LAST CALL: A True Story of Love, Lust, and Murder in Queer New York. Elon Green. Celadon Books; 2021.
This excellent book looks at a horrifying series of murders of gay men in the 1990's and unfolds almost like a suspense-thriller as the author delves into the lives of the victims, and finally the killer, a male nurse who lived on Staten Island. Although apparently not gay, Green did enough research and interviews to get a sense of the gay bar scene at the time, and views all of the murdered men with compassion; they are not simply dismissed as can happen in other true-crime volumes. Green also looks at the many people investigating the crimes, the extreme homophobia of the period (especially due to AIDS), and the calls for a more intense look at the killings by such as the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and Anti-Violence Project. As the killer refused to do interviews with Green, we are not able to fully understand this monster, but can such people ever be fully understood?
Back in the day I frequented such bars as the Townhouse and the 5 Oaks, where some of the victims were regulars, and one of these poor men was a bar acquaintance that I saw virtually every time I went into the Oaks. I remember coming back from Boston and seeing this man's photo, along with the words serial killer in the paper, and was shocked. At first I thought the article was naming him as a killer, but it was worse -- he was the victim. None of the men who were killed deserved their fates. But at least their murderer was put away for life.
In the book the author wonders why these series of terrible murders have been virtually forgotten. I think the answer is that there have, unfortunately, been so many other serial killers since then who have captured the public's imagination. That the victims were gay men may also have played a part. Plus all the other things that have happened since the period captured in the tome. When you read books like this you realize that all of those movies about mad psychotics slaughtering people are in incredibly bad taste.
Verdict: Outstanding true crime story. ***1/2.
Hi Bill, I too loved the Townhouse and 5 Oaks and was there often in the late 80s and early 90s. Maybe I saw you there! Piano bars are harder and harder to come by these days.
ReplyDeleteJust rewatched the American Crime Story on Versace recently and it brought back all the memories...I lived in Ft Lauderdale at the time of the shooting and my best friend lived and still lives in South Beach a couple blocks away from the Versace mansion.
Will definitely check out this book!
-Chris
This book is definitely worth a read and you may recognize the names of some of the people interviewed. Amazing that we were both at those two bars during this period -- who knows, maybe we chatted some time, I tried singibng voice and it was a disaster!
ReplyDeleteAs for piano bars in New York, the Monster is still going strong, the Townhouse is still open, and I think Marie's Crisis is still in business, and maybe one or two others.
I have watched more than one program on the Versace murder. Some people in New York had encountered the man who killed him.
I meant to write "I tried singing once."
ReplyDeleteYes I was last in NYC in summer of 2018 and was at all three,,,cant wait to get back.
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If I run into you at the Monster I promise not to sing!
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