Strangled

by Brian McGrory

Deadly and deep-seated political conspiracies are nothing new to Jack Flynn, the popular lead reporter of the Boston Record. But in Strangled, he finds himself in the middle of a case that everyone thought had closed forty years ago -- the Boston Strangler. From the summer of 1962 to the winter of 1964, eleven women were strangled to death in their homes. The city had been panic-stricken. Dog pounds were cleaned out. Locksmiths worked twenty-hour days. The streets emptied after dark. Single women set up phone trees to check on each other's safety. Then, a year after the eleventh murder, the city breathed a heavy sigh of relief when convicted sex offender Albert DeSalvo confessed to the killings. Eight years later, he was stabbed to death in prison, forever ridding the world of the man who had terrorized a city. Or so everyone thought.Boston, present-day. A series of murders has occurred in which all the victims, all female, have been strangled and left with markers eerily reminiscent of those once left by the "Phantom Fiend" -- garish bows tied around their necks and their bodies ghoulishly positioned to greet investigators as they entered the crime scene.In typical fashion, the police and local politicians have turned on their publicity machine full-throttle in an attempt to cool any rumors about the possible return of the Strangler. Little do they know that Flynn is receiving letters from the killer himself, thrusting the newsman between the threats of a madman and several secretive, uncooperative officials, who are tied to the original case. With the lives of innocent women on the line, he must use his keen journalistic skills to determine whether or not this is a copycat on the loose, or if Albert DeSalvo was, in fact, not quite the fiend everyone so easily believed him to be. Is it possible that the Boston Strangler was never captured and that he's been lurking in the shadows, waiting to kill again?Using fiction to examine the horrifying details of the Boston Strangler case and the possible outcomes of its investigation, McGrory has written an intelligent thriller crackling with newsroom energy and chilling suspense.

Genres: Fiction, Suspense, Mystery

352 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 1, 2007

About the author

Brian McGrory is a longtime newspaper reporter, editor, and columnist. Born and raised in and around Boston, he went to college at Bates College in Maine. He worked for the Patriot Ledger in Quincy, the New Haven Register in Connecticut, and has written for and edited the Boston Globe since 1989. He has a twice weekly column that appears on the front of the metro section, for which he has won the Scripps Howard journalism award, and is the author of four novels. He lives in Massachusetts with his entire family.

Reviews

[Beth Hamlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brian McGrory brilliantly intertwined his real life work within this fictional examination of the Boston Strangler case.

I picked this up one day in a South End thrift store simply because the cover stuck out to me. There’s something eerily haunting in reading about the Boston Strangler from a triple decker apartment overlooking the city. When a novelist uses a backdrop that happens to be a place familiar to me, and I am immediately able to recognize the authenticity in the setting, I begin to trust the story. I truly enjoyed racing around the city with protagonist Jack Flynn to spots that I know and love, like Cafe Vittoria. I didn’t have any expectations nor prior knowledge that the author had worked for the Boston Globe. And I’ll be honest, I’m usually more drawn to investigative true crime rather than fictional thrillers. However, I really enjoyed this fresh new fictionalized take on a real-life crime. It shares the same sort of slow-burn suspense as Gone Girl or Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. And just enough romance intertwined within the mystery.

Other books it reminded me of: I’ll be gone in the dark by Michelle McNamara and Zodiac & Zodiac Unmasked by Robert Graysmith

[Ra · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not memorable or interesting.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

this book had an interesting subject in the Boston Strangler story, this guy seems to be one of those authors who cranks out tons of books about the same character and runs plot lines throughout multiple books. I found the writing to be kind of melodramatic and kind of crappy. my aunt gave me the book, and it was good(ish) and interesting in that the story is set in Boston and he references streets and neighborhoods etc. I think if I was from california and new nothing about boston I'd kind of hate this book. Oh well, it was a quick read-except that because it wasn't very good I wasn't motivated to read it. Okay I'm done trashing it for now.

[Kristin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very serviceable and well-written Boston thriller, housed in the author's comfort zone (he is a newspaper reporter himself), so it unfolds with authenticity. I love the way McGrory writes (nice humor in the voice), but I am not inclined to read other books in his series. I have limited patience with non-law enforcement protagonists who are nevertheless smack in the middle of every case and are endlessly escaping attempts on their lives.

[james · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fictional account of an alternative theory about the Boston Strangler, who was thought to have beeen murdered in prison after confessing to murdering (by strangulation) many women in the Boston area. The book contends that it was someone else, who reappears after 40 years and starts strangling women again. I hope it's fictional anyway.

[Janine · Rating 4 out of 5]

The killer was not caught but he's in newspaper. So I'm sure he'll not continue to kill again? I guess. I thought he would be killed o caught, but not. Well then, I don't like that much the story but it gave a little suspense in what will happen next.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Easy to read, likable main character. would read others by this author.

[Libby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. A quick read with lots of mystery and intrique, and, took place in Boston with a lot of familiar landmarks for me.

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great read. I could not put it down! Bravo Brian McGrory

[Mayre · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great writer and a terrific character. Hopefully McGrory will continue with this series