Charlotte: Murder, Mystery and Mayhem

by David Aaron Moore

“Explores more of the seedy underside of the city that the tourist books don’t tell you about . . . from a 13-year-old church arsonist to a lynching” (Lost Charlotte).   Today’s Charlotte is a fast-growing and well-respected city. But the Charlotte of yesteryear is rife with tales of the macabre, tragic and simply unexplainable.   Prepare to be surprised and unnerved as the dark side of Charlotte is brought to life by native and longtime writer David Aaron Moore. Learn about Nellie Freeman, who nearly decapitated her husband with a straight razor in 1926. Discover how the ghosts of Camp Green infantrymen, the doughboys of World War I, still scream in the Southern night. Read about the seventy-one passengers who lost their lives as Eastern Airlines Flight 212 fell to the earth one foggy night in 1974. Come along and experience the grisly past of the City of Churches.   Includes photos!

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Mystery

155 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 2008

About the author

David Aaron Moore is the author of "Charlotte: Murder, Mystery & Mayhem," a new non-fiction title that recalls the dark side of Charlotte,N.C. with a collection of chilling stories that explore nearly a hundred years of horrifying history. His work has appeared in Atlanta Magazine, Charlotte Magazine, Creative Loafing and The Advocate, among others. Over a 14-year period he has edited for a number of publications, including Atlanta-based Jezebel, Window Media's Southern Voice and others."

Reviews

[Jen Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gave this 4 stars for a potentially ridiculous reason. This is a non-fiction book but the citing of references is incomplete. I know, I know.

If you don’t care about that and are interested in the not so glamorous history of Charlotte, NC, I think you’ll enjoy this read. The stories are quick (2-5 pages) and it was fun to connect the names of places that still exist with stories from the turn of the 20th century. The stories date as far back as the early, early 1900s and move into the late 1960s during the desegregation of schools and even into the late 1980s. I was surprised to learn that Charlotte was not as progressive as it seems to me now, back then.

Anyway, people in Charlotte were ruthless and the Queen City doesn’t have the most regal past (see what I did there?) and I found these short stories to be informative and interesting. Definitely recommend!

[Susan Ferguson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not what I expected - thinking more along the lines of ghost stories I guess.
An account of some of the more notorious murders and evil deeds that happened in Charlotte's past.

[Nan Downer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read for anyone who grew up in Charlotte and for everyone who enjoys mysteries from the past!

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The stories seemed a bit scattered to me and slightly incomplete; however consider that David did not embellish the stories with his own theories or views. He did his research and compiled tales of some of Charlottes darker, strange, and simply criminal past. I appreciated the stories since i live in Charlotte and i am acquainted with many of the places described in the book, and i live near many of the sites as well. I am curious to see if someone with no knowledge of Charlotte would like it as much.

[Lisa Stethem · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed learning some crazy history on Charlotte.