A chilling true crime book that chronicles the wave of abductions that
terrorized the U.S. during the Great Depression, including the most
infamous kidnapping case in American history.
A thrilling account that puts the 1932 Lindbergh baby kidnapping case,
billed as the crime of the century, in the context of the thousands of
other kidnappings that occurred in the U.S. during the Prohibition and
Depression eras...will enthrall true crime fans.--Publishers Weekly,
STARRED review
The Great Depression was a time of desperation in America--parents
struggled to feed their children and unemployment was at a record high.
Adding to the lawlessness of the decade, thugs with submachine guns and
corrupt law-enforcement officers ran rampant. But amidst this panic,
there was one sure-fire way to make money, one used by criminals and
resourceful civilians alike: kidnapping.
Jump into this forgotten history with Edgar Award-winning author David
Stout as he explores the reports of missing people that inundated
newspapers at the time. Learn the horrifying details of these abduction
cases, from the methods used and the investigative processes to the
personal histories of the culprits and victims. All of this culminates
with the most infamous kidnapping in American history, the one that
targeted an international celebrity and changed legislation forever: the
Lindbergh kidnapping.
The Kidnap Years is a gritty, visceral, thoughtfully reported
page-turner that chronicles the sweep of abductions that afflicted all
corners of the country as desperate people were pushed to do the
unthinkable.
Fans of The Postman Always Rings Twice and other 30s and 40s
American Noir crime novels will be fascinated by the true crime of the
times.
A fascinating crime book like no other.--David Cay Johnston, Pulitzer
Prize-winning journalist
If you like historical nonfiction like these, you'll love The Kidnap
Years:
Devil in the White City by Erik Larson
The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson
Lost City of Z by David Grann
Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann
