Customer Reviews

Murder By the Bay: Historic Homicide In and About the City of San Francisco

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The author, Charles F. Adams, credits his sources. But most of the stories found in this book were included in either San Francisco Murders, which was published in 1947 and edited by Joseph Henry Jackson, and Great Crimes of San Francisco, published in 1974 and edited by Dean W. Dickensheet. Adams has added very little to the tales he reiterates from these two books, and the originals were much more well written. There are innumerable typographical errors in this work, including instances in which the murderers' names are spelled in two different ways. Also, a citation to Dickensheet's volume says it was published in 1947 instead of 1974. The above-mentioned books are readily available from online booksellers, and are far more detailed and engaging. Adams' work does have one advantage: it includes some fuzzy half-tone photographs of the murderers and their victims, whereas the earlier works were unillustrated. Read the older books, then use this one, if need be, to look at the pictures.

Murder has a long history in San Francisco; and not just ordinary murder, either. The murders featured in Murder By The Bay: Historic Homicide In And About The City Of San Francisco involve politicians, colorful social figures, and even movie comedians. Chapters cover some of the biggest murders the city has experienced with an eye to exploring how these murders changed city policies and culture. From the Montgomery Street killing of a newspaper editor in 1956 to the trial of Dan White, former city supervisor who killed the mayor in more recent times, Murder By The Bay is a lively expose.

Adams has done it again! His Murder by the Bay joins Great Rouges of San Francisco and Heros of the Golden Gate to complete his trilogy on colorful San Franisco history. A really good read.