new venue, The CBGB 2nd Avenue Theater, when Patti Smith is playing and it's packed with thousands.
Set during the glory days of New York's downtown music, art, literary and fashion scenes, The CBGB Conspiracy mixes fiction with a host of real events and historical figures. Behind them all looms a character just as visceral and ultimately the crumbling New York of 1977.
It's New York's hellacious summer of '77. Rampant crime, a city-wide blackout and the Son of Sam murders have knocked Gotham on its ass. When Lucien Lowe, a young poet on the downtown scene, is found dead in his East Village tenement with a heroin needle in his arm, overworked cops rule it an accidental overdose. But Ike's wealthy girlfriend Julie Baroda suspects murder and urges Ike's best friend, the artist and punk rock fashion designer Finn Burdon, to investigate.
Despite Finn's own issues with heroin, he shows an uncanny talent for detective work. As Julie, Finn and police detective Benny Cherin dig deeper, their investigation ultimately encompasses some of the most famous names of 1970s New York, including William S. Burroughs, Jean-Michel Basquiat, CBGB owner Hilly Kristal, Allen Ginsberg, Lou Reed, Truman Capote, Roy Cohn, Fat Tony Salerno, Holly Woodlawn, Steve Rubell, Andrew Crispo, Bella Abzug, Leonard Cohen and many others. In the process, they begin to glimpse the outlines of a violent plot to sabotage the opening night of Hilly Kristal's highly anticipated new venue, The CBGB 2nd Avenue Theater, when Patti Smith is playing and it's packed with thousands.
Set during the glory days of New York's downtown music, art, literary and fashion scenes, The CBGB Conspiracy mixes fiction with a host of real events and historical figures. Behind them all looms a character just as visceral and ultimately the crumbling New York of 1977.
344 pages, Paperback
Published December 1, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
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September 2, 2025For veterans and voyeurs of Downtown New York, this historical novel of 1977 is fun, fun, fun. Running up and down tenement stairs and around late night corners, Gabriel Rotello recreates the secret society where worlds collide, where even winners were losers, where old Italian ladies, fading Beat poets, underground celebrities, art dealers, drug dealers, slummers, legendary criminals, lonely gay guys, sensitive newbies, queers of every stripe, intersect night and day with politicians, revolutionaries, grifters, innovators, and inspired dreamers. Rotello's recall of period detail is uncanny, historically accurate and emotionally on point.
November 21, 2025
Thank you NetGalley and Köehler Books for this preview ARC in return for an honest review.
When I was offered a chance to read and review the CBGB Conspiracy, I was more than intrigued by the setting in NYC 1977 and the potential for a thrilling murder mystery set amongst the punk/new wave scene. Although the setting was rich with local color and historical references the plot and "mystery" were lacking.
Rotello's main characters are Julie Baroda, an ultra wealthy British-Indian "It Girl" and Finn Burdon, a gay wannabe fashion designer with a heroin addiction who is in love with Julie's straight boyfriend, Lucien Lowe. When Lucien is found dead in his run down rent controlled apartment with a needle in his arm, and stash and spoon nearby Julie and Finn begin to investigate his mysterious death, even though the NYPD considers this an accidental OD.
With plenty of historical events as its backdrop including the Everard Baths fire kiling 9 Gay patrons, to the Son of Sam murder spree, Rotello brings the NYC punk/new wave / art scene to life while intermingling and name dropping many famous NY'ers such as William S Burroughs, Herbert Huncke, Roy Cohn, Truman Capote, Bella Abzug, as well as the CBGB crowd, including Debbie Harry, Patti Smith, Richard Sohl, Johnny Thunders and various Ramones. Sometimes the name dropping got in the way of the mystery.
Although I did enjoy the atmospheric reverence to the locale, I dont think I am the target audience for this book as I did not see the hashtag #LGBTQIAP+ until I was halfway through the book. Besides these themes, there is also a long passage regarding the grooming and sexual abuse of one of the characters by her uncle which also was not necessary to the plot. To say the least, this book is not for the faint of heart.
When I was offered a chance to read and review the CBGB Conspiracy, I was more than intrigued by the setting in NYC 1977 and the potential for a thrilling murder mystery set amongst the punk/new wave scene. Although the setting was rich with local color and historical references the plot and "mystery" were lacking.
Rotello's main characters are Julie Baroda, an ultra wealthy British-Indian "It Girl" and Finn Burdon, a gay wannabe fashion designer with a heroin addiction who is in love with Julie's straight boyfriend, Lucien Lowe. When Lucien is found dead in his run down rent controlled apartment with a needle in his arm, and stash and spoon nearby Julie and Finn begin to investigate his mysterious death, even though the NYPD considers this an accidental OD.
With plenty of historical events as its backdrop including the Everard Baths fire kiling 9 Gay patrons, to the Son of Sam murder spree, Rotello brings the NYC punk/new wave / art scene to life while intermingling and name dropping many famous NY'ers such as William S Burroughs, Herbert Huncke, Roy Cohn, Truman Capote, Bella Abzug, as well as the CBGB crowd, including Debbie Harry, Patti Smith, Richard Sohl, Johnny Thunders and various Ramones. Sometimes the name dropping got in the way of the mystery.
Although I did enjoy the atmospheric reverence to the locale, I dont think I am the target audience for this book as I did not see the hashtag #LGBTQIAP+ until I was halfway through the book. Besides these themes, there is also a long passage regarding the grooming and sexual abuse of one of the characters by her uncle which also was not necessary to the plot. To say the least, this book is not for the faint of heart.
October 6, 2025
With thanks to Netgalley for providing a review copy.
This is a detective novel that is really a whole-hearted, full-throated love letter to New York City in the late 70s with various cameos from various denizens of the city. So it goes without saying that the sense of place is excellent, as it should be, as judging from the author's epic act of name-dropping masquerading as an acknowledgements page, the author was clearly there. Hence unlike so many current novels set in the past which are filled with many glaring anachronisms related to not wanting to offend various modern pieties, this actually reads as though it were written in the 70s.
The mystery is somewhat shakier and the plot definitely sags halfway though, which isn't helped by the multiple points of view, which don't always seem to serve the greater purpose of the novel. Nonetheless, I enjoyed this, loving the writing while pondering if a future novel more focused on relationships as opposed to crime solving may allow this writing to shine further.
This is a detective novel that is really a whole-hearted, full-throated love letter to New York City in the late 70s with various cameos from various denizens of the city. So it goes without saying that the sense of place is excellent, as it should be, as judging from the author's epic act of name-dropping masquerading as an acknowledgements page, the author was clearly there. Hence unlike so many current novels set in the past which are filled with many glaring anachronisms related to not wanting to offend various modern pieties, this actually reads as though it were written in the 70s.
The mystery is somewhat shakier and the plot definitely sags halfway though, which isn't helped by the multiple points of view, which don't always seem to serve the greater purpose of the novel. Nonetheless, I enjoyed this, loving the writing while pondering if a future novel more focused on relationships as opposed to crime solving may allow this writing to shine further.
October 6, 2025
This book is, more than anything, a love letter to the 1970s punk and art scene in New York City. There is a mystery in it, but you can really tell that this writer comes from a non-fiction background with a deep, intimate, and personal knowledge of their subject. You can't read this book without coming away feeling as if you were there in 1977.
The mystery, however, was secondary to the city in terms of importance in the book. Perhaps because of this, the pacing felt off, and there were often times that the mystery plot itself disappeared completely. I went into this book looking for a solid murder mystery, and got bits and pieces of one. The atmosphere of 1977 NYC was wonderful, though, and I couldn't put it down, even though it wasn't what I expected it to be.
*Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for graciously giving me an ARC for review.*
The mystery, however, was secondary to the city in terms of importance in the book. Perhaps because of this, the pacing felt off, and there were often times that the mystery plot itself disappeared completely. I went into this book looking for a solid murder mystery, and got bits and pieces of one. The atmosphere of 1977 NYC was wonderful, though, and I couldn't put it down, even though it wasn't what I expected it to be.
*Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for graciously giving me an ARC for review.*
January 6, 2026
A great romp through the punk scene of New York at its height. And, yeah, a great mystery tying it all together. Rotello lovingly paints portraits of characters who feel like they belong to the very grit and grime of the city at the time, from rich trust fund kinds dabbling in drugs to decent cops to those looking for a deeper sense of meaning than that offered by middle class consumerist culture. Did I mention the Ramones, Television and the New York Dolls? The murder mystery which propels the story forward elegantly brings together disparate, fascinating characters. After reading The CBGB conspiracy, you’ll wish you were there. I certainly did.
January 5, 2026
This was a fun romp through the gritty side of NYC in the sticky summer of ‘77. Rotello name drops just about every punk celebrity (or soon-to-be celeb) from that era and if this story were taking place in any other city, it would be unbelievable. But in NYC, it might just be possible to rub elbows with the likes of Debbie Harry, Sid and Nancy, and William S. Burroughs all in one evening.
December 23, 2025
Gabriel Rotello’s compelling and off-kilter novel, CBGB Conspiracy, is set in 1977 New York City during the Summer of Sam, amidst a devastating fiscal crisis and a changing cultural landscape. Its characters are either older ethnic tenants clinging to their rent-controlled units or throngs of young cultural outlaws living in deteriorating tenements and partying at iconic venues like CBGB in the East Village. Rotello’s writing evokes the sounds of Blondie, the Ramones, Patti Smith and the Dead Boys and one can visualize the scenes of ripped clothing, safety pins, leather jackets and sticky needles.
Rotello begins with a mysterious death in a gay bath house which then soon shifts to the death of a young man that was reported to be just another heroin overdose. This latter death becomes something altogether more complicated as the victim’s friends realize the inconsistency of official assumptions and begin their own investigation, trying to make sense of their immediate universe inhabited by bygone Beats, indifferent cops, visual artists, experimental filmmakers, provocative photographers, shiftless junkies and scores of hangers-on.
Rotello clearly knows his terrain. This ride through this city of urban decay is often garish, greasy and thoroughly irresistible. The swirling plot remains captivating, the characters flamboyant, and its effects linger even when the music is shut off.
Rotello begins with a mysterious death in a gay bath house which then soon shifts to the death of a young man that was reported to be just another heroin overdose. This latter death becomes something altogether more complicated as the victim’s friends realize the inconsistency of official assumptions and begin their own investigation, trying to make sense of their immediate universe inhabited by bygone Beats, indifferent cops, visual artists, experimental filmmakers, provocative photographers, shiftless junkies and scores of hangers-on.
Rotello clearly knows his terrain. This ride through this city of urban decay is often garish, greasy and thoroughly irresistible. The swirling plot remains captivating, the characters flamboyant, and its effects linger even when the music is shut off.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews