{Thank you to Celadon Books for my gifted copy}
Last Call by Elon Green
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Book Summary:
The gripping true story, told here for the first time, of the Last Call Killer and the gay community of New York City that he preyed upon.
The Townhouse Bar, midtown, July 1992: The piano player seems to know every song ever written, the crowd belts out the lyrics to their favorites, and a man standing nearby is drinking a Scotch and water. The man strikes the piano player as forgettable.
He looks bland and inconspicuous. Not at all what you think a serial killer looks like. But that’s what he is, and tonight, he has his sights set on a gray-haired man. He will not be his first victim.
Nor will he be his last.
The Last Call Killer preyed upon gay men in New York in the ‘80s and ‘90s and had all the hallmarks of the most notorious serial killers. Yet because of the sexuality of his victims, the sky-high murder rates, and the AIDS epidemic, his murders have been almost entirely forgotten.
This gripping true-crime narrative tells the story of the Last Call Killer and the decades-long chase to find him. And at the same time, it paints a portrait of his victims and a vibrant community navigating threat and resilience.
Publication Date:
March 9th, 2021
Genre:
True Crime Non-Fiction
Read Your Copy:
Amazon Link | LibroFM Bookstore Link
My Review:
I have been a long-time listener of the true-crime genre via podcasts, and during the last couple of years have been adding more true crime titles into my overall reading. There is a wide range of storytelling in this medium, and what I have found is that I connect with the storytelling that focuses on investigative journaling and digging into who these people really were. I follow hosts and authors who share with detail and also compassion when pulling back the curtain on the people who were able to commit such horrific crimes and the victims and families that will be impacted forever.
Right from the very first page of Last Call, you can tell author Elon Green did his due diligence with both his research and his efforts to share the lives of those impacted with honor and dignity. Not only is this a story of a long-time serial killer who preyed on gay men in the 80s and 90s (which also was the height of the AIDs crisis) but also shares the social commentary of a very dark time in our modern history.
Green writes with empathy and great detail on just how unjustly the LGBTQ community was treated during this not-so-distant past. Not only was it a dangerous time to be gay but discrimination and hate were a part of these people’s everyday lives. When gay men started to go missing in NYC, not only was it not prioritized, but it was also pushed under the rug by police and many city and state officials. Last Call shares the stories of these victims, the families, friends, and advocates that pushed for answers, and the search for the killer.
This book is a deep dive into this horrific story that honors the men that were lost while also bringing you along on the search for both the truth and for justice. Whether you have picked up a true crime book before or this is your first time, I highly recommend Last Call. As a reader, it was utterly fascinating while also illuminating me on just how far we have come and the work that still needs to be done to better support the LGBTQ community today.
Thank you to Celadon Books for my gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.
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