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The Strangler: A Novel
Boston, 1963. A city on edge. On street corners, newsboys hawk the shocking headline: KENNEDY IS DEAD. In the city’s underworld, a mob war rages. But what terrifies Bostonians most is the mysterious killer who has already claimed a dozen victims, a murderer whose name is indelibly linked to their city: the Boston Strangler. This is the electrifying backdrop of William Landay’s magnificent new novel, a story of one Irish-American family, a city under siege, and the long shadow cast by the most infamous killer of his day . . .
For the three Daley brothers, sons of a Boston cop, crime is the family business. They are simply on different sides of it. Joe is the eldest, a tough-talking cop whose gambling habits—fast women, slow horses—drag him down into the city’s gangland. Michael is the middle son; a Harvard-educated lawyer working for an ambitious attorney general, he finds himself assigned to the embattled Strangler task force. And Ricky, the devil-may-care youngest son, floats above the fray as an expert burglar—until the Strangler strikes too close to home.
As Joe’s mob debts close in around him . . . and Michael becomes snarled in a murder investigation gone very wrong . . . and Ricky is hunted by both sides of the law, the three brothers—and the women who love them—are forced to take sides. Now each must look deeper into a killer’s murderous rage, into their family’s own lethal secrets, and into the one death that has changed them forever. As William Landay’s complex, compassionate, and terrifying novel builds to a climax, two mysteries will collide—and a shattering truth will be revealed.
For the three Daley brothers, sons of a Boston cop, crime is the family business. They are simply on different sides of it. Joe is the eldest, a tough-talking cop whose gambling habits—fast women, slow horses—drag him down into the city’s gangland. Michael is the middle son; a Harvard-educated lawyer working for an ambitious attorney general, he finds himself assigned to the embattled Strangler task force. And Ricky, the devil-may-care youngest son, floats above the fray as an expert burglar—until the Strangler strikes too close to home.
As Joe’s mob debts close in around him . . . and Michael becomes snarled in a murder investigation gone very wrong . . . and Ricky is hunted by both sides of the law, the three brothers—and the women who love them—are forced to take sides. Now each must look deeper into a killer’s murderous rage, into their family’s own lethal secrets, and into the one death that has changed them forever. As William Landay’s complex, compassionate, and terrifying novel builds to a climax, two mysteries will collide—and a shattering truth will be revealed.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2007
737 people are currently reading
3334 people want to read
About the author
William Landay
5 books2,590 followersWilliam Landay is the author of All That Is Mine I Carry With Me and three previous novels: Defending Jacob, which won the Strand Critics Award for best mystery novel; The Strangler, listed as a best crime novel of the year by the L.A. Times, Daily Telegraph and others; and Mission Flats, winner of the Dagger Award for best first crime novel. A former assistant district attorney, he lives in Boston.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 308 reviews
February 14, 2017
3.5 Stars.. The book opens on 11/22/63, and if you know what happened on that awful day, you'll most likely agree, it's a great draw for a beginning.
THE STRANGLER is a story about the Daley family, particularly the lives of three grown sons, one a Detective for Boston PD, another a Harvard-educated Prosecutor, and the youngest a Master Thief. Also a focal point of the story is the suspicious death of their Police Officer father in the line of duty and the 'boyfriend' of their feisty attractive mother.....And don't forget, there is a serial killer on the loose.
Although corruption, gangsters, betrayals and family interaction play a major part in the narration, William Landay does a great job of interweaving the actions of THE STRANGLER, but, unfortunately not near enough to meet my expectations, hence the 3.5 Star rating.
Overall, a decent mystery read, but too much family detail and not enough STRANGLER!
DEFENDING JACOB, now that's a 5 Star Landay read.....at least for me.
July 18, 2017
3.5 stars, rounding down.
It's 11/22/1963 in Boston, and the city is grief-stunned. It's impossible for Bostonians to believe what has happened and all are wondering what could possibly come next.
They are soon to learn of the Boston Strangler and his reign of terror on the city, in which thirteen single women let a stranger into their homes and wound up dead, also raped and/or mutilated. This book is a fictional account of a lawyer, Michael Daly, assigned to the Strangler case, and his family. I read and 5-starred this author's Defending Jacob, so have wanted to read Landay's other books ever since. I can only give this 3.5 stars because the story goes off in so many directions. Each member of the family has a story, the three Daly brothers are all dirty, there are multiple suspects for the stranglings and for other deaths within the family, and I felt it all just too much.
The strangler mystery was handled very well, though. The more I learned about it, the more I wanted to know. There are some interesting recent developments you'll find on line (from 2013, after the 2007 publication of this book) but I think it best to Google it yourself at the point in the book that you, the reader, start to feel curious.
It's 11/22/1963 in Boston, and the city is grief-stunned. It's impossible for Bostonians to believe what has happened and all are wondering what could possibly come next.
They are soon to learn of the Boston Strangler and his reign of terror on the city, in which thirteen single women let a stranger into their homes and wound up dead, also raped and/or mutilated. This book is a fictional account of a lawyer, Michael Daly, assigned to the Strangler case, and his family. I read and 5-starred this author's Defending Jacob, so have wanted to read Landay's other books ever since. I can only give this 3.5 stars because the story goes off in so many directions. Each member of the family has a story, the three Daly brothers are all dirty, there are multiple suspects for the stranglings and for other deaths within the family, and I felt it all just too much.
The strangler mystery was handled very well, though. The more I learned about it, the more I wanted to know. There are some interesting recent developments you'll find on line (from 2013, after the 2007 publication of this book) but I think it best to Google it yourself at the point in the book that you, the reader, start to feel curious.
November 24, 2012
This was writen before Defending Jacob and it is definitely in need of an editor. Spanning more than 400 pages, this crime thriller set in 1960s Boston comes up way short. Part 2 could be skipped entirely without much loss of understanding. The plot goes literally nowhere for 130 pages while the author indulges in ridiculous psychoanalysis of his major characters, the Daley brothers. He spends pages on the nature of a migraine headache, detailing every symptom over and over. Is this supposed to make us feel Michael Daley's pain or merely to numb us. I had to skip over many paragraphs of this kind of overwriting to get to a spot where the plot once again advanced. Vincent Gargano might have been an interesting character if he didn't repeat things over and over again. I was ready to scream, LETS GET ON WITH IT!!. A very dissatisfying read!! Even the ending is not particularly well explained. I won't spoil anything by saying that it is hard to figure out what happened in the scene at the construction site!
February 21, 2024
Landay is a wonderful writer and a clever storyteller of character-driven mysteries. Here, the Daley family with three sons: one a cop like their father, one a lawyer, and one a skilled jewel thief confront change in 1963 Boston. The strangler has strangled a dozen women and the west end of Boston is being knocked down for 'urban renewal.' Joe Daley senior, a BPD detective was killed by a street punk a year ago. Now Joe Daley the son is caught on camera picking up bribes from a bookie joint. Boston is full of cops on the take and the mobsters who run them. The book transported me to a historic, gritty city. If I had lived there and then, I would have liked to have met the Daleys.
July 14, 2012
I tried to get into this book because it's right up my alley. It's about the Boston Strangler who terrorized Boston in the 60's and the story centers around 3 Irish brothers : a cop, a thief, and a lawyer. That theme of the good brothers and the bad brothers has been done and redone. I know: it could be realistic, and we all know families who have a shining star and a black sheep. But when it feels forced, as this one does, then it doesn't matter whether it could be real, it feels like a stock story with stock characters.
Perhaps if one is too young to have heard of the Boston Strangler, this will be interesting, but for readers who lived through that era, there's nothing new here and not the kind of memory one wants to relive.
I also could have done without all those gross and disgusting descriptions of how the victims bodies were mutilated and posed by the strangler. It's not that I am squeamish, it just seemed that they were thrown in at the beginning of the book unrelated to the rest of the chronology of the story, and too much information before the reader needs to hear it. I guess, it's the opposite of "too little too late" : too much, too early.
I really enjoyed Landay's last book "Defending Jacob", so I will not give up on him, but this one just didn't do it for me.
Perhaps if one is too young to have heard of the Boston Strangler, this will be interesting, but for readers who lived through that era, there's nothing new here and not the kind of memory one wants to relive.
I also could have done without all those gross and disgusting descriptions of how the victims bodies were mutilated and posed by the strangler. It's not that I am squeamish, it just seemed that they were thrown in at the beginning of the book unrelated to the rest of the chronology of the story, and too much information before the reader needs to hear it. I guess, it's the opposite of "too little too late" : too much, too early.
I really enjoyed Landay's last book "Defending Jacob", so I will not give up on him, but this one just didn't do it for me.
August 4, 2016
I read Defending Jacob and enjoyed it so I thought I would try this book. I thought the characters were well developed and anticipated a huge surprise at the end, similar to Defending Jacob, that would result in a nice book discussion. The ending was a disappointment. Margaret's actions at the end didn't support how she was portrayed throughout the book. Her action didn't strike me as a plot twist or a surprise, it just happened and wasn't really believable. Also, I know this is a work of fiction but the Boston Strangler angle seemed to get lost in the story in order for the mob element to develop. I just wanted to be done with this book.
July 7, 2017
This is your classic story of Boston Police, the Italian family and the Mob, taking place in the 1960's. The Boston Strangler, a group of brothers, dirty cops, thieves, lawyers, cheaters, north end, south end, dead bodies, and hits put out!
Hubby read this book and recommended it to me because he knows how much I love me a mob book!! It totally hit the spot for that! I enjoyed the writing and the descriptions of the times, and of course I took in every yummy morsel of that Italian men banter!! It wasn't the high paced, heart pounding thriller I expected, but still really good and enjoyable!!!
Hubby read this book and recommended it to me because he knows how much I love me a mob book!! It totally hit the spot for that! I enjoyed the writing and the descriptions of the times, and of course I took in every yummy morsel of that Italian men banter!! It wasn't the high paced, heart pounding thriller I expected, but still really good and enjoyable!!!
February 19, 2012
I LOVED Defending Jacob and quickly searched out all novels written by Landay. This book is just not as exciting as Defending Jacob. Landay is compared to another Boston writer, Denis Lehane, and rightly so. Defending Jacob hit all the right notes. There is just something a little flat with The Strangler tho. Never really found myself connecting with any of the three main characters here. Unlike Lehane's Mystic River, where the reader is riveted to the page and can smell the streets of Boston, Landay's Boston seems a bit watered down. Hewever, this is a well-written book. Landay can write like a mutha cracker mos def.
October 25, 2014
Another great book of suspense by William Landay! This was his second novel and had all the essence and grit of Boston in the early '60's when the Boston Strangler carried out his reign of terror by slaughtering 13 women.
But the story revolves around the Daly family. The father, Joe, has bern killed in the line of duty as a policeman. The three grown sons and their mothrr not only mourn his passing but one son suspects foul play was involved in his killing and one son risks his life in order to prove it.
Meanwhile the body count left by the strangler continues to climb.
Suspenseful with colorful characters and a catch-your-breath pulse pounding ending.
But the story revolves around the Daly family. The father, Joe, has bern killed in the line of duty as a policeman. The three grown sons and their mothrr not only mourn his passing but one son suspects foul play was involved in his killing and one son risks his life in order to prove it.
Meanwhile the body count left by the strangler continues to climb.
Suspenseful with colorful characters and a catch-your-breath pulse pounding ending.
February 10, 2023
I wanted to like this. I really, really wanted to like this. But the story got muddled by too many characters and too many subplots. All that also made Part 2 of the book feel unnecessary. With some editing, this book could have been entertaining.
March 13, 2020
Too much crude language, and graphic murdered bodies. Except for Landay's award winner, "Mission Flats," I don't think I'll read more of his writing.
January 24, 2012
Review of “The Strangler” by William Landay:
Mr. Landay has become one of my favorite mystery authors. He’s published 2 books so far with the third one to be released 1/31/12. His first effort was “Mission Flats”. It was terrific and won the Dagger Award for best debut crime novel in 2003.
“The Strangler” is set in Boston in 1963. The country is shaken by the recent assassination of President John F. Kennedy and Boston, in particular, is reeling from a rapist/murderer on the loose. Dubbed by the press as “The Boston Strangler” the women of Boston are terrified.
However, this book is not about the assassination or even much about the Boston Strangler despite the title. It is about three Irish brothers and centers around the murder of their father and the mystery surrounding it. There is mob, there is police corruption, murder, gambling. Every element that makes a terrific mystery. One a cop, one a Assistant to the Attorney General and the other a non-apologetic burglar.
The only slightly negative thing I will say Mr. Landay could have developed his characters a little more. This is the reason for the 4 stars instead of 5. I didn’t really feel I knew any of them. That being said, I still loved this book.
I will not post anything that might be a spoiler to others, but let it suffice to say, this book is well worth the read for the ending alone. Mr. Landay is very good at keeping you guessing up until the last page. I really liked the ending and even though the thought of it had occurred to me, I dismissed it out of hand because it didn’t fit.
If you choose to read this book, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Mr. Landay has a new novel titled “Defending Jacob” being released on January 31, 2012. Needless to say, I have it pre-ordered. I’m a big fan and the new book sounds intriguing.
Mr. Landay has become one of my favorite mystery authors. He’s published 2 books so far with the third one to be released 1/31/12. His first effort was “Mission Flats”. It was terrific and won the Dagger Award for best debut crime novel in 2003.
“The Strangler” is set in Boston in 1963. The country is shaken by the recent assassination of President John F. Kennedy and Boston, in particular, is reeling from a rapist/murderer on the loose. Dubbed by the press as “The Boston Strangler” the women of Boston are terrified.
However, this book is not about the assassination or even much about the Boston Strangler despite the title. It is about three Irish brothers and centers around the murder of their father and the mystery surrounding it. There is mob, there is police corruption, murder, gambling. Every element that makes a terrific mystery. One a cop, one a Assistant to the Attorney General and the other a non-apologetic burglar.
The only slightly negative thing I will say Mr. Landay could have developed his characters a little more. This is the reason for the 4 stars instead of 5. I didn’t really feel I knew any of them. That being said, I still loved this book.
I will not post anything that might be a spoiler to others, but let it suffice to say, this book is well worth the read for the ending alone. Mr. Landay is very good at keeping you guessing up until the last page. I really liked the ending and even though the thought of it had occurred to me, I dismissed it out of hand because it didn’t fit.
If you choose to read this book, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Mr. Landay has a new novel titled “Defending Jacob” being released on January 31, 2012. Needless to say, I have it pre-ordered. I’m a big fan and the new book sounds intriguing.
November 26, 2012
Not perfect but still pretty good. A suspenseful tale of three Boston brothers - one a crooked cop, one a troubled D.A., one a freelance burglar - whose lives are crossed by corruption during the height of the Boston Strangler panic.
Landay lingers too much on the trivial details and glosses over some of the important ones. For instance, one character has the same argument with his mother at least three times, while the suspected Strangler, Albert deSalvo, shows up out of nowhere. However, so much of the detail contributes to a rich, true vision of Boston in the Sixties that it's hard to complain too much.
Landay lingers too much on the trivial details and glosses over some of the important ones. For instance, one character has the same argument with his mother at least three times, while the suspected Strangler, Albert deSalvo, shows up out of nowhere. However, so much of the detail contributes to a rich, true vision of Boston in the Sixties that it's hard to complain too much.
March 19, 2013
Decided not to finish this book. Just could not get into it.
April 28, 2020
I couldn’t get through it. 16% in and Landay hadn’t done any more than hint at the title’s plot line. A real disappointment after having devoured “Defending Jacob” in a single weekend.
January 4, 2023
Too many characters and was never really able to engage with anyone.
February 20, 2020
Because I thought Landay's novel Defending Jacob was excellent, I checked out his first two novels from the library. I was not at all engaged by his first, Mission Flats, but thought The Strangler would hold my interest since I recall the strangler's reign of terror in Boston in the mid 1960s.
The Strangler tells the story of three very different Boston brothers and how they relate to the Boston Strangler. The concept of this novel is a solid one, but the characters are not described in enough detail to make them accessible to the reader and the plot is disjointed.
I am hoping for more books like Defending Jacob from Landay.
The Strangler tells the story of three very different Boston brothers and how they relate to the Boston Strangler. The concept of this novel is a solid one, but the characters are not described in enough detail to make them accessible to the reader and the plot is disjointed.
I am hoping for more books like Defending Jacob from Landay.
November 20, 2018
Landay wrote "Defending Jacob," which is a well written, complex physiological novel. "The Strangler" is more of an examination of the Daley family. Rick is a clever bugler, Joe Jr. is a cop, Michael is a lawyer and the deceased Joe Sr. was a cop. Corruption and secrets abound. This one isn't quite as good as "Defending Jacob."
April 12, 2019
My first book by this author. I loved the book, the 1st half I struggled with but the 2nd half rocked.
Who is the Boston Strangler?
This was a riveting book and that has huge twists, yep twists plural! Enjoy figuring this one out.
Who is the Boston Strangler?
This was a riveting book and that has huge twists, yep twists plural! Enjoy figuring this one out.
August 9, 2018
This is the second of Wiliam Landay's three (thus far) novels. This is the story of an Boston Irish family; the three sons of a Boston cop include a cop, a lawyer and a burglar. And while that might sound like the build to a joke, the novel is one of violence and tragedy and only the grisliest of jokes. The action takes place against a backdrop of the JFK assassination and the Boston Strangler investigation.
I don't feel this book was as compelling as Landay's first (Mission Flats) and not nearly as powerful as his most recent (Defending Jacob); however, it is an engaging story with well-drawn characters. Anyone who has a somewhat cynical view of police departments will wholeheartedly enjoy this one! While I recognize good writing when I read it, there was a bit more graphic mayhem and butchery for my taste. I found myself having to reread scenes as there were abrupt endings and then no account of how a character had gotten out of a particular situation.
I don't feel this book was as compelling as Landay's first (Mission Flats) and not nearly as powerful as his most recent (Defending Jacob); however, it is an engaging story with well-drawn characters. Anyone who has a somewhat cynical view of police departments will wholeheartedly enjoy this one! While I recognize good writing when I read it, there was a bit more graphic mayhem and butchery for my taste. I found myself having to reread scenes as there were abrupt endings and then no account of how a character had gotten out of a particular situation.
September 25, 2017
I am a Landay fan most days. This one not as much. We follow the Daley brothers who are in Boston, beginning on the day of Kennedy's assassination. The other big news of the day is of "the Boston Strangler" and this is what the story follows.
I feel that Landay captured the mood and time wonderfully. It also captured the Boston political system at that time. I also liked the layers of all three brothers. That said, this fell a bit flat for me. I think it went in way too many directions at times and for me it bogged down the central story. I did learn quite a bit about the Boston Strangler, and found myself searching on line for even more info and updates.
Will I read Mr. Landay again? For sure. This one was just not quite as great for me.
I feel that Landay captured the mood and time wonderfully. It also captured the Boston political system at that time. I also liked the layers of all three brothers. That said, this fell a bit flat for me. I think it went in way too many directions at times and for me it bogged down the central story. I did learn quite a bit about the Boston Strangler, and found myself searching on line for even more info and updates.
Will I read Mr. Landay again? For sure. This one was just not quite as great for me.
September 6, 2017
If you are into 1960s Boston, along with crooked cops, mob ties, and criminals, this book would be up your alley. For me personally, it's not a part of history that I am interested in but the story is well-written and there were some twists. I really liked Margaret towards the end and it shows what a mother would do to protect her family.
December 30, 2013
Superb amalgamation of the Boston Strangler killings, JFK's assassination, and the revitalization of Boston in the early 60s. Centering around three Irish brothers, a cop, a burglar, and a lawyer, The Strangler is rife with suspense, drama, and first-rate storytelling.
April 5, 2015
Suspenseful with beautiful writing.
February 27, 2024
The story takes place in the heart of Boston on the day of JFK's assassination as we pierce into the 3 brother's introduction: Ricky (the youngest) is a conniving thief that doesn't show much emotions, while his eldest brother; Joe is a cop and a gambler who aspires to become detective, leaving the book smart middle-child Michael, a lawyer with intense migraines that works closely with the AG on the Strangler cases. That day in November of 1963, we are presented with the horrors of what the people of Boston endure as we learn of another victim of the Strangler and how the minute details throughout the journey tied in cohesively well towards end of it by mid 1964.
I wasn't sure what to expect diving into this book, but the extensive narration shifts your perspective as if you are nothing more than someone in the audience watching a tv show to becoming fully immersed as a ghost in this world, watching the events unfold in present time when you follow the characters around. The novel is split into 3 parts, steadily making you more mesmerized and desperate to know what comes next, to the point of having to read it on your daily commute in order to figure out what is unveiled.
Although the novel does tend to have more stories of what the brothers go through rather than talking about the Strangler himself, I found that it flows in very intense waves of highs and lows (for me personally). From the slow paced action that overtakes Joe's encounter's with the different neighborhoods (partially, not all the time) and Ricky's issues with the Mob to the rapid operations we encounter with Michael and the strangler cases in addition to his unique varying relationships with everyone; particularly Brendan Conroy (his mother's boyfriend).
I do want to note a trigger warning as this is about a serial killer, the details about the victims could be a little overwhelming if you're not prepared for it. Particularly rape and sodomy.
The interactions between the main and side characters are compelling and rival a lot of amazing scripts I've heard from movies and shows today. My emotions fluctuated so much from chucking the book across my bedroom because someone dies, to anxiously trying to calm down so that my eyes don't skip forward and spoil the next page. Not to mention screaming at the book because of who I was rooting for, covering my mouth in awe after reading how the truth is brought to light and lastly, where I sat in my chair, completely perplexed after finishing it.
I wasn't sure what to expect diving into this book, but the extensive narration shifts your perspective as if you are nothing more than someone in the audience watching a tv show to becoming fully immersed as a ghost in this world, watching the events unfold in present time when you follow the characters around. The novel is split into 3 parts, steadily making you more mesmerized and desperate to know what comes next, to the point of having to read it on your daily commute in order to figure out what is unveiled.
Although the novel does tend to have more stories of what the brothers go through rather than talking about the Strangler himself, I found that it flows in very intense waves of highs and lows (for me personally). From the slow paced action that overtakes Joe's encounter's with the different neighborhoods (partially, not all the time) and Ricky's issues with the Mob to the rapid operations we encounter with Michael and the strangler cases in addition to his unique varying relationships with everyone; particularly Brendan Conroy (his mother's boyfriend).
I do want to note a trigger warning as this is about a serial killer, the details about the victims could be a little overwhelming if you're not prepared for it. Particularly rape and sodomy.
The interactions between the main and side characters are compelling and rival a lot of amazing scripts I've heard from movies and shows today. My emotions fluctuated so much from chucking the book across my bedroom because someone dies, to anxiously trying to calm down so that my eyes don't skip forward and spoil the next page. Not to mention screaming at the book because of who I was rooting for, covering my mouth in awe after reading how the truth is brought to light and lastly, where I sat in my chair, completely perplexed after finishing it.
October 28, 2019
Like so many others I had read Defending Jacob first, and was blown away by how good that book was. I was excited to pick up another William Landay and truly expected a similar experience.
I believe my dislike of this book is at least partially my own fault. I expected a book titled 'the strangler' to have the Stranglings be a main focus of the story. I didn't know until reading other reviews that the Boston Strangler was an actual case, and this was at least partially based on (or inspired by?) that. However, it seems like the Strangler was used as a backdrop. I was actually invested in figuring out who that was, to go chapters and chapters without it being really mentioned or cared about. Instead of following the strangler, you follow the 3 Daley brothers who are in their own ways caught up in the Strangler business, while also dealing with their own lives. Joe is a cop with a gambling problem and has roughly 0 redeeming qualities. He does stupid things, and then seems frustrated when it all blows up in his face and I really never felt bad for him. Michael is a lawyer who ends up getting assigned to work on the strangler case (which then goes on to describe the victims to a gross degree) meanwhile their youngest brother, Ricky is a thief.
None of them are particularly great, and i was expecting a lot more 'murder mystery' than I got. Most of this story is about Joe dealing with his gambling problem, Michael trying to decide who killed his father after someone suggests to him the story is different than what he was told. and Ricky being a thief.
The story shined best when it was actually providing mystery and action, and i did eventually get invested in Michael's secondary mystery. However I feel like the story I expected was not the story told, and in the end I just didn't like it. I will continue to try Landay's newer works as I believe this came before Defending Jacob, but this is just not one i can recommend to anyone, even if you like his other works.
I believe my dislike of this book is at least partially my own fault. I expected a book titled 'the strangler' to have the Stranglings be a main focus of the story. I didn't know until reading other reviews that the Boston Strangler was an actual case, and this was at least partially based on (or inspired by?) that. However, it seems like the Strangler was used as a backdrop. I was actually invested in figuring out who that was, to go chapters and chapters without it being really mentioned or cared about. Instead of following the strangler, you follow the 3 Daley brothers who are in their own ways caught up in the Strangler business, while also dealing with their own lives. Joe is a cop with a gambling problem and has roughly 0 redeeming qualities. He does stupid things, and then seems frustrated when it all blows up in his face and I really never felt bad for him. Michael is a lawyer who ends up getting assigned to work on the strangler case (which then goes on to describe the victims to a gross degree) meanwhile their youngest brother, Ricky is a thief.
None of them are particularly great, and i was expecting a lot more 'murder mystery' than I got. Most of this story is about Joe dealing with his gambling problem, Michael trying to decide who killed his father after someone suggests to him the story is different than what he was told. and Ricky being a thief.
The story shined best when it was actually providing mystery and action, and i did eventually get invested in Michael's secondary mystery. However I feel like the story I expected was not the story told, and in the end I just didn't like it. I will continue to try Landay's newer works as I believe this came before Defending Jacob, but this is just not one i can recommend to anyone, even if you like his other works.
December 24, 2022
Boston, 1963. A city on edge. On street corners, newsboys hawk the shocking headline: KENNEDY IS DEAD. In the city’s underworld, a mob war rages. But what terrifies Bostonians most is the mysterious killer who has already claimed a dozen victims, a murderer whose name is indelibly linked to their city: the Boston Strangler. This is the electrifying backdrop of William Landay’s magnificent new novel, a story of one Irish-American family, a city under siege, and the long shadow cast by the most infamous killer of his day . . .
For the three Daley brothers, sons of a Boston cop, crime is the family business. They are simply on different sides of it. Joe is the eldest, a tough-talking cop whose gambling habits—fast women, slow horses—drag him down into the city’s gangland. Michael is the middle son; a Harvard-educated lawyer working for an ambitious attorney general, he finds himself assigned to the embattled Strangler task force. And Ricky, the devil-may-care youngest son, floats above the fray as an expert burglar—until the Strangler strikes too close to home.
As Joe’s mob debts close in around him . . . and Michael becomes snarled in a murder investigation gone very wrong . . . and Ricky is hunted by both sides of the law, the three brothers—and the women who love them—are forced to take sides. Now each must look deeper into a killer’s murderous rage, into their family’s own lethal secrets, and into the one death that has changed them forever. As William Landay’s complex, compassionate, and terrifying novel builds to a climax, two mysteries will collide—and a shattering truth will be revealed.
For the three Daley brothers, sons of a Boston cop, crime is the family business. They are simply on different sides of it. Joe is the eldest, a tough-talking cop whose gambling habits—fast women, slow horses—drag him down into the city’s gangland. Michael is the middle son; a Harvard-educated lawyer working for an ambitious attorney general, he finds himself assigned to the embattled Strangler task force. And Ricky, the devil-may-care youngest son, floats above the fray as an expert burglar—until the Strangler strikes too close to home.
As Joe’s mob debts close in around him . . . and Michael becomes snarled in a murder investigation gone very wrong . . . and Ricky is hunted by both sides of the law, the three brothers—and the women who love them—are forced to take sides. Now each must look deeper into a killer’s murderous rage, into their family’s own lethal secrets, and into the one death that has changed them forever. As William Landay’s complex, compassionate, and terrifying novel builds to a climax, two mysteries will collide—and a shattering truth will be revealed.
July 16, 2022
William Landay is a superb writer. He creates an atmosphere that is intoxicating, regardless of the setting or the characters involved. THE STRANGLER is his 2nd novel. His first, MISSION FLATS, was a top-notch novel, and his 3rd and latest, DEFENDING JACOB was mesmerizing and just perfect.
THE STRANGLER comes close to matching his artistry in his other 2 novels.
The setting is Boston, MA in 1963 and 1964. Along with the assassination of Pres. Kennedy, there are a number of murders taking place in Boston and attributed to the Boston Strangler. This novel doesn't necessarily solve the mystery of the Strangler, but provides a gritty story of those killings and a family that is deeply involved in this dark period.
It is the story of the 3 Daley brothers (sons of a murdered Boston cop), their Mother, their Dad's partner and friend, and the period in which they lived and worked in Boston. It is a period when the Italian Mafia-types ran Boston, when many cops were on the take, and were being Irish meant you aided and abetted the Mafia types or stayed blind to what was going on Corruption, murder, and theft.
Having grown up in the metropoilitan Boston area and lived close by through my 30's, reading THE STRANGLER brought back many memories, both good and bad. William Landay has written a powerful story of that time period when it was difficult to separate the roles of criminals, politicians, and the police. It is spell-binding, emotional, realistic, and beautifully written.
THE STRANGLER comes close to matching his artistry in his other 2 novels.
The setting is Boston, MA in 1963 and 1964. Along with the assassination of Pres. Kennedy, there are a number of murders taking place in Boston and attributed to the Boston Strangler. This novel doesn't necessarily solve the mystery of the Strangler, but provides a gritty story of those killings and a family that is deeply involved in this dark period.
It is the story of the 3 Daley brothers (sons of a murdered Boston cop), their Mother, their Dad's partner and friend, and the period in which they lived and worked in Boston. It is a period when the Italian Mafia-types ran Boston, when many cops were on the take, and were being Irish meant you aided and abetted the Mafia types or stayed blind to what was going on Corruption, murder, and theft.
Having grown up in the metropoilitan Boston area and lived close by through my 30's, reading THE STRANGLER brought back many memories, both good and bad. William Landay has written a powerful story of that time period when it was difficult to separate the roles of criminals, politicians, and the police. It is spell-binding, emotional, realistic, and beautifully written.
January 12, 2019
This is a mixture of fact and fiction and I'm not 100% sure whether it works or not. The book is set around the Daley family, principally three brothers and their mother and late father in Boston at the time of the Boston Strangler. The Daley family are all involved one way or another with crime - late father Joe and eldest son Joe, both Policeman, Michael, works as a lawyer, and youngest brother Ricky is a very competent thief.
Joe and his father's partner Brendan Conroy, also worming his way in as mother Margaret's new love interest, and involved in the Strangler case as is Michael through the AG office.
The investigation involves the true participants in the Boston Strangler case although the investigators themselves are fictitious. There is also a heavy mob involvement and this brings in some of the most interesting characters.
I currently have a real problem with books that appear long for the sake of it and this certainly qualifies on that front. There is a common feeling of 'haven't I read that bit before?' The detail regarding the family is too much and repetitive. Some of the mob elements would have been better receiving greater attention and also I would have like to have seen more detail regarding the Strangler, which came across as a bit of a side tale rather than the main event the title suggests.
When all said and done it was an interesting deviation but would have been much better if it had been 200 pages shorter.
Joe and his father's partner Brendan Conroy, also worming his way in as mother Margaret's new love interest, and involved in the Strangler case as is Michael through the AG office.
The investigation involves the true participants in the Boston Strangler case although the investigators themselves are fictitious. There is also a heavy mob involvement and this brings in some of the most interesting characters.
I currently have a real problem with books that appear long for the sake of it and this certainly qualifies on that front. There is a common feeling of 'haven't I read that bit before?' The detail regarding the family is too much and repetitive. Some of the mob elements would have been better receiving greater attention and also I would have like to have seen more detail regarding the Strangler, which came across as a bit of a side tale rather than the main event the title suggests.
When all said and done it was an interesting deviation but would have been much better if it had been 200 pages shorter.
September 26, 2018
I read defending Jacob and was so in love with the book I decided to read more from the author. I was not disappointed at all. Defending Jacob is still my number one book from Landay but not by much. This book was great and was completely different to defending Jacob. I could tell it was the same author but I didn’t feel like it was the same book over again.
I thought it was interesting and I plan to learn more about the actual Boston strangler having read this story. There are a lot of twists and turns. I often found myself looking for foreshadowing and trying to guess how the plot would unravel. I assumed after defending Jacob there would be a shocker and the entire book I was trying to figure it out.
Landay is a very descriptive writer and at times I found myself a little bored with his winded sometimes half page descriptions. I did find there was a lot of repetition that could have been edited out. Even more daunting, was the repetitive never ending descriptions. For example the migraines. I can honestly say I could probably describe one accurately from the inside out :/ (please Michael no more migraines I can’t handle the 3 pages I have to read describing it) but on a serious note, I think his goal was to make you feel the all encompassing pain of it but the reader only needs that once.
Overall it was a great read! I would definitely read another of his books.
I thought it was interesting and I plan to learn more about the actual Boston strangler having read this story. There are a lot of twists and turns. I often found myself looking for foreshadowing and trying to guess how the plot would unravel. I assumed after defending Jacob there would be a shocker and the entire book I was trying to figure it out.
Landay is a very descriptive writer and at times I found myself a little bored with his winded sometimes half page descriptions. I did find there was a lot of repetition that could have been edited out. Even more daunting, was the repetitive never ending descriptions. For example the migraines. I can honestly say I could probably describe one accurately from the inside out :/ (please Michael no more migraines I can’t handle the 3 pages I have to read describing it) but on a serious note, I think his goal was to make you feel the all encompassing pain of it but the reader only needs that once.
Overall it was a great read! I would definitely read another of his books.
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