Nothing but the Night delves deep into the "crime of the century"-the murder of Bobby Franks in Chicago, IL. It was fascinating! The story is told in a linear style, which works very well for a historical true crime, and especially when you are listening!

First, the author explores the families of all the players-the victim and the two perpetrators. Then they get into all the events that led Leopold and Loeb to the murder, because exploring the psychology of these two was important. There is a lot of psychology to cover, but also a lot of sociology of the time. Understanding the world at the time of the crime really adds to the reader/listener's understanding. Part two really focuses on the trial and their defense lawyer (the famous Clarence Darrow), and then their time in prison. Overall, the story is surprising in depth for a crime that occurred in the 1920's!

The authors did a wonderful job of condensing their research into the salient information without being salacious or torrid.

The Leopold & Loeb case was one that I'd heard of, but didn't know too much about. This new book takes the reader through the background, the murder, the trial, and the aftermath. I would imagine that any true crime fans out there would find this as interesting as I did.

After watching two of the movies that took inspiration from this murder trial, I was curious to learn more about the real events behind it. The writing is dry and some details are repeated over and over multiple times. It wasn't an enjoyable or particularly interesting read.

I enjoyed this book, as much as one can the telling of horrific events. I appreciated the factual nature of the narrative. I’m always disappointed when authors share their viewpoints in a true crime. “just the facts” please.

Thank you to the publisher and net galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. This is a recommendation from me to my friends!!

I love true crime and I have never gotten very much information on Leopold and Lobe. I basically knew the basics. I can’t say that anymore. I know what I feel must be all of the details. The authors weaves together every account they can find and provide a timeline of events and a history of the characters involved. Very informative.

This was a really well written book that I enjoyed from beginning to end and could not get enough of. It moves along at a great pace which makes for an easy read. It has interesting characters that you want to know and a story that is interesting and keeps you reading till the last page. This book is a must read, no doubt about it.

True crime authors are moving into a new era, and Greg King and Penny Wilson are among the front runners. They’re ushering in well-researched, objective, and easy-to-read works for the laymen or podcast-listener. This is absolutely an era I can get behind, and I’ll be first in line for whatever they might write next.

The overall structure of the book is so good! We get everything we need to know to make an opinion for ourselves before King and Wilson even tell us their theory. The flow sets up and further supports their analysis, which makes their argument more compelling. And the research! Not only did they pull court transcripts and review psychological reports on Leopold and Loeb, King and Wilson researched character references.

The Book is full of quotes from family, friends, letters, frat brothers, neighbors, professors, and policeman: all attesting to their main idea. Leopold was the mastermind, and we need to stop generalizing two personalities. By dedicating a section to Leopold and Loeb’s childhood, King and Wilson introduce readers to compare and contrast Leopold and Loeb, come to an understanding of them as individuals, and see just how both play their part in the murder of Bobby Franks. However, at the same time, it’s cleverly setting up the key differences between both boys to elegantly tie their take together.

Their exploration is rewriting history using modern tools and understanding. Overall, though, it’s unleashing details and providing insight to other potential crimes the duo could have committed as part of their escalation to the crime they became known for. It’s a well-rounded legal and psychological case study. It’s a true crime book that doesn’t feel gross because it’s bare-faced, straightforward, and determined to expose and explain. But really, it’s honest because never once does it claim either are truly innocent.

Absolutely read this book if you’re interested in psychology, law, or true crime. The trial portion is an emotional rollercoaster with genuinely shocking moments from the defense.

In Jazz age Chicago in a well to do Jewish neighborhood a fourteen year old boy is kidnapped and murdered by two teenage boys from the same neighborhood just for the thrill. The authors take a new look at the crime and uncover new understanding of the two killers and offer new perspectives of this unspeakable crime.

Nothing but the Night examines the 1924 murder of Bobby Franks and the subsequent - and sensational - trial of Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb. The case is often billed as "the crime of the century," mostly because Leopold and Loeb had no real motive other than they "wanted to see if they could get away with it." Were they smart enough to pull off the perfect crime? Did their money and power make them untouchable? Add to the mix the legendary attorney Clarence Darrow (yes, that one) and you've got the making of one helluva true crime story.

I am fascinated by this case, both as a true crime enthusiast but also as an attorney. Imagine being a defense attorney whose clients have confessed to the crime and also spoken with the media about their case! I shudder at the thought. Clarence Darrow purportedly took this case to save the defendants from the death penalty. His closing argument is often heralded as a masterpiece (y'all, it was three days) and the deciding factor in saving the defendants from death, but this book did an excellent job of laying the truth to bare: Darrow was often a disorganized, rambling mess. And he played it fast and loose with his arguments - the defendants were "just boys" (they were 19); they weren't insane, it was bad endocrine glands; they were victims of "affluenza" and a bad home life; they lived with bad parenting; they suffered from their homosexuality ... the list goes on. But listen, this is what a good attorney does. Darrow wouldn't be fulfilling his oath as an attorney if he didn't get into mitigating factors. And that's something that I love about this book. Not only is it a deeper dive into the actual trial than other books I've read (my nerdy lawyer heart sings! at court transcripts) but it also focuses way more on the inner workings of Leopold and Loeb - if not their motive, then HOW they could have been the type of people to do what they did.

This case is intense and this is a nonfiction book. It's well-researched and thorough - this is no fluff read. And it could be difficult for some folks to read - I mean, Darrow manages to make Leopold and Loeb into the victims by the end of the trial. But it manages to cover a salacious topic from a neutral position. If you're a true crime buff, and particularly if you are (or have ever been) a criminal defense attorney, I highly recommend this book.

Nothing but the Night: Leopold & Loeb and the Truth Behind the Murder That Rocked 1920s America, by Greg King & Penny Wilson

Short Take: A surprisingly fresh take on a hundred-year-old crime.

(*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*)

Good morning, Duckies! It’s a chilly and rainy one, and although I would rather be playing online or reading something yummy, I have an unpleasant number of real-life tasks to do today. So let’s jump right into it, shall we?

Unless you’ve either been living under some kind of weird anti-historic-crime rock, or maybe you’ve just never been interested in the original Crime Of The Century (and if either of those are true, are you sure you’re in the right place??), you’re already familiar with this story. But just in case…

In Chicago, in 1924, fourteen-year-old Bobby Franks was murdered, his body left naked and stuffed into a culvert after being doused in acid. Needless to say, this was already A Big Story (especially to the Chicago PD, who really really wanted some other crime to draw attention away from their failures with the gang-related murders of the time). But when the perpetrators were caught, it turned into an absolute circus.

The killers were Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb, both nineteen years old, both the sons of incredibly successful and wealthy Jewish families, and both literal geniuses who had already graduated from college at record-setting ages. Both boys had everything going for them and ostensibly no reason to turn to a life of crime, but when it came out that they were in a homosexual relationship, well, the media did what the media does: make everything crazier.

Into this cyclone waded Clarence Darrow, legendary defense attorney and staunch death penalty opponent. His only goal was to keep Leopold and Loeb from the hangman’s noose, despite the metric butt-ton of evidence against them.

There have been millions of words written about the trial, the role that the newly emerging field of psychology played, and the first-ever use of “affluenza” (although not named as such) as a defense. Honestly, I wasn’t sure why I was reading this book - the crime happened nearly a century ago, and, well, see the above-mentioned millions of words. Is there really anything new to learn?

Much to my delight, duckies, there absolutely are a few surprises still out there. Trying to avoid spoilers here, I’m going to just say that the historically accepted theory of the dynamic between the two may be completely wrong. Obviously, both of them are long gone (and unreliable narrators to boot), so it’s impossible to give any kind of definitive answer, but Mr. King & Ms. Wilson raise some very interesting questions.

The Nerd’s Rating: FOUR HAPPY NEURONS (and some bathtub gin, of course.)

A new look of a century old murder. With fresh eyes and updated information Nothing but the Night gives a detailed look at a horrific murder that is still relevant to this day.

I'm not a regular reader of true crime but this is one case I have read about and I was interested to read this new view of the Crime of the Century. Looking at it with the current knowledge of forensics and psychology made for an interesting read. No matter who you think was the dominant member of the pair it remains a fact that they were both monsters. Reading the trial section and seeing the case presented by Clarence Darrow changed some of my opinions of the great lawyer. It was an eye opener. While I did come away with much to think about it did take me longer than usual to read. It was a heavy read even though I knew the details. I had to read it in stages. The writing was good and the new perspective kept me intrigued so I'm glad I requested Nothing But the Night.
My thanks to the publisher St. Martin's Press and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Nothing but the Night: Leopold & Loeb and the Truth Behind the Murder That Rocked 1920s America by Greg King and Penny Wilson is a very highly recommended examination of the infamous 1924 murder.

The names Leopold and Loeb will immediately be familiar to true crime aficionados and bring to mind two teens who killed for the thrill of it. Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb were two intelligent and wealthy teenagers who were charged and convicted for the 1924 murder of fourteen-year-old Bobby Franks in Chicago. Franks was actually Loeb’s second cousin and the families had homes close to each other. The murder was shocking for its senselessness, the revelation of a love affair between the defendants, and defense attorney Clarence Darrow's defense summation which saved the boys from the death penalty. King and Wilson reexamine the case and who was the true mastermind behind the crime.

This is an exceptionally well researched inspection of the case and included are a bibliography and chapter notes. It remains a troubling and disturbing case that deserves a new look at the known facts and King and Wilson take on this task admirably. Those who appreciate the quest for the truth in psychological historical true crime cases will welcome this even approach to looking at the facts with new eyes. It also serves to look closer at Clarence Darrow's argument against the death penalty. His suggestion that experts declared Leopold and Loeb were "mentally diseased" rather than evil unleashed a media frenzy.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of St. Martin's Press via NetGalley.
The review will be published on Barnes & Noble, Google Books, Edelweiss, and Amazon.

I have heard of Leopold and Loeb from other nonfiction/true crime books I have read. They are often referenced when the crime being written about is sexually deviant in nature or the defendants are young [I just read a book last month that referenced them several times and realized I had this book coming up to read] and I was intrigued by them, but none of the books out there on the infamous pair spoke to me [so many just seemed like speculation and hyperbole, written just to bring up the sensationalism around the case and nothing else] until I saw this one on NetGalley. Having previously read these authors [I highly recommend their book "The Last Voyage of the Andrea Doria". It is a fantastic and fascinating read], I knew that it would be filled with meticulous research and also tell a compelling story. I was not wrong.

After reading this, I can understand why the murder of Bobby Franks by Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb in 1924 has remained in the public mind for almost 100 years and why it continues to fascinate people, even morbidly so.

Billed as the first sensationalized murder trial ever, the brouhaha surrounding both the trial and Leopold and Loeb, it is easy to see how the "news" of today has been influenced by the circus of that time. The fact that the defendants talked to the press BEFORE the trial and boasted about all that was going on, makes it easy to see why there could have not been a jury trial and why the newspapers went crazy in the reporting of this tragic and brutal murder.

I really feel for Bobby Franks' family - they were treated abominably by both the press and the defense team and the lack of empathy by so many was just shocking. To lose your young son in such a brutal and horrific way and then have the newspaper AND the defense team drag your innocent child through the mud and make the murderers out to be victims...I CANNOT EVEN.

This was one of the better true crime books I have read - especially given that I knew almost nothing about the Leopold and Loeb, Bobby Franks and the planning and execution of the murder, as well as the trial and the aftermath. It was an enlightened read and a learning experience about just how rotten some defense lawyers can be [and don't even get me started on that judge; the fact that they didn't hang simply because they were 19 is appalling and abhorrent] and I am left with a serious distaste in my mouth [and mind] about how this all played out.

This was expertly written and researched. It is never emotional and sensationalized [the information that is here is not easy to read/listen to at times. It is taken from court records, diaries and newspaper archives. There is a lot of a lot much of the time and it CAN be graphic. The authors really work at not sensationalizing all of this. I think they accomplish it very well]. It just tells the story and lets the rest fall on the reader. All this makes it an excellent read and I would highly recommend it to any true crime or mystery fan.

This is one time where I was extremely grateful to get the ARC of the audiobook for this nonfiction read. I have not listened to this narrator before, but it will absolutely not be my last time [I will be looking for other books read by him]. He is, in my opinion, one of the best kind of nonfiction narrators. He tells the story straightforwardly and really bring the story to life. My brain works better listening sometimes [I have found it especially with nonfiction] and a really great narrator just helps with that. This was one of those times and I am forever grateful.

Thank you to NetGalley, Greg King, Penny Wilson, Armando Riesco - Narrator, St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for providing this ARC and audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.

My grandfather was fascinated by this case and after reading this new account, I can understand why the murder of Bobby Franks by Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb on May 21, 1924 has remained in the public mind for almost 100 years.

These two rich, very intelligent teenagers lived lives beyond most American's wildest dreams. Richard's father had made a fortune as vice president of Sears, Roebuck and the family had a vacation home on the shores of Lake Michigan; Richard was the youngest man ever to graduate from the University of Michigan at age 18. Nathan, the son of a millionaire, had also graduated at age 18, from the University of Chicago, with plans to enter Harvard Law school that fall.

Despite their obvious intelligence, their crime was quickly solved and the two confessed to murder. Their attorney, famed lawyer Clarence Darrow, pled them guilty, but NOT by reason of insanity. Darrow walked a very thin line between claiming that the two "boys" were not insane, but because of a number of factors - bad endocrine glands, too much money (an early version of the "affluenza" defense), bad parenting, Nietzsche, their homosexuality - they were the "real victims" in this horrendous crime. It spared them from hanging, and they were sentenced to life in prison.

The authors deftly destroy the myth of Darrow's legendary closing argument. It was disjointed, rambling, wildly offensive and lasted three days. After the trial, Darrow borrowed the transcript so he could publish the argument, and streamlined the rambling, edited and revised and polished it into the "masterpiece" some claim it was.

The authors also present solid information that it was Nathan, and not Richard, who killed Bobby Franks, and Nathan had the upper hand in their relationship. Unfortunately for Richard, who died in prison in 1930, history is written by the victors, and Nathan spent the next 30 years claiming that it was <i>all</i> Richard's fault. Richard was not innocent in the whole matter, but as the authors state: "Richard wanted a crime partner; what he got was a sociopath."

Where this book really shines is in the details of the crime, the in-depth discussion of Leopold and Loeb's relationship and Darrow's attempt to save his clients from the death penalty. The last phrase of their lives - prison, Richard's death and Nathan's eventual parole - is quickly summarized in the final 10% of the book (the book essential ends at 71% and the rest is the bibliography and notes). Because of the careful and detailed analysis that goes before, this final stage appears rushed and more of a summary and personally I would have willingly read another 100 pages to bring the story to its conclusion! 4.5 stars.

I had never heard of this case so I read it with great interest. To me, it was a senseless crime, perpetrated by two rich thugs who were not penitent in the least. King and Wilson try to paint a sympathetic portrait of the culprits because of their alleged abuse growing up, but I don’t buy that argument for a minute. They knew better.
I was appalled that Nathan was let out prison although he was supposed to be in there for life. It just illustrates the system has its cracks amd fissures.
Anyone who likes to read murder crimes or criminal science would like this book.

Many accounts can be found on the Loeb and Leopold murder case. This is one of the first I have found that really deep dives into the actual lives of the two murderers. It is not presented as an easy bare facts narrative either, the authors examine the psychology of both boys and how various events affected them, starting with the family dynamics of each growing up, when they met and became friends, the planning and murder of Bobbie Franks as well as the sensationalized court case that followed and its aftermath.

A good book if you have not read much on this case or looking for an alternative viewpoint.
A definite addition to any True Crime collector library.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC of Nothing but the Night in return for an honest review.

Nothing but the Night, by Greg King and Penny Wilson, examines the 1924 murder of Bobby Franks and the subsequent trail of Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb in a modern perspective. When a pair Chicago’s wealthy young men kidnapped and murdered a 14 year old boy for the thrill of the crime, it captured the world’s attention.

Nothing but the Night cross examines many topics and themes still discussed in the court of public debate. Homosexuality, Capital Punishment and “Affluenza”, a mental condition known only by the wealthy, are just some of the topics dealt with in this wonderful work of Non-Fiction.

Greg King and Penny Wilson keep the pacing perfect and bring out all the colors for so many fascinating personalities. If you enjoy True Crime then give this book a “Must Read” on your TBR!

This book is a different take on the murder committed by Leopold & Loeb. This was a murder that shocked the country in the 1920s and most likely the world as well. This murder was committed by 2 privileged and wealth white men. They did it just to see if they could get away with it. A century later, we are still talking about it and it still has unanswered questions lingering in history. If you are a true crime fan like me, then you should definitely read this book.

Nothing but the Night covers a very heavy topic in discussing the activities around the death and possible sexual assault of a young boy. Please be advised of this prior to reading this book and review.

Bobby Franks had the potential to be a successful young man, but tragically his life was cut short by Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb. Leopold and Loeb were known as intelligent, wealthy boys in Chicago. They had both graduated high school and college early and came from respectable families. Which is why no one suspected they had committed a crime that would rock the city, country, and world. Alone, Leopold and Loeb would probably have lived fairly normal lives and Bobby Franks would have lived a long, happy life. However as soon as Leopold and Loeb met, the fates of these boys was sealed with an inevitably tragic end.

A lot of times I'll read a non-fiction novel and get lost in how much information the authors try to incorporate. With Nothing but the Night, however, I feel like Greg King and Penny Wilson did a great job providing enough detail to give the reader an excellent picture of the events in the book, but not too much to overwhelm. There was also a pleasant balance of information regarding the subjects' lives before the murder, during the murder itself, during the trial, and during the events after. It was particularly interesting to learn about the public's hysteria around the trial - specifically the fact that people were essentially ripping doors off their hinges to get access!

One thing that is always hard to come to terms with in reading a book about true crime is the heavy focus on the lives of those who committed the crime. There was a lot of focus on Leopold and Loeb's life (at times it even felt like the authors were trying to decide between victimizing and demonizing Richard Loeb!) and while there were some chapters about Bobby Franks, I do wish more focus had been given to his life, family, and the effects of the crime on those who loved him.

In the end, I did enjoy this book. The crime and details surrounding it were shocking and interesting, but the book didn't rock my world. It was ok - enjoyable, but not spectacular. 3/5 Stars