Historic Crimes of Long Island: Misdeeds from the 1600s to the 1950s

by Kerriann Flanagan Brosky, Joan Harrison (Foreword)

This true crime collection reveals centuries of rogues, murderers, spurned lovers and accused witches who called Long Island home.

Author and historian Kerriann Flanagan Brosky uncovers some of the most ghastly and fascinating historical crimes committed on Long Island. Hidden just beneath the idyllic countryside and picturesque towns, there is a long and murky history of murder and mayhem.

A Victorian romance went awry in Huntington when wealthy farmer Charles Kelsey was tarred, feathered and murdered in 1872. Thirty-five years before the famous witch trials of Salem, East Hampton had its own Puritan hysteria among charges of witchcraft. The 1937 kidnapping of wealthy heiress Alice Parsons shook the quiet town of Stony Brook and remains a mystery to this day. These and other tales are revealed in chilling volume.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, True Crime, Historical, American History

147 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 22, 2014

About the author

The success of Ghosts of Long Island: Stories of the Paranormal (2006) Maple Hill Press, prompted author and photographer Kerriann Flanagan Brosky to write the sequel Ghosts of Long Island II: More Stories of the Paranormal in 2008. After extensive research, and interviews with Long Islanders conducted with paranormal investigator Joe Giaquinto, Ms. Brosky has written 30 new accounts of paranormal happenings and haunted locations.
Kerriann Flanagan Brosky is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Long Island University at C.W. Post, and studied under renowned photographer Arthur Leipzig. She began her photographic career in 1990 as a freelance photojournalist for Newsday and local papers. She then went on to begin a writing career, combining her love of history and photography. She is the author and photographer of four Long Island historically-based books, and is the co-author of an Italian cookbook.
Ms. Brosky served as first Vice President of the Huntington Historical Societys Board of Trustees for six years, as well as serving as a Board of Trustee member for the Greenlawn-Centerport Historical Association for four years. She is currently on the Board of the Long Island Authors Group, where she is First Vice President.
The success of her first ghost book (2006) has prompted much prestigious media coverage, including features in Newsday, The New York Times and Distinction magazine, and she has appeared on the CBS Sunday Morning Show, Channel 21 WLIWs Ticket with Laura Savini, Channel 55 and News 12 Long Island. She also appeared as an authority on the history of several Long Island ghost stories and legends for the documentary portion of a film entitled Lost Suburbia (2007). She and Joe Giaquinto are working with producers on a documentary television pilot based on Ghosts of Long Island.
Ms. Brosky is currently writing her first novel.
For more information and upcoming events, visit www.ghostsoflongisland.com and www.kerriannflanaganbrosky.com. "Become a fan" on Facebook and follow the author on filedby and twitter.
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Reviews

[Am Y · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable compilation of many true crime stories from the early days. Each tale is short, concise and well-written. Most of the crimes featured involve murder, although in one or two stories the intended victim survives. In many a case, you feel satisfied in reading that the murderer was dealt just punishment, but in a few cases, the perpetrator gets away with it and you feel a mixture of sadness and anger for the victims involved. The author does a good job in featuring a wide enough spectrum of cases so that each case seems unique and interesting in its own right, and not a carbon copy of another.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super interesting, a few I already knew and others that were funky and fascinating and very long island.

[Chris Lund · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice introduction and overview of a wide range of interesting Long Island stories, from the very well-known to the relatively obscure. Very well researched, and enhanced by occasional photos and illustrations that give additional flavor to the stories, but I felt the writing style in general left something to be desired (e.g., you can't go more than a few pages without seeing the phrase "oddly enough..."). A good reference point if you're interested in general Long Island history, with enough references available if you're looking to dig deeper.

[Janette · Rating 2 out of 5]

Desperately needs to be edited

[Kathy Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Please Tell Me About -----------!

There are 20 very interesting (true) murder cases covered in Historic Crimes of Long Island written by Kerriann Flanagan Brosky. Each case was well written. Although each murder case is short, Ms. Brosky gave so much detail that you do not feel like you are missing anything.


I truly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to all readers who like True Crimes

[AnnMarie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting read!

I lived on long Island all my life. I'm very interested in the history of it. This book title caught my eye!
This was a very enjoyable book to read! I haven't heard of any of these. Each story is detailed and draws you in!
It's very interesting to learn about things from the past in an area lived in/on.

[Jim Swike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting book about Historical Crimes on Long Island. There are stories here that you have probably never heard about. If you are from Long Island definitely worth a read. Enjoy!

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some very interesting misdeeds from Long Island. Some of the chapters left me curious to learn more about the events described. I wish the author would have included more information!

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kind of amateurishly written, but some good stories

[Meaghan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some interesting stories, but written like it was a school project, without much passion or personal style.

[Alyssa Armour · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was not the book I was looking for but it was the book I found. Read it anyway. Short easy read. References to other books that I added to my reading list.

[Colleen Gilmartin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brief stories about true crimes

Liked the book but the stories were very short and they could have been elaborated on in more detail. 3 out of 5 review.