Murder & Mayhem in Chicago's Downtown

by Troy Taylor

In the company of author Troy Taylor, pull off the trick of coming back alive from some of Chicago's most infamous one-way rides." Meet the deadly womanizer Johann Hoch, who would propose to a woman within twenty minutes of meeting her and then poison her within a week. Follow "Terrible" Tommy O'Conner as he eluded the gallows for more than fifty years, until the city finally grew "tired of waiting" and dismantled them for the final time. Learn how even flower shops and cathedrals weren't safe from gangland violence, and relive the tragic fire at the Iroquois Theatre, where a "fireproof" curtain was made of cotton and did little to stop the blaze that killed more people than the Great Fire of 1871."

128 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2009

Reviews

[J223 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Picked this up at a Walgreens (I believe, or some sort of chain equivalent) to learn some “Chicago culture” while I was there. My favourite chapter was “Murder in a Flower Shop” where I read the excerpt: “Even without his gangland membership, ownership of the flower shop would have made O’Banion’s wealthy. He had considerable business acumen, and a knack for making beautiful arrangements. His bouquets were considered works of art.”

[Daniel Delaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked this book up because of a love of Chicago history and it did not disappoint. The book provided quick insights into different events during a bloody and macabre era in the city’s history. The only critique I had was sometimes the writer did not add dates to events leaving the reader to wonder when it occurred, and also some grammar issues that need to be addressed. Overall great read.

[John L and Benji · Rating 5 out of 5]

We all know Al Capone. But do you know Dion O’Banion, or Johann Otto Hotch? or what a one way ride is? This book tells you about some of the worst criminals in Chicago. I will read the west side part of this series at a later time.

[Little Timmy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy the short narrow focus history books to delve briefly into learning a new area of history. Good writing and ample photos make this a nice read. Recommended