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Coal Country Killing: A Culture, A Union, and the Murders That Changed It All
A triumphant, uplifting true justice story led by jury trial expert, Richard A. Sprague—the indomitable, nationally renowned prosecutor who engaged in the most intense manhunt investigation in police history.
Coal Country Killing: A Culture, A Union, And The Murders That Changed It All, revolves around the cold-blooded 1969 assassination of United Mineworkers of America “reform candidate” Jock Yablonski, and murder of his wife and daughter in their Pennsylvania farmhouse. But driving the story are the extraordinary efforts of a tenacious special prosecutor and his “army” of investigators to bring the gunmen, the union boss who ordered the murders, and his henchmen who saw them carried out, to justice.
Initially, three bumbling small-time criminals, dubbed “The Hillbilly Hitmen,” were arrested and charged. But they were the tip of the iceberg as the murders were directed by then-UMWA President “Tough Tony” Boyle as revenge for Yablonski running against him in the bitterly contested 1968 union election and to prevent his corruption from being exposed.
Up against the tight-lipped culture of Appalachia coal country, legendary Philadelphia homicide prosecutor Richard A. Sprague, and his investigators, spent nearly nine years doggedly working their way up the ladder of those responsible to the final showdown with Boyle.
Written by New York Times bestselling authors—former New York County Assistant District Attorney Robert K. Tanenbaum, a lifelong friend of Sprague’s, and Steve Jackson—Coal Country Killing is a tour de force for those who love justice.
Coal Country Killing: A Culture, A Union, And The Murders That Changed It All, revolves around the cold-blooded 1969 assassination of United Mineworkers of America “reform candidate” Jock Yablonski, and murder of his wife and daughter in their Pennsylvania farmhouse. But driving the story are the extraordinary efforts of a tenacious special prosecutor and his “army” of investigators to bring the gunmen, the union boss who ordered the murders, and his henchmen who saw them carried out, to justice.
Initially, three bumbling small-time criminals, dubbed “The Hillbilly Hitmen,” were arrested and charged. But they were the tip of the iceberg as the murders were directed by then-UMWA President “Tough Tony” Boyle as revenge for Yablonski running against him in the bitterly contested 1968 union election and to prevent his corruption from being exposed.
Up against the tight-lipped culture of Appalachia coal country, legendary Philadelphia homicide prosecutor Richard A. Sprague, and his investigators, spent nearly nine years doggedly working their way up the ladder of those responsible to the final showdown with Boyle.
Written by New York Times bestselling authors—former New York County Assistant District Attorney Robert K. Tanenbaum, a lifelong friend of Sprague’s, and Steve Jackson—Coal Country Killing is a tour de force for those who love justice.
336 pages, Hardcover
Published June 13, 2023
7 people are currently reading
140 people want to read
About the author
Robert K. Tanenbaum
76 books280 followersRobert K. Tanenbaum is the New York Times bestselling author of twenty-five legal thrillers and has an accomplished legal career of his own. Before his first book was published, Tanenbaum had already been the Bureau Chief of the Criminal Courts, had run the Homicide Bureau, and had been in charge of the training program for the legal staff for the New York County District Attorney’s Office. He also served as Deputy Chief Counsel to the Congressional Committee investigations into the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr. In his professional career, Tanenbaum has never lost a felony case. His courtroom experiences bring his books to life, especially in his bestselling series featuring prosecutor Roger “Butch” Karp and his wife, Marlene Ciampi.
Tanenbaum was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. He attended the University of California at Berkeley on a basketball scholarship, and remained at Cal, where he earned his law degree from the prestigious Boalt Hall School of Law. After graduating from Berkeley Law, Tanenbaum moved back to New York to work as an assistant district attorney under the legendary New York County DA Frank Hogan. Tanenbaum then served as Deputy Chief Counsel in charge of the Congressional investigations into the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr.
The blockbuster novel Corruption of Blood (1994), is a fictionalized account of his experience in Washington, D.C.
Tanenbaum returned to the West Coast and began to serve in public office. He was elected to the Beverly Hills City Council in 1986 and twice served as the mayor of Beverly Hills. It was during this time that Tanenbaum began his career as a novelist, drawing from the many fascinating stories of his time as a New York ADA. His successful debut novel, No Lesser Plea (1987), introduces Butch Karp, an assistant district attorney who is battling for justice, and Marlene Ciampi, his associate and love interest. Tanenbaum’s subsequent twenty-two novels portrayed Karp and his crime fighting family and eclectic colleagues facing off against drug lords, corrupt politicians, international assassins, the mafia, and hard-core violent felons.
He has had published eight recent novels as part of the series, as well as two nonfiction titles: The Piano Teacher (1987), exploring his investigation and prosecution of a recidivist psychosexual killer, and Badge of the Assassin (1979), about his prosecution of cop killers, which was made into a movie starring James Woods as Tanenbaum.
Tanenbaum and his wife of forty-three years have three children. He currently resides in California where he has taught Advanced Criminal Procedure at the Boalt Hall School of Law and maintains a private law practice.
Tanenbaum was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. He attended the University of California at Berkeley on a basketball scholarship, and remained at Cal, where he earned his law degree from the prestigious Boalt Hall School of Law. After graduating from Berkeley Law, Tanenbaum moved back to New York to work as an assistant district attorney under the legendary New York County DA Frank Hogan. Tanenbaum then served as Deputy Chief Counsel in charge of the Congressional investigations into the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr.
The blockbuster novel Corruption of Blood (1994), is a fictionalized account of his experience in Washington, D.C.
Tanenbaum returned to the West Coast and began to serve in public office. He was elected to the Beverly Hills City Council in 1986 and twice served as the mayor of Beverly Hills. It was during this time that Tanenbaum began his career as a novelist, drawing from the many fascinating stories of his time as a New York ADA. His successful debut novel, No Lesser Plea (1987), introduces Butch Karp, an assistant district attorney who is battling for justice, and Marlene Ciampi, his associate and love interest. Tanenbaum’s subsequent twenty-two novels portrayed Karp and his crime fighting family and eclectic colleagues facing off against drug lords, corrupt politicians, international assassins, the mafia, and hard-core violent felons.
He has had published eight recent novels as part of the series, as well as two nonfiction titles: The Piano Teacher (1987), exploring his investigation and prosecution of a recidivist psychosexual killer, and Badge of the Assassin (1979), about his prosecution of cop killers, which was made into a movie starring James Woods as Tanenbaum.
Tanenbaum and his wife of forty-three years have three children. He currently resides in California where he has taught Advanced Criminal Procedure at the Boalt Hall School of Law and maintains a private law practice.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
September 11, 2024
"After reading [the suspects'] statements, seasoned FBI agents and state police officers could not imagine a more inept trio of assassins. They'd blundered their way from Cleveland to Washington D.C. to Clarksville, PA trying to catch up to their target, and then left a trail of evidence a blind man could have followed all the way back to Ohio. They had ultimately been successful in the heinous task, but that only went to show that it didn't take a genius to commit murder . . ." -- on page 129
Once upon a time the United Mine Workers of America was more powerful than both the Teamsters and the United Auto Workers unions, as it was responsible for representing nearly one million coal miners across the U.S. during some particularly violent strikes and other labor incidents throughout the 20th century. Of course, with 'absolute power corrupting absolutely' the UMWA's president, W.A. 'Tough Tony' Boyle, seemed to become obsessed with holding onto his position while also engaging in various self-serving, questionable, and/or illegal activities. The most deplorable episode during his 1963-1972 terms in office was cold-bloodedly ordering the murder of a very popular rival for his job, reform-minded candidate Joseph 'Jock' Yablonski. Boyle commanded subordinates to be creative with union funds to hire a trio of lowly-level criminals - the kind of guys who would break into a house to steal a TV set - from Cleveland (later dubbed 'the Hillbilly Hitmen' by the press) who then gunned down Yablonski AND his wife and daughter at their rural Pennsylvania home between Christmas and New Year's in 1969. Author Tanenbaum - a former assistant district attorney in charge of New York City's homicide unit - recounts the reprehensible crime, the intricate law enforcement investigation, and the multiple trials in his excellent Coal Country Killing. The 'star' of sorts in the narrative is prosecutor Richard Sprague, an experienced and savvy assistant district attorney from Philadelphia, who was assigned to the significant case by special request of the state government. Sprague, almost superhumanly, handles the successful prosecutions of all involved in at least six separate trials over a seven-year period in the 70's, all of which are detailed in this true crime book.
Once upon a time the United Mine Workers of America was more powerful than both the Teamsters and the United Auto Workers unions, as it was responsible for representing nearly one million coal miners across the U.S. during some particularly violent strikes and other labor incidents throughout the 20th century. Of course, with 'absolute power corrupting absolutely' the UMWA's president, W.A. 'Tough Tony' Boyle, seemed to become obsessed with holding onto his position while also engaging in various self-serving, questionable, and/or illegal activities. The most deplorable episode during his 1963-1972 terms in office was cold-bloodedly ordering the murder of a very popular rival for his job, reform-minded candidate Joseph 'Jock' Yablonski. Boyle commanded subordinates to be creative with union funds to hire a trio of lowly-level criminals - the kind of guys who would break into a house to steal a TV set - from Cleveland (later dubbed 'the Hillbilly Hitmen' by the press) who then gunned down Yablonski AND his wife and daughter at their rural Pennsylvania home between Christmas and New Year's in 1969. Author Tanenbaum - a former assistant district attorney in charge of New York City's homicide unit - recounts the reprehensible crime, the intricate law enforcement investigation, and the multiple trials in his excellent Coal Country Killing. The 'star' of sorts in the narrative is prosecutor Richard Sprague, an experienced and savvy assistant district attorney from Philadelphia, who was assigned to the significant case by special request of the state government. Sprague, almost superhumanly, handles the successful prosecutions of all involved in at least six separate trials over a seven-year period in the 70's, all of which are detailed in this true crime book.
June 1, 2024
Ohohoho this was a juicy read.
August 12, 2023
Essential book on labor history and how an organization built on advocacy and support can be easily corrupted and exploited. Deeply disturbing book, but satisfying in that all the members of the murder conspiracy were taken down!
November 23, 2023
When I was in college many years ago, I took a course on Appalachia and one of the themes throughout the course was, of course, the mines, what they'd done to Appalachia, and the influence of the UMW. This was not long after the time of the Yablonski murders.
I read this book based on the fascinating course I had taken many years ago. I learned all that I had forgotten, how long it took to get to the man who ordered it, Tony Boyle, and the inept hitmen his underlings had hired. What I didn't like was the way the book frequently repeated itself, I felt for the murdered victims and their surviving family members but I didn't need to read more than once about the doomed daughter's death.
It's a book for those with a specific interest in Appalachia, the UMW and how it went astray, the decline of the coal industry, and a lesson on how to be completely ignorant hitmen.
I read this book based on the fascinating course I had taken many years ago. I learned all that I had forgotten, how long it took to get to the man who ordered it, Tony Boyle, and the inept hitmen his underlings had hired. What I didn't like was the way the book frequently repeated itself, I felt for the murdered victims and their surviving family members but I didn't need to read more than once about the doomed daughter's death.
It's a book for those with a specific interest in Appalachia, the UMW and how it went astray, the decline of the coal industry, and a lesson on how to be completely ignorant hitmen.
May 18, 2024
Coal County Killing
I was a young girl when these events took place, although as I read the well scripted outline of the events, I did recall bits and pieces. This is not only the story of the murder of Jock Yoblonski, his wife and daughter, but also of blind loyalty and its consequences. The beginning of the book outlines the history of the Appalachian area and its people. This information lends credence to reason behind the loyalty. Excellent book, well written and documented history of a time, people and tragic event.
I was a young girl when these events took place, although as I read the well scripted outline of the events, I did recall bits and pieces. This is not only the story of the murder of Jock Yoblonski, his wife and daughter, but also of blind loyalty and its consequences. The beginning of the book outlines the history of the Appalachian area and its people. This information lends credence to reason behind the loyalty. Excellent book, well written and documented history of a time, people and tragic event.
November 8, 2025
Starting slowly but always gathering speed, this well documented and deeply researched true tale was an excellent read. A sad commentary of the evil things men will do to hold onto power, sacrificing innocent people to the temple of their egocentric narcissisms. Lies, deception, corruption hiding behind the loyalty of naïve gullible folks churns the stomach as to the boundless hypocrisy of the characters unveiled here. Sometimes justice prevails with tireless pursuit.
March 8, 2025
Well written, thoroughly detailed. An author who clearly venerates his subject and friend, but justifiably so. It's nice that somewhere, at some point in time, someone powerful was held to the same scales of justice the rest of us are held to. At one point in our history, there was justice, even if only just once.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 18, 2024
The first chunk of chapters affected the reading experience of this novel. The information about coal and how it is created were unnecessary. It was refreshing that there were some positive depictions of people who settled in Appalachia.
February 23, 2024
I cannot really opine on the book itself.
I had to abandon this audiobook, due to the reader.
I am very familiar with this geographic region and I could not get past the reader’s pronunciation and pace. I tried to speed it up, but that didn’t work either.
I had to abandon this audiobook, due to the reader.
I am very familiar with this geographic region and I could not get past the reader’s pronunciation and pace. I tried to speed it up, but that didn’t work either.
March 8, 2024
Very informative.
July 13, 2024
Great story for those interested in true crime. One thing I disliked about the book was the multiple repetitions of the same information which detracted from the story.
Want to read
July 22, 2024Interested in reading and comparing to Blood Runs Coal, but looking for a library copy because I have hesitations knowing that Tanenbaum was an ADA in Manhattan in the 70s…
February 22, 2024
Thigh writing, no wasted words.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews