The Bishop and the Butterfly: Murder, Politics, and the End of the Jazz Age
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- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2024-02-26 13:22:09
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Michael Wolraich
- ISBN：1454948027
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Summary
The riveting story of how the murder of femme fatale Vivian Gordon in 1931 brought about the downfall of the mayor of New York City and led to the end of Tammany Hall’s dominance。
Vivian Gordon went out before midnight in a velvet dress and mink coat。 Her body turned up the next morning in a desolate Bronx park， a dirty clothesline wrapped around her neck。 At her stylish Manhattan apartment， detectives discovered notebooks full of names—businessmen， socialites， gangsters。 And something a letter from an anti-corruption commission established by Governor Franklin Delano Roosevelt。 Led by the imperious Judge Samuel Seabury， the commission had uncovered a police conspiracy to frame women as prostitutes。 Had Vivian Gordon been executed to bury her secrets？ As FDR pressed the police to solve her murder， Judge Seabury pursued the trail of corruption to the top of Gotham’s powerful political machine—the infamous Tammany Hall。
Vivian Gordon went out before midnight in a velvet dress and mink coat。 Her body turned up the next morning in a desolate Bronx park， a dirty clothesline wrapped around her neck。 At her stylish Manhattan apartment， detectives discovered notebooks full of names—businessmen， socialites， gangsters。 And something a letter from an anti-corruption commission established by Governor Franklin Delano Roosevelt。 Led by the imperious Judge Samuel Seabury， the commission had uncovered a police conspiracy to frame women as prostitutes。 Had Vivian Gordon been executed to bury her secrets？ As FDR pressed the police to solve her murder， Judge Seabury pursued the trail of corruption to the top of Gotham’s powerful political machine—the infamous Tammany Hall。
Reviews
Mary Lamb
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This book was different but was good
Sheryl
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Interesting book about a murder and political corruption。
BethFishReads
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Really 3。5Author Wolraich uses the murder of Vivian Gordon to look at many of the seedier aspects of New York City at the end of the Jazz Age。Vivian Gordon was many things， including a wheeler-dealer， black mailer， money lender， and call girl。 When her body was found in a city park， her murder became a sensation。 The investigation， supported by then-Governor Franklin D。 Roosevelt， threw a wide net， eventually exposing police corruption and bringing down Tammany Hall and Mayor Jimmy Walker。The na Really 3。5Author Wolraich uses the murder of Vivian Gordon to look at many of the seedier aspects of New York City at the end of the Jazz Age。Vivian Gordon was many things， including a wheeler-dealer， black mailer， money lender， and call girl。 When her body was found in a city park， her murder became a sensation。 The investigation， supported by then-Governor Franklin D。 Roosevelt， threw a wide net， eventually exposing police corruption and bringing down Tammany Hall and Mayor Jimmy Walker。The narrative is easy to follow and written in an engaging style。 Through the story of Gordon's murder and the ensuing investigation， we see links connecting the mob， Prohibition crime， the police， the courts， City Hall and even an international bank scheme。Recommended for anyone interested in true crime， history， and New York City。The print/digital edition contains 54 historical photos documenting the case and the people involved。 The visuals add to the story and give us a better sense of the people involved。 It also includes footnotes that define words and give more insight。The Audiobook is narrated by Kirsten Potter who did an excellent job animating the quotes。 Potter's decision to inject a little attitude into her delivery perfectly fits this account of a sensational crime with a cast of flamboyant and cocky characters。 Highly recommended audiobook。 Note: because the audiobook doesn't come with a PDF of the photos， footnotes， or back-of-book material， I augmented my listening experience by following along with a digital copy。Thanks to the publishers for review copies in various media。 。。。more
mary thomson
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Terrific readThe research was impressive。 The book reads like a murder mystery page turner but for anyone interested in New York City history and politics at the end of the jazz age this is a terrific book。 I highly recommend it
Peter Simon
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This is a thrilling story of political intrigue。 The process by which Samuel Seabury's investigation uncovered corruption in New York City and State government is truly fascinating。 Wolraich takes the reader into an underworld of the past with disturbing parallels to the present。 This is a thrilling story of political intrigue。 The process by which Samuel Seabury's investigation uncovered corruption in New York City and State government is truly fascinating。 Wolraich takes the reader into an underworld of the past with disturbing parallels to the present。 。。。more
Brandy
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This is a case so intertwined with politics。 I wish we were given a little bit more about her。 It’s a fascinating read though and I learned so much about the politics going on。 Without her investigation leading straight back to Tammany Hall our future as a country might be vastly different。Thanks to NetGalley for providing a free ARC of this audiobook！
Jessie
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NetGalley ARC audioIn 1931 Vivian Gordon was murdered in a park。 At her home， her diary was discovered and the contents brought down Tammany Hall and helped FDR run for president。 Vivian lived a difficult life。 A trumped up prostitution charge separated her from her daughter， her only source of income was at the indulgence of the men in her life。 She was at one time a Madam and kept records of her dealings with the police and other important men。 Her life is told in some detail， and she is treat NetGalley ARC audioIn 1931 Vivian Gordon was murdered in a park。 At her home， her diary was discovered and the contents brought down Tammany Hall and helped FDR run for president。 Vivian lived a difficult life。 A trumped up prostitution charge separated her from her daughter， her only source of income was at the indulgence of the men in her life。 She was at one time a Madam and kept records of her dealings with the police and other important men。 Her life is told in some detail， and she is treated with respect。 This book is not only about Vivian's murder and subsequent trial。 It is a great summary of NYC politics starting in the 18th century。 The details of Vivian's diary spur Judge Seabury to put the justice system under a microscope， trying to weed out corruption。 NY Governor Franklin D。 Roosevelt is must decide to sweep this under the rug or taking a stand。 He choice will help pave his way to the presidency。 I found this book very interesting， but not especially engaging。 。。。more
Erika
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A gripping account of murder and corruption in NYC。 Wolraich connects the dots from the death of one woman to the downfall of Tammany Hall。 He brings the voices and characters of the 1930s vibrantly alive。 I read more fiction than non-fiction and the non-fiction I read I tend to read slowly。 This book， I couldn't put down！ A gripping account of murder and corruption in NYC。 Wolraich connects the dots from the death of one woman to the downfall of Tammany Hall。 He brings the voices and characters of the 1930s vibrantly alive。 I read more fiction than non-fiction and the non-fiction I read I tend to read slowly。 This book， I couldn't put down！ 。。。more
Beverly Manring
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The ever intriguing look at how the murder investigation of Vivian Gordon brought down the corruption going on in NYC It brought to light the stranglehold the mafia had on the city and it’s inner workings from the traffic cop up through the police top brass and ultimately encircling the mayor。， and judicial system。 News sprerad to the governor and ultimately to the president of the United States and then entire country。 I will definitely be recommending this audiobook， giving it five stars。 Spec The ever intriguing look at how the murder investigation of Vivian Gordon brought down the corruption going on in NYC It brought to light the stranglehold the mafia had on the city and it’s inner workings from the traffic cop up through the police top brass and ultimately encircling the mayor。， and judicial system。 News sprerad to the governor and ultimately to the president of the United States and then entire country。 I will definitely be recommending this audiobook， giving it five stars。 Special thanks to the following for sending me an early unedited copy for me to listen and give my own honest opinion:#NeyGalley，#DreamscapeMedia#MichaelWoraichNarrator #Paula Gordon#%TheBishopsndtheButterflyPublication Date:February 6， 2024Do yourself a favor and go out and get this book or audiobook and you will be able to add it to your family library。 。。。more
Calista Wielgos
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Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC of this book。This book was very interesting。 I loved how it portrayed the butterfly effect of a murder leading to the dismantling of years of corruption。 The author really tells this like a story and that helps the reader to be able to comprehend and remember people and events。 I had no idea about the history of this beforehand and I feel like I’ve learned a lot。
Stuart McLaughlin
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Gripping story of how an unsolved murder helped end one and usher in another consequential era in American （and New York） history。 The book takes us through the fascinating twists and turns of NY corruption， the Tammany Hall machine， the excesses of the Jazz era， the dawn of the depression and all through the personal story of one terrible crime。 I recommend the book unreservedly。
KP
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Thank you to the publisher， author， and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest rating and review。 4/5There were multiple times while reading this book that I had to remind myself that this is non-fiction， which turned out to be both a good and a bad thing。The bad: There were times where I was like come on why are we getting all these details - surely they can’t be that important to the murder and/or the corruption story。 And that’s when I had to remind myself that this Thank you to the publisher， author， and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest rating and review。 4/5There were multiple times while reading this book that I had to remind myself that this is non-fiction， which turned out to be both a good and a bad thing。The bad: There were times where I was like come on why are we getting all these details - surely they can’t be that important to the murder and/or the corruption story。 And that’s when I had to remind myself that this is non-fiction and the point of the book isn’t just to tell a compelling， exciting story。 The good: This book tells a compelling， exciting story。 😂 。。。more
Colin Asher
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This is Wolraich's third book， and his best yet - scrupulously researched and fluidly written。 This is Wolraich's third book， and his best yet - scrupulously researched and fluidly written。 。。。more
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the bishop and the butterfly murder politics and the end of the jazz age