Cover Image: The Klondike Bake-Oven Deaths

The Klondike Bake-Oven Deaths

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Member Reviews

This book was gripping. I was sucked in and could not put it down! The concept was so unique, I loved this book.

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I I thought this was non-fiction, but the author describes it as as a non fiction novel, regardless of it being true it’s still fiction, which wasn’t what I was expecting from the blurb. I wouldn’t have requested if I’d known as not my genre. I found this to be slow, repetitive , the same facts were given repeatedly, it just wasn’t for me at all.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

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3 stars. An interesting read that definitely highlighted the horrors of prisoners in the not so distant past. I agree with the other reviews here that the chapters were a little long and some of the narrative felt like it was going in circles. I struggled a bit but I'm not sorry I read it.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for my copy of the book. My opinions are my own and not influenced by anyone. Ever.

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As I was reading this, I kept saying to myself this cannot possibly be real. But I did a little research and found out it is absolutely true.

The cruelty by the very people who are supposed to uphold the law is astounding. The men were punished in humanely by heat. Heat that reached 200 degrees in their cell.

I don't want to give spoilers so will only recommend you read it. But brave yourself.

Well written, excellent research.

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This was a really fast-paced yet intriguing read. As someone from the area the story is based I had no idea these horrors occurred here. This book totally blew me away with it's history uncovered. I highly recommend this book to any history loving reader.

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Such an eye opener! Devasting what they must've gone through. If your a fan of true historic crime I'd definitely recommend this. Long chapters were the only issue I had.... but that was for my partner not me haha

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I requested this book thinking it was non-fiction. It is not. It is fiction. I am trying to read more non-fiction true crime at the moment and I thought this would be just the ticket as I tend to read more about UK based true crime.

This is non-fiction but apparently based on real life, I couldn't find anything to verify this but I did Google the prison and found that the prisoners were experimented on in the most horrific ways.

I could not finish this book because it went around in circles a lot, the same facts were repeated over and over again so I just gave up with it.

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I chose this book in the belief it was a non-fiction book about real events at a Philadelphia prison in the 1930s, when a number of inmates were killed by being imprisoned for days in a punishment block in a heatwave with the heating turned up.

The book is written as non-fiction, with background of the characters, particularly the coroner Heshel Glass who chooses to oppose the corrupt mayor to insist the deaths are properly investigated. I assumed there had been some poetic licence as the book is written with lots of dialogue, and while the trial transcripts would provide some information, it would not have been possible to have actual conversations, even if the author had interviewed people.

However, I now discover that it is what the author describes as a 'non-fiction novel'. The characters cannot be verified or are amalgamations of other people, even the facts and number of deaths are incorrect. I feel very short changed. I dislike being fooled into thinking it was a serious piece of research.

As a novel, its an interesting read, albeit with some repetition, and strongly condemns the ridiculous notion in America that those holding public office should be appointed by politicians, so sheriffs and coroners are afraid of the investigating the truth as they may upset the mayor and not be re-relected. Such offices should be divorced from influence by politicians. It also highlights dreadful conditions in prisons in the 1930s (assuming those facts to be correct and not more 'fiction').

Thank you to NetGalley and Sunbury Press Inc for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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