The California Snatch Racket: Kidnappings During the Prohibition and Depression Eras

The California Snatch Racket: Kidnappings During the Prohibition and Depression Eras
ISBN-10
1884995632
ISBN-13
9781884995637
Category
History
Pages
393
Language
English
Published
2010
Publisher
Linden Pub
Authors
James R. Smith, W. Lane Rogers

Description

In California in the 1920s and 1930s, kidnapping ---nicknamed "the snatch racket" by a cynical newspaperman---was the most booming criminal enterprise around. Driven by greed, desperation and sometimes plain stupidity, ransom artists preyed indiscriminately on Hollywood socialites, wealthy heiresses, and even poor people who couldn't pay a dime. Every new disapperance sold more newspapers, but for both the kidnappers and their unfortunate victims, even the simplest caper often went tragically wrong. The 15 bizarre tales in The California Snatch Racket bring this dark and forgotten era into shockingly vivid life. Richly documented with authentic crime photos, The California Snatch Racket reflects newspaper, police, court and prison accounts of the times, written in a style that puts you on the scene of crimes that shocked the nation. "Captures the flavor of the time and the impact of events with the urgency of an angry Tommy gun."---Pat Craig, Bay Area News Group "A dark history that succeeds brilliantly as neo-noir crime-writing...smart, enthusiastically detailed and a damn good read!"---Ron Franscell, author of The Darkest Night "Rips back the candy-coating on the land of sunshine... history buffs and true crime aficionados will relish this look at the Golden State's vicious past."---Kathleen Antrim, author of Capital Offense

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