Description

Devil's Garden - Ace Atkins

Enjoyed this very much, far exceeded expectations. The mood was excellent; this story felt like La-SF early 1920's throughout. The story was very interesting and stayed close enough to real events to read like true crime. This is real noir, without slipping into the now cliched lines of Chandler and Hammett. As you read how the trial plays out, you get a sense of justice during those days, and then give thanks for the fairer system we have evolved to - or have we.....? There are no heroes here, and while the last few chapters lead to the inevitable conclusion they did in real life, there is a slam-bam ending relaying an event I had not heard of before, one that just like the Arbuckle story, remains a mystery to this day.