An operatic story of jealousy, obsession, vast fortunes, and moral
crusaders set against the glittering backdrop of Gilded Age New York
City.
When Stanford White, one of the most famous architects of the era--whose
mark on New York City is second to none--was murdered by Harry K. Thaw
in 1906, his death becomes known as "The Crime of the Century."
But there were other players in this love triangle gone wrong that would
play a part in the incredible story of White's murderer. Chief among
them was the ambitious district attorney William Travers Jerome, who had
the opportunity to make--or break--his career with his prosecution of
Thaw. Award-winning journalist Mary Cummings reveals a new angle to this
incredible crime through Jerome's story--a story that is ripe for our
post-"Serial" era.
Thaw was the debauched and deranged heir to a Pittsburgh fortune who had
a sadistic streak. White was an artistic genius and one of the world's
premier architects who would become obsessed with a teenaged chorus
girl, Evelyn Nesbit. White preyed on Nesbit, who, in a surprising twist,
also became a fixation for Thaw. Nesbit and Thaw would later marry, but
Thaw's lingering jealousy and anger toward White over his past history
with Nesbit would explosively culminate in White's shocking murder--and
the even more shocking trial of Thaw for a murder that was committed in
front of dozens of eye witnesses.
The promising young D.A. would find his faith in himself and the law
severely tested as he battled colorful crooks, licentious grandees, and
corrupt politicians. Cummings brilliant reveals the social issues
simmering below the surface of New York that Jerome had to face. Filled
with mesmerizing drama, rich period details, and fascinating characters,
Saving Sin City sheds fresh light on crimes whose impact still echoes
throughout the twenty-first century.
