Last Call: A True Story of Love, Lust, and Murder in Queer New York

Last Call is a true crime narrative about the "Last Call Killer," a serial killer who preyed on gay men in NYC in the '80s and '90s, and his victims. The book delves into the victims' backstories and culture at the time, as well as the investigation into the killer's identity. The first half of Last Call was a really slow read for me; then, I read the second half in one sitting. While I appreciated all the details offered up by the author, it felt like they hampered the flow of the book in the first several chapters (as focus often shifted from finding a dead body, to determining who it was, to gay bars in NYC in the '80s, to the victim's upbringing, to the NYC Anti-Violence Project, and so on). Details presented in the second half of the book followed a more logical flow for me. Overall, Last Call is a worthy addition to the true crime genre, telling a story of gruesome murders long since forgotten. Author Elon Green resists the urge to sensationalize - not once can the reader forget that these victims were real people, just trying to live their lives.

The gay community in New York, during the ‘80s and ‘90s, was unfortunately preyed upon by two killers: the AIDS epidemic and a serial killer targeting men based upon their sexual preference. Sadly, these innocent victims of a serial killer have been largely forgotten, possibly due to the very things that made them a target to begin with. Thankfully some refused to give up and spent decades searching for the individual who would be eventually known as the Last Call Killer. Last Call is a well researched true-crime novel that I found enjoyable and informative. I honestly went into this book wanting certain things out of it, and while I did not get what I wanted when I began, what I did get I greatly enjoyed. Green includes a good mix of information about the victims and their lives, the actual crimes and aftermath, and the investigations and insights into them; the variety made this gripping novel more intriguing and interesting. Green treats the victims with respect and doesn’t sensationalize the violence perpetrated against them, but he doesn’t gloss over them either. It flows really well and doesn’t overwhelm the reader with technical information or terms; it is a well-balanced true-crime novel. I highly recommend Last Call; if you like novels about crimes that have rocked the communities in which they occur and the investigation of them, check out Last Call.

Thank you to Celadon Books and BookishFirst for an advance reading copy of Last Call. The cover of Last Call shows a dark ominous nocturnal picture of Manhattan. Last Call is a superbly written and meticulously researched true story of a serial killer who preyed on gay men in NYC in the 80s and 90s. This book took three years to write and after reading it, I can understand why. The author delves deeply into the lives of the victims, such that the reader can appreciate who they were and what placed them in the path of the killer. These men, whose lives were taken so violently had friends, family and people who loved them. Although the background and life of the murderer was explored in depth, I appreciate how the author did not focus solely on the killer, and gave the majority of his attention to the victims. Last Call sheds light on the deplorable treatment of LBGTQ+ people and why their safety concerns were not taken seriously. The AIDS epidemic was raging at the time, which added to the fear of, and violence against, members of the queer community. The historical context provides a better understanding of why it took so long to bring the killer to justice. Last Call evokes great sadness in learning how so many people existed in the shadows, not able to live fully, due to hatred and homophobia. The loss of life due to both the killer and the AIDS epidemic is heartbreaking. The resilience of the queer community was inspiring to read about, as was the persistence of some of the law enforcement officers in finding the killer. Last Call held my interest from beginning to end. It was fascinating and compelling. Highly recommended for readers who are interested in true crime and LBGTQ+ history and rights. #ReadLastCall #CeladonReads #partner @CeladonBooks